fence posts

[kfacres]

So, I'm in middle of building fence around 40 acres of current farmground.. Has a main road on 2 sides, that gets used fairly heavy..

the other day, had two "old" guys stop and ask what I was doing.. I was like DUH!  One's like.. =is that some kind of old time authentic fence, or something.. I'm like DUH, this fence is to hold cattle in...  That got me thinking.. Does anyone use these posts anymore?, or do people even know about them?  Mainly people of my generation..  -20-30's...  

I'm using some posts, that my grandpa cut in the '60s, and some others that have been used, reused, and he says are prob 100 years old..  

Man, my hammer is tired!

Anyone have a screw in method for these things?  

The way I figure it, these 100 year old posts will still out live me.. I'm 23...  

I always did hear, a good hedge post will last for 100 years, and then for the next 100 it will be like a steel rod sticking in the ground.. believe every word of it.  

 

[ValenteRanching]

Never heard of them.. Take some pictures of your fence <beer>

 

[hntwhitetail]

NEED PICS!

 

[jbzdad]

there was a guy at the 3I show in great bend this summer that had screw in  fasteners for wire on  hedge... I used them and they worked great... didn't buy any because I didn't need any at the time... I reviewed the web page for the 3-I show and can't get a clue about who it was... googled it without success... there is such a product... you just need to find it... good luck

 

[JTM]

These are the crooked looking posts that are at the corner of every old fenced field. You can't cut them off with a chainsaw.

 

[firesweepranch]

Over half of our fencing is made of hedge (was put in MANY MANY years ago by who ever owned the property before we did). We have had to go back and re-staple the wire, since it works lose over time. Would never use it now; here in SW Missouri, we grow ROCKS. They breed like rabbits   So try putting in a hedge post in that type of "soil". We have a problem pounding t-poles in the ground....
BTW, hedge posts come from the Osage Orange tree - which has hedge apples, which look like green brains. They are all over the ground out here in the fall, lots of hedge grows out here. I guess if you planed it in your fence line and waited MANY years you would have a good post that never rots!

Here is a hedge post...

 

[SWMO]

Oh my that is some whimpy hedge post.  ;D  We use our hedge for corner posts and believe me there is nothing better.  Use power fence so we use posts designed for the PF in the fence line itself.  Not long on looks if you are wanting pretty corners but I guarantee that hedge will outlast any other corner used today.

 

[knabe]

i planted some for trees and lumber to turn on a lathe.  they are slow starting.  birds love to perch in them.  i have bluebirds on my place for the first time.  they seem to like them.  the wood is extremely beautiful.  a few i made sure the crotch was up high and the trunk really straight.  i'm going to make lampstands out of them.  don't know if i can get a hole bored in them or not.  they turn on the lathe real easy when green but you need to sharpen your blade ever 10 minutes or so when dry to keep a good feather going.

 

[mooch]

The fun part is trying to get a staple in them without it popping out and hitting you in the eye.

 

[farwest]

I would say 99 percent in our area are hedge posts. If any of you trying to pound a staple in one would video that it would make for a good laugh in our area. Lol. The usual method is tie wire and there is some technique to it. You can make a perfect looking fence with those crooked posts if done right.

 

[Shady Lane]

Do you pound thos eposts in or do you dig them in?

 

[farwest]

Dig every one. But were in sand.  You can dig one in aminute

 

[Shady Lane]

How far do you to dig them in your area?

 

[OKshorthorn]

Oh my that is some whimpy hedge post.   ;D  We use our hedge for corner posts and believe me there is nothing better.  Use power fence so we use posts designed for the PF in the fence line itself.  Not long on looks if you are wanting pretty corners but I guarantee that hedge will outlast any other corner used today.

There are several hedge fence's here in Oklahoma, so i'm fairly familiar with it... but i'm seriously wondering if you think that it would outlast some 8 inch pipe filled with concrete?

 

[chambero]

Just curious, but why wouldn't you use pipe for corners and steel posts?  Especially considering time is money.  A t-post driver is bad enough, but any day with a shovel or posthole digger is a bad day. 

We use at least 4" pipe for corners with dead-men at least 3-4 feet deep (all set in concrete) to keep the corners from ever being pulled up toward the direction of tension.  We're building fences around 160 acre pastures minimum though.

 

[farwest]

Probably 2 feet in the ground. A hedge with tie wire won't move in the ground like a steel post will.  Esoecially in sand.

 

[Donnie Paddick]

Cant beat a good hedge post for a corner we put ares 5ft in the ground 4ft out concrete around it defitnly wont give and last forever.

 

[kfacres]

Interesting reply's.. Thanks to all who voted.. It was about as I suspected.. Several who have no idea on what a "real" fence should be made of... 
I was curious today, and wanted to see what those posts looked like on the inside..  scratched and scratched.. and finally got in...  Green as hell on the inside, as if they were cut yesterday..  back in the '60s or before!

Oh my that is some whimpy hedge post.  ;D  We use our hedge for corner posts and believe me there is nothing better.  Use power fence so we use posts designed for the PF in the fence line itself.  Not long on looks if you are wanting pretty corners but I guarantee that hedge will outlast any other corner used today.

You know, I've pulled up tons of posts like this one in clearing our old fence rows..  They are about the size of your thumb above ground.. but under ground, they are about 6" diameter..  now that's longivity!  Should GMO some that crap into cattle!

Oh my that is some whimpy hedge post.  ;D  We use our hedge for corner posts and believe me there is nothing better.  Use power fence so we use posts designed for the PF in the fence line itself.  Not long on looks if you are wanting pretty corners but I guarantee that hedge will outlast any other corner used today.

There are several hedge fence's here in Oklahoma, so i'm fairly familiar with it... but i'm seriously wondering if you think that it would outlast some 8 inch pipe filled with concrete?

I would say they would last about the same..  Maybe?  We have some concrete posts.. and they don't last that long.. I do know the steel pipe will rust away after several years.. Just pulled some pipe, and was rusted off @ groundlin, with the concrete on the inside.. that would make it different..  Not sure how long pipe was in ground..  Yes, I belive it is a given, that hedge will outlast pipe with concrete in it.. I would say, both would be similar for driving a nail into (lol)  I guess it boils down to what's easier and qucker to make?  Concrete, or hedge post?  You know, speaking of rusting... I was sitting on tractor today digging away.. and came up with saying that I'm thinking of putting on a sign at the entrance to the pasture..

"Ashes to Ashes...  Dust to dust... I'm using Great- Grandpa Bock's posts... cuz they'll never rust!@  How bout that? seriously thought, I really did come up with that.. and had no idea you would say what you did..

there was a guy at the 3I show in great bend this summer that had screw in  fasteners for wire on  hedge... I used them and they worked great... didn't buy any because I didn't need any at the time... I reviewed the web page for the 3-I show and can't get a clue about who it was... googled it without success... there is such a product... you just need to find it... good luck

You seriously need to find that info out for me... course, by the time that would happen, or the stuff would get here... I'd be done with the fence.. Go figure!

 

[jbzdad]

found it.. google big heel fasteners

 

[kfacres]

(clapping)