Do You Know Steel Fence Posts?

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Жыл бұрын

What do you know about steel fence posts? Why are Australian steel posts so different to those used elsewhere? The story is a fascinating insight into our colonial past, manufacturing monopolies, cultural inertia and myth. Dr John Pickard, author and historian chats with me about the development of the iconic Australian steel fence post.
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Пікірлер: 52

@jamesmurphy5587 Жыл бұрын

Another great video Tim. I hope John is a regular to your channel. I love listening to these great people as they have a wealth of knowledge.

@jonosawers6432 9 ай бұрын

Tim, this is absolutely fantastic. Absolutely loved hearing John’s knowledge

@darrenturner8035 Жыл бұрын

Great video Tim, I could listen to DR Pickard all day he probably has forgotten more than we know. Some of my fondest memories as a young boy on the farm are fencing and harvesting timber for cattle yards which are now around 45 years old and still in good nic. Cheers

@scottshort1487 Жыл бұрын

The hole spacings on star posts drive me wild. Every time I go fencing I contemplate why they were done like that.

@rossholmes178 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the vid Tim...have read some of Dr. John's research papers and he is an absolute GENIUS! I can recommend his work to anyone...

@andrewsteele7663 Жыл бұрын

Thanks Tim, John is a really interesting chap, I would love to have a coffee with him and get his book, thanks again Tim for an excellent video. Cheers

@pjfmachine Жыл бұрын

I got the opportunity to , meet Dr John in the past 10 days. Whist he assessing FENCESTAY, and the development of their ute mounted 12 volt post rammer. Absolute Gentleman. I'll be buying the book, just for old time sakes. Even now I don't farm anymore. Regards. Phil that milked cows at Wyuna

@47une5 Жыл бұрын

Great video Tim! I'm a rural fencing contractor and along the way I find all sorts of interesting fencing styles and older technologies on the way, it really makes you appreciate the technological developments. one thing I didn't see mention were the twisted steel posts which I found incredibly interesting!, but with some of the info from this video ill be keeping an eye out and collect some of these artifacts!! very interested in the book!

@jimfazzalari7570 Жыл бұрын

6:13 Love the Red Back Spider on the dropper. Doesn’t get more Aussie than that. Great videos Tim, us small land holders really appreciate your efforts with the very informative videos. Keep up the great work and looking forward to more education in the New Year🎉

@dickhead7382 Жыл бұрын

Excellent I am new to the land and I’m looking forward to getting a copy of the book

@TheKajunkat 9 ай бұрын

The only minor advantage to the ground plate it when you are putting posts in an area with significant upward wire forces. you can drive a short section of old t-post diagonally in the ground above the ground plate from either side (forms an "X" shape) and don't have to wire (or weld) them to the posts like you have to with wood or round steel posts. Small advantage though. I mostly just use them as a built in depth stop.

@electric-fence-australia Жыл бұрын

National treasure right there. Great work as usual Tim and thank you for your work Dr Pickard

@veikkol4629 Жыл бұрын

Mä🤩🤩🤩🙃🙃😋😋😉

@JH-6 Жыл бұрын

“Cultural inertia”, it’s what’s right … and wrong with the world today. As always thanks for sharing your experience and bringing such interesting people to the pasture.

@TikiETapas Жыл бұрын

We have a fence line with heavy flat steel blades concreted in about 20m apart as posts, these have large bolts that were used as standoffs for electronic wire.

@chriskennedy7534 Жыл бұрын

I'd love for you to have a cuppa with John, capture a little more of his knowledge for posterity.

@drivingparadox Жыл бұрын

Fascinating. Thank you for the video and bringing such treasures to our attention.

@alanwarner4041 4 ай бұрын

Interesting video Tim.

@blueraid15 3 ай бұрын

great video Tim! love your channel...even clear over here in the states with the soft wood :)

@FarmLearningTim 3 ай бұрын

Cheers mate. Appreciated

@rw-xf4cb Жыл бұрын

That butter seemed to be frozen for a few months at the bottom of a chest freezer lol but thanks for the tip to pull out star pickets. Also very interesting story in the end, was about to move on but didn't realize the many variations of fence posts - thanks!

@dalescott4570 Жыл бұрын

Good tip at the end there Tim. Works the same for d shackles too. Tighten it a bit before you loosen it. Love your vids. Merry christmas!

@ashleydavidson8715 Жыл бұрын

Great interview Tim, what a top bloke

@rossb4802 8 ай бұрын

The main reason in our part of the USA doesnt have anyhing to do with the pull out force. It is the wind force. The plates line up with the fence. The plates resist the wind blowing the fence over. I know folks will want to know just how the wind can blow a barb wire fence over. Here, it can do it, especially if any weeds at all have blown on it. Here in West TX it still does it with the plates occasionally, but they definitely help. In my area we put 2 3/8" (6 cm) heavy pipe posts 4 ft into into the ground every 100 to 150 ft (30.5 to 45.7m) to help keep wind and bulls from pushing the fence over.

@rossb4802 8 ай бұрын

The Y shape itself seems like a good design. The irregular spaced holes seems like the primary flaw of the Y shaped posts. Possibly the Y shape doesn't need the plate as much as the Tee shape does. I would have to put some in and test it. Even though in my location I would still like a ground plate. Wish our ground plates were a little bigger. I weld on large ground Y plates to my large pipe posts at the ground surface and at the bottom. Lots of wind here and then flood and soft soil, rest of the time the soil is like a rock.

@ajrural Жыл бұрын

I have been told by a fencing materials rep that doesn't sponsor you that the top notch is where the post is held when the post is dipped into the Gal, the top notch should be avoided as it has the least amount of gal coating.

@FarmLearningTim Жыл бұрын

Part of the conversation with John not in this video included his discussioons with someone who worked in the factory that you allude to.... but it was about using the notch for positioning the post for punching holes. That source confirmed that as an untrue rumour. I shall investigate the gal dipping theory, however Gal treatment is reasonably new, being bitumen painted historically. The question lingers....

@chriskennedy7534 Жыл бұрын

@FarmLearningTim Interesting that its existence is unclear, surely a bean counter would have deleted a manufacturing step if not required

@rodneymaslovsky4756 Жыл бұрын

awesome video Tim, I am new to farming and this answered a lot of questions,

@roobuggy1 Жыл бұрын

Great video Tim Dr John would be a very interesting man to talk to about farm fencing technology & techniques. I’m a fencing contractor and the job I’m working on now is old jarrah wooden post all drilled with the top hole larger with the heavy barbed wire pulled through 😬. That would of been a nightmare to put together. 😅 Regards Tony

@FarmLearningTim Жыл бұрын

I agree! Back when manpower was cheaper than wire eh?

@roobuggy1 Жыл бұрын

@@FarmLearningTim The problem I have with the barb going through the posts is with my hydraulic wire winder I can’t pull through because the posts are so old and fragile they snap off so I pull all the plains out then have to go between every post and cut the barb out in sections 😫.

@jonathanbiggar4973 Жыл бұрын

Well you learn something new everyday, great video Tim

@sheilaghbolt3601 Жыл бұрын

Awesome video yes please more content with John!

@rons4778 Жыл бұрын

I remember in the early sixties there were some really rubbish steel posts sold to brittle would break off on frosty mornings

@dustyfarmer Жыл бұрын

Does it cover those Australian WW1 surplus screw in steel fence posts that were used to hang barbed wire entanglements. They are seen around these parts every now & then & at the War memorial in Canberra. They were like a big drill bit with a flat at the top for a turning tool so you could sneak out of the trench at night & put them in the ground silently without attracting unwanted attention from the other side. I've got one in stock in my resource center.

@bretdavisdmd Жыл бұрын

Tim, you are so warm and eloquent. And funny to boot. I love your channel. You’re the Will Rogers of Oz

@FarmLearningTim Жыл бұрын

Thanks mate appreciate it. Please tell my wife I’m funny……

@virgilfisher1869 Жыл бұрын

As an American farmer I've actually got ahold of some post from Australia. I still prefer the nobbs but I really don't care about the ground plate.

@jameshiggins6168 Жыл бұрын

My two favourite fence nerds right there 🤠

@oby-1607 Жыл бұрын

One would have to be pretty tall to use the gun-sight on top of an eight foot steel post.

@FarmLearningTim Жыл бұрын

They are intermediate posts. usually 1650 or 1800 (6 ft)

@bushmannevkoch9907 Жыл бұрын

Great video , John would be welcome here. Were do you get book?

@FarmLearningTim Жыл бұрын

Link in the video description mate. Cheers!

@clf235 Жыл бұрын

Aussie butter must be a lot harder too

@FarmLearningTim Жыл бұрын

I reckon there’s a t-shirt in that….

@dinahscarlett307 Жыл бұрын

How about the star posts with the offset tabs, no holes? We have a few laying around, all somewhere around 7ft plus, much longer than standard posts. What's the story behind these, find them to be pretty useless.