ROYCEWILLARDOKLAHOMA
Bronze Member
Will it hurt if I put them in the ground Green with the bark still on? Or do they last longer if you skin the bark off and let them cure out? Or does it really matter?
bois d'arc fence post
- Thread starter ROYCEWILLARDOKLAHOMA
- Start date
Western
Super Member
I helped an old neighbor build his fence one time with it (Osage Orange) We cut the logs that morning and had them in the ground by lunch, said he has done it for 60 years that way, same with Cedar. I dont know, but I would trust the knowledge of an old timer as a rule.
I built a fence around 1959 or 1960 and used some large bois d'arc fence corner posts. Cut the posts as I needed them. I don't know if you have cut many posts or not but they sure are bigger when on the ground than they looked standing. Being a youngster at the time all the oldtimers felt compelled to come by and offer advice. One old gentlemen came by as I was setting one of the corner posts with a winch truck and told me that the bugs would eat a green post. I just looked at him and looked at the post and told him "they better bring plenty of help". The property is still in the family and I helped burn pasture last year. I noticed that the posts was still there and still had bark on it where the barbed wire secured it. I honestly believe the post will outlast the wire which was new at the time. Roughly 50 years and looks nearly as good as when set. I wouldn't worry much about green posts. Biggest issue I have is the posts burning during range fires.
greasemonkeyok
Veteran Member
With or without the bark, the Bois d'arc posts will out-last out the hole.
They will darn sure out-last the saw used to cut them. And if you used an ax, they will out-last you.
They will darn sure out-last the saw used to cut them. And if you used an ax, they will out-last you.
SPIKER
Elite Member
Amish around here will peel the bark and BURN the end going into the ground, get HOT FIRE with plenty of coals and lay the post in them for a few min to char the outside. cut top at an angle (after installed to height) or some lay flat rock on top to cover the end grain... there are some old fence posts that were pulled on my place they are piled & appear to be Osage Orange (Bois d'arc) that were split in quarters & sold as heck bottoms were done this way and just as solid even at the old dirt line.
Mark
Mark