Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Discussion Forum

The Protocol of Building Fences

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Michael soldan

05-04-2003 17:46:21




Report to Moderator

Well I thought I knew a lot about fences until I started building one to fence off a pasture and as I worked away neighbours dropped in throughout the day all offering advice. Well , here's my plan and what was advised. I set my posts on the long runs 16' apart with the ideal that a steel post would go in between or even two steel posts. I am stringing 5 barb on this run. The end runs are east/west and I am putting page fence on and so I put a post every 8' to prevent the snow from bending down the page(48" web). Well my 84 year old neighbour told me I should have a post every rod, that would be every 16.5 feet so I am close there. Other neighbours thought two steel between each of the posts that are 16' apart while I thought one steel post would be fine. I got lots of fencing materials and I plan a fence that will give me peace of mind that the cattle aren't out on the highway. I guess it boils down to the more posts the more secure the page and the barb will be, yes the cost goes up. I paid $700 for 200 cedar posts, and $378 a roll for 40rod rolls of page. I think the barb wire was $54 a roll. I also learned that when you go to the trouble of fencing , small areas are more costly than large. For example my north /south fence lines are constant, whether I have them set apart for five acres or ten acres. You only need to increase the opposite sides accordingly, therefore it is just slighty more expensive to fence off ten acres as it is to fence off five. I had quite a time too, hit hard rock dry clay at about two and a half feet, with the winter snow and two recent rains you would think the post augering would be a cinch. We have had three years of dry summer weather and the ground shows it. The posts are all in and ready for brace posts and the wire...I'm sure next weekend that several more neighbours will stop in to tell me how to do things, they all mean well and that's why I love the farm. I enjoy hearing your ideas on fencing....take care fellow wire pullers...Mike in Exeter Ontario

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Hugh MacKay

05-06-2003 01:33:34




Report to Moderator
 Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Michael soldan, 05-04-2003 17:46:21  
Mike: Well, your still getting all kinds of advise on how to construct a fence. With the money some of these guys are spending, it would be cheaper to go confined feeding and haul the feed to them. Some of these cattle must be wild. I kept Holsteins and never needed more than a 3 wire fence and that was along a busy highway. On the back 40 I only used 2 wire fences. I farmed flood plain and some years you put it all up. Spring break up with flood waters and ice a foot thick awfully hard on fences. We had to go over them all every year, min was tightening wire and re setting some posts. Max was entire fence down.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
hntndaylight

05-05-2003 19:22:29




Report to Moderator
 Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Michael soldan, 05-04-2003 17:46:21  
Sounds like a good plan, prices seem a little high on materials though. I like cedar and locust. Got some cedar post on the farm on fence built in the 60's and 70's good red cedar. GOt some locust built in the 50's with 48: woven wire solid #9 on 6" stay. I put steel in the centers 10 yrs ago. When I build I like 5" treated ($5.30 each) or 6" cedar (costsme about $2 each, cut on the farm) set 16' apart. Line fence and lots either solid #9 woven wire ($125) on 12" stay or 9-11 on 6" ($112). Interior fence I like 4 strand barb ($25/roll) wood posts at 30' with 3 steel between ($2.35 for 6.5'). Also built 2 miles of 4 plank over the past 6 years, that's pricey.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
agman

05-05-2003 13:38:10




Report to Moderator
 Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Michael soldan, 05-04-2003 17:46:21  
You must be crazy. Hi-tensile is the only way to go, 4 wires, 2hot, wood post every 200' and 1" fiberglass sucker rods every 40' are all you need. Got your strainer in-line to take up slack whenever needed. If a tree falls on it, you cut the tree and it pops up. After working with hi-tensile wire I wouldn't even consider woven-wire, very limited use of barbed wire.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
thurlow

05-05-2003 15:24:55




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to agman, 05-05-2003 13:38:10  
I suppose it's all a matter of what works for you. In West Tennessee, you can stand and see (maybe not literally, but it almost seems so) kudzu, honeysuckle and multiflora rose grow. If you're able to monitor your fence, I agree that hi-tensile is the way to go. If like me, you've got numerous pastures and miles of fence and only see some of it once or twice a year, I think you're better off with the traditional. As to whether or not Michael Soldan is crazy or not, I don't know; If he is; I'd say it's from dealing with livestock and not from the type of fence he's puttin up..... ....

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Doug Rogers

05-05-2003 10:30:52




Report to Moderator
 Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Michael soldan, 05-04-2003 17:46:21  
I'm with TP, overbuild at the very least the corners and terminals. Before I found this forum I had to do everything wrong three or four times before I figured it out.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
TP from Central PA

05-05-2003 18:54:21




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Doug Rogers, 05-05-2003 10:30:52  
Ours was for a small pasture which is now the feed lot..... ....I went over kill on everything. Feed bunker to gate and hinge set-up! I, like Doug, screw-up twice but then I said enough was enough. Spent $300 and now have a reliable fence that a cat can't excape from!!!!!



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
TP from Central PA

05-05-2003 09:59:43




Report to Moderator
 Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Michael soldan, 05-04-2003 17:46:21  
I haven't spent a great deal of time fencing, but I WILL TELL YOU that it pays to build it "OVERKILL" the first time!!!! We had a cheap set-up when we started raising feeders at our rented farm. It was a 4 wire electrified fence that was nearly new..... Seemed to work but our cows knew its weaknesses and would get out often. They would run all over and we would spend hours trying to get them back. This past fall we put up woven wire on the outside of the posts, two strands of barb wire(non-electified) at the top 12" apart(also on the outside). On the inside we ran 4 electrified wires at a 12" spacing(Used barb wire since it was free). Now the poor cows have no excape route and I haven't chased any since we got the fence up..... .

Good Luck..... .and a $1 more spent now saves $5 later.....

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
paul

05-05-2003 09:40:56




Report to Moderator
 Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Michael soldan, 05-04-2003 17:46:21  
Sounds like you are doing fine.

My cattle will take any of that down, unless one strand it electric. then the rest of the stuff is just there for backup.

--->Paul



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
thurlow

05-05-2003 06:23:18




Report to Moderator
 Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Michael soldan, 05-04-2003 17:46:21  
Mike; I've built and maintained more miles of fence than I care to think about; thank goodness, most of that is behind me (semi-retired). Always used black locust posts (post of choice because of availability and life)about every 10 ft.; until about 10 years ago. Switched over to steel because of increased labor costs. Went through a period about 25 years ago where we set the posts 30 ft apart and used 3 or 4 "stay wires" between them (4 or 5 strand barbed wire fence). Looked and worked good while new, but after a few years and the wire loosening over time, wasn't happy with the results and quit using them. Sounds like you know exactly what you're doing; wouldn't change a thing. Never minded building a new fence, but maintenance, dealing with multiflora rose, honeysuckle and fallen tree limbs is no fun.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
dhermesc

05-05-2003 08:09:54




Report to Moderator
 Re: Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to thurlow, 05-05-2003 06:23:18  
When using steel T posts I have alway tried to put them about 12'to 14' apart. I would never use cedar posts in a pasture, they rot off after about 20 years. Good old hedge posts will last over 50 years if they are least 4". Locust doesn't last much longer then cedar but it is easier to get straight posts.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Cliff Neubauer

05-04-2003 19:38:48




Report to Moderator
 Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Michael soldan, 05-04-2003 17:46:21  
I'm no expert but putting two steel post between every wood post is a good idea if you want a low maintance fence. It seems like the closer your posts are the better the fence will stand which makes sense yet you have to draw the line somewhere. Adding the extra steel posts now will be alot easier than coming back and doing it in 5 or 10 years when the fence is leaning over. Isn't it amazing how many people offer advice but have something come up when asked to help!

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Hugh MacKay

05-04-2003 19:14:02




Report to Moderator
 Re: The Protocol of Building Fences in reply to Michael soldan, 05-04-2003 17:46:21  
Mike : Those old guys must think your dad didn't teach you much, what with all the advice your getting, and the age of them. I imagion you are just easier to catch up with, than all those guys with cab and duals rolling about 5-6 mph. That's the problem I have anyway, cant catch up with those cash crop guys. So if I want to be a critic, I have to catch up with someone putting in fence posts, or fixing a damaged drain tile. Problem is I'm not 84 and someone may put me to work

I put the new water pump and recored radiator on 140 today. Just got the blood stopped on my knuckles and forearms. I really didn't think anything could be worse than 130 and SA rads. IH did their very best to make the 140 rad even more miserable. Oh well the money in on the 140 just went up by $1,000. over the past 3 days. I don't know if the value jumped accordingly.

Speaking of bloody knuckles, have fun with the barbed wire. Every roll of that is usually good for a few rips in the clothing as well as flesh.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy