Fence

[Bill Gaiche]

 Howdy everyone. have been reading the fourm for about four months and have learned a lot and have found it very intresting.  Good information on about anything you want. Built my own Bandsaw and finished it in April. Have sawed some lumber and have had good results. Have a lot to learn on proper way to saw lumber. Its a 14hp with 158" blade run on Woodmizer wheels and rollers. Simular to a L10. I do hobby projects for neighbors and realatives. It keeps me out of the beer joints and pool halls.This is my first post and i am seeking a little info on a wooden fence to hide my view from the neighbors junky yard. I have read some info about fences. I am thinking of useing white oak vetical dog eared lumber cut green at 3/4" X 6" X 6'. Post will be 4" X 8'. Also is it nessary to use only the center of a log or can any part be used for the post? Can you think of any suggestions that would make this fence long lived? Thanks in advance and I really like all the peoples post on this Forum. A lot of very smart people out there!

[WDH]

Using heartwood will make the fence last longer, especially the posts.

[submarinesailor]

If you can find it in big enough pieces, use locust for the fence post.  They will be there long after you are gone.

Bruce

[fishpharmer]

Bill, welcome to forestry forum.  I like white oak for fence boards but have used pine in  a pinch.  White oak will last a long time, but I try not to put it in or on the ground.  If you can get black locust for post that's great.  Try to find some old treated poles to cut off for posts (or square up on your mill) if you can.  

We need more homebuilt mill folks.  I would love to see some pictures and hear more about it.  What kind of engine does it have?

[Bill Gaiche]

Briggs, Vangard. Will do photos when i understand how.

[ely]

bill, i have found the best thing to hide the crappy neighbors stuff is .... more real estate in a different location. preferably with lots of trees. :D

at least all my neighbors tell me the trees they plant helps hide all my junk from thier view. :

post oak lasts for along time in the fences down here i bet it would do ok if you treated it with some oil for outside use.

[Bro. Noble]

We need more homebuilt mill folks.  I would love to see some pictures and hear more about it.  What kind of engine does it have?

Well now James,

I've been hearing rumors that your homebuilt mill has a new playmate.  Howcome you havn't been posting pictures of some sawdust production?  You been horsebackriding instead of sawing?  How come we have to get all the lowdown on you from undisclosed sources?

I'm sorry,  just couldn't help ribbing you a little :D :D

[tyb525]

White Oak, Eastern Red Ceder, Black Locust, and to a lesser degree Honey Locust, Osage Orange, and even Mulberry all should make good posts. Walnut is pretty rot resistant, but I could think of better uses for it than a post. :D For the fence boards, pretty much anything should last pretty well, as long as the bottom does not touch the ground. If you put a rot-resistant board horizontally maybe 10" wide or more at the base, you could put the fence boards on top of that. Even Yellow (Tulip) Poplar would last pretty well for that.

[Bill Gaiche]

Actually no horseback ridding, but i did just get in from  four wheeling. Thanks for the ideas that you all have posted thus far. All have merit. I dont make a lot of sawdust because i cant think of enough stuff to make out of it all. Went up to Woodmizer at Mt. Vernon, Mo yesterday and looked at Will's solar kiln. may have to build one sence i found out that you cant air dry hardwood enough to make stuff out of for the house.

[customsawyer]

I can't add to anything that has been said other than welcome to the forum.

[Radar67]

Okay, James informed me of the horse and rib, but didn't mention a playmate. Spill the beans James, since you are laid up being lazy.  :D ;D

Welcome aboard Bill.

[Tom]

Fence boards and posts are always a popular product, whether for yourself or for sale.  Pine makes a fine fence if pressure treated.  It would be in your best interest to find a pressure treating facility close by that will pressure treat your lumber.  While it is difficult to find someone who will pressure treat hardwoods down here, it might be quite different up there.  Pressure treating has you measuring your fence in years rather than months.  A well pressure treated pine post will last over thirty years down here and rot is a major enemy.

[Cedarman]

Bill, if you head west of Tulsa about 20 miles or so you will be in the thick of Eastern Red Cedar.  More than you can shake a stick at.  If you can get hold of some log, you could saw a beautiful fence.  Posts will last 40 years or more in the ground.  2x4 runners and some 5/8"x6x6 pickets will make a showy fence.  Put some sealer on it and you will have th neighbors wanting one too.

[Chuck White]

Bill, if you head west of Tulsa about 20 miles or so you will be in the thick of Eastern Red Cedar.  More than you can shake a stick at.  If you can get hold of some log, you could saw a beautiful fence.  Posts will last 40 years or more in the ground.  2x4 runners and some 5/8"x6x6 pickets will make a showy fence.  Put some sealer on it and you will have th neighbors wanting one too.

Boy, that would be a pretty fence.

[Bill Gaiche]

Cedarman , wish i knew of someone that had enough cedar to build about 200'. I would be glad to take it off there hands. Also it would be a beautiful fence. Thanks for the tip.

[paul case]

hey bill,
welcome to the forum.your not that far from me. im between joplin mo and miami ok..oak board fence will last a long time where we are. i have some buildings that were built in the forties that have oak siding . never treated. just turns gray . i have noticed sometimes the grasshoppers knaw on it a little if they are thick but with very little damage.
my experience with the post having heart or not has very little to do with the post on white or post oak.either will work for post but wont last too long in the ground.the heart doesnt make as good of boards sometimes. i cut a lot of pallet boards and quite often the heart will have a ripped look or dead streak and winds up in the firewood pile.so a lot of the heart in the post thing seems to be so that you arent just throwing it away. my pick would be hedge (osage orange) or utility poles. i have squared some of those and they seem to saw pretty well and wont rot. but for the boards or bats if you have the oak,use it. good luck . pc

[Bill Gaiche]

Thanks Paul, i do have the oak to saw. Question, have you seen cedar post used that are say 4 to 6" in dia. that havent been sawed but used whole? 

[Cedarman]

Bill, if you use round posts, get ones with minimal sap ring.  1/2" or less  3/4 will be ok if posts 5" plus.  Thes posts come from the sides of the canyons or slow grown among hardwood.  Bushy field cedar trees have big saprings.

[Bill Gaiche]

Thanks cedarman, there is more to learn about wood than carter has pills. I dont know if my little head can absorbe all there is to know about wood.

[paul case]

bill,
im with cedarman on the post thing. the sapwood dont weather very good. i know some guys who put cedar posts in cement and in a couple years the white rotted out and they had a loose post. the less white in the ground the better. maybe you could square them up on your mill and that would knock most of the sapwood off. pc

[Bill Gaiche]

Sounds right Paul. thought about putting a few inches of 3/4 rock in bottom and up the post a few inches then tamp in with dirt on top.

[Cedarman]

Bill, if you square your posts, you can make them tapered by sawing from the small end and leaving a shim of the right thickness under the post at all 4 cuts.  With a little trial and maybe little error you can make a 4x4 top and 5x5 base.  This gets rid of a lot of sapwood along the post and leaves a greater area at ground level where you need it the most.  By leaving the shim under the post, you saw faster because you don't have to put it in and out all the time.

[Bill Gaiche]

Cedarman that sounds like a good idea, thanks and thanks to all out there for your suggestions and welcome aboards. May all you have a great Fathers Day.