Cement and Concrete Fence Posts by H. M. Bainer and H. B. Bonebright combines practical construction discussion with comparative experiments. Published in 1910 as Bulletin 161 of the Agricultural Experiment Station of the Colorado Agricultural College, it examines how materials, molds, reinforcement and post shape influence the cost and strength of farm fencing.
Materials and the purpose of the experiments
The bulletin begins with the materials used in cement and concrete fence posts. It distinguishes cement, sand, gravel, broken stone and water, then considers proportioning and mixing. The discussion connects the character and size of the aggregate with the ability to place reinforcement properly inside a relatively narrow post.
This is a focused agricultural publication rather than a general concrete textbook. Its questions arise from the practical need for a durable fence support that can be made economically and attached to wire. The authors consider production and use together, rather than treating the casting of a post as the whole problem.
The experimental portion describes an effort to determine which method would produce the best posts at the lowest cost. That purpose makes the tables especially useful to readers studying early farm construction: the work compares alternatives instead of merely presenting one design as settled practice.
Poured and tamped posts
The first part distinguishes poured posts from tamped posts. It discusses the differences in mixing, handling and mold use, including the fact that the methods place different demands on the consistency of the mixture and on the time before a mold can be used again.
Wooden and metal molds are considered, with drawings showing a home-made mold and examples of post sections. The text examines the practical consequences of mold shape, surface, weight and ease of operation. These details show how the cost of a post depends partly on the production arrangement, not only on the quantity of cement it contains.
The bulletin also addresses selecting and caring for molds. Repeated use requires an arrangement that releases the post without damage and remains manageable in the work area. For a historical self-sufficiency collection, this is useful evidence of the connection between a simple product and the tools needed to make it reliably.
Reinforcement and wire attachment
Reinforcement receives particular attention because cement and concrete respond differently to crushing and pulling forces. The authors discuss its position within the post and the importance of a firm grip between the reinforcement and surrounding material. Different wire forms are compared in the tests.
The wire-fastener material is equally practical. Drawings show several ways of attaching fence wire to a post, including ties, staples, holes and other arrangements. A table records comparative holding results. This part of the publication is valuable because the post has to work as part of a fence system, with connections that can affect its usefulness.
Taper and cross-sectional shape are also considered. The discussion asks whether material is being placed where it contributes to strength and whether a post behaves equally well when loaded from different directions. Triangular, square, round and hollow forms are discussed within that wider question.
Testing, costs and special posts
The experimental section describes the testing apparatus and how posts were loaded. Tables bring together reinforcement, mixture, material cost, test weight, crack location and remarks. The result is a record of observed performance under stated conditions, rather than a set of unsupported claims about durability.
Corner and gate posts receive a separate treatment because their loads differ from those of line posts. The authors explain the importance of bracing and consider how the connection between a brace and post behaves. They also compare some cement posts with new wood posts tested under similar conditions.
The concluding observations summarize the authors’ findings about poured and tamped work, post shape, reinforcement and curing. Historical prices and experimental results should be read with their original materials and test arrangements in mind. They cannot establish the performance of a modern mixture or design.
Who will find this bulletin useful?
This free ebook suits farm-history readers, fencing researchers and people interested in the experimental background of practical construction. It offers a compact example of testing a familiar farm object rather than judging it only by appearance. Current fence design, concrete practice and site conditions require present-day guidance. The twenty-page PDF includes searchable text, drawings and tables, with occasional recognition errors in the scan.
Book details
- Author: H. M. Bainer and H. B. Bonebright
- Publisher: Agricultural Experiment Station, Colorado Agricultural College, Fort Collins, Colorado
- Year: 1910
- Edition: Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 161
- Digital length: 20 PDF pages
- Language: English
- File size: 1.49 MB
