timberbear

A question for the Scottish delegation, I've been offered 4"cundie stobs, am I right in thinking these are just 4" non machine rounded posts or not. They come in at 15p per post more so it's not going to break the bank. I would consider treating the bottom of the posts if it prolongs the life of the fence line. I fully appreciate that our timbers arnt what they used to be. I've looked at the Hampton steel option and will send them a list although looking at the prices if I opt for this I will put longer runs with the longest being 300m using the wider netting.

A few more questions gents if you don't mind. 1. It's been suggested I use 3x3 square treated larch posts, which are comparable with round posts. 2. What about if I dip the round posts in a further preservative, ive this this at the a recent trade show. 3. I had considered clipex as they blend well into the landscape and a lot of the old fences on the higher hills were help up on old steel posts. I bet it's expensive to buy but cheaper on the labour.

Perhaps we should have a post knocking competition, man vs machine! I know I'll hold it on the land that the fencing needs doing on. I'll provide the beer and waive the entrance fee! Having done tree work for 25yrs and just recovering from surgery I certainly won't be using the maul or drivall ever again!

Had considered that, I hired the 360 in but have the tractor on site. Buying is an option but it's more kit to have doing nothing for a while, I'm one of those people who never get around to selling their surplus equipment. I've got a local farmer who has a big tractor and knocker who will hire himself and machine for £25 a hour, he's literally across the road so I might explore this avenue.

I had a crew cab and thought it was brilliant but replaced it with a new Toyota Dyna MWB. Both are almost identical but find the toyota more powerful and carries a bit more weight. Three way tipper worth its weight in gold but like the cabstar the room space is limited but lovely to drive around the lanes etc.

Thanks drinksloe, As well as waders I'm trying to create habitats for other farmland birds like Grasshopper warbler which is breeding for the first time on our land. Like you suggest I'm already putting wader scrapes in and plan to put in a few big shallow ponds ive already started blocking up the field drains and the old foot drains. My misses is a conservation officer and her speciality are plants hence the need to fence and control the grazing. We plan to bring cattle in from next doors farm to strip graze and create some heavy trampling. Lucky to have large numbers of snip and woodcock already, in fact almost run over a jack snipe every time im out on the machine. Eventually once all the new planted areas have established the dykes rebuilt and the habitat improves then the fencing will be removed. We have only had the land about a year now and are trying to reverse 60 years of over grazing. I might even do a separate thread about what we are doing, we are fortunate we are in a position to give something back to wildlife which needs all the help it can get.

To be honest I originally didn't want any stock on site but like you say there needed to manage the ground. Two of the fields we will take a hay crop off. As I'm not there all the time it's easier to manage the areas if there fenced off. I want to keep the cattle out of the rush during nesting season as we have one pair of curlew and we are hoping by careful management we will attract more especially on the higher land. We will graze the rush in August and September but I need to keep the sheep out of the wetter areas during spring and summer although this does mean putting troughs in for them. This is on our Scottish small holding our one in Monmouthshire is all down to wildflower meadow. I'm also going to be planting large areas of shrub and trees to provide good wildlife cover which will need fencing off.

I've already ( well the misses has ) started putting a few pedestrian gates in. Eventually the dykes will be rebuilt but that's a long term plan and will involve applying for grants. I'm going to be fencing all the rush and burns off to prevent the sheep damaging the areas. The land is to be managed for wildlife in particular birdlife.

Mainly Roe. The ground is soft but full of small Boulder in the top foot or so. I was thinking every fifty meters putting a meter space in the fence so would use rail to go from strained to strainer. With the ground being steep in places I thought this would help the runs. I like the idea of having lots of places for wildlife to cross , most of the fencing will be running along the fallen dykes so I'll try and create gaps where the dykes have failed. I know what you say about the additional costs but I'm saving a lot of money from my original quote. Only got six belted galloway and 50 yews running five fields over a total of 70ac.

I've seen the hare friendly stock fencing made by Hampton and will probably go with that.

Hi Gn, if I remember your in Galloway area? I've just emailed some local suppliers for prices etc. I too picked up 12ft gates for about £70 so with posts and hooks etc came in about £120. Already put five gates up. My preference would have been to get it done in one hit by someone else but doing myself means big savings.

Interesting thread. I've recently been quoted £6.50 p/m which does not to include strainers and gates. 12ft gates hung came in at £170 a time with strainers coming in at £24 each. I did stipulate i didn't want the fence strained onto the gate posts but tied in with rail. The total job comes in at about 12k as its a lot of fencing and a few gates, so I'm doing it my self. Id did an old NPTC course about 25yrs ago and I've done a little bit since. I'm going to hire a local farmer with larger tractor and thumper. I'm going to run in 50m lengths drop a strainer in and than put a meter section of rail in before the next section of fence. This is to allow the hare and deer ease of access into the fields. The longest run will be about 400m with three water gates to make. After pricing up the materials and buying some extra tools I'll still save about 4k! I won't be paying myself as I'll call it a working holiday!

Well I was sick due to a miss understanding with the nurse, she said I had to drink that jug of water and have a pee, I thought she meant straight away, so I downed the jug of water as if it was a pint, she looked on in amazement then we both realised what was about to happen! Yes it all came back up!

Was under for about two hours in the end, the Osteophytes were the size of mellons! Two big bits of bone floating around no wonder I couldn't straighten my arm! Missed the footy but woke up with shin pads on and the paper pants were cool! Staff were brilliant and I did apologise to the one nurse for being sick on her!

Cheers guys, sat on the ward now, first time in hospital and everyone is really nice, just had an arrow drawn on my arm so I'm good to go! Starving but looking forward to decent bit of kip!

Going in for surgery on my elbow tomorrow, the first time I've ever gone under the knife. I haven't been able to straighten my arm for two years because of the Osteophytes that have formed and degenerative hyaline. My only concern is that I won't get to see Wales beat England! I've got to ring the hospital at 6.30am to make sure they have a bed for me! Any advice pre and post operation!

A bit of oversize larch today, just as quick to stick the saw through it then drop the rings into the processor. All destined for the local pubs fire!

Yes, the ground is extremely soft in wet conditions. I will get a set of Agri tyres if needed in the future.

Gave this beech a 90% reduction! It's a woodland edge beech which had become weighted on the one side, heavily unbalanced and nearly every main branch had suffered squirrel damage. In fairness to Taffupatree he had it down to the two fingers in a few hours and even went home early!

I think it's 1.3t, apparently the weight issue is to do with its articulate steer.

Only going by what it says on the tin! Obviously I'm not going to put that amount on its rear end,

common lizard, galloway hills, Scotland.

Articulated steer is ideal for my Boulder strewn fields, and it's Goldoni not Goldini!

Yep certainly did! Very pleased so far!

Thanks for the replies. I should have mentioned the ground conditions are great in the summer and as I'm managing the land for wildlife, nesting waders etc I won't be trashing over the rush which covers about 20ac of the land. I've started putting tracks in etc. to allow me passage, it's a valid point about the alpines being low slung but with bigger tyres gives the extra lift. I use a pasquali 45 for our woodland management work but has a turning circle like a 130! What swung the goldini is its impressive 1200kg lift on the rear, so will be great for moving the pallet loads of fencing materials around. So being a bloke I couldn't wait and the goldini is arriving Thursday!