Cresoting your own stakes

DJ98

Was just wondering if it would be an option to buy the ordinary stakes and put creosote on the bottom of them that would be in the ground, would this be an option as opposed to buying full cresoted stakes for twice the money?? Thank you

_Brian

There would be a difference in soaking them where top quality stakes should be pressure treated forcing the treatment deeper.

DJ98

_Brian wrote: »

There would be a difference in soaking them where top quality stakes should be pressure treated forcing the treatment deeper.

Would soaking them give them much longer of a lifespan?

patsy_mccabe

PDM treat the stakes in a vacuum chamber. Soaking in cresote not near as effective.

DJ98

Is there anybody still using the ordinary stakes or is it all gone creosote?

MfMan

DJ98 wrote: »

Is there anybody still using the ordinary stakes or is it all gone creosote?

I sometimes do this, dressing the stakes all over with Crecote (cresote). While it adds life to them, I don't expect them to last nearly as long as the PDM ones. Might bite the bullet sometime and buy a bale of the latter.

_Brian

I spoke to a guy who uses a barrel, mixes waste oil and diesel.
He keeps a bunch of steaks in that all the time and they’d be in it for months possibly. He says that it extends their life well.

yosemitesam1

If you were going to treat yourself boiling in paraffin wax is a super treatment. Have never seen stakes done in it

Melodeon

_Brian wrote: »

I spoke to a guy who uses a barrel, mixes waste oil and diesel.
He keeps a bunch of steaks in that all the time and they’d be in it for months possibly. He says that it extends their life well.

He'd better hope he never comes to the attention of the EPA.

I says

DJ98 wrote: »

Was just wondering if it would be an option to buy the ordinary stakes and put creosote on the bottom of them that would be in the ground, would this be an option as opposed to buying full cresoted stakes for twice the money?? Thank you

My contractor is gone to the pdms they have a longer life span spend the money if ya can otherwise you’ll end up replacing a lot more in the long run.

Farmer

Proper professional use cold tar creosote is pretty expensive, a quick Google brings in prices from £50 sterling to €80 here for 20l. I don't know how far that would go. I imagine you'd want to have the stakes very dry and then soak over winter, maybe with something through the creosote to thin it a bit. Would it be worth it? Also, some of the pre treated stakes like the octos have better denser slow grown timber.and you get the vat back. Not sure how the creo would fare out with vat refund, maybe?

Keep the creosote off your skin and keep us posted if you try it

Doctors room ghost

I cut a few of the cresote stakes with a chain saw before and while they were plenty dark and stink on the outside the cresote wasn’t gone far into the timber at all.
I’d say youd often get a better soak yourself within in the bath then the stake does

Odelay

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

I cut a few of the cresote stakes with a chain saw before and while they were plenty dark and stink on the outside the cresote wasn’t gone far into the timber at all.
I’d say youd often get a better soak yourself within in the bath then the stake does

It doesn't have to go to the centre, that is a myth. It needs good penetration around the outside but not I to the middle.

It a bit like galvanised, you don't expect that to go to the center.

Dinzee Conlee

Someone in the Sheep forum said they are using larch stakes, untreated...

Had some larch trees fall in the storm last year, going to cut em up and try it meself... See how long they last...

Debated treating them with cresote, but I think I'll just chance them as is...

Gravelly

There's an old lad living near me that stands a load of stakes in a half a tar barrel of creosote, and then lights a small fire under it - he reckons the heat causes the air and moisture in the stakes to expand and bubble out, and when they cool down, they suck the creosote in deep to the timber. I think it works - his fences seem to last longer than anyone's! The only drawback is that creosote is highly flammable, though he hasn't had an accident with it so far, so I suppose if you are careful and do it in the middle of an open yard like he does, you'd be fine.

Cattlepen

I have used an awful lot of pdm posts over the years. Sometimes they are really well penetrated with creosote and other times they are no better than if they were just dipped in a tank of creosote.
So I think if you could leave them soaking long enough in creosote you would have as good a job as pdm posts.
I have used the agriknives ones imported from England. Far superior to pdm. You can cut any one out of a bundle and it is treated right through to centre

patsy_mccabe

What about plastic stakes?

https://www.donedeal.ie/beefcattle-for-sale/solid-plastic-fencing-stakes-posts/15965647

Gravelly

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

What about plastic stakes?

The work of the devil.

patsy_mccabe

Gravelly wrote: »

The work of the devil.

Really, why?

ganmo

Gravelly wrote: »

There's an old lad living near me that stands a load of stakes in a half a tar barrel of creosote, and then lights a small fire under it - he reckons the heat causes the air and moisture in the stakes to expand and bubble out, and when they cool down, they suck the creosote in deep to the timber. I think it works - his fences seem to last longer than anyone's! The only drawback is that creosote is highly flammable, though he hasn't had an accident with it so far, so I suppose if you are careful and do it in the middle of an open yard like he does, you'd be fine.

We have 2 fences of pdm posts that survived fires I don’t know how but I’m very glad.

poor farmer

Anyone ever use Bluestone

poor farmer

Anyone ever use Bluestone as a preservative.
Local fencing man swears by it .

older by the day

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

PDM treat the stakes in a vacuum chamber. Soaking in cresote not near as effective.

I knew a man who pulled them when the cattle went in for the winter and stored them in the shed till the animals were back in the spring. But the normal 2.30 Euro posts at the co.op. are very poor now a days, they are not Dryed even

Icelandicseige

https://www.donedeal.ie/fencingequipment-for-sale/clipex-quotsingle-line-electric-wire-fencing-quot-sale/19456251

Anyone try clipex?

mayota

older by the day wrote: »

I knew a man who pulled them when the cattle went in for the winter and stored them in the shed till the animals were back in the spring. But the normal 2.30 Euro posts at the co.op. are very poor now a days, they are not Dryed even

Would he have them back up for April 1st?

Never wrestle with pigs

Icelandicseige wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/fencingequipment-for-sale/clipex-quotsingle-line-electric-wire-fencing-quot-sale/19456251

Anyone try clipex?

I'm going to replace every fence in the place with these as they need replacing in the next few years.

Brown Podzol

Dinzee Conlee wrote: »

Someone in the Sheep forum said they are using larch stakes, untreated...

Had some larch trees fall in the storm last year, going to cut em up and try it meself... See how long they last...

Debated treating them with cresote, but I think I'll just chance them as is...

European Larch seems to be more durable than Japanese larch. From Caoilte

Timber quality
Larch is considered a hard durable timber and is significantly stronger than other low density softwoods. Timber from this high value species is used for transmission poles and exterior work where a more durable timber is required. Demand for larch fencing material has always been strong with the result that even early thinnings are profitable. Larch timber is resinous and has a tendency to distort when seasoned. Hybrid larch produces timber very similar to that of Japanese larch. It has been suggested that due to their faster growth rate and consequently higher proportion of sapwood, Japanese and hybrid larch may be less durable than European larch.

kevthegaff

I'm stripping down an old shed and replacing the sheeting and timbers. Anyway I was wondering would the old timbers if pointed last as stakes. Their on good condition bar 45 yrs old

Odelay

kevthegaff wrote: »

I'm stripping down an old shed and replacing the sheeting and timbers. Anyway I was wondering would the old timbers if pointed last as stakes. Their on good condition bar 45 yrs old

If they are softwood they will need to be pressure treated after pointing. They won't last without it.

blue5000

Is it still possible for us to buy a barrel of creosote? I bought a barrel through a local hardware store 30 years ago, used it to creosote stakes by boiling them in a barrel. An odd one is still standing.

+1 on the Japanese larch, it doesn't last. You would be better off buying strainers from FRS at whatever price they are and doing a diy job on the stakes.

Gravelly

blue5000 wrote: »

Is it still possible for us to buy a barrel of creosote? I bought a barrel through a local hardware store 30 years ago, used it to creosote stakes by boiling them in a barrel. An odd one is still standing.

It's not just the oul lad living near me I mentioned earlier that does this so!

SCOL

I have a few old telegraph poles ( i located over the years and are just sitting in the yard ) I was thinking of cutting them to size for a permanent fence along a road.

Is that just over kill ?

blue5000

Gravelly wrote: »

It's not just the oul lad living near me I mentioned earlier that does this so!

We might be neighbours so:D

maconof

SCOL wrote: »

I have a few old telegraph poles ( i located over the years and are just sitting in the yard ) I was thinking of cutting them to size for a permanent fence along a road.

Is that just over kill ?

Had one lying around the yard, cut it into 3 pieces and hung gates off same when set in the ground, will last a lifetime. Never used them for full fence though.

ganmo

SCOL wrote: »

I have a few old telegraph poles ( i located over the years and are just sitting in the yard ) I was thinking of cutting them to size for a permanent fence along a road.

Is that just over kill ?

overkill is under rated :P
we use telegraph pole if we can get them

Markcheese

kevthegaff wrote: »

I'm stripping down an old shed and replacing the sheeting and timbers. Anyway I was wondering would the old timbers if pointed last as stakes. Their on good condition bar 45 yrs old

Probably good timber, might be a bit of a waste to use them as fence posts... Would it be possible to clean them up? (pull any nails Ect) and reuse them?

SCOL

Markcheese wrote: »

Probably good timber, might be a bit of a waste to use them as fence posts... Would it be possible to clean them up? (pull any nails Ect) and reuse them?

Reuse them for what ? The only other use I can think of is maybe a shed.

oldsmokey

blue5000 wrote: »

Is it still possible for us to buy a barrel of creosote? I bought a barrel through a local hardware store 30 years ago, used it to creosote stakes by boiling them in a barrel. An odd one is still standing.

+1 on the Japanese larch, it doesn't last. You would be better off buying strainers from FRS at whatever price they are and doing a diy job on the stakes.

Got a drum of it lately from mcnamara fenving mallow..e70 ..i soak the lower foot of the stake in the creo for a month, seems a good job.coild mix in some spent oil too..

brownswiss

Odelay wrote: »

It doesn't have to go to the centre, that is a myth. It needs good penetration around the outside but not I to the middle.

It is a bit like galvanised, you don't expect that to go to the center.

..

Will the post not rot from the inside if it is not dried and properly treated . It happened with the ESB poles a few years ago . There seems to be a lot of discontent with the PDM posts. They were a great post 10 or 15 years ago . Agriknives in Westmeath seems to have a post that is dried and treated to the center . Some of PDM's seem to be treated skin deep

Dunedin

older by the day wrote: »

I knew a man who pulled them when the cattle went in for the winter and stored them in the shed till the animals were back in the spring.

I know farming is financially challenged at the moment but Life is a bit short for that lark

sonnybill

Anyone deal with FRS athenry or what are their stakes like ?

charolais0153

sonnybill wrote: »

Anyone deal with FRS athenry or what are their stakes like ?

Woodfarm fencing in ahascragh have good stakes, dont know how they will last though,only in a year

blue5000

brownswiss wrote: »

..

Will the post not rot from the inside if it is not dried and properly treated . It happened with the ESB poles a few years ago . There seems to be a lot of discontent with the PDM posts. They were a great post 10 or 15 years ago . Agriknives in Westmeath seems to have a post that is dried and treated to the center . Some of PDM's seem to be treated skin deep

I heard the reason for the poles rotting was that the poles were frozen solid when they treated them and the ice stopped the creosote penetrating properly.

Odelay

blue5000 wrote: »

I heard the reason for the poles rotting was that the poles were frozen solid when they treated them and the ice stopped the creosote penetrating properly.

Yes, that’s correct.

sonnybill

charolais0153 wrote: »

Woodfarm fencing in ahascragh have good stakes, dont know how they will last though,only in a year

I looked at their site there, which post did you go for ? They have imported ones but also interested in that one with polymer coating by Jfc on section that rots where it goes into the ground

charolais0153

sonnybill wrote: »

I looked at their site there, which post did you go for ? They have imported ones but also interested in that one with polymer coating by Jfc on section that rots where it goes into the ground

I just collected them and put them in the ground. Tbey were 4 inch creosoted, dont know whether they were importee or not

Say my name

There's plastic stakes advertised on DD from Clare.
The same company have an add looking for waste silage wrap. So putting 2 and 2 together they're made from melted silage wrap.

I wonder what they'd be like?

Pod123

Say my name wrote: »

There's plastic stakes advertised on DD from Clare.
The same company have an add looking for waste silage wrap. So putting 2 and 2 together they're made from melted silage wrap.

I wonder what they'd be like?

Had plastic stakes long time ago found it hard to drive a staple in to them. But with the advancement of rechargeable drills it would be much easier now.
Or else I was doing something wrong also remember them very flexible but probably much better made now.

Odelay

Pod123 wrote: »

Had plastic stakes long time ago found it hard to drive a staple in to them. But with the advancement of rechargeable drills it would be much easier now.
Or else I was doing something wrong also remember them very flexible but probably much better made now.

What happened then? Are they still in the ground?

Pod123

Afew are still there. They were used to fence a water way. Sold farm a number of years back and still there. Remember at the time they were heavy.
They were probably the first of them I am going back 20 years if not more.