Fence Posts

ALBALD1 · Nov 26, 2004

I used cement on the last fencing I did. Only been a year, so I just hope it last after reading some of these responses. I put old nails or steeples in the bottom of the poles sticking out about an inch to prevent the poles from lifting & braced about every 40-50 ft w/ diagonal braces on each side. I don't know how long it will last, but all the poles are solid as heck. This may not apply to you, but I wasn't concerned w/ the look of the fence. I just wanted something to stay strong for field fence w/ a strand of electric on top, so my father-in-law found where the local utility companies dump there old poles. We cut them 8' & split the bigger ones. It was a lot of work, but they were free.

Soundguy · Nov 27, 2004

( In my opinion you took my reply, picked it apart to suit your needs )

Sorry you feel that way.. but I just quotes the first line of each new idea / paragraph.. no editing was done...

( When you highlighted my words the first one should have been DROUGHT )

In all fairness, I did highlight ""in dry conditions"" that preceded the comment about watering.. so?? doesnt that work as well as drought? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

( I'd sure like to see you run a fence your way in those conditions in this soil.
)

While soft wet soil is easiest to pound thru.. tposts travel pretty easilly through dry soil as well, as long as there are no rocks. If I'm hand digging holes. I drefer dry but not sandy soil.. and not too wet..

( If you haven't tried it don't knock it )

I've not gone 'polar-bear' style ice swimming naked either.. but I can tell you that i don't like it without doing it eithere. Seems a tractor mounted PHD would be just as easy, and without the off and on of the tractor. Even if it was a 2 pass deal to drop the posts in and tamp. Like I said... I've not seen that sort of thing here in florida.. perhaps our soil is simply not condusive to post pounding??

Soundguy

weedsportpete · Dec 1, 2004

I used a similar method that worked well. Maybe I didn't have to sharpen the posts, but our soil is very dense clay. We were having other excavation work done, so we borrowed the excavator. The operator stayed in it and moved from post to post. Two people were working at the pickup truck, shaving the posts and marking a line at 3', and handing the posts to me. I'd hold it up at the correct spot, and the excavator would push the post down. As fast as the posts were ready, we had them pushed into the ground.

It would be expensive to get the excavator out just for that purpose, but as it was already on site, it was a good deal. If I had known then, what I know now, I would have bit the bullet, bought a few hundred posts and have the entire set of pastures fenced over two or three days. Now I'm not sure I can get the excavator in everywhere with all the fences I've put up.

dmccarty · Dec 1, 2004

Charollais,

What model Shaver do you have?

I just got the quote from the dealer for $2,600 for an HD8 with me doing the assembly. $200 more if they dealer puts it togather.

The HD10 has more power but it looks like it needs more GPM than my JD 4700 can provide...

Later,
Dan

RockRapidsDeere · Dec 1, 2004

In my area everyone uses a phd. Also, all the residential fences are put in with 4x4 in concrete. I worked for the county for 2 summers replacing rural street signs, and we used a boom arm with a phd to put all our posts in (usually about 4' down). We then back filled with pea gravel, tamped it, and threw a small bucket of quick crete in with the gravel. 10 years later most of the poles we set are still standing straight unless the wing of a snow plow hit it.

varmint · Dec 1, 2004

A couple of weeks ago, I watched some "professional" fencers putting in about 4000' of pasture fencing for a bison farm up the lane. Since I am in the middle of replacing some of our wood fencing, I asked some questions. They were using two bobcats, one with a hydralic phd, and treated 4x6 posts, 7'-10" on center. They backfilled with crushed stone- pretty fine stuff. Then 1 x 6 white oak boards. I'm using locust posts, most of which should outlast me, and nothing fancy like crushed rock- just dirt. Speaking as an old architect, I can say that good drainage is the key, no matter what kind of wood, and the stone seems like a good choice. Conc. just holds the moisture in the wood.

What they did made for a tight, strong fence. Since the bison weigh 1000-1500 pounds, you'd want a stout fence. I only have to worry about the deer- they'll skip over it, and two cats, who'll run under it.

MikePA · Dec 2, 2004

The HD10 has more power but it looks like it needs more GPM than my JD 4700 can provide... 
The GPM determines how fast the driver rises.

I also noticed that the HD10 needs a Cat 2 3ph. Does your 4700 have a Cat 2?

dmccarty · Dec 8, 2004

Mike,

Yep, I only have a Cat 1 hitch so I guess I'm "stuck" with the HD8. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks for point out the hitch difference.

Later,
Dan