In article , shazzbat
writes

Would it not be easier to use a spirit level......H
Steve


Well you could, but I'm guessing that the OP hasn't got one, or she might
not have asked the question.

I have, I have, I've got a great big long level and a small Thingy but I
couldn't see how you would get the posts to be straight all round at
once, I thought if I walloped really hard as I have been known so to do,
the met post would go in straight from say front to back but then lean
when I stuck the six foot wooden post in as any variance is going to be
magnified at six foot!


Also the matter of stepping back and checking
doesn't just make sure you get it right, It also gives you an important
breather in between bouts of wielding a lump or sledge hammer. You have to
pace yourself, especially if you're not in the first flush of youth.

And let's not forget another important aspect of such things, which is that
if you finish the job too soon, A/ your efforts might be insufficiently
appreciated and rewarded, and B/ another job might be found for you. And
that would never do, would it?


Advice inwardly digested
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In article , Sla#s
writes

"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
How do you keep a met post straight as you wallop it into the ground so
that when you put a six foot 4x4 post into it the post will be straight?


I have a tool they used to sell for the job.
It was a 1 foot square section a bit smaller than the post that had a 1
foot rod going through it horizontally near the top and a steel cap over to
hit. You could put a bigger tube over the rod and guide it down as you hit
it. Worked great.

Just found a URL for new version £5.08

http://www.tool-net.co.uk/data/index.php?ToolID=323664

Slatts




I've got one of them, I thought it was for protecting the metpost top.
Didn't realise it would keep things straight as well.

Thanks for all the advice everyone, I feel a bit more encouraged and
will DEFINITELY start the project after I've carried the 50 bags of
manure and the final five scaffolding planks and 22 barrows of gravel up
the back of our garden to finish off the deep beds.............

Thanks to all

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

"Janet Tweedy" wrote in message
...
In article , Janet Baraclough
writes
The message
from "Harold Walker" contains these words:

Would it not be easier to use a spirit level......H

Yes of course. That's not the point. The repeated stepping back,
eyeballing, frowning, minute manual adjusting etc is a traditional part
of DIY-UK* nestbuilding rituals. The spiritual element only comes into
play much later, usually after the female of the species squawks " Is
that new fence-post straight? Looks to me as if it's leaning over". The
male DIY-UK often puffs up into an aggressive display stance with small
explosive sounds. Then he spends some time alone in the shed ,
meditating on blood sacrifice. Finally, he selects Old Trusty from his
large collection of spirit-levels, and straightens up the fencepost.

* The female can be identified by the rolling eyes and faint clicking
sound under her breath "Tut, duh, yuk"

Janet.



Well as it's ME that's doing it Janet I thought a different approach
might be in order, with advice from the experts here

Why doesn't anyone invent a spirit level that's really a flat square
with the bubble bit in the centre and four radial glassy bits so you can
see each way at once if you balance the flat square on top of things

Because it wouldn't take too kindly to being walloped with a Swedish maul
:-))

In article ,
Janet Tweedy wrote:
In article , Chris Bacon
writes

I wouldn't use Metposts for a 6' post unless it was for a very
well sheltered fence, or a possibly corner post, or for a "non-
solid" fence that lets the wind blow through. They're useless
osds, 'though someone will always put their hand up & say they
were OK for something....

I have got a bag of fence post concrete/cement and someone is going to
come and do the carpentry bit with me but I have to get the
holes/metposts dug first. Ground hasn't been walked on much for about 35
years as it had shrubs etc, but we are on flint and stones with a
handful of soil and clay.

That is precisely the sort of soil where a Metpost sounds like a
good idea. In my soil (sand, silt and clay, with occasional stones),
they are complete jokes. As I say, I have used one, it doesn't
hold anything up, and it wobbles.

If you tried the way that I put my posts in for growing things up,
you would go stark staring bonkers after the first one. Or perhaps
before.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Janet Tweedy wrote:

Why doesn't anyone invent a spirit level that's really a flat square
with the bubble bit in the centre and four radial glassy bits so you can
see each way at once if you balance the flat square on top of things

There are such things- frequently found on a video photographer's tripod,
for instance.
Not terribly accurate, but good enough for the purpose; the bubble is in a
round enclosure. They break if you drop the tripod just right.


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

Janet Tweedy wrote:
[...]
Why doesn't anyone invent a spirit level that's really a flat
square
with the bubble bit in the centre and four radial glassy bits so
you
can see each way at once if you balance the flat square on top of
things

They make them, but they're round, not square, with a little circle
in the middle. Mine's a Hilka, about an inch and a half in diameter:
cheap as chips. Screw-holes provided so you can attach it to
something bigger if you need to.

--
Mike.

In message , Janet Tweedy
writes

Why doesn't anyone invent a spirit level that's really a flat square
with the bubble bit in the centre and four radial glassy bits so you
can see each way at once if you balance the flat square on top of things


We had one for the caravan that would give you the level front to back
and side to side at the same time
--
Sue Begg
Remove my clothes to reply

Do not mess in the affairs of dragons - for
you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!

On Wed, 18 May 2005 21:54:20 +0100, Janet Tweedy wrote:

Why doesn't anyone invent a spirit level that's really a flat square
with the bubble bit in the centre and four radial glassy bits so you
can see each way at once if you balance the flat square on top of
things

You can get such bubble type levels but it would rely on the top of
the post being smooth, flat and cut square...

What you want is a post level like:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...92960&id=14623

Think I've seen them in the sheds.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Janet Tweedy wrote:
Actually I am putting in six posts altogether so that I can grow
climbing plants up them, they'll be linked at the top by horizontal
posts and maybe some bracing, though the intention is to leave them with
gaps between as they'll go through a very large flower bed to form a
sort of walkway.
(I needed somewhere to grow clematis and stuff)

Sounds as if it will be nice when it's done


I have got a bag of fence post concrete/cement and someone is going to
come and do the carpentry bit with me but I have to get the
holes/metposts dug first. Ground hasn't been walked on much for about 35
years as it had shrubs etc, but we are on flint and stones with a
handful of soil and clay.

If you're digging holed, a narrow border spade is useful, or a thing
called a "graft", a very long narrow-bladed spade. A baler of some
sort is handy, you can use an old tin or something, to scoop out
spoil which you free with the end of the spade. Rest the end of the
metpost on a brick or something in the hole to get the posts level,
tack battens on to hold the post upright, put in concrete (not up
to top of hole, to avoid it being seen). It's quite easy with a
braft and a baler, if your arm's long enough to reach down the hole,
but it may take a while in your soil!

"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from Janet Tweedy contains these words:

Well as it's ME that's doing it Janet I thought a different approach
might be in order, with advice from the experts here

Yeah, the comment was on the advice not you :-)

Why doesn't anyone invent a spirit level that's really a flat square
with the bubble bit in the centre and four radial glassy bits so you can
see each way at once if you balance the flat square on top of things

One of J's spirit levels does go round corners, iirc.
We don't use metposts, partly because its so windy here that tall posts
need much deeper anchoring than they provide. Your long fence covered in
plants will be just like a big sail in high wind.

We just dig a narrow deep hole..a job that usually falls to me,
apparently because my arms are thinner, though they're also shorter so I
have to lie flat on the ground scrabbling the bottom out with a catfood
tin...

I've seen a tool that would be good for this situation if you do a lot of
it. It looks like two spades with their handles fixed together with a pivot
just behind the blades, so you can put it down the hole, close the blades,
and lift out the spoil.

The geezer who comes round to empty the gullies round here has a very
similar implement. You could nick his while he's not looking, but it might
smell a bit.

Steve

"Janet Tweedy" wrote:
How do you keep a met post straight as you wallop it into the ground so
that when you put a six foot 4x4 post into it the post will be straight?


Met posts and the like are the "gaffer tape of gardening" in my opinion -
they are a short-cut to doing the job properly and with all short cuts there
are drawbacks. It is far better to dig a small hole and then put the post
in, then throw in some large stones, half bricks etc. to hold it upright.
Use a spirit level to get it straight and then pour in some concrete, or for
a temporary fence, fill with earth and stamp down well.


-=# Amos E Wolfe #=-

P.S. Remember to buy slightly longer posts to take account of the portion in
the ground!

In article , Sue Begg
writes
In message , Janet Tweedy
writes

Why doesn't anyone invent a spirit level that's really a flat square
with the bubble bit in the centre and four radial glassy bits so you
can see each way at once if you balance the flat square on top of things


We had one for the caravan that would give you the level front to back
and side to side at the same time

I must look for one then, I knew there ought to be something like that
but the only device I've ever known was an anti trembling device on
bombs which is filled with a mercury 'bubble' instead of an air bubble
and then any movement would make a contact.
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In article om, Dave
Liquorice writes
On Wed, 18 May 2005 21:54:20 +0100, Janet Tweedy wrote:

Why doesn't anyone invent a spirit level that's really a flat square
with the bubble bit in the centre and four radial glassy bits so you
can see each way at once if you balance the flat square on top of
things

You can get such bubble type levels but it would rely on the top of
the post being smooth, flat and cut square...

What you want is a post level like:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...92960&id=14623

Think I've seen them in the sheds.

Tack a piece of string with a weight to each face of the post. If the
post leans in one direction, the string will hang away from that face.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

In article , Kay
writes
Tack a piece of string with a weight to each face of the post. If the
post leans in one direction, the string will hang away from that face.


But by that time Kay, the metpost and wooden post will be in position
and it will be difficult to adjust it won't it?

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

In message , Janet Tweedy
writes
How do you keep a met post straight as you wallop it into the ground so
that when you put a six foot 4x4 post into it the post will be
straight?

Janet
Use a 3ft or 4ft post first (depending on how tall you are) and find a
gullible fool to hold it upright for you whilst you wallop it (it
preferably being the post not the aforementioned gullible fool. Check
for upright with a spirit level in both directions as you go.
--
hugh
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