Free Stuff
I don’t get free stuff often, but when I do, I get a bunch of it. This was free dirt from my brother-in-law. Free dirt also means dirt that you have to shovel. Tami helped. It was just enough to fill all of the holes they dogs have dug in the yard. There are better ways to spend a Sunday, but it was free dirt.
- How Much Dirt Can You Put In An Old Chevy?
Never put this much dirt in a Ford either. It was almost to much for a Chevy.
I bet there are people wondering why anyone would post about a load of dirt. I do it because I can and it’s almost free.
I seen a show on TV where people in far flung deserts are getting online now. They’re hauling dirt with donkeys and camels. Maybe they’ll be inspired. Rich people could land here and be thankful they didn’t have to spend their Sunday shoveling dirt. It’s an inspirational post. 
When you spend your day this way and you’re trying to come up with something to post, this is what you end up with.
Fence Tutorial Completed
After many weekends of working on my backyard fence it’s finally done! I had very little information available on the Internet about vinyl coated welded wire fencing, so I took some photos while I was doing the job and posted a tutorial for fence installation.
If you need an affordable solution to contain your dog and you willing to do the work, welded fence has turned out to be a good solution. It looks good, easy to install with standard tools, and a strong barrier for a dog. Here is a link to How to Build A Welded Wire Fence.
How to Build a Welded Wire Fence – Easy
Introduction
Vinyl coated welded wire fencing is a good alternative to chain link fencing. I discovered the vinyl coated wire fence when searching for a solution to enclose my backyard for my dog. The quotes I recieved for chain link were outrageous, do-it-yourself chain link requires more labor and special tools, and I really do not like the aesthetic appearance of chain link.
A welded wire fence can be constructed with simple tools and it is easily stretched and cut to fit. If you’re attempting to make a fence for your dog on a limited budget, with limited tools, and even a limited skillset, vinyl coated welded wire fence could be your answer.
I found it difficult to get wire fence installation information, even from the companies producing the fencing or the stores selling the material. I used instructions from the construction of other types of fences for the frame and then trial and error to install the wire fabric. Considering I had a hard time finding examples and directions, I thought that an article about how I did it could help others. If you disagree with how I did the fence, all constructive comments are welcome.
Keep in mind that welded wire mesh can be used with many different types of fencing, not just the post and rail style fence that I did. Some ideas are
- Split Rail Fencing – this looks really good when combined with coated wire weld fence
- Cedar fencing
- Metal posts – doesn’t look good, but very inexpensive
Tools Required
- Post Hole Diggers
- Long heavy steel bar – sometimes referred to as a potato bar. A good one costs around $80.
- Staple gun and a LARGE box of staples
- Level
- Tape Measure
- Post Level – special L-shaped level that’s banded to a 4×4
- Drill with screw driver end attachments
- Adjustable Wrench – also named a Crescent wrench
- Circular Saw
- Saw Horses
- Extension Cords
- Long string
- Optional
- Power auger
- Reciprocating Saw – sometimes referred to as a Sawsall
Materials Required
- 4X4 treated posts
- 2X4 treated lumber
- 3 inch deck screws
- 1 80 pound bag of concrete for every 3 foot hole
- Vinyl Coated Welded Wire Fence Fabric
- Staples
- 1X4 treated boards (the same number as the number of rails).
- Gate hinges and latches
- L-brackets for 2X4′s (used to make the gate frames)
Electric Lawnmowers
The old gas mower we use for trim work broke. It got old and the deck rusted to the point that it flexed enough for the blade to hit it.
This is boring stuff unless you’ve been curious about these rechargeable mowers, so feel free to pass this over if you start to feel sleepy.
I found a Homelite rechargeable electric mower for about $350 at Home Depot. It has a metal deck where the other brands have a plastic deck. It lasted long enough to do quite a bit of work in tall grass on my 1/2 acre lot. It took 15 hours for the initial charge, so if you let the charge deplete, it’s going to be a while to get going again. The Homelite weights 87 pounds, so it’s not lighter than a gas mower. I am looking forwared to no gas, oil, filters, spark plugs, etc.
My Dad bought the Remington rechargeable electric mower and he’s happy with it. It’s advantages are that it’s lighter and can run on the cord or the battery. However, it only has a 17 inch cut where the Homelite has a 20 inch cut.
The real test for these mowers will be the test of time. Considering there is no cost for gas or maintenance I’ll be happy to get 3 years out of mine.
