Octopost or fence n forget?

[Bossfarmer]

I was very surprised at how Clipex blends into the landscape compared to timber. I put one up which was about 100 yards from the public highway. After finishing it I drove round to see what it looked like and had to concentrate in order to see it.

whats the cost for a clipex post?

 

[pear]

whats the cost for a clipex post?

£5.90’something for a standard post. That price was back end of last year though.

 

[Skintagain]

Do stock manage to see a clipex fence? I know this sound daft but stock don’t run or jump at a post and rail like they do netting and wood posts if they get stirred up. Clipex I would imagine be near invisible to them if they are gadding around before they get used to it. Similar to when stock first go behind electric and some walk through it without realising what’s happening.

 

[pear]

Do stock manage to see a clipex fence? I know this sound daft but stock don’t run or jump at a post and rail like they do netting and wood posts if they get stirred up. Clipex I would imagine be near invisible to them if they are gadding around before they get used to it. Similar to when stock first go behind electric and some walk through it without realising what’s happening.

Mine have been fine with it. The reason I put it up is because the cattle charged through and old post and rail fence. I’ve had it up for 4 years and it blends in.
I have been putting in UC4 this week for electric fencing on temporary leys. I can’t justify the cost for clippex or creosote for a short term grass. But I know if it stays that bit longer in grass or comes around to grass again down the line I’ll probably regret it when I’m replacing them.

 

[Timbersupplier]

I think I have said this before but regarding machine turned posts you have to ask yourself why anybody would incur extra expense in machine turning. The answer of course is money. Two extra incomes to be precise. They can get 25-30% greater number of posts on the transport and they also have wood chips to sell. What does the farmer get? An inferior post with some of the structural integrity machined out of it. A weaker post because of reduced diameter which will suffer breakages when post driving far more than a Cundy peeled pole. A natural Cundy pole will have a much bigger diameter at ground level which is where it needs it for resistance to snapping from livestock pressure.

Farmers of course are their own worst enemy here, nearly always looking for a "bargain" instead of asking "How much will this fence cost me per year over the next 30 years?" It is of no importance what the fence costs initially, it's the cost per year that counts. And don't forget that nobody likes pulling out your old fences from the hedges before they can put you up another short term fix, so you should add that expense to your annual cost.

Great comments there and why weaken a cundy by taking away mm and exposing the heart more so less treatment required. Also maybe not treated to a bs standard perhaps.

 

[Treemover]

Be careful with scanpole.
I was hired by a utility company to test Esb poles in 3 towns. It’s probably best I don’t go into it here; but suffice to say if you ask anyone involved in utility poles across the world you will find out.

Here in Ireland you cannot climb a pole unless it has been inspected and tested. This was as a result of new poles failing.

I found more decay in new poles than in old poles from the 1960s. In fact the only poles I condemned were, recently installed.
I wouldn’t touch one for free. There is way better out there.

 

[jellybean]

Surely we are at the stage when the collective power of TFF could help out with gathering some information on fencing timber and thereby saving members from buying rubbish. I am not saying that TFF should be dealing in timber (yet) but that if we started by pooling our knowledge and experiences both good and bad, by private message if need be, that would be good.
We all know there are lots of problems out there, why should the end user be the one to suffer. I know Caveat Emptor and all that but self help before buying is surely the best way.

 

[Steevo]

Surely we are at the stage when the collective power of TFF could help out with gathering some information on fencing timber and thereby saving members from buying rubbish. I am not saying that TFF should be dealing in timber (yet) but that if we started by pooling our knowledge and experiences both good and bad, by private message if need be, that would be good.
We all know there are lots of problems out there, why should the end user be the one to suffer. I know Caveat Emptor and all that but self help before buying is surely the best way.

Isn't that what this thread is all about?

 

[Bossfarmer]

£5.90’something for a standard post. That price was back end of last year though.

almost 3x the price of a normal post then

 

[tepapa]

almost 3x the price of a normal post then

What do you refer to as a normal post? A crap tanalised post that will only last 5 years? And costs £2.20 or a creosote post that costs £4.50?

 

[Bossfarmer]

What do you refer to as a normal post? A crap tanalised post that will only last 5 years? That costs £2.20 or a creosote post that costs £4.50?

2.20 for a creosote one

 

[tepapa]

2.20 for a creosote one

If your paying £2.20 for creosote then it's crap. If you've read it that I meant you can get Creo for £2.20 then I'm sorry as it wasn't written very well. I was referring to tanalised for £2.20 and Creo for £4.50.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I've never heard any one condem scanpole . They have been at New port docks for centuries. Does anyone else supply electric poles bar them
Newport timber preservation company Burt Boulton & Haywood (BBH) has been sold to Scanpole Ltd by its Finnish owners Metsä Group.
The companies have signed a contract of sale and expect the deal to go through by June 2015.
BBH, founded in 1848 by railway engineers HP Burt and SB Boulton, makes telephone poles, power transmission poles, sleepers, crossing timbers and other products from its base on Alexandra Dock.

Been there since 1848 !!

 

[pear]

almost 3x the price of a normal post then

4.90 for creosote and 3.30 for UC4

 

[tepapa]

I've never heard any one condem scanpole . They have been at New port docks for centuries. Does anyone else supply electric poles bar them
Newport timber preservation company Burt Boulton & Haywood (BBH) has been sold to Scanpole Ltd by its Finnish owners Metsä Group.
The companies have signed a contract of sale and expect the deal to go through by June 2015.
BBH, founded in 1848 by railway engineers HP Burt and SB Boulton, makes telephone poles, power transmission poles, sleepers, crossing timbers and other products from its base on Alexandra Dock.

Been there since 1848 !!

What can we pick out of that paragraph?
BBH been there since 1848, treating poles, sleepers and timber crossings and the company was SOLD to Scanpole.

BBH built up a reputation for quality over 150+ years but now people are questioning the product from Scanpole. To me it looks like something has changed, oh yes the companies been sold, New management, new expectations, different standards.

The railway have started using concrete sleepers as well so there's a change in product demand.

Just because it was founded in 1848, it doesn't mean nothings changed. It is up to Scanpole to prove themselves as a supplier of quality, you can't just assume they are as their predecessors where.

 

[Treemover]

In Ireland the Esb buy poles from various companies, predominantly PDM and Scanpole.

Not sure of the year, but an ESB worker was up a new pole when it snapped. The pole was from the Scandinavian company mentioned.
The Esb then found out numerous newly supplied poles were defective.
Problem was too big (as it was global) to go legal, so now around the world all the utility companies have to constantly test defective poles that were not up to standard. This will cost billions to replace due to the costs involved which I never knew were so high.

If a company can sell sub standard products, globally knowing full well there’s not much can be done? Questions have to be asked.
I just wouldn’t recommend them.

I was wondering if I’d say anything, and then thought I’d appreciate it if another member gave me the heads up if they knew something.

I will be deleting the names Scanpole in my posts later on.

 

[Treemover]

It’s a UK problem too as a firm I buy my testing equipment from we’re the ones telling me all about the global problem with Scanpoles

 

[tepapa]

I know of a couple of contractors that have had concerns regarding poor treatment but the response shall we say was poor. I've lost even more faith in the supplier after reading your experience @Treemover

 

[Treemover]

Don’t take my word, ask anyone working in the utility networks.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Don’t take my word, ask anyone working in the utility networks.

Are they products coming out of Newport though . The treatment plant is the same and using the same wood , may have sold the company but still selling under the same name. Posts all come out of Newport