how to install barb wire fencing?

[moloss]

as the subject reads.....I'm in need of help.....I have put up the corner posts (I'm not doing the typical H cross bracing, I sunk cut up telephone polls) and the wood posts every 50' feet......I'm ready to put up the t-posts and I plan on them being on the outside of the fence (fence is for cows).....my real problem is do I start at the top of the fence and work my way down (5 strand fence) or from the bottom.....also do I pull the whole distance about 600' at a time or just to the next large post? any and all suggestions are needed.....thank you.....Chris.

[Egon]

If my memory serves me correctly we used to pull about 300 feet with a four pulley rope wire stretcher. We also used to start on the bottom and work up.

I am sure others will have different methods that will work equally or better.

[HoustonBrama]

Start your bottom wire first. Get it straight and perfect, then measure the rest of your strands off that one. Start at one corner post. If your land is flat, pull all the way to the other corner post. If you have dips or hills, pull to the first hill or dip and tack there and so on and so on.

[psj12]

I noticed that no matter how tight I stretched the wire it always seemed to go slack in a couple months. My son in law pointed out that I had the wire wraped around the end posts in the same direction. This caused the wire to slightly twist the braced end posts unwinding hte wire. It seems it only takes an inch or two to slack a nice tight fence. I then wrapped every other wire in different directions to stop the twisting. I now have a tight fence except when the oak trees drop limbs on it.

[rtimgray]

Just a word of caution (since you said you didn't make H braces) Did you brace the corner posts? Unless you put absolutely huge poles/posts in very deep (like 5 or 6 feet), after you tighten 4 or 5 strands of wire, the post will start to lean. I put up several sets of posts that I thought were strong enough, and after stretching the wire, I had a loose bottom strand and leaning posts. That was a rough lesson.

Besides that, the other advice is right on. Start at the bottom and work your way up. I use a cable come-a-long and pull the wire 'til it's tight. Then start all over again.

I also liked the suggestion about alternating which side of the post you wrap around then end posts. I've had that problem before, and now I think I know how to minimize it.
Good thoughts.

Take care.

[MicroPilot]

I would suggest not placing the T posts until the wire is stretched. This will allow you to follow the wires natural path. The t-posts are just to help the wire follow the ground contours.

[moloss]

to recap, I have the telephone poles in but I have rethought the whole H bracing....I think it will be a good idea to use the H bracing....I'll start at the bottom and work up.......did y'all use a come along, I was thinking of using one and mounting it to the FEL so I can easily adjust the height.....anyone tried that? thanks again for all of y'alls suggestions

[Jimbrown]

I pull all my wire with the FEL. I put a pipe across it and put the roll of wire on the pipe and then back along the fence untill I get to the end. The wire just rolls of the roll. I then pinch the wire to the bucket with vise grips and slowly back the tractor untill i get the wire tight. Nail it down, cut wire ,and wrap. One person can string wire easy this way. Just gotta be carful you can pull it too tight. Course I never done that. A hydrostatic works best for this. When pulling long runs of wire there is a tendency to over pull it. The wire is usually plenty tight even if it is still touching the ground in places.

[Ridgewalker]

I pull the bottom wire between the corner posts and then drive the T posts using the bottom wire as my guide. After the posts are in I work my way to the top with the rest of the strands.

I stretch wire using a long crowbar, I kind of lean into the crowbar with my hip to hold tension and I have my hands free to drive the steeples. It's hard to explain but it works well for short runs.

[wroughtn_harv]

Hmmmm, we always start at the top and work down. That's so we're not fighting the wire we're installing with the wire already done.

I've found I can't pull as tight with a tractor as I can with a come a long. In fact I've found pulling against a truck or tractor sideways with the cable jack I can pull the vehicle sideways tightening wire.

We always use braces. Even when I've set telephone poles six to seven foot deep in our clay we have to have braces if we want the fence to stay tight.