Looking for a way to secure struts in soft ground

Old iron bed frames are made of that sort of sized angle iron, if you can get them from your local scrappie. Whoever owned my previous property before me used them extensively.

In message snipped-for-privacy@esprimo.zbmc.eu>, Chris Green snipped-for-privacy@isbd.net writes

My grazing tenant uses galvanised steel strainer posts for his electric fencing. I'll ask where he gets them.

We had a thread on fencing way back. My view is that you need to increase the area of post in contact with soft soils. Only easy when first fitting the posts. Dig a hole using a *shuv-holer* or similar. Insert post and backfill with tamped broken rubble.

I'll bet your horses are scratching their arses on the fence. Strand of barbed wire cures that:-)

Howsabout digging a larger hole, attaching battens to the bottom of the post on one side and just below ground level on the opposite side. Put the post in the ground such that the top batten is on the side away from the expected load. Add small hardcore and Postcrete to taste. I did that here when fencing across an area of sandy soil and it has worked well (admittedly, it hasn't had to withstand a hungry or excited horse).

There's always a post hole digger. It depends on how many you can dig per hour, as to whether it is cheaper than trying to use metals to shore up the posts (fence spike).

The previous city I lived in, had a metal supply (iron monger but with a city slicker name), and if you wanted better rates on metals than you could get at a builder merchant, that's where you would go. That's where I would attempt to get lengths of angle. When you're driving the angle, you want the right adapter to fit over the top while driving it. As otherwise, your sledge will deform the end. If the angle is large enough in size, wear hearing protection while driving it :-) That's for the swearing.

Paul

Horses? You say electric fences work? Why are you then bothering with ad hoc fences which when a horse leans on it will break.

Brian

Good idea, yes, thanks!

I suspect that they will be quite expensive.

Yes, the bigger the better. However digging a hole is somewhat difficult in the area concerned, it's dry and loose so holes don't stay as holes, plus there's lots of undergrowth and roots etc. to fight your way through. Thus knocking a post in plus knocking something in to support a strut is rather more attractive than 'digging a hole'. :-)

It already has an electric wire to discourage them.

As I commented to a previous post 'digging a hole' in this area is an exercise in frustration.

Yes, metal (steel) is becoming ridiculously expensive isn't it!

Post hole digger isn't practical even though I have a suitable tractor, the ground is simply too loose and tractor access very difficult due to trees.

Because keeping an electric fence working in undergrowth etc. below trees isn't practical.

The existing D-I-Y 'post and rail' has worked pretty well for 20 years or so, it just needs some maintenance! :-)

The way forward is to look at the options & decide which is most practical. None will give you all you want. Some options: post driven in deep by machine - access problem. Would an SDS-max be any use? thin profile post driven in by hand - mfr cost. ask for scrap steel on freebie lists? large hole filled with crete - labour And finally, a large heavy base above ground. Bang post into ground enough to keep it upright, surround with shuttering ply, pour a big crete base.

There's these..

A modicum of maintenance with a scythe a slasher or a knapsack sprayer of selective weedkiller works wonders.

You quite sure you aint one of those rocket scientist animals ?

Thats silly apart from the price.

But not when driven with a kango hammer.

Unlikely.

We have things called droppers, work fine in soil like that.

It's not,in the main, weeds and other things that are growing. It's a mess of dead elder trees, fallen trunks of old oak and elm trees, old greenhouse frames, etc. Yes, ideally one would clear it properly, but life's too short! :-)

Can you use old greenhouse frames as posts?

Andy

I did take a look at some of them but they're not quite fat enough I don't think.

Have you considered ground screws they are a bit pricey but no digging required. They are mostly designed for beam support eg. Decking, garden rooms, sheds, but can have posts attached instead