Matt on the Moors Posted February 5, 2017 Report Share Posted February 5, 2017 Perhaps there is already a thread on this kind of thing. I seem to spend an awful lot of time dealing/rehandling materials before I even start doing the job. Generally I get a lorry load delivered for the jobs coming up within the month and then I use my tractor with forks on the loader to load up for the bigger jobs, that is quite straightforward but oddball one of type jobs requires me to drive 20miles to nearest worthwhile suppliers get a trailer load and then take straight to job. Some days it seems like I spend half a day getting materials together just for a job that may only be a few days work! What do you all do, get it delivered to site/ delivered to your yard, or fetch them yourselves. And do most of you generally have a yard machine for handling bundles of stakes etc? In the old days, I used to have to handball everything onto my ifor- some of the Chestnut strainers must weigh 60kg or so as I can barely lift them, more flipping them over to move them(and I don't think any fencer is a weakling!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Fork Fence Posted February 6, 2017 Report Share Posted February 6, 2017 Yes, yes, and yes. I would bet that we all spend as much time prepping for a job as we do building the fence. We have most of our materials delivered to our yard, and haul them as needed to job sites, and anytime it's feasible to have full loads delivered to a job, of course that's what we like to do........but I've spent my fair share of time behind the wheel fetching supplies, as well. We do have a loader that stays at the yard, and one that goes with us unless it's the smallest of jobs, so we are lucky enough to avoid hand loading.......so long as the tractor starts. Cheers Matt, and welcome to the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
premnayloon Posted February 6, 2017 Report Share Posted February 6, 2017 It depends. I do all three, if its more than one trailer load just get it delivered. My delivery charges are pretty good and I wouldn't do two trips for cheaper. One trailer load I'll take myself And like to have some stock at home. Not too much though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ringfencing Posted February 6, 2017 Report Share Posted February 6, 2017 Yep the same, delivers to site for the big jobs and endless running round for the smaller ones, especially when the customer say while your here can you just? Only a hand full of posts but always more than you have on site. We have got a fork lift at the yard and the tractors have loaders , but still end up humping small amounts by hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt on the Moors Posted February 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2017 Yep at the end of the day it's all got to be man-handled at some point even if it's just feeding the knocker and a trailer can't unload itself unfortunately,. I often think I'd like to keep a stock of a selection of gates,different types of rails etc but in practise they will end up sitting in the yard going green cos the right job never came up. I like to get materials delivered but iv had it when Numpties have delivered slightly wrong stuff, split rails, banana rails, mild netting instead of hi tensile, the list goes on, let alone trying to explain which gate fittings you need to staff who have probably never fenced in their lives! So generally find it easier to collect myself. I think my New Years resolution is going to be to have a much better stock of diffderent gate fittings and other stuff that won't rot , so often I go to hang a gate on an existing granite post and don't have the right hangers for old style pins so have to waste time going to get a one off hanger or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goaty Posted February 7, 2017 Report Share Posted February 7, 2017 Time and motion is something I'm very conscious about, however you never get it right all the time. Especially if you are just a one or two person gang. I try to take to field what I need for the day as an example, we will take 6x3 posts and one rail to measure and get them banged in so as not to leave laid around. Or needing to be collected up again at the end of the day. I have the same issues ordering gate metalwork. A crook can be 5 different items even if you describe it with many words. For some stillages that stack with foot cups maybe a solution. It is a time consuming ongoing issue you need to keep on top of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy7840 Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Its always a pain dealing with materials.I buy a 7.5 tonne load of different materials of my supplier then try to put them in nice lines outside so i can either load with pallet tines or if just a couple i load by hand.I do mostly creosote the bottom half of all materials and charge a bit for doing it but it does complicate the process as the material needs to be dry so they have to be put in the shed for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goaty Posted March 19, 2017 Report Share Posted March 19, 2017 Been installing a bit of net today. Was thinking of starting a new thread, then thought I'd stick it on here. How long does it take everyone to do a job? I don't expect to be there at the top with the competition boys, but I reckon I could be faster. It took me 13 minutes to join two nets with knots. I know crimping, gripples are faster but this is my current way. It took me 17 minutes to knot up the net around the starting strainer on a box strainer. The other day it took forever to chisel out and set up my first set of box strainers. Love to here everyone's breakdown of jobs. Here's a template to copy and paste then fill your own figures in if willing. I realise people will space posts differently, ground conditions etc. Knock 100 metres of posts in Install a field gate and it's two posts Lay out 100m net Secure net to starting post. Install hang and tension net ready to staple up. Secured at both ends per 100 m Staple up 100m and method i.e. Stockade or hammer. Install box strainer one way i.e. Not a corner. Install angled strut type strainer. (End of a line, not in the line) Spin out 100 m of barb Install 100m of barb. Post and 3 or 4 rail metre per hr to setup and knock in posts m per hr average Post and 3 or 4 rail fix rails m per hr average Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Posted March 19, 2017 Report Share Posted March 19, 2017 Not a good day for me to answer that question. Just been at a job today. 115m. 9 strainer posts. 4 of which were right angle turns. 12 stays. 4 joins of rylock round strainer posts and 4 pulls of net. Longest stretch had a gate in middle of it.keeping net tight is a nightmare. Would do a decent 500m stretch quicker. But you rylock joining round posts and rolls together without gripples etc is pretty much same here. Never timed it to minute but I'll be around that depending on temperature of my hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt on the Moors Posted March 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2017 Archie- know just what you mean with the job you have just described, they take forever, I used to price them by the meter but gave up with that and just reckoned on how many days they'd take me (not that I'd tell the customer that part) to the nearest half day- too easy to lose money on else. Goaty- interesting post- i am forever timing myself with each individual aspect, sad I know, but it helps massively when pricing jobs like Archie has just explained. Some of mine- I can wrap netting around a strainer and tie off generally around 10 mins, however if I'm pulling at the other end and tying off whilst the net is under tension it takes longer. Knock in 100 meters at 3m intervals, stakes and line laid out first- generally an hour and 20 mins with 3 strainers on my own in ok ground. I'm a bit fussy with the Spirit level! Install a mortised box strainer with the tensioned brace wire takes 20-25 mins if the posts are in first. Agri gate with 2 posts- probably an hour by the time it's all hanging nicely and latch fitted. Staple up 100 meters of net- 20-30 mins using hammer and pouch! Depends on how hard the wood is, Chestnut etc. 100 meters barb I reckon on 35- 45mins per strand to spin it out staple up and tie off. Sometime I spin it out on a stick and biceps, when access allows I have a system on my pickup to unroll it. On my own, 100meter from laying out the first post to knocking last staple with a small post and rail section or gate etc generally i allow a day. On big jobs I average more than this, but have known to fiddle around with 30 meters in a day (loads of right angles and bad access for example). It takes 2 of us 45 mins to attach 100 meters of one rail if posts are in. I average 20-30 (100 meters) stakes an hour on my own with tractor- all dead straight if conditions allow. Not going to win a world record but no point rushing a job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontrowfencing Posted March 20, 2017 Report Share Posted March 20, 2017 It's a hard one to answer, you will,get quicker with experience goaty. It surprising how experience helps with our job, some of the quickest guys are the experienced one thtanhave done it many times. I would generally be around five minutes I think jointing net, can be quicker if rushing. Tieing of aroudn a strainer, I would hope to be a couple of mins. Knocking in posts, all depends on spacing and ground type, which is the same with so many things, there are so many variables in our game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ringfencing Posted March 21, 2017 Report Share Posted March 21, 2017 The down side to this is as you've got older and more experienced and quicker you then get even older and get slower because you've got bad knees and the eyesight starts to fail (something for the younger ones to look forward too) beware of 45 that's when it starts.???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ringfencing Posted March 21, 2017 Report Share Posted March 21, 2017 The down side to this is as you've got older and more experienced and quicker you then get even older and get slower because you've got bad knees and the eyesight starts to fail (something for the younger ones to look forward too) beware of 45 that's when it starts.???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt on the Moors Posted March 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2017 45! Perish the thought, I'm only 29 and feel pretty worn out already some days, afternkneeling down tying off a strainer it's a job to get up again! Been doing this sort of thing since 16. Fencing is a bit of a production line really so it's easy to go flat out trying to get loads done and then just knackering the body in the process. Machines always! Been knocking 100 meters in by hand today on top of a 6ft bank so working off a stepladder, glad that doesn't happen often- shattered tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt on the Moors Posted March 21, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2017 45! Perish the thought, I'm only 29 and feel pretty worn out already some days, afternkneeling down tying off a strainer it's a job to get up again! Been doing this sort of thing since 16. Fencing is a bit of a production line really so it's easy to go flat out trying to get loads done and then just knackering the body in the process. Machines always! Been knocking 100 meters in by hand today on top of a 6ft bank so working off a stepladder, glad that doesn't happen often- shattered tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ringfencing Posted March 21, 2017 Report Share Posted March 21, 2017 Feeling knackerd at the end of the days not a bad thing but constantly punishing the body will have and affect in later years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ajmoore1 Posted March 30, 2017 Report Share Posted March 30, 2017 After reading some of them times I am not telling you mine!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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