Fencing Recommendations

[MikePA]

In anticipation of this fence project, I got prices on a PHD with a 9" auger for installing the posts. Your thoughts on the best choice from the following for installing up to 180 posts.

Tractor Supply store brand - $449
Landpride PD15 - $725
Danuser G20/40 - $1,025

Just for the heck of it, I got a price quote from a local fence installer.

Type 3 rail 4 rail
Pr. Trtd Wood $9,000 $11,000
PVC $13,000 $16,000

 

[Bird]

Mike, in my opinion, the prices are ranked right in line with the quality of the implement. However, depending on your soil conditions and needs, a cheap one may be all you need. You might also want to consider Bush Hog and Rhino brands.

Bird

 

[MikePA]

Hi Bird,

If I installed a wood fence, I will have 2000 - 3000 nails/screws to install the rails. I used a DeWalt cordless drill to install screws before, but for this many nails/screws I was thinking about getting either (1) Cordless nailer powered by a gas cartridge (2) Air nailer/screw gun.

If I choose option (2) I'd need a gasoline powered air compressor. Any recommendations?

 

[TerryinMD]

MikePA,

I would shy away from (1). Contractors I know only use them in areas where they have trouble getting air guns with hoses. They also need a little more maintenance.

I would use a screw gun before a air nailer. Why? Screws hold much better. They are less likely to pop out like a nail and hold a little better. Check out a deck that is screwed vs a deck that is nailed. No comparason. The downside to screwing is that it takes a little more time and is a little more expensive.

Terry

 

[cowboydoc]

Mike,
If you're going to go with wood I'd screw them in. Believe me they stay together alot better and if you ever have to fix a post or anything it's alot easier to fix with screws than nails. But that paslode nail gun would put them in alot faster.

As far as posthole diggers I'd spend another thousand and get yourself a post pounder. You can get that Worksaver 16 for under 2k. I know you said you had hard ground but I bet if you put them in in the spring you wouldn't have any problem at all. Difference between putting in those 180 posts in a weekend or 10 weekends. I can put in the posts at a rate of 3-5 minutes and that includes moving and positioning the tractor. ON my best day I can't put in a post faster than every 15 minutes and that's wearing myself out to the bone for the day. With the pounder there's very little work involved.

 

[MikePA]

Would the post pounder require add'l hydraulics on my tractor?

You're right about the speed with the Paslode which is why I was considering it versus screws.

If I have to use a PHD, should concrete be used?

 

[cowboydoc]

No you sure wouldn't Mike. You can set it up as either open or closed. It comes from the factory open but they send the parts to make it closed which is what your regular hydraulics are on your tractor. For $1870 kencove has the worksaver 16 that Hess has. I got the hydraulic hpd-20 but you wouldn't need that one. I got it because I put in bigger posts and I wanted to be able to pound 10' posts. It comes with everything that you need. Plan on about 2 hours for setting it up. It's not hard to do at all. They only charged me a $100 to ship it so I didn't think that was bad at all.

 

[MikePA]

Do you take the FEL off and mount it up front or is it a 3ph device?

 

[cowboydoc]

You can get either. The one I have is for 3ph.

 

[MikePA]

For the 3ph version, where do the hydraulics connect?