Fence Posts

[gwdixon]

Sorry, that won't work at all without concrete. "Tamping" with the BH bucket won't do any more good than stepping on the dirt. I tamp with the handle end of a 10 lb sledge, and still don't think I get them tight enough. A 20 lb pointed spud bar works well, that's how much it takes to tamp one in properly.

If you weigh 2000 pounds I might agree with you. Putting the bottom flat part of the bucket on the ground and applying downforce enough to lift the outriggers applies a tremendous amount of pressure.

A "spud bar" is indeed a good tool for working around the post to get out any air pockets. It will do a fine job on a small diameter hole.

The BH is just a simple way to tamp down the large area that is dug up using the bucket. Using a bar is not reasonable in a large area if your muscles get as sore as mine do with a task like that. A couple of other posters have mentioned their success with this method.

 

[Arcane]

I can rent a gas powered compactor for $35 after I get all the posts in. I think that's the way to go, unless I locate a borrowable PHD before the ground thaws. Thanks all,

R. Kane

 

[Haoleguy]

I can rent a gas powered compactor for $35 after I get all the posts in. I think that's the way to go, unless I locate a borrowable PHD before the ground thaws. Thanks all,

R. Kane

Your comment suggests that you want to do this now!? Unless you are in an unusual microclimate in MA you're probably looking for a good thaw to do this. With the cold temps we are getting it might take several very warm days to make the ground workable. I have not tried to use a PHD on frozen ground but I can tell you that my backhoe acts like it hit concrete.

 

[Ken45101]

A tractor mounted PHD is not going to work against granite boulders. Purchase shear pins by the pound and make sure you get the volume discount

A skid steer mounted PHD with a rock cutting tip might work (skid steers can exert down pressure, tractor 3pt hitches do not).

I agree, the best approach is a post driver.

Ken

 

[MMagis]

Using a bar is not reasonable in a large area if your muscles get as sore as mine do with a task like that.

I agree, but that's my point. The down pressure from the bucket is in no way equal to the pressure of a spud bar, and it can't get close to the post. I'm sure it will hold a non functional post up fine. I sure wouldn't trust it to hold in livestock. Any pressure at all and it will move.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I live close by, just over the RI boundary. I have similar rocky soil. I have a Leinbach PHD with 9" auger and I have used it to drill a lot of fence post holes. We have a lot of rocks that are between softball and football size and the auger will pick them up and throw them out of the hole. The rocks tend to be rounded so I don't have a lot of trouble with the auger getting stuck; I haven't yet broken a shear pin. I generally find that if a rock can fit through a 9" hole the auger will move it. But there is no magic, a 12" rock isn't going through a 9" hole.

If there's a big rock where you want to put a fence post your choices are to make an even bigger hole, or put the post somewhere else. There's no way around that.

I find 9" makes a nice fence hole, big enough so you have some wiggle room, small enough so the post is supported by undisturbed soil.

I've had good luck with local red cedar posts. I used three western red cedar posts from the lumberyard for a project near the house and they started rotting at ground level within a couple of years. I've got some pressure treated posts the previous owner put in that are at least 20 years old that are still sound.

As long as there's no snow on the ground and the ground is dry enough this is a good time of the year for putting in fence. It's much easier when the vegetation is dormant.

 

[Arcane]

Now That's what I needed to hear: someone working with the same soil matrix. Thanks. Want to rent me your Leinbach? Didn't think so. But thanks again. RK

 

[ManAtArms]

I'd vote against the backhoe option unless its your last resort. I think you mentioned 60 posts. I installed a similar count using a backhoe this summer. It displaces a giant amount of soil. Cleanup is a pain, and you have a bigger hole to fill in when setting the post.

See if you can rent a post driver, and if too rocky, a post driver with a rock boring attachment. Many of these can drill into solid rock. Another alternative is to rent a belltec TM48 for boring the holes, then setting the post in by hand or driving them with a separate driver.

Hope that helps.