I just bought 46 acres of land that i would like to pasture someday. I am going to cut some Osage Orange fence posts on my property. I wont be needing them for 3 - 5 years. Do they need to cure any time before they are used? How should I store them until then? Any advice?
cutting fence posts
- Thread starter Jason W
- Start date
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Craig-TX
Well-known member
Osage Orange (aka Bodark down here) will absolutely make the best wood corner post you can get. Once it cures you will have a hard time driving a nail or staple into it. I don't know a specific time for curing before use but would guess that one season is enough? Under a shed would be best but outside would be OK, they're going to be outside when you build your fence. After three to five years they will be like iron. The advice that comes to mind would be to have your sharpener handy, you will go through some blades even on green wood.
Craig-TX
Craig-TX
texasmortgageman
Well-known member
Some of the Bois d' Arc posts on my land are 80 years old. They last your lifetime. Better have an awfully sharp saw or divine intervention to help cut them though.
Jake
Well-known member
we set corners this spring and summer with hedge that will easily outlast me, no matter where you cure them make sure they are up off the ground, prevent the crawlies from tryin to get into them. nothing worse than a post full of ants!
certherfbeef
Well-known member
I don't know anything about your Osage orange posts. But We set corners with Locust, and thanks to a handy little generator and a fistfull of bits. All those holes were pre-drilled. Otherwise might as well try to drive staples into asphalt. And might even have better luck with the asphalt ;-)
I hate Locust posts, but I will never have to replace those corners. Good luck with your posts!!
I hate Locust posts, but I will never have to replace those corners. Good luck with your posts!!
certherfbeef":2mxtmj7b said:
I used locust corners and pull posts and line posts in several fences about 25 years ago. They're all rotted and replaced now. The posts were cut in the North Ga. mountains. I don't buy locust any more. I use treated 6" to 7" by 8' corner posts and pull posts, and steel t-posts for line posts.
Gabby
Liesa
New member
I have been trying to find some osage orange fence posts--or any osage orange wood at all, and am finding it nearly impossible. Is there any way that I can come to someone's place and buy some? I will be happy to travel and to pay for it.
Thanks!
Thanks!
HOSS
Well-known member
I just got what I think is a great deal on some telephone poles. The phone company was moving some lines and gave the land owner the poles. He sold them to me for 10 bucks each. They made 20 eight foot posts that are anywhere from 8" to 12" in diameter. They were all just a few years old and in great shape. He is supposed to be getting 10 more that I have first dibs on. I am starting to fence in 60 acres and these will come in handy.
Herefordcross
Well-known member
Man, those jokers must be tough, any chance of getting a load of those up my way?
jgn
Well-known member
We use locust as that what is abundant around here, also red cedar. We make sure to cut when the sap is down in late fall and winter and they will last much longer.
We have two types of locust here: field locust and mountain locust. The mountain locusts last quite a while and are hard as a rock. I wouldn't give you a dime for a load of field locusts, other than firewood.
cfpinz
cfpinz
cypressfarms
Well-known member
Jason W":3npf69k5 said:
O.k., the woodworker in me can't let this one go without a comment. If Osage orange grew in South America, it would be priced as high as rosewoods. I would recommend using "green" or freshly cut posts instead of aging them 3 to 5 years. After osage dries, it's comparable to concrete for nailing. You can nail staples in green osage fairly easy, though. If you must dry the wood, cut it, and paint the ends of the posts. Put you some treted 2 x 4's down on the ground level, and stack the osage on them. If you ever looked at a cross cut section of osage, you'd see that the middle is yellow, the outside white. The outside, or sapwood, will get eaten by insects. The yellow (heartwood), however, will last longer than the energizer bunny.
As for locust, there are two main types - honey locust and black locust. For the life of me I can't remember which one now is rot resistant. One is and one is not. If anyone wants to know details, pm me and I'll look it up in one of the refence woodworking books.
Jason,
Do you have a lot of osage that is large and straight enough to be used as fence posts?
warpaint
Well-known member
As has already been said, you better cut em and set em the same day, or you most likely won't get a steeple in em.
stocky
Well-known member
I will add my agreement to cut and set while green, then they will outlast yours or my lifetime
