DMZ Board Fence
 

The giant pasture next door was sold. The owner plans to develop it and put decent houses on it. Regardless, we moved here for the seclusion. So I am creating a De-Militarized Zone between us and them. This requires using our land (wonder who's land Korea used for that DMZ?). The DMZ will be 20' of our land, with a board fence on the house (friendly) side and barbed wire on the enemy (other) side. I will then leave existing wild bushes and trees in the DMZ and augment them with more evergreens, vines, mines, and serpentine wire. The following is a recount of the construction of the board fence, ocurring during May through August, 2004.
  The lay of the land before the fence. Through those trees is a vast wasteland of property that had been in conservancy. Now the new owner will pay back taxes and develop it. Hence the need for the DMZ. These trees provide a good starting point. Land Lay Before the Fence
  Another Pre DMZ Shot Here's another view. These are the mountains we can see in the distance. Once the DMZ goes up and the vegitation takes root, this view will be obscured.
  The Earth Screw - this thing connects the tractor to the ground when its not being used - I just screw it down into the earth! Ha Ha Ha Hee Hee Ha Ha. Not really.

Its a Post Hole digger. That black thing goes around and digs a hole. I used it to dig about 75 post holes. The string next to it is how I got the poles to line up nice. Some soil was so hard I had to climb up on top of the earth screw to get some added down force.

 Post Hole Digger
  Post in Hole Ready to be Lined Up - Tamped - Lined Up - Tamped - Lined Up - Tamped. Here is a finished hole with a pole stuck into it. This was clearly the hardest part of the project - setting the pole. It needs to be plumb in two dimensions as well as lining up with the string (this picture shows it slack - like me cause it took from May to August to complete the fence). Then I have to refill - tamp with this heavy green bar - line up - refill - tamp with this heavier green bar - refill - line up, and, finally, tamp with the heaviest green bar.
  Looking down the line of flags and string. This is where the fence was going just over the end of the septic field. I was careful not to puncture any septic lines because of the distasteful geyser that would result. Fence Line in String
  Looking Down some Posts Looking down the line of the partially completed posts. This shot gives a good view of the DMZ. It extends just to the left of the fence posts just beyond the trees to the left. Note the tightened string and how straight the posts are.
  The first boards go up. This was probably the smartest thing I did - I put some boards up to see what issues I may have with pole spacing. As it turns out, pole spacing is pretty important in this type of fence as its hard to stretch those boards. First Boards
  Showcasing the G-Cart The initial setting of posts. Note the gate posts in about the center. These are 6x6 posts that go down about four feet so as to hold the gate. I had to redig these holes to offset them properly for a gate. Want more on the G-Cart?
  Here are some more posts. Note the finished fence on the left and bare posts in the center. More Posts
  Post Alignment This is a shot taken in line with the posts. This picture proves that tight string is straighter than slack string. Same with humans.
  Here's the IH 574 utility tractor toting some 16' boards around. The wagon was good for moving the boards and being a workbench. Posts, Wagon and Tractor
  Nearly Finished Board Fence After boarding up the posts and rolling the tractor backwards, this is the result. There's not a much harder thing to do than backing a hay wagon. Note the slight bulge in the fence as it goes over some rising land.
  Nearing the end of the line. The board on the ground is pointing to a post I had to dig out after it being set for over a month. I had set it about 4 inches off center, which made it just out of reach for the top and bottom spans in this picture. Nearing Completion
  Odd Height Posts Finished boarding up. Here are four posts that sit atop a a big slab of rock between 12 inches and 30 inches below the surface. I like posts at least 36 inches. So I set these four in concrete. Note the fourth from the right - its set only 12 inches down but about 30 inches in concrete diameter.
    There's still some work to do - cut of the pole tops and paint. My wife usually paints stuff, so I hope she'll paint this fence too. Now, to lay the mines and serpentine wire . . . or maybe just bushes and trees. We'll see once the neighbors move in.
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