Fencing

[kalakoa]

That only works if you're not using a post driver.

No idea how that fence was installed, but it's in a "no dirt" area.

[terracore]

quote:

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Originally posted by kalakoa

That only works if you're not using a post driver.

No idea how that fence was installed, but it's in a "no dirt" area.

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Based on your description, it sounds like a drilled hole and the post banged in with a mallet or sledge hammer.

[kalakoa]

sounds like a drilled hole and the post banged in with a mallet or sledge hammer.

I'll look for "mashed head" next time I'm up there.

In any case ... I can't decide whether self-install is really feasible -- some days it seems pretty easy, other times it's formidable. Will probably have to "just do it" to find out.

[terracore]

quote:

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Originally posted by kalakoa

sounds like a drilled hole and the post banged in with a mallet or sledge hammer.

I'll look for "mashed head" next time I'm up there.

In any case ... I can't decide whether self-install is really feasible -- some days it seems pretty easy, other times it's formidable. Will probably have to "just do it" to find out.

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Whatever you decide to do, make sure you get the galvanized fence posts. I'm pretty sure Mirandas is hands-down the cheapest but they also have them on sale frequently and a dollar off per post if you're buying a hundred of them is a substantial savings. Now that they come from China they are only like $3 more per post than the painted ones. The pre-existing fence on our lot looks pretty good (I think its level 3) but they installed it on ungalvanized posts and they have already rusted to the point where they are falling over. A fencing guy told me the vog interacts with the acidic soil and they literally melt away.

[David M]

You can get better grade chainlink at HD but has to be special order at Pro desk. Recently did about 300 ft of the 5' high, 9 gauge. Cost was right around $10/ft just the material. Miranda price was good but they don't have delivery nor did they have Quikcrete for my posts. Big Island Fence was absolutely ridiculous in their price. Dells sells gates but not the fence. Mine replaced a welded wire fence of about 5 years age and rusting out. Installing chainlink I found similar to Hogwire - very doable with a little help and tools.

David

Ninole Resident
Please visit vacation.ninolehawaii.com

[kalakoa]

make sure you get the galvanized fence posts

Absolutely -- anything non-galvanized is temporary in Puna.

Big Island Fence was absolutely ridiculous in their price.

Ironic, considering they have their own chain-link loom.

[terracore]

quote:

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Ironic, considering they have their own chain-link loom.

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Chinese looms are cheaper...

That all being said, I did use 150' of chain link from Mirandas and after two years no sign of rust.

[ericlp]

Damn, so now you tell me! I wish I would have read this sooner... I bought a bunch of T-post from Home Depot. I guess we'll see how long they last. I think they were 7-8 bucks a pop. But I would have gone with galvanized ones for 3 - 4 bucks more if I would have known. Ah well, at least I got the better class 3 rancho hogwire Dells claims its the best. Might have to bust out the jackhammer again for new poles in a few years.

[Tink]

Do you jackhammer the posts in, or use the spike to "pre drill", so to speak, then drive the post in the hole with a single jack? I had previously written off a perimeter fence, only setting coop fencing, but now you have my interest. Thanks!

Are you a human being, or a human doing?

[ericlp]

Well, I bought my jackhammer off of amazon for a couple of hundred bucks. Well worth it.

I live in Hawaiian Beaches, Brought 4 14" round corner posts and two rolls of 330' of hogwire from dells. Bought enough T-posts from Home Depot plus a 16' gate and a 4' pedestrian gate with metal poles / Bags of cement and ties to tie the hogwire to the tpost.

There were places (blue rock) where the jack hammer just danced and had to rent a drill from Home Depot for a day to do 10 or so holes. The drill works pretty good for blue rock, but the hammer works much faster and better, esp, when making a Huge hole for the wooden posts.

Anyway after it was all said and done, I probably have about 1200 in the project. Including a friend to help me out. I traded some plumbing work so I didn't have to be the only one on the jack hammer.

It took us about 3 weekends to get it all done.

The only thing I used a 5lbs hammer to drive the poles down into the holes. The Spade on the tpoles NEVER ever broke off. I did however get the poles pretty close to the top of the spades. It was tough pounding in the posts with a sledge. I guess I should have got a t-post driver. But I didn't see them at HD. Maybe you got to rent them? I suspect with a driver it would go much easier?

Anyway, It was much cheaper than the quote I got for 5K dollars and I'm sure I would have gotten crappier material at that. The quote didn't include the gates or hardware. So, I'm pretty happy to get it done cheaply myself. You will defiantly need two or more people. I used a 100' 12 gauge cord. But after that I used a cheap 100' smaller gauge (not advised) but only used it for the places I couldn't reach with the 100 footer. If you had more then a 200' I'd use a generator.

You can do it on the cheap and make it look pretty good. Even with the jack hammer I only had to use cement for about 1 out of ever 15 t-poles. Just seemed even if you made the hole a little bigger bunch of rocks would fall down in it anyway when pounding in the post.

Even with the cheap HD T-posts *painted* I'm thinking they will last a good 5 years, maybe wishful thinking on my part. But, I can get some galvi posts next time and jackhammer right into the same hole. Might be easier than making new holes in blue rock.