There was I, digging this 'ole...

[terry]

Just a thought.

Do you HAVE to dig a hole? Acquaintance recently went to lot of trouble doing so. Then saw our set up!

We have loose bi-pod of two tree sticks (cost nil) tied together at top, clothesline is looped around that and then down to some sort of back stop; in our case the trunk of a tree to which it is looped through a piece of hose to avoid chafing.

Other end of line is secured to corner of small shed which is sufficiently substantial to take the weight of wet blankets etc. Line is about 25 feet long.

Advantages: Bi-pod can be used to loosen/tighten line; bi-pod can be laid flat on ground to allow wheel barrows or even our vehicle to be driven over/past without detaching anything.

If it is necessary to detach line, the other end can be slipped off the hook in the shed and the laid back against the tree that is used as a back anchor, about six feet behind it. Very flexible and economical.

The metal cored line doesn't last for ever though, once water gets through the plastic coating. Especially in this climate next to the North Atlantic! But another 50 feet or so costs only a Canadian few dollars.Also btw the metal line although only six feet or so above ground can also be used as a radio aerial. Capactive coupling without actually attaching to the metal core (and thereby letting in water!) can be achieved by wrapping turns of wire from the antenna post of the radio/wireless around the clothes line a number of times. Not been very successful picking up the now 198 kilohertz (used to be BBC Light Programme on 1500 metres) on this side of the Atlantic though! Cheers.

[Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot]

You lot spoil all my fun.

Si

[Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot]

I like this idea.

Si

[Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot]

Ramsgate. See you in the morning?

Si

[Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot]

And a valid one.

Unfortunately, yes. For years a willow has served admirably but I put a greenhouse in the way of the run of line so something has to take the place of the willow. It's either the aluminium greenhouse or I have to put a pole in. Your bi-pod idea is good though.

Si

[Dave]

But where does the angle grinder come into all this?

Dave

[Bob Eager]

Trimming off the excess (see above). Do keep up! :-)

[Bob Eager]

Kentish clay, like we have in Herne Bay? Even more concrete...

[Piers Finlayson]

A greenhouse? Didn't you think you might need another shed?

[nightjar]

A greenhouse is simply a shed with lots of windows.

Colin Bignell

[Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot]

D'you know, I found a 3' length of stout iron pipe that I'd forgotten I owned, maybe quarter of an inch less in diameter than the scaffold tube. I started hammering it into a piece of garden to see how it would go. Piece of piss! The first foot was earth, then as you say, lovely clean clay. Lovely wet, soft, clean clay. Arse. No wonder our garden takes so long to dry out in the summer!

I think I may look into coming up with other means of supporting her washing line. I've got too much to do as it is at the moment without fecking about with tons of concrete.

Si

[Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot]

They're too dark for growing tomatoes in. Besides, it *could be* another shed, if'n I wanted it to be...

Si

[Mungo "Two Sheds" Toadfoot]

Beat me to it - should have read your post before sending mine :-)

Si

[Bob Eager]

I was afraid of that. I just wondered if there were any areas of Thanet with chalk, in which case you might have been in luck.

I only put an umbrella-like washing line up here. Got one of those bloody great hollow spikes and hammered it in. Hard work, but it's been OK for about 14 years now.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Now google 'wet clay., and 'load creep'

What you NEED is some way to offset the line load..

[Franko]

Sorry, van won't seem to start this morning ;-)

[Weatherlawyer]

No time to read the thread but a fence post whatsit costs about 3 or 4 quid and all you do is knock it into the ground. It should take a pole stout enough for your needs.

You need to tap a small diameter hole with a thin steel bar first so that you can be sure the fence post holder will go in plumb. If you can get a crow bar that would do but the ideal is a piece of steel rod about 3 foot long.

It doesn't have to be that long either as once you are sure the start is plumb the post-hole will do the rest itself.

[Andy Hall]

solve all of these problems.

[The Medway Handyman]

At that fecking price my Australian idea works out cheaper :-)

[Andy Hall]

That depends on how you cost in satisfaction of the Washing, Ironing, F***ing, Etc.

The less time and hassle they have with the W & I, the more time there is for the etc.