I hope theres a way to fix this.....

[warhammer]

I am building a fence(first attempt) to start turning some vacant overgrown acreage into pasture. On one side is a row cropped field that I want to encroach on as little as possible and on the other a curving dirt entrance road.
In order to do that I made two braced corners that were not 90 degree. I used 9 inch treated posts for end, corner and brace posts. I sunk the posts via a PHD on my tractor to 3.5 to 4 feet deep and tamped.
I have run the line posts and high tensile wire and tensioned everything. The end braces seem fine but these two corner posts have slumped inward and the wire has slackened with the top strand getting the loosest.
I have attached a picture showing the layout. The two problem posts have the red dots by them.
I really do not want to have to redo 900 feet of fence - so is there a way to make this work?

Warhammer

 

[sandman2234]

Guy wire to the outside of those two posts, which would encrouch on the outside, or a brace post on the inside at a 45 degree angle. Both will take up space, but the pasture of yours will be easier to deal with, as long as you make sure you don't hit it with the mower. Loosen the wires before adding the brace, and then tighten them up. Might want to over do the brace a little, so if it gives when you tighten the wire, it will just be straight.
David from jax

 

[twarr1]

IMHO the best thing to do is make two sections of fence. In other words, where the second red dot is, make two end assemblies instead of a corner. You'll essentially have two fences that meet at that point. You can do the same at the first red dot. That way, the tension will be in-line with the braces instead of pulling then over.
Hope this makes sense.

 

[warhammer]

It would be better if I could brace on the inside. On one of the posts an outside brace or guy wire would be over the property line. I can also clear those small areas with the weed eater.
So the internal braces would go like the pic I have attached? Any problems with cattle getting tangled up with that? Would a put the cross post down to the ground or parallel to it?

Warhammer

Guy wire to the outside of those two posts, which would encrouch on the outside, or a brace post on the inside at a 45 degree angle. Both will take up space, but the pasture of yours will be easier to deal with, as long as you make sure you don't hit it with the mower. Loosen the wires before adding the brace, and then tighten them up. Might want to over do the brace a little, so if it gives when you tighten the wire, it will just be straight.
David from jax

 

[warhammer]

Not really seeing this. Do you mean double brace posts on both sides of the corner posts?

Warhammer

IMHO the best thing to do is make two sections of fence. In other words, where the second red dot is, make two end assemblies instead of a corner. You'll essentially have two fences that meet at that point. You can do the same at the first red dot. That way, the tension will be in-line with the braces instead of pulling then over.
Hope this makes sense.

 

[texasjohn]

Warhammer, depends on the soil you are putting the posts into.

Looks to me, from the aerial photo, you are putting things down into black soil..or at least tillable soil.

I've tried the inside post technique... physics says it should work... just get the angles right. Nope, practical experience says that after some years things will be out of kilter.

Now, if you can sink a deadman away from the pull... on the "outside" of the fence and install a wire from the top of the post to the deadman, that WILL work for a large number of years.

My experience with lots of fencing in Central Texas says you will be best suited to do the following... if questions, PM me.

You mention high tensile wire... install ratchets from Tractor Supply on each wire stretch .. leave in permanently.. allows for retensioning in future years. Works with both smooth and barbed wire... just don't drive staples all the way down to the wire.

Make each segment a straight line... don't wrap wire around the post.

Each end needs to have 3 posts... the end post and two brace posts. I know you have a huge corner post and sank it well... that's a good start...but I've learned the hard way that for a corner to hold for years you need 2 brace posts plus the corner post. Brace posts should be about 7 feet in length, many people make them too short. In addition, DON'T make it a H brace with the brace in the middle... move the brace bar almost to the top of the posts... and use a ratchet, permanently installed, as the wire brace... again, easy to tension and adjust as necessary. Use high tensile smooth wire. Learn the special knot for tying smooth wire... trust me, it's worth it...for the brace wire, make a cut in the post for the wire to lie in... a staple will NOT stay in the wood over time... will come loose and brace wire will need to be redone.

Suggested procedure: Undo wire on ends, sink post holes for 2 brace posts at about 7 foot distance, install braces high on the posts with metal pins so they stay in place, install a brace wire with ratchet so pull is against pull of the fence wire, reattach wires for each run of fence using ratchets nearest the end which you will pass most frequently... so you can retension as needed. If at all possible, install a deadman tension wire which pulls against the post which wants to lean in... cattle will not get tangled in the brace wire. Talk to your neighbor, bet they will agree with the plan. Else, install a post on the inside of the lean, about 7 feet in, install a slanted post (or pipe) so it is under compression pressure and prevents the post from leaning inward.

Good luck!

 

[whistlepig]

I am building a fence(first attempt) to start turning some vacant overgrown acreage into pasture. On one side is a row cropped field that I want to encroach on as little as possible and on the other a curving dirt entrance road.
In order to do that I made two braced corners that were not 90 degree. I used 9 inch treated posts for end, corner and brace posts. I sunk the posts via a PHD on my tractor to 3.5 to 4 feet deep and tamped.
I have run the line posts and high tensile wire and tensioned everything. The end braces seem fine but these two corner posts have slumped inward and the wire has slackened with the top strand getting the loosest.
I have attached a picture showing the layout. The two problem posts have the red dots by them.
I really do not want to have to redo 900 feet of fence - so is there a way to make this work?

Warhammer

Did you set these posts with concrete? I can not see anything wrong with your set up. The corners and line braces must be set in concrete. Some say posts set in concrete will rot out. They won't. I have posts in concrete that have been there 30 years that would wreck a truck if you ran in to them.

 

[twarr1]

Warhammer, here's a drawing of what I'm talking about. The black, blue and green wires are all seperate. Black goes to one end post, blue goes to the other end post, and obviously the green just fills the gap between the two. Hopefully this makes more sense. You can put the tensioners all here so you can tighten them all at one place. This assembly would be at the place you have the red dot(s) on your pic.

 

[twarr1]

Here's the pic in jpg format...

 

[whistlepig]

I have done this very same corner stretch several times. If the posts are braced and set in concrete this will work. This has always worked for me. If you are pulling against a post that is just set in dirt it's going to pull no matter how deep the post is set. That's a given.