Wooden Fence Posts

[Medic6340]

New member, & First Post. I’ve searched the forums, but it seems like I’ll need some time looking around before I know where to look. I’m looking to put in a couple hundred wooden fence posts, and am not interested in pounding them in by hand (I know, I’m lazy) , and feel that an auger is probably more then I need. What about a bale spear or a hollow piece of well casing pipe fastened to the FEL , would the down pressure of the loader (maybe some ballast weight in the bucket) be enough to push the spike or casing into the ground so I could then push a sharpened wooden post in?

Thanks in advance, and don’t worry about hurting my feelings…. I’m a total newbie to farming

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I guess it would depend on how hard your ground is.

Can you rent a post pounder from any equipment rental shop nearby?

 

[Medic6340]

We are on marsh ground, so soft clay. And there are no post pounders in any of the rental locations near me, I’ve already called and asked.

 

[Medic6340]

I’m planning on buying a PTO auger anyway, but it seems like a bit of overkill to auger 200 holes. I look all around me and see posts on the marshes that have been there for a hundred years, and know that they were pounded in by hand and a heavy fencing maul. So now trying to put a 2022 spin on the chore.

 

[Eagle1]

Soft maybe the tractor will push them down or try something like this

 

[Eagle1]

And here I'm about to put in a bunch of cedar posts once I get them cut down....
But in my rocky ground it will be backhoe time.

 

[Medic6340]

So this guy seems to be on the same page as me, but no follow up on how it worked….

 

[Medic6340]

We installed 40 9’ reclaimed railroad ties 3’ deep in 1 day including adding 1 bag of concrete mix to each Post hole. Buried them flush the next morning in a couple hours. Monday morning we stretched 6’ chain link with the old Ferguson.

It kinda looks like I’ll be buying the PTO auger sooner then later

 

[Medic6340]

And here I'm about to put in a bunch of cedar posts once I get them cut down....
But in my rocky ground it will be backhoe time.

When I dug my basement (23 years ago) there wasn’t a rock big enough to even notice in the pile of fill from the 36x58 hole 7feet in the ground

 

[ruffdog]

Are you talking those little 3" sharpened stakes? Those are meant to be pushed in. They go in easy but rot off quickly too.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/239365-hartbrand-7-drive-pine-wood-stake.html

 

[Medic6340]

Are you talking those little 3" sharpened stakes? Those are meant to be pushed in. They go in easy but rot off quickly too.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/239365-hartbrand-7-drive-pine-wood-stake.html

We use eastern cedar here in New Brunswick and there are posts on the marsh in front of my house that have been there for over 100 years.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Cedar, redwood, black locust, white oak and treated Doug fir make good fence posts

 

[CalG]

I recently put in a small number of tee posts around the vegetable garden (wife's idea to keep the deer out).

I used a 5 foot pinch bar to make a hole. Maybe four or five "plunges" went as deep as required. Stepping on the plate to get it into the dry ground (sturdy shoe soles) and a few hits with a 3 pound hammer and all was well..

We have way to much stone here in Vermont. about half the holes hit something less than a foot down that reqired a two handled post hole digger to ferret out. One location, after a couple of strikes with the point, had the bar go down 3 and 1/2 feet . Must have been a rotted tree stump or the like. I'll remember to keep equipment off there! ;-)

 

[oosik]

You have hundreds of wooden posts to install. You will soon learn if the auger or a pounder is the way to go. This will NOT be a small project.

I installed a four wire - barbed wire fence around my 80 acres. It is one and a half miles of fencing. Some 665 T-145 steel posts. All driven in with a manual pounder. Up the hill - down over the cliff and into a valley - around many meadows - - it WAS NOT all flat, level ground. It took me the better part of a year - working every evening. Fortunately my 80 acres is a pure rectangle - 1320 x 2640.

That was in 1982 and it is still standing - straight, tight and true. I check it twice a year and do any required maintenance.

Good luck ...............

 

[Medic6340]

I never dreamed it was a small project, so was hoping to find a faster solution then augering 200 holes. But it seems like that is going to be my best plan of action

 

[oosik]

Your posts will be Eastern Cedar. If they are or can be pointed - I would definitely try a manual pounder. From reading many posts here on TBN there are, at least, two difficulties with the auger method.
1- getting the auger to go in straight( using PTO driven auger). Not so much a problem if its a hand operated gas driven auger
2- if its a PTO driven auger - getting the tractor/auger properly placed

If I had to use a PTO driven auger to install all my T-posts - - I'd still be working on the installation. After more than 40 years.

For that matter - there are numerous locations along my fence line where it is not possible to get a tractor. This is why I went 100% manual pounder. The tractor was used to transport the steel posts to areas - as close as possible.

 

[lman]

You have hundreds of wooden posts to install. You will soon learn if the auger or a pounder is the way to go. This will NOT be a small project.

I installed a four wire - barbed wire fence around my 80 acres. It is one and a half miles of fencing. Some 665 T-145 steel posts. All driven in with a manual pounder. Up the hill - down over the cliff and into a valley - around many meadows - - it WAS NOT all flat, level ground. It took me the better part of a year - working every evening. Fortunately my 80 acres is a pure rectangle - 1320 x 2640.

That was in 1982 and it is still standing - straight, tight and true. I check it twice a year and do any required maintenance.

Good luck ...............

Was that for livestock or to keep people out?

 

[Medic6340]

Horses, I know …. Don’t say it… but my 16 year old daughter and wife seem to have won this battle. They are currently at a boarding facility @ $1100 per month, so they need to come home.

 

[oosik]

Iman - The primary purpose of my barbed wire fence is to keep cattle out. Secondarily - it's to establish the perimeters of my property. Because I choose EverSharp barbed wire - it does a pretty good job of keeping people out also.

 

[fuchifarm]

Check facebook marketplace for an old Danuser 3pt post pounder. Search for post pounder and or post driver. Usually go for $800 to $1500 around me. Their 3pt pto powered driver can drive 6" post into soft ground in a few hits. Right now my soft clay/sand ground is concrete hard due to the lack of rain this summer. I have to auger out with a 4" drill prior to pounding them in and its still slow going. When you are done putting in posts sell it on facebook and get your money back. Any cat 1 tractor will be able to handle to the old danuser no hydraulics required. Just check the rubber wheel to make sure it is in good shape and will lift the sled. Parts are still available from danuser.