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

 

[bindian]

S219,
Thanks. That is exactly what my son would do. He used to take my 1 inch combo wrench and dig in the dirt. ChloE spent most of the time up on the patio playing. You can see her and my daughter in the photo I took back from the fence of the stair stepped forms and the house.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

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

Thanks Tjohn! Right now it is sore, wore out times.
hugs, Brandi

 

[SirReal63]

Excellent work! Will you be here when we do the next 1500' of fence here?

I know how hard the black muck is to work in, and you made it look easy.

 

[bindian]

Excellent work! Will you be here when we do the next 1500' of fence here?

I know how hard the black muck is to work in, and you made it look easy.

Jack,
I will plan on stopping by then. Maybe Y'all can host the next Texas TBN project party.......fence building party? My Daughter and Grand daughter and I are due a weekend away. Will your guest house be ready when you start fencing? We usually stay at the Best Western (not sure now of name) in Marble Falls when we take a road trip weekend.
Have they rebuilt the putt putt golf course and fun game house there? Or did they build something else there?
Oh yeah.....................THANKS!
hugs, Brandi

 

[SirReal63]

The guest house is ready, just a little trim to do and the mini split is working from the batteries as planned. It may be a few months before we do the fence, and if too hot will hire it out. We can only go 12-24" before hitting shelf rock, it will take some equipment to drive posts.

The putt putt place is closed, dozed off and a bank sits there now.

The fence looks great, I am hopeful you will find a place out this way.

 

[bindian]

I need to come see the battery setup and all the other neat gizmos you have installed. Hot is ok as long as there is shade.
hugs, Brandi

 

[EddieWalker]

Looks like a great family project. Was access to the back yard why you couldn't bring your tractor? That had to hurt in more ways then I can count having to dig those holes with the one man auger when you have such a nice one on your hoe stick!!!!


Eddie

 

[bindian]

Looks like a great family project. Was access to the back yard why you couldn't bring your tractor? That had to hurt in more ways then I can count having to dig those holes with the one man auger when you have such a nice one on your hoe stick!!!!


Eddie

Eddie,
Thanks! It was a number of reason for no tractor. I would have had to haul it 3 hours and no where to park the trailer while there in the subdivision. I could have drove it down behind the back of the subdivision, past the water plant but would be on unknown property while poking holes. So I borrowed my neighbor's auger. Never again.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

I'm planning on securing the fence's bottom 2x4 with fasteners to the concrete. I am wondering about using 5/16 Tapcon concrete bolts. Has anyone here used Tapcon screws or bolts?

I've only used old style bolts that you drill, hammer, in and then tighten to expand the base in the concrete.
hugs, Brandi

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

I've used thousands of Tapcons ( sure wish I had the money I spent on then back). If you have a SDS hammer drill to drill holes they are super fast and very strong. Still works ok if you just have a normal hammer drill though. A good impact driver really makes quick work of driving them.

When attaching 2x4 s I always took the SDS and put a hole thru the 2x into the concrete , one on each end to start then a Tapcon to hold it in place and then just buzz along drilling holes straight thru 2x into concrete. You'll be done in no time.