66 year old fence.

[Mr.Glock]

Yesterday and today I took down a 66 year old fence. Field fence with 3 strands of barb wire on wood poles and trees! The fence had set for 19 years with no attention to it. What a ***** it is to clean an old fence line, I have not done it in years. This one was taken down by hand and a 12k lb winch in pieces.

 

[JEVapa]

Bois d'arc posts?

 

[Mr.Glock]

Bois d'arc posts?

Yes. I burned them all, most were still somewhat solid. Most of the bottoms were rotted but the above ground was astonishing at the time they weathered their time here.

 

[turkeyrun]

I had a 1/2 mile stretch to tear out. Glad it was before the Planned DEMpanic of Gates bio-warfare. I couldn't do it today.

Them old fence posts are tough.

 

[dennishoddy]

Yes. I burned them all, most were still somewhat solid. Most of the bottoms were rotted but the above ground was astonishing at the time they weathered their time here.

Amazing the bottoms were rotted out. Around NC Ok, there are miles and miles of the bois d'ark fence posts abandoned with Tposts fences replacing them. The tops of the fence posts around here are 1/3 the size of the bottoms in the ground. What is buried in the ground stays original size while the top dries out I guess.
The wood that remained underground is valuable to folks that use wood lathes as it retains some amazing colors after extended drying, vs the typical yellow color of the wood. Extremely hard.
On my lathe, I build turkey strikers for calls from different woods on occasion. Using any hardwood, I can turn three or four strikers before needing to resharpen the cutting tool. If using Osage Orange, I have to resharpen two to three times for one striker. It will dull a chain saw in a heartbeat.
Also known as Osage Orange. If I remember correctly that wood has the highest BTU's of wood burned in a fireplace according to OSU.
I've burned a lot of it, picking it up when the country clears roadsides. It burns hot as heck.

 

[AKmoose]

Have a bunch sitting around that I had to replace, the wire fence rusted away before the posts rotted and went back with T posts, no way I'd be able to drive staples into that wood. Might try turning a pen or three out of it.

 

[Mr.Glock]

Have a bunch sitting around that I had to replace, the wire fence rusted away before the posts rotted and went back with T posts, no way I'd be able to drive staples into that wood. Might try turning a pen or three out of it.

The fence had several re strings of barb wire on it and field fence on one side that the bottom four layers were down deep and rotted. I never thought some of the poles were still solid about a foot above ground to a foot from the top. The top foot down was gone. Just the center section was still solid.

Do you make Pens out of bois d’arc? That would be a cool pen!

 

[AKmoose]

Do you make Pens out of bois d’arc? That would be a cool pen!

Not yet but going to try in the next day or two. Cut one of the posts and looked kinda grey inside, no way to tell until I turn one though.

Edit:
OK, got me curious on what it looks like inside, here's a pic and have a pen blank ready to turn, soon to be a bolt action pen. Actually looks A LOT nicer in person, phone pics kinda suk.

 

[AKmoose]

A pic of a turned piece, the wood is really nice looking and the grain color is more pronounced that what the pic shows. Need to get more pen kits as I will be using this wood.

 

[Mr.Glock]

Nice! I will look and see if any more poles.