Fencing, to dig or to drive post?

[Dewbie]

I live in southern WV I have a manual tilt ShaverHD10 I just put on CL for $800, only used it a couple of times, seems to work ok, I put a 3pt hitch mount on it when I got it( about 6 years ago) been sitting in garage ever since, got rid of cattle tearing down most of fence to make easier to mow, anyway I have it & sounds like u need it, needs a couple of pipe fittings to operate lol at pics an see what u think 304-593-8268

I'm interested. I couldn't find your post on Craigslist. I'll try and contact you tomorrow for some pictures.

 

[oosik]

In this neck of the woods everybody uses heavy duty T-133 steel fence posts. There are a few fences using wood posts - mainly as decoration around your yard or for a horse pasture where the soil is soft.

I fenced my property - 80 acres - 1.5 miles of fence - all with steel T-posts. About half were where I could drive them. The other half had a 2" hole drilled into the basaltic lava bedrock with an air driven rotary hammer drill. This was done in 1982 and 1983 and they are still standing. Sure glad that project was completed back thirty some years ago - today I believe I would have to contract it out. Talk about a brain rattling experience.

 

[Dewbie]

In this neck of the woods everybody uses heavy duty T-133 steel fence posts. There are a few fences using wood posts - mainly as decoration around your yard or for a horse pasture where the soil is soft.

I fenced my property - 80 acres - 1.5 miles of fence - all with steel T-posts. About half were where I could drive them. The other half had a 2" hole drilled into the basaltic lava bedrock with an air driven rotary hammer drill. This was done in 1982 and 1983 and they are still standing. Sure glad that project was completed back thirty some years ago - today I believe I would have to contract it out. Talk about a brain rattling experience.

What kind of fence did you put up? Barbed wire?

 

[oosik]

Dewbie - yes, four strands of 4-point barbed wire. The stuff is called Ever Sharp - heavy duty, 10 gauge, made in the USA - all the barbs have 4 points rather than 2. Couldn't figure why it was cheaper than the 12 gauge with 2 point barbs. The neighbor who is a cattle rancher told me - Ever Sharp has very sharp points and can cause deep cut in cattle that can become infected.

All I know is that it sure cut me a lot when I was installing it. Its still - after 30+ years - a real adventure slipping between the strands.

 

[Dewbie]

I'll check them out. We fenced in about 5 acres using high tensile smooth electric but I'm not sure if I like it. We're still in the testing phase. 10 -12k volts keeps most animals at bay but there's always something falling on the lines or an insulator moving causing it to ground out.

 

[SandburRanch]

All my information is second hand and comes from guys in the exotic deer industry who build fences. One day I plan on raising exotics and plan on fencing in 60 acres of 8 foot tall deer fence. Every one of the ones I've spoken to have told me that a post driven into the ground is stronger and harder to get out then one set in concrete. I've been told that they have done both, side by side, then come back a week later and pulled them out to show their clients the difference. The post in concrete always comes out easier. They also prefer metal over wood. I'm a wood guy and this has been a real issue for me to overcome, but I've finally reached that point where I'm going to use metal for my corner and H brackets. They say to go 5 T posts, then put in a 2 3/8 pipe for the runs, H brackets for any changes in elevation and for corners, to pound the anchoring post into the ground at least six feet and weld the diagonal support pipe to it.

The other big lesson that I've learned from my neighbor, who fenced in about 120 acres of his land five years ago is to make sure all the trees are removed that are close to the fence. His fence is in terrible shape from all the branches that have fallen on it, and I've only seen a small amount of it. I'm in the process of removing every tree within 30 feet of where my fence will go. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!!!

Sadly, I've learned that saving a tree never pays off, and sooner or later, it will have to come out anyway, usually after it's started dropping branches, or dies on you. Every single tree that I wanted to keep, but ended up taking out, I've found that I don't miss it. Better to get it out when it's easy then try to keep it and deal with it when it's harder and more expensive.

Eddie

More true words were never spoken about trees. People let trees dictate their lives. I know where there is a pole barn where trees were allowed to dictate. Now get this person's thinking, and he was an older fellow that I guess never learned.

The barn was built on an out of square angle to the other buildings of about 10° and so short anyone over 5" 6" tall had to duck his head to enter one of the doors ( barn on a slope ). The odd angle was because of 2 trees on one side and the height limit was because of a limb on the tree on the opposite side. Within 5 years the two trees on the one side, that caused the angle, had died. Construction often causes this, with certain species more than others. The tree on the opposite side has grown until it rubs the eave of the building and the eave has cut into it a few inches.

We need trees but take them out for construction and re-plant away from structures and fences.

 

[oosik]

It took me two years to get all my fence - 1.5 miles - installed. I had an electric fence - two wires - for about a quarter mile until I could get the permanent fence installed in one location. The weeds were always falling over or growing up and shorting out the lower wire & the upper since they were interconnected. Seems that I had to weed whack that section weekly to keep it active.

The neighbor - hearing of this problem - brought over a electric fencer that would activate the wires and was not the least bit bothered by weeds touching the wires.

I forget the name but such animals do exist and make electric fences much easier to maintain.

 

[Got2BTru]

We're looking to fence in about 10 acres, so I've really appreciated the dialog here! I was told we couldn't use barbed wire though by our local code enforcement. I've heard in the north east anyhow, that high-tensile is the way to go.

 

[oosik]

Got2BTru - You live in Texas and aren't allowed to use barbed wire!! What are you expected to do if you need to fence in cattle?

Or is it that you are urban and not allowed to have cattle, anyhow.

 

[Got2BTru]

We bought 32 acres in upstate NY, where I grew up (tired of the Texas heat!). We're looking at lowline cattle (Angus) and some sheep, etc. Looking at High-Tensile...