Livestock/general farm shed - removable post designs

[Cato]

Ok but round can turn in the hole.

I would suggest square but up to you.
If you want a completely flat floor then the socket has to be recessed into the concrete enough that any cap on the socket is flush or even slightly lower than ffl.
One of the big problems with socketed posts after a few years is rust. Urine can rust the posts solid in the sockets, I hear a good soaking in waste oil helps.

The pipe acts as a sleeve, one which cannot rust and will take any wear rather than the post and is easily replaced. I suppose in effect it'd be a plastic bush. The cheaply and widely available bungs will seal rather than cover when not in use, so an advantage in keeping out all the general moist unpleasantness.

If the osts used are square with a round end for the floor, or fully round, I'd have thought that it would be a good thing to be able to rotate the post in the socket? Helps with aligning cross bars or gates, and if a post got tight it can be spun out.

It's just a thought though, and comes with the caveat that I have no experience with cows, and precious little with farms.

 

[Munkul]

I don't like the idea of plastic sleeve. It will get damaged over the years, that brittle brown drainpipe stuff always does. Just my opinion.

Also with livestock sheds, everything you do will be covered in cack and pee within a year and you need hefty rigid posts that don't bend when a 500kg beast jumps at it.

I can buy per metre, some 120 x 120 x 5/6mm box section... could make my own sockets and just get em galvanised... 8mm play should be enough...

 

[addjunkie]

Bateman Ground Socket Square

* Galvanised * Square galv gate post socket * 4" x 4" box

www.griggsagri.co.uk

Posts

Award-winning products, unrivalled experience and modern production techniques combine to deliver quality that is built to last.

iae.co.uk

Sockets are 610 according to this

 

[Agroshield]

If you want to put the posts in concrete, rounder is better than squarer. A square hole in concrete always cracks at the corners due to stress build up. Cracker bars to the perimeter and fibre reinforcement can help. The more rounded the corners of the hole or cast-in socket the less it will try to do this.

Unless you anchor down a closed-ended socket, it will try to float away as you concrete around it.

I am surprised the commercial ones are not tapered - then even lifting them 1mm would increase the gap and ease withdrawal from the surrounding nastiness.

 

[Migmac]

Fasten the pens to the walls not the floor? The gable ends should stop any sideways movement and if all the pens are joined together they should be heavy enough that a large calf shouldn’t be able to lift them.

 

[Munkul]

Fasten the pens to the walls not the floor? The gable ends should stop any sideways movement and if all the pens are joined together they should be heavy enough that a large calf shouldn’t be able to lift them.

There will be a 13 metre long passage to the side, which needs a fixed barrier down the centre. When there are no dividing gates closed, it will be one long span - and the end of the passage won't be tied into the wall at one end. Hence needing sturdy posts

I dunno, I'm saying square box section for posts, just because that's what I like the idea of for rigidity and ease of locating hinges/gate catches. I suppose it could be round, maybe 4" pipe would work well. But then I'd struggle to find a pipe size to act as a socket, without a lot of fiddling.

I'm leaning strongly towards making my own sockets now.

 

[Migmac]

There will be a 13 metre long passage to the side, which needs a fixed barrier down the centre. When there are no dividing gates closed, it will be one long span - and the end of the passage won't be tied into the wall at one end. Hence needing sturdy posts

I dunno, I'm saying square box section for posts, just because that's what I like the idea of for rigidity and ease of locating hinges/gate catches. I suppose it could be round, maybe 4" pipe would work well. But then I'd struggle to find a pipe size to act as a socket, without a lot of fiddling.

I'm leaning strongly towards making my own sockets now.

I think making your is probably the best solution, you get exactly what you need

 

[bletchmonster]

The ones I referred to were square 100 mm box posts.
I would fold two pieces of 3mm plate into u section, stitch them together together to form the socket and stick a square plate on the bottom.
I too prefer square posts, but round ones are easier to wiggle out of the socket

 

[voipio]

Bottom of the page in the link previously given:

Posts

Award-winning products, unrivalled experience and modern production techniques combine to deliver quality that is built to last.

iae.co.uk

XX F017 2073 12 - To suit 100mm x 100mm RHS post

 

[Fraserb]

My technique for setting posts is dig hole 100mm deeper than required for posts, put 100mm of concrete in the bottom and when its semi cured push a 14mm piece of round bar into the centre of the hole and remove to leave a hole, weld a piece of flat on the bottom of each post with a m12 bolt in the centre, this means you can drop each post into its hole and its in the right place at the right height, then half fill hole with concrete propping the post to keep it plumb, after thats cured remove the props and drop a square of reinforcing mesh over the post then concrete the rest of the floor, obviously if its to be removable post wrap in plastic.

 

[Robbie260]

What about peaceable concrete temporary road barriers, too make the pens, no calves should be able too shift them and a couple of brackets into the end means you could put a gate across, easy too shift with a skid steer or tractor etc, no holes too worry about filling with excrement and other stuff.

 

[Robbie260]

Something like this

Other benefits no posts too get stuck in the ground either.

 

[Munkul]

Something like this
View attachment 287030

Other benefits no posts too get stuck in the ground either.

I like em, but dad doesn't no reason, just inbuilt farmer type bias.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I like em, but dad doesn't no reason, just inbuilt farmer type bias.

You could point out to him that you'll be doing all/most of the work....

 

[addjunkie]

just inbuilt farmer type bias.

Sure he will have many of those, give him what he wants and it will still be your fault if it dorsnt work

 

[Munkul]

You could point out to him that you'll be doing all/most of the work....

Sure he will have many of those, give him what he wants and it will still be your fault if it dorsnt work

It's even worse for my brother... he does most of the work these days and yet he still doesn't get much of a say over how things are ran!

I don't take it personally, it's just farmers and family for ya I worked out a long time ago if I stayed on the farm full time, we'd have came to blows Nowaways I do what I'm asked and put bills in...

 

[stormin]

Try an IAE stockist. They do the posts and I *think* sockets too.

But they're just a bit of oversized tube/box that loose-ish fits the post. RSJ ones have to be custom made from flat though, unless you're lucky

Beaten to it by @Fraserb now they have more than just a few Coos!

Link here seems socket with every post

Posts

Award-winning products, unrivalled experience and modern production techniques combine to deliver quality that is built to last.

iae.co.uk

Good luck dealing with IAE. One of our subcontractors has been waiting for over three months for each gate order, with still no fixed delivery dates either. They take payment upfront, so no chance to back out and go with an alternative supplier.

 

[Gareth J]

I tend to use a local stockist. There are several to choose from locally to here

 

[dan.taylor.1]

It's even worse for my brother... he does most of the work these days and yet he still doesn't get much of a say over how things are ran!

I don't take it personally, it's just farmers and family for ya I worked out a long time ago if I stayed on the farm full time, we'd have came to blows Nowaways I do what I'm asked and put bills in...

I know the feeling...

 

[s410man]

Buy a lenght of 120x5 box section and cut into lenghts say 18 inches and galvanise

On the side of your box posts weld some 40x3 flat bar and galvanise -a lot less surface contact to rust together than if the whole post is touching the socket

Then cover with grease and put in a plastic feedbag before putting in the socket

Theyre a nitemare if they get rusted in ive seen them defeat 4 ton lift telehandlers