[TheForge] Setting up shop (more or less)

[Bruce Freeman]

Andy,

How do the locals construct fences - any great ideas?

I think you're working too hard.  You started with a fixed idea
-digging for posts- and aren't budging.  You can build a perfectly
fine fence without digging a single hole.

Three examples:

1) Snake fence. Small trees or split rails.  Lay extreme ends on rocks
in a "\ \ \ \ \ \ " pattern, but more stretched out.  Place additional
rails across the ends of the first set, giving "WWWWW" pattern.
Continue with alternating layers of rails till as high as you want.
Can add dummy pieces between successive layers to space the layers
greater. To clarify:  No posts. Rails cross at ends, fence zig-cags a
bit (maybe 120* angles).  No digging at all.  Some rock moving.

2) Snake&Cross fence.  I'm not quite clear on this one, but uses a
cross of two posts (dug in little if at all) as a support for three
rails.

3) Hurdles.  Weave hurdles out of 1" saplings and withies - usually
willow cut off and allowed to grow up one season.  These are portable
(especially if a hole is left in the middle to run a carry-rod
through).  The end two saplings are left longer and are pointed to jab
into the ground.  Allows a movable pasture.  Weave using a log with
bored holes to receive the saplings.  Weave like a basket.

Meanwhile, dig a bunch of saplings and transplant them along the
fence.  Next year, start a hedge from these.  The fence will rot away,
but the hedge is forever.  Hedges are woven living brush & trees, so
expect a little work.

Bruce
NJ


On Thu, May 29, 2008 at 7:27 AM, Andrew Vida <osan at netlabs.net> wrote:
>
>
> Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
>>
>> Bob:
>> I don't know how much slack social pressures offer you, but;
>> the place that sell garage doors usually have old ones to give away. A
>> truck load of those could  be cobbled into a cheap, quick shop...pf
>
>        Not a bad idea.  Here's another: if you live anywhere near a sawmill,
> go visit and see what they will sell their drops for.  I get mine for $12 a
> truckload - all I can pile on or until the tires  blow or the springs pop.
>  OK they are flat on one side only, but that should be no problem.  There
> are construction methods that will let you make a nice enough wall with
> them.  Mine come anywhere up to 20' long.  I am just starting on my goat
> fencing and pen.  The compensating factor in this case is that I have to dig
> about 100 x 2' deep post holes in this wonderful West Virginia red shale
> clay, which is like concrete.  And of course Mom had to throw in the glacial
> till factor, so huge boulders are everywhere.  Digging here == misery and
> lots of sore parts.
>
>        Anyhow, if you have a mill nearby, give them a holler and see what
> they want for the drops.  Most of the outbuildings around here are made from
> those and locust posts.  Not the purdiest, but they seem to work really
> well.
>
>        -Andy
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-- 
Bruce
NJ