Questions on Building Fence (cattle).

[ToddFarmsInc]

I forgot to mention also to stretch the barbed wire after unrolling it before attaching it to the posts. We generally stretch the wire untill it breaks at the loader bucket. Then we know it's got 90 % of all the "stretch" pulled out of the wire, and it won't get loose nearly so quickly.


ya, we are very fortunate that there is actually quite a few hedge trees growing on my farm. (large ones too) We've been planting corner posts that measure about 15 inches diameter, and line posts that average at least 8 inches diameter. They staple really well the first year or so after they've been cut, then they start getting hard.

All the posts that I pull up, I cut in half, and burn as heating fuel in my shop stove. As I do with all the leftover hedge trees that we harvest posts out of. These trees do get hard as rock when they sit outside a few years. They don't last forever, but they do nicely in the ground 50-100 years or so. :kid:

 

[backhoeboogie]

I got a buddy that would kill for those underground pieces of osage orange (he's a wood turner)

I was just pushing it into piles along with the cedar and burning it. Then I saw the prices on eBay for little pieces of it. I have a few dozen logs curing right now. Once it dries, I am not about to put my chainsaw on it. We call it bodark around these parts. I leave it growing along the fences.

Boogie...same as "horse apple" isn't it?? Yellow as gold inside and last forever.

Yes. Almost orange at times. Probably where that name came from. It is what natives made their bows out of and I think that is why we call it bodark but who knows. Somewhere I saw something like "Bois' darc" as a scientific name or something.

 

[STARSIX]

I had two in my yard many years ago, hated the apples when they fell. I was in my twenties at the time my wife said i ought to cut them down,, cut one it almost killed me killed a good chain saw and numerous chains. I never had an apple after that, dont know if there are males and females or it takes two to pollinate,, but no more apples still have one.

 

[Arkieman]

Horse apple, Bois Darc, Osage Orange - goes by a many a name, but they sure make some nice duck calls....

http://www.echocalls.com/woodcalls.html

 

[TGIN]

Hello everyone,

I'm new here...I've read a lot in here about how the gang builds barb-wire fencing and I have some questions.
First my plan...will be fencing around a 30.52 acres rectanglar, flat land...will be using 6'-6" T-Posts, 12 foot spacing, 6 foot stays, leaving 55" above ground, 5 strands, starting at 12" from ground, 10",10",10", and 10" ending at 52".
My question being the main weight bearing corner posts....what are your thoughts on using trees? I have existing tree lines with more than a few great 12" to 18" trees to pull around. Secondly, if you have used trees, as corner posts, what have you shored-up against the tree (to level the edge)... pressure treated lumber, steel poles, to keep the tree healthy? Do you have to level the edge?
You won't hurt my feelings Hoss if you're telling me I'm being stubborn or too lazy...remember, I'll be having to cut out trees in my way and driving posts into tree roots to keep the fence line straight while passing through the trees on opposite ends of the land. Thanks, Mark

A few times when a tree was in the perfect place , not timber , I have bolted a lenght of pipe to the tree with a couple large gal. lag bolts with spacers between pipe and tree and wire to pipe

 

[TexasRancher]

I wanted to thank everyone on their advice on the fence corners....With your help...I figured out the corners must be 3 pier "L" braced...w/ 8' bracing. However, I'm going to check out any ideal trees too....If I find a great tree that appears God given in the proper place...I'll take that as a sign and use it. Fire, high winds, lightening doesn't seem like an issue where I am...and for 1 to 2 miles of fencing...the probability is low enough to take a few risks.

What's the sense of living if you can't feel it...I'll solve problems as they arrive. thanks all.

 

[Brute 23]

Your making fence building alot harder that it actually is.

Just get you some treated posts, they don't have to be huge, some thing around an 8" top 10' long. Dig a hole and sink the very corners. Make sure and tamp them tight. Then run a wire from corner for a straight line to line up you other corners and line posts. Line posts only need to go in 2 and a half feet or so and a 4-5" top is pleanty. 3 T-posts and a line post, 3 T-posts and a line post.

They make braces with rectangle flanges welded on each side. You just hold them up in place and nail them. Pretty simple. If your stretches are that far you may want to go with three corners per side (two H-s).

As for putting the wire to the inside or outside of the post it does not matter, that is completley up to you. Just do it the same every where.

I personally am against tieing off to trees unless it is absolutley necessary. Bad thing always happen to those trees. Tree could have been there for 50yrs and you tie a wire to it... with in the year it will be laid over. :x

 

[backhoeboogie]

As for putting the wire to the inside or outside of the post it does not matter, that is completley up to you. Just do it the same every where.

You lose me on that Brute. On perimiter fence, the posts are mine and on my property. The wire is on the line. If I move the wire to the inside, I am losing ground. I wouldn't put posts on the neighbors ground.

Is this just old school? I have never seen it any other way.

 

[Brute 23]

I've never ran into any one that was that picky about it to worry about inches lost. I see what you are saying though. We usually doze the old stuff out, leave important markers or posts that are on bends. Those kind of line us up but we will move a foot or so either way for ease of building the fence. We never look at it as our fence or their fence... its shared. Guess we are lucky to have laid back neighbors.

The old thing that a fence line after so many years become the property line is not holding up any more either. Most of our deeds are pretty general about the property line. You are looking for rods and little cement deals. Would be hard to decide if that post is on your property or myne.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Most of my neighbors aren't picky either. We all just do what we think is the right thing to do. When I bull doze out a fence, it goes back in the exact same spot. Piece of cake. Except for right now. The caterpillar is not pulling on the right track. I hope this doesn't get too expensive :shock: When the hay slows down, I'll tear in to it.

 

[1982vett]

Most of my neighbors aren't picky either. We all just do what we think is the right thing to do. When I bull doze out a fence, it goes back in the exact same spot. Piece of cake. Except for right now. The caterpillar is not pulling on the right track. I hope this doesn't get too expensive :shock: When the hay slows down, I'll tear in to it.

Dozer repair and not getting expensive :???: Don't see that happening. Course I always thought baling hay in 25 mph winds was impossible also.

 

[Brute 23]

That is the best thing to do by far Backhoe... just doesn't always work out perfect like that. People will give up a few feet to save an Oak Tree around here most the time.

 

[TexasRancher]

I forgot to mention also to stretch the barbed wire after unrolling it before attaching it to the posts. We generally stretch the wire untill it breaks at the loader bucket. Then we know it's got 90 % of all the "stretch" pulled out of the wire, and it won't get loose nearly so quickly.


ya, we are very fortunate that there is actually quite a few hedge trees growing on my farm. (large ones too) We've been planting corner posts that measure about 15 inches diameter, and line posts that average at least 8 inches diameter. They staple really well the first year or so after they've been cut, then they start getting hard.

All the posts that I pull up, I cut in half, and burn as heating fuel in my shop stove. As I do with all the leftover hedge trees that we harvest posts out of. These trees do get hard as rock when they sit outside a few years. They don't last forever, but they do nicely in the ground 50-100 years or so. :kid:

Hi Toddfarmsinc...have a question on stetching the wire...I understand why it's done, but isn't there a compromised situation whereby the zinc/galvanized-coating of the wire starts to shear and split off...won't this make the wire rust faster?
I have stretch the wire tighter than what i thought it should be...but never pulled it until it broke....or was on the verge of breaking. You're essentially making the barb-wire into a spring...where it stays tight. I'm worried about the wires coating. thanks.

 

[ToddFarmsInc]

Hi Toddfarmsinc...have a question on stetching the wire...I understand why it's done, but isn't there a compromised situation whereby the zinc/galvanized-coating of the wire starts to shear and split off...won't this make the wire rust faster?
I have stretch the wire tighter than what i thought it should be...but never pulled it until it broke....or was on the verge of breaking. You're essentially making the barb-wire into a spring...where it stays tight. I'm worried about the wires coating. thanks.

Good question. I have some galvanized plated wire, that I wouldn't put that much of a pull on. You can see the thick plating used on that wire. (I think it's a light weight wire that's supposed to be used for electric fences)

What wire I use for fencing is redbrand four barbed *Ruthless* 12-1/2 guage wire. It's got a class one coating on it that you don't even see. Even if there is an isue with coating pulling apart and rust starting, I'm nearly 40, I will be long out of the cattle business before the wire rusts apart and the cows start wondering around the country. ;-)