Odd fence post mix?

[The Medway Handyman]

Doing a fencing job at the mo, and its being a right embuggerance.

Posts are rotten at ground level & seem to be embedded in a mixture of hardcore & dry mix sand/cement. The hardcore breaks out OK but the crumbly dry mix is a PITA.

Using a big breaker (hired) but whats happening is that the point digs into the crumbly stuff for about 2" then jams & has be pulled out. You have to hold the breaker back to stop the point sticking.

I'm guessing, but the section of fence causing the trouble is at the bottom of a fairly long slope and I reckon it gets very wet in bad weather. I suspect that the posts were inserted by packing hardcore around them & then using a dry mix of sand/cement like you would when pointing a patio.

Anyone come across this method of fence post fixing before?

[Tim S]

The Medway Handyman coughed up some electrons that declared:

Having just helped a neighbour with a fence post...

Would a spade bit work better on the breaker? Or can you try to break out at 45 degrees from the centre - ie push the base apart, outwards?

Using a weedy SDS, I had to dig down a bit to expose the "concrete", then knock one side out (digging as required to allow the SDS access and to give the concrete room to break). Then we did the neighbouring side. Remaining two sides were solid, so left to locate the new post.

The most obstructive bit was the old rotten wood - had to use the SDS and a long bar to break it up and lever it out in bits.

Do you have a TNT license?

Cheers

Tim

[Andrew Mawson]

That's where the JCB 3CX comes in! Grab the old post in the 4 in1 bucket mouth, and pull it out like an old tooth. Had to do dozens like that here. And the secret is to whack the concrete plug with a sledge hammer while it's still up in the air and it all falls off leaving the timber ready for re-use or burning.

AWEM

[The Medway Handyman]

I think I've sussed this out. Anyone remember an old 'schoolboy' bet where you lifted a glass of sand with a table knife? It was something to do with the knife being plunged up & down until the sand compressed around the blade.