My Daughter's Fence

[bindian]

My daughter usually comes up with unique requests for her birthday. She now asks for a fence across the back property line of her home. Not any wooded fence, but a wire panel fence. Something like this.

So, this last weekend, my Son and I loaded up the truck and drove to Manor.

The first post hole went well and we augered down to a little over 30 inches.

But the black gumbo really balled up and wouldn't "auger up" the powered post hole digger's flukes.

We almost killed outselves and took about 6 hours to put in 8 posts.
Here is the view when we quit Friday evening............
We had to have the water hose out there and constantly washed the 2-3 inch gumbo off of the bottom's of our rubber boots.

It took a while to wash the majority of the gumbo off of our tools and auger. We knocked off the big stuff and let the rest dry and knocked it all off on Saturday.

I realized digging the last post hole, that we had another powered choice instead of the one man auger in her gumbo filled yard. I realized my daughter's side gate was 53 inches wide. Which is wide enough for a mini track loader with a hydraulic auger. I would have paid the daily fee for this rig (and will next time) as that one man auger and black gumbo kicked out butts for over 8 hours.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Saturday morning we installed the last two posts. I wanted to buy a sharpshooter shovel, but the Lowes in Austin (that caterers to Yuppies) only had a "trenching tool". Which is a modern day, high tech, sharpshooter.
We also picked up 16 treated 2x6s. I went with 2Xs for the concrete forms, as I will take them home and reuse them for outside projects, thus being treated. I used 3 inch wood screws to attach them with my 18 volt Makita impact driver. Now, it will be easy to remove the forms.

Luke took slowly to trenching with the modern sharpshooter, until I showed him how to wiggle it forward and backwards as applying down pressure with his foot. This wasn't easy to do, as our boots had mucho mud on them and would slip off the small step very easy. I bruised my right arch one time. I'll have larger tabs welded on the steps, so that won't happen again.

I decided to stair step the level of the forms between each post, as the property drops about 13 inches from right to left. Which is left to right in the photo.

Luke and I alternated digging the trenches, as we did about every 10 inches running the auger. Did I mention that gumbo and auger really kicked out butts? As we went down hill, the soil was drier and digging was easier.
When I wasn't trenching or taking photos, I was cutting the forms to length, leveling them, and screwing them in place.
Here is just one reason I am doing all this.........time with my Grand daughter, Chloe.
Notice she had her pink cowgirl boots on.
hugs, Brandi

 

[KevT]

Lookin good!!!! Hope to see more as you progress

 

[newbury]

<snip>
I realized digging the last post hole, that we had another powered choice instead of the one man auger in her gumbo filled yard. I realized my daughter's side gate was 53 inches wide. Which is wide enough for a mini track loader with a hydraulic auger. I would have paid the daily fee for this rig (and will next time) as that one man auger and black gumbo kicked out butts for over 8 hours.
hugs, Brandi

Perhaps you should have rented a two man auger and two men, they would have fit through the gate.

<snip>
We also picked up 16 treated 2x6s. I went with 2Xs for the concrete forms, as I will take them home and reuse them for outside projects, thus being treated. I used 3 inch wood screws to attach them with my 18 volt Makita impact driver. Now, it will be easy to remove the forms.

Smart repurposing.
<snip>

Here is just one reason I am doing all this.........time with my Grand daughter, Chloe.View attachment 422539
Notice she had her pink cowgirl boots on.
hugs, Brandi

That makes it worthwhile. She'll remember your hard work when she's an adult.

I still remember helping my Grandfather (and Father and Uncle and Aunt) build a house when I was about 5. My job was to sort straight nails from bent.

Looks like a great job was done.

 

[rd_macgregor]

It looks like you're doing a great job. From the looks of it, you might be back sooner than you think, to shore up the existing board fence along the side of the house opposite the garage.

 

[s219]

Here is just one reason I am doing all this.........time with my Grand daughter, Chloe.View attachment 422539
Notice she had her pink cowgirl boots on.
hugs, Brandi

That's the best part of projects! Unfortunately my little helper likes to run off with my tools now....

 

[texasjohn]

Ah, yes, good times!! Wonderful Mom, son, daughter, granddaughter project!! Looking good.

 

[bindian]

Lookin good!!!! Hope to see more as you progress

Thanks KevT. You'll see more progress for sure.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

Perhaps you should have rented a two man auger and two men, they would have fit through the gate.


Smart repurposing.
<snip>

That makes it worthwhile. She'll remember your hard work when she's an adult.

I still remember helping my Grandfather (and Father and Uncle and Aunt) build a house when I was about 5. My job was to sort straight nails from bent.

Looks like a great job was done.

Thanks Newbury! My job, when I was little, was to straighten bent nails for Dad. That's where I got my strong work ethic.
Too bad the nails these days can't be used over. It's got where I hate using a hammer on skinny, cheap, nails. Either the screw gun or framing hammer for me.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

It looks like you're doing a great job. From the looks of it, you might be back sooner than you think, to shore up the existing board fence along the side of the house opposite the garage.

Thanks Rd_Macgregor! That side fence is an abortion. It does need some attention now. Their back fence is supported with leaning, steel t posts! Boards are missing here and there. I should have taken a photo of how my corner post is plumb and and their back posts are like on a 75degree angle. I'm sure some day soon........we will have to talk to that neighbor about rebuilding that fence. That's when I would rent an auger on a mini tractor loader and install whole 8 foot panels.
hugs, Brandi