Snow Pole Road Markers ????

[Gordon Gould]

I am getting my roads ready for winter. I have always used sappling sticks for plowing markers. It is kind of a pain cutting and sharpening them. I use about 100. I saw these and wonder if anyone has used them and how they stand up to plowing abuse. They might be worth it if they last.

72" REFLECTIVE MARKER ORANGE

Here is a reminder of what is to come from March 4 2011

 

[devildog1]

They work great as long as you do not hit them with plow or snow blower as they will splinter ,but they are highly visible and are great for marking your roadway. I use them in early season when grass is not yet frozen and I don't want to do any un-wanted landscape work as I'm plowing. TSC sells them along with Lowe's and Home Depot.
DevilDog

 

[radioman]

you might be better off with a bunch of rebars in 10ft length and cut them up in half. Then paint it kubota orange or in orange reflective paint. This way it will last you a lifetime, even if you hit it. You can always straighten it out

 

[RoyJackson]

Is that your driveway, Gordon?

 

[tommu56]

When we put them in at work we use pvc pipe and have a steel home made tool to poke a hole in the ground pull tool out an drop pvc pipe in with a orange paint on top.

the tool is a piece of steel pipe with a tip we use with a w poste driver to drive it in with 6 or 6 hits.

on your own property I'd put a piece of 1 1/2 inch pipe sleeve in flush withthe ground drop the pipe in in the fall and in the spring pull the pipe and leave the sleeve in the ground for next year.

tom

 

[bc realtor]

DRIVEWAY Markers
this is were i Get mine from.

 

[Buckgnarly]

I've actually had pretty good luck with them, even after running over them last winter. I really only use them until the snowpack forms to mark my dropoffs/obstacles, then they are covered anyway, hence the running over them last winter!

 

[MIKE R]

We use the round fiberglass electric fence stakes. They are very durable. I've driven over them many times and they just bend over and pop back up. I've only ever seen one break and that was from putting it into the blower.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Thanks for all the replys. Yes, that is part of my driveway Roy. It is pretty long. I plow as wide as I can and it closes in as the winter progresses. I use the the markers to mark the rocks, stumps, ditches, etc, so I can start out wide as possible. I generally break a bunch of sticks. I hit a few but mostly flying chunks of crust or a heavy curl snow breaks them. Especially trying to cut the banks back wide as possible. For new snow I pile the snow along the banks then plow at pretty good speed to throw it up and over.
I am afraid pvc would shatter with our cold. The rebar would be good. Might be expensive though but certainly would last. I was wondering if 5/16" fiberglass would bend or splinter at below zero temps.

 

[RoyJackson]

Thanks for all the replys. Yes, that is part of my driveway Roy. It is pretty long. I plow as wide as I can and it closes in as the winter progresses. I use the the markers to mark the rocks, stumps, ditches, etc, so I can start out wide as possible. I generally break a bunch of sticks. I hit a few but mostly flying chunks of crust or a heavy curl snow breaks them. Especially trying to cut the banks back wide as possible. For new snow I pile the snow along the banks then plow at pretty good speed to throw it up and over.
I am afraid pvc would shatter with our cold. The rebar would be good. Might be expensive though but certainly would last. I was wondering if 5/16" fiberglass would bend or splinter at below zero temps.

Definitely a pretty driveway!!
We're interested in moving to Vermont...got an interview up there this week, in fact. I just hope the predicted Nor'Easter is a no show! I'm fine in driving in inclement conditions but I have no Valium for the wifey.
Per your profile, you're in the Northeast Kingdom?
While seaching for home prices, I found a great place in Norton (about 6 miles NE, actually). 10 acres for about $115K!! Too far north though (job in in White river Junction area, as is my wife's sister and daughter).

As far as your markers, you might consider using garden stakes. The ones were got from Ace Hardware are 48" long extruded or formed steel with a pointed end. Then add a reflector on the top.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Definitely a pretty driveway!!
We're interested in moving to Vermont...got an interview up there this week, in fact. Per your profile, you're in the Northeast Kingdom?
While seaching for home prices, I found a great place in Norton (about 6 miles NE, actually).

Hey Roy, good luck with the interview. We are about 70 miles north of White River. If you work in that area you have a equal choice between VT and NH. Two very different states tax wise and polically. You might want to rent a while to get the lay of the land. There are lots of rental houses around now because they arn't selling. It is a very different place from down country in both attitudes and realestate market. Even in good times things tend to sell very slowly up here. So it is good to take your time and make sure it is right for you because you will own it for a while.
If you come up I am sure you will enjoy it.

 

[aczlan]

We use the 48" reflective stakes and I put them in with a 36" piece of 1/2" black iron pipe that has a cap on one end.

Aaron Z

 

[murphy1244]

Speaking of markers. What can I use to drive in the ground and put my marker rods in? My drive has some places that the rod goes in about 2 inches and stops.

 

[JJZ 109]

I'd say $1.50 for a 72 incher is pretty good. Just bought some bright green and some orange ones at the local Lowe's to mark a couple of things to steer clear of. They're getting $1.99 for a 4 footer.
I had some old 12" iron stakes laying around. Drove those in and left about 3 inches above ground and then zip tied the markers to them. Probably could do the same with some old re rod.

Lowe's

 

[aczlan]

Speaking of markers. What can I use to drive in the ground and put my marker rods in? My drive has some places that the rod goes in about 2 inches and stops.

As I said above, a piece of 1/2" black iron pipe 6-12" shorter than your stakes with a cap on the end works well for me and is pretty cheap.


Aaron Z

 

[Baby Grand]

I use the 4 & 5' fiberglass ones - whatever Lowes has one sale. Have to plant them before you have a deep, hard frost or you'll have your work cut out. Where I can't drive them in directly I use a pointed length of rebar and a hand sledge to drive a hole 8 - 10" deep, then drop the rods into the hole. After a few frost-thaw cycles, they are in there but good. I even save the pieces of the ones I drive or plow over for paint stirrers, mung diggers, etc. Two 18" lengths are installed, vertically, in the back sides of my trailer, so I can see where the corners are in the rear-view mirror (it's low trailer) when I'm backing up.

 

[Scooby074]

I use rebar that I weld a 2" square piece of 1/8" flatbar to as a place to stick some reflective tape. I also paint the tops florescent orange (or yellow).

No way it costs me less than $2.00 to make!! The prices for those fiberglass poles are hard to beat. In stores here they are around $8.00/ea IIRC.

 

[RaydaKub]

Speaking of markers. What can I use to drive in the ground and put my marker rods in? My drive has some places that the rod goes in about 2 inches and stops.

I use a tent stake (like a big nail). Drive it in with a hammer, pull it back out and the fiberglass rod slips right in.

 

[murphy1244]

I use a tent stake (like a big nail). Drive it in with a hammer, pull it back out and the fiberglass rod slips right in.

Thanks Ray!!:drink:

 

[RoyJackson]

Hey Roy, good luck with the interview. We are about 70 miles north of White River. If you work in that area you have a equal choice between VT and NH. Two very different states tax wise and polically. You might want to rent a while to get the lay of the land. There are lots of rental houses around now because they arn't selling. It is a very different place from down country in both attitudes and realestate market. Even in good times things tend to sell very slowly up here. So it is good to take your time and make sure it is right for you because you will own it for a while.
If you come up I am sure you will enjoy it.

We were in Vermont about 6,7 weeks ago looking at homes (3 in Corinth, one in Plainfield NH) One Corinth house was great and the price was right, but our decision was...find a job then move...or move and find a job. We also decided to wait until Spring 2013. But this company called, phone inteview went good and they invited me up for an onsite. Nice thing is, they're paying for the trip.

As far as real estate, my search criteria was between 150K and 250K and 5 acres minimum. I got over 500 hits so I do know there are properties available. Barring any major health issues, I've got another 10 years work life in me before I retire completely...maybe not even then. I do want to ensure we can have a decent life after I retire, so I'm not looking for a mansion. A pole building would be nice though!