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Author Topic: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?  (Read 18845 times)

NorthEssexsmallholding

  • Joined Dec 2010
Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« on: February 17, 2011, 04:42:53 pm »
I've got some wooden posts that were felled about 2 months ago, any idea how long it needs to dry out before I could use it for fencing? 

Another thing, how would I go about sawing a point into the stakes at the bottom?  I tried using a hand saw but it would take forever, I have a chainsaw but I don't know how I would go about doing this job, its one thing cutting a log in 2 but takes more skill to do a job like this.

Do I need to treat the wood before using as fence post?  the stakes as as they were cut, bark still on the outside, so is it possible to treat?  Or should I just knock them in as they are. 

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2011, 04:58:51 pm »
You don't say what type of wood it is - I've always been told that larch's best for fencing. Softwoods (pine etc) might not be very long lasting  ???
Hubby's going out tomorrow to cut larch for strainer posts, I'm intending concreting them in place on Monday - I think yours will be fine  ;)
It'll be easier to drive them into the ground minus the bark - but stripping it will take a wee while.
HTH
Karen

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2011, 05:15:23 pm »
they use a de barker to clean them and like a large pencil sharpener to point them you can point them with a chainsaw they have to be held firm
happy hippy i have electric poles already pointed but they are big not the matsticks that are sold as strainers

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2011, 06:09:11 pm »
Couldn't you make a point with an axe?  The point doesn't have to be central - or does it?  Was watching a Time Team rerun last night in the Fens, where they unearthed posts from the bronze age with nice sharp axe-worked tips.
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NorthEssexsmallholding

  • Joined Dec 2010
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2011, 07:52:49 pm »
I think its small leafed lime, the bark is smooth so I won't need to strip it, I was thinking I need a big pencil sharpener to do this task :)

I will try using a chainsaw on them, I'll have to try to clamp them down somehow.  Is it worth treating the wood on the exposed areas of wood grain?

HappyHippy

  • Guest
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2011, 07:59:10 pm »
happy hippy i have electric poles already pointed but they are big not the matsticks that are sold as strainers
We've one or two telegraph poles to get cut up too  ;D But lots and LOTS of fencing, so need a few more  ;) (And we're not exactly lacking in trees lol!)

bloomer

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • leslie, fife
  • i have chickens, sheep and opinions!!!
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2011, 08:00:52 pm »
if you have a workmate its ideal for the purpose clamp them down and be careful with the chainsaw...

I usually do posts for round the garden tree stakes etc with a sharp axe but i have had a bit of practice.

RUSTYME

  • Joined Oct 2009
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2011, 08:23:16 pm »
the effort of clamping and unclamping , picking up the chainsaw and then cutting !!! why bother ?
 Far easier to get a nice sharp hand axe and use that ... much faster and less effort.
 
The way I do it ;
       get a nice big stump of wood , about 2 ft high , but that depends on how you work and how tall you are, then get the post to be pointed , hold in left hand at about shoulder height , approx middle of post !!, and place bottom end on stump . Then with the axe , in right hand , make a cut about 6" from the bottom . You angle the post so that the axe cut will in fact go towards the stump in a vertical line .Turn post 1/4 turn and repeat, repeat again till all sides are done .
It may take more than one swing of the axe to cut each side of the point , but take care and you will soon get the hang of it . Far less dangerous than using a chainsaw , your left hand is on the other side of the post to the axe at all times .
 No clamping , no picking up and putting down of chainsaw , no refilling with petrol , although you may need to top up with tea every now and then !!! ;) .
 You can leave the bark on , but it may harbor insects that will munch away at your posts over time . Without treatment they may only last a few years . You can lightly burn the pointy ends in a bonfire , which will help protect them for some years , but they still snap at ground level anyway . But if they are free ... so what  !!
 Not sure if any of that makes sense ... but hope it helps a bit ...

cheers

Russ

garden cottage

  • Joined Sep 2008
  • forest of dean
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #8 on: February 17, 2011, 09:30:15 pm »
you need a sawbench with a rip type blade in it, better still take the stakes to some who has a bench, hold the post at slight angle push into blade, then pull out twist and push again you can get stacks of posts done and they will look same as bought posts, i would treat the points with something so they dont rot.

NorthEssexsmallholding

  • Joined Dec 2010
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2011, 12:04:51 am »
the effort of clamping and unclamping , picking up the chainsaw and then cutting !!! why bother ?
 Far easier to get a nice sharp hand axe and use that ... much faster and less effort.
 
The way I do it ;
       get a nice big stump of wood , about 2 ft high , but that depends on how you work and how tall you are, then get the post to be pointed , hold in left hand at about shoulder height , approx middle of post !!, and place bottom end on stump . Then with the axe , in right hand , make a cut about 6" from the bottom . You angle the post so that the axe cut will in fact go towards the stump in a vertical line .Turn post 1/4 turn and repeat, repeat again till all sides are done .
It may take more than one swing of the axe to cut each side of the point , but take care and you will soon get the hang of it . Far less dangerous than using a chainsaw , your left hand is on the other side of the post to the axe at all times .
 No clamping , no picking up and putting down of chainsaw , no refilling with petrol , although you may need to top up with tea every now and then !!! ;) .
 You can leave the bark on , but it may harbor insects that will munch away at your posts over time . Without treatment they may only last a few years . You can lightly burn the pointy ends in a bonfire , which will help protect them for some years , but they still snap at ground level anyway . But if they are free ... so what  !!
 Not sure if any of that makes sense ... but hope it helps a bit ...

cheers

Russ

Thanks for this, it sounds safer and more satisfying than doing it with the chainsaw, it might take a bit of time but I will have learned (hopefully) a new skill.  So lightly burn the pointy ends in a bonfire, is there anything I can use on the bark as a treatment to help prolong their life or would I have to strip them?  Might be worth stripping them and doing it properly if i get another 5 years out of them.

THanks to all replies, much appreciated!.

benkt

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Cambridgeshire
    • Hempsals Community Farm
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2011, 12:33:14 am »
Just to add my thanks for the good advice in this thread. I'm trying to talk the OH into letting me fence our veg patch with the free bits of wood we're generating from clearing up after the general neglect this place has suffered from rather than splashing out on buying fancy fencing. Its all good ammunition in the battle!

RUSTYME

  • Joined Oct 2009
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #11 on: February 18, 2011, 12:55:29 am »
it would be better to strip the bark off , and then treat the posts . Leaving it on would stop nigh on all preserver getting through to the actual post.
 A good tool to use to get the bark off is a small ladies spade , much smaller than normal spades . Just sharpen the edge well , place the post on the floor , preferably soil , and with the end against a wall  or something solid . then just skim along the length of the post taking a thin width of bark off.
 Have the back of the spade facing you , so the front of the spade faces the post . It is then fairly easy to peel the rest of the bark off , either by hand or with the spade. It is easier to do this when the wood is freshly cut down , but may still be ok after some months . Sometimes though , after it has been down a while , it sticks like s**t to a blanket , and is murder to peel off .
A cheap wood preserver (although not particularly a green one !! Dark brown in fact  ::) ;D ;D ) , is used car engine oil , mixed 50/50 with diesel/heating oil will do . If you could leave the posts in some container soaking in the mix it would last forever . Telegraph poles are soaked in creosote for years , and even when they replace them , 45 years , most are still good  .
 There is a creosote substitute , but I have no idea how good it is . I know the old engine oil mix works really well though . No need to char the points either if you use it !!!

cheers

Russ

NorthEssexsmallholding

  • Joined Dec 2010
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #12 on: February 18, 2011, 03:27:22 pm »
it would be better to strip the bark off , and then treat the posts . Leaving it on would stop nigh on all preserver getting through to the actual post.
 A good tool to use to get the bark off is a small ladies spade , much smaller than normal spades . Just sharpen the edge well , place the post on the floor , preferably soil , and with the end against a wall  or something solid . then just skim along the length of the post taking a thin width of bark off.
 Have the back of the spade facing you , so the front of the spade faces the post . It is then fairly easy to peel the rest of the bark off , either by hand or with the spade. It is easier to do this when the wood is freshly cut down , but may still be ok after some months . Sometimes though , after it has been down a while , it sticks like s**t to a blanket , and is murder to peel off .
A cheap wood preserver (although not particularly a green one !! Dark brown in fact  ::) ;D ;D ) , is used car engine oil , mixed 50/50 with diesel/heating oil will do . If you could leave the posts in some container soaking in the mix it would last forever . Telegraph poles are soaked in creosote for years , and even when they replace them , 45 years , most are still good  .
 There is a creosote substitute , but I have no idea how good it is . I know the old engine oil mix works really well though . No need to char the points either if you use it !!!

cheers

Russ

Thanks again, great advice that you just cant get from a book. Didn't know that they soaked those poles for years, so thats their secret.

seldomseen

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Crimea
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2011, 07:26:10 am »
Around here we get ackasia growing everywhere, most of the 3 acre site down the road has it, trouble is if you cut it down 1 pops up about 10 foot away so its a case of digging the roots up I guess.....bad news lol, thing is I was wondering if I could use it for fence posts, if so would it be better to let it dry out for a bit? or soak it in old oil OR?
I did start burning it....or if anyone knows how do I get rid of the stupid trees bushes and runners lol
Some of it goes to the goats, minus the thorns, bou do they hurt, we have to strip the leaves off by hand...
ps its not the poisonous sort its just a pain (literally)

NorthEssexsmallholding

  • Joined Dec 2010
Re: Using own wood to make fencing stakes?
« Reply #14 on: March 01, 2011, 06:12:40 pm »
Just to say thanks again RUSTYME for the advice, I have been doing the posts, thanks a lot for the tips, my axe could do with being sharper but it cut the points no problem, and the spade techinque stripped the bark off easily as well as the wood is only a few months old, just got to soak them in the used engine oil/diesel now.

 

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