First experience with high tensile fence and high tensile barbed wire

[beowulf]

A few months ago I scored twelve 330' roles of high tensile field fence (Bekaert) and a couple of rolls of high tensile barbed wire from a fencing contractor that was shutting his business and moving. He had other barbed wire - the kind I was used to (carbon?) but said he much preferred the high tensile wire because it was easier to work with. This week I started using the high tensile fencing and barbed wire. I went online to learn a bit about it and now understand the advantages, but I cannot say that "being easier to work with" is one of them - really different and more difficult at the connection terminals if you are wrapping it. I think I am coming around to liking it though, which I guess is a good thing because I have twelve rolls, but man is it tough to bend and springy. When I am in a place I can conveniently give it the stretch it deserves, it looks like it will stay tight. I watched a Youtube video of a guy stringing the exact kind of fencing I bought at 20' between posts, and he said he has seen high tensile wire spanning 50 feet between posts though he did not recommend that. My T-posts are set 8' apart, with wood posts at the corners and termination points. Interesting that until I bought this I didn't even know such wire existed. Still learning I guess.

 

[jyoutz]

I love high tensile fencing. Once it’s constructed. As you mentioned, it’s stiff and hard to twist and wrap. But it’s tough, doesn’t sag, and doesn’t break easily. I have a 8’ woven wire high tensile fence around my garden and orchard. The single strand smooth wire is pretty easy to construct because there are specific wire crimping and drum tensioners that make construction fast and easy. But a fully tensioned fence requires extra stout end and corner bracing. Many people used to building with common fencing wire discover that the braces they used for standard wire are easily pulled over by a fully tensioned high tensile wire.

 

[beowulf]

Many people used to building with comments fencing wire discover that the braces they used for standard wire are easily pulled over by a fully tensioned high tensile wire.

I learned that today. A corner post - wood - was no longer plumb after I stretched the wire - and now the gate at that point can't latch because of the new gap. So, need to re-engineer the gate end of things - maybe add another post to close the gap somehow.

 

[jyoutz]

I learned that today. A corner post - wood - was no longer plumb after I stretched the wire - and now the gate at that point can't latch because of the new gap. So, need to re-engineer the gate end of things - maybe add another post to close the gap somehow.

What I have discovered is the gate, ends, and corner braces need to be far more stout than for common wire, but the line posts are less important and can be a little less substantial than with common wire. Because the wire doesn’t sag as much, you can go further between posts.

 

[westcliffe01]

The first thing is to know what the fence has to do ? Simply demarcate the land boundary - mainly for people ? Contain livestock ? Cattle, horses goats, sheep, Poultry ? Keep out predators ? Coyote, wolf, black bear, grizzly, mountain lion ? There is no 1 size fits all.... A friend of mine has Alpacas that she raises to shear their wool. She had to erect a special welded "no climb" fence, with the base of the fence going into a dug ditch that was then filled with concrete to make it harder to tunnel under the fence. Due to cost I believe she only made their pasture about 3-4 acres but it has worked very well. No coyote has ever gotten through and after some time the alpacas stopped worrying about coyotes outside the fence. Now bears of any variety are strong enough to damage any T post based fence and mountain lion may be able to climb it although she has not had that experience. Now her house is right next to the enclosure and she is on the property about 95% of the time so she could react immediately if a larger predator was to show up. Having a modified shipping container for them to bunk in at night with predator proof doors probably eliminates about 90% of the risk of an attack at night. But her property is at about 9500ft in a remote area where she has been snowed in up to 3 months at a time so she has done what is needed to be self sufficient.

 

[two_bit_score]

I don’t know what brand of high tension fence you are using but I’ve had good luck with StayTuff.

 

[beowulf]

I don’t know what brand of high tension fence you are using but I’ve had good luck with StayTuff.

Bekaert

 

[oosik]

I've not seen nor heard of high tensile barbed wire. I have used Copper Weld. It's twin wire, high carbon, copper coated in an almost indestructible neoprene sheath. Normally used, in the old days, as telephone wire. It's almost impossible to twist two sections together. If you need a visual deterrent - this is good stuff. If you need a barbed deterrent - this stuff is worthless.

 

[kenmac]

I have used Bekaert barbed wire. All I use is high tensile wire.
Don't know what you're going to attempt to contain if anything, but my T post are set 10 ' apart.

And yes, any corner post, gate post needs to be braced before you start stretching the wire, or you'll end up pulling the post over. If you use large corner/ gate post and bury and cement in the ground about 3' you shouldn't have a problem pulling the post over.
My corner post and gate post are power poles that have been replaced by the local elect. company but still many years of good life left for my use

 

[oosik]

I was able to get ten foot railroad ties for corners and gates. They are exceedingly heavy and somewhat a mess to deal with. BUT - they do work fine. So far mine have been in the ground 40+ years with no signs of deterioration.

 

[Mudfarmer]

I strung miles of barb wire forty years ago to keep in my Highland cattle. I initially used standard twelve gauge but switched to high tensile 15 gauge since it was cheaper. The cows are now gone, and we took down all the fences about ten years ago (it's a tree farm now). All the 12 gauge (besides sagging and breaking over the years) was rusted out and went to the metal recyclers. Ninety percent of the high tensile was taught on the posts, un-rusted, and ended up stored in the barn just in case the kids ever want to get into livestock again.

MF

 

[hslogger]

NZ hi tensile fence is difficult to say the least. If you do a lot of it and then you get the knack for it.
This tool on Amazon is a must. It is GREAT for making you cross wire at the corner brace and end brace. You just need to do one wrap around each post. Use this tensioner, and then when the wires overlap, put your crimp cylnder on there, crimp it, cut off excess and you are done. You gotta have the correct crimper cylnder and tool. Don't improvise. Just remember to put the crimp cylinder on before you go around the second post.
The right stuff for the job is the right stuff for the job.

https://www.amazon.com/Kweetle-Fence-Stretcher-Tensioner-Energiser/dp/B0BDL9V9DP/ref=asc_df_B0BDL9V9DP/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=642135998377&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=557714193090799970&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032981&hvtargid=pla-1932669528429&psc=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIlZKV1dqz_QIVRAF9Ch3WTAMLEAQYEiABEgITpPD_BwE

 

[oosik]

The original homesteader had sheep. He strung "old style" barbed wire around thru the pine trees. This is the old type with the flat barbs. I still have a 30 foot section that is in good shape. Serves no purpose today. It's well over 125 years old now.

Yet another difference between the wet and dry side here in WA state. Keep "it" up off the ground - it will last forever. Barbed wire, implements, tools, etc.