removing fence posts from metpost spikes
 

I'm in the middle of replacing one of the fences at the back. It's just a
post and panel affair, but the new panels + gravel board + trellis will be
quite a bit taller than the old one, so I'm having to replace the posts as
well.

The existing posts are fixed using metpost spikes, and I've just spent the
best part of 2 hours trying to drill, chisel and prise out the first post
from it's spike - this post was pretty rotten at the bottom, but it still
didnt yield particularly willingly.

Are there any tricks to getting these things our, or am I being vastly
over-optimistic thinking I can remove them and leave the spikes in-situ?

I really don't want to have to re-sink the metposts 'cos that will mean
carefully making sure the position and alignment are just so, and I don't
see that the spikes will ever be quite as solid again after they've been
removed and replaced.

--
Richard Sampson

mail me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

In article , lid
says...

I'm in the middle of replacing one of the fences at the back. It's just a
post and panel affair, but the new panels + gravel board + trellis will be
quite a bit taller than the old one, so I'm having to replace the posts as
well.

The existing posts are fixed using metpost spikes, and I've just spent the
best part of 2 hours trying to drill, chisel and prise out the first post
from it's spike - this post was pretty rotten at the bottom, but it still
didnt yield particularly willingly.

Are there any tricks to getting these things our, or am I being vastly
over-optimistic thinking I can remove them and leave the spikes in-situ?

I really don't want to have to re-sink the metposts 'cos that will mean
carefully making sure the position and alignment are just so, and I don't
see that the spikes will ever be quite as solid again after they've been
removed and replaced.

IIRC, the Metpost instructions suggest burning the old post out.

--
Hywel

Kill the Crazy Frog
http://www.petitiononline.com/crzyfrg/

"Norman Billingham" wrote in message
...

"Hywel Jenkins" wrote in message
k...
In article , lid
says...

I'm in the middle of replacing one of the fences at the back. It's
just
a
post and panel affair, but the new panels + gravel board + trellis will
be
quite a bit taller than the old one, so I'm having to replace the posts
as
well.

The existing posts are fixed using metpost spikes, and I've just spent
the
best part of 2 hours trying to drill, chisel and prise out the first
post
from it's spike - this post was pretty rotten at the bottom, but it
still
didnt yield particularly willingly.

Are there any tricks to getting these things our, or am I being vastly
over-optimistic thinking I can remove them and leave the spikes
in-situ?

I really don't want to have to re-sink the metposts 'cos that will mean
carefully making sure the position and alignment are just so, and I
don't
see that the spikes will ever be quite as solid again after they've
been
removed and replaced.

IIRC, the Metpost instructions suggest burning the old post out.


No idea if it works, but an idea I saw somewhere is to cross drill the
post
just above the socket, put a steel rod through the hole and use a car jack
each side to lift it out. Obviously depends on the ground eother side
being
hard enough for the jack not to sink, but a couple of small paving slabs
would spread the load.



Top tip! thanks!!!

2 posts now cleanly out of the ground (unfortunately with metposts still
attached, but I can sort that out later), a few more to go.

I worry that the posts will not be quite as stable now when the metposts are
hammered back in, but I think I'll hammer down some earth into the holes
before trying to re-sink the spikes with the new posts.

I may also have to buy a few new spikes - there is just no way that these
things are going to be voluntarily separated from the existing fenceposts!!!


--
Richard Sampson

mail me at
richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

In article , "RichardS"
lid says...
snip

2 posts now cleanly out of the ground (unfortunately with metposts still
attached, but I can sort that out later), a few more to go.

I worry that the posts will not be quite as stable now when the metposts are
hammered back in, but I think I'll hammer down some earth into the holes
before trying to re-sink the spikes with the new posts.

I may also have to buy a few new spikes - there is just no way that these
things are going to be voluntarily separated from the existing fenceposts!!!

Drill a big hole down the middle then chisel the rest out.

Rob Morley wrote:
Drill a big hole down the middle then chisel the rest out.

That's it - you can sharpen up a spade bit with a file. Use a cold
chisel, not your best bevel edged!

In article , Chris Bacon
writes
Rob Morley wrote:
Drill a big hole down the middle then chisel the rest out.

That's it - you can sharpen up a spade bit with a file. Use a cold
chisel, not your best bevel edged!
When refitting ensure that the square socket is completely clear of the
ground - this way the wooden posts should not rot out at the bottom
--
Mark

On Mon, 30 May 2005 12:02:47 +0100, "RichardS"
wrote:

Top tip! thanks!!!

2 posts now cleanly out of the ground (unfortunately with metposts still
attached, but I can sort that out later), a few more to go.

I worry that the posts will not be quite as stable now when the metposts are
hammered back in, but I think I'll hammer down some earth into the holes
before trying to re-sink the spikes with the new posts.

I may also have to buy a few new spikes - there is just no way that these
things are going to be voluntarily separated from the existing fenceposts!!!

Hi,

If the wood can be dried out thoroughly I'd expect it to almost drop
out.

cheers,
Pete.