Home made tools for V Mesh fence installation

[wroughtn_harv]

The best fence for horses that I've found is V Mesh. It provides a net approach to horse containment. When a horse hits the fabric the impact is spread over a large area, along the fence, along the body of the horse.

The biggest problem with V Mesh when it comes to installation is getting it pulled uniformly tight, especially when the grade isn't level.

I pulled some pictures of what I use and how I do it.

This particular section of fence rises about sixteen inches at each end at the barns. It's a great opportunity to show how my system works.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The best fence for horses that I've found is V Mesh. It provides a net approach to horse containment. When a horse hits the fabric the impact is spread over a large area, along the fence, along the body of the horse.

The biggest problem with V Mesh when it comes to installation is getting it pulled uniformly tight, especially when the grade isn't level.

I pulled some pictures of what I use and how I do it.

This particular section of fence rises about sixteen inches at each end at the barns. It's a great opportunity to show how my system works.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I got tired of replacing bolts, nuts, and boards on the traditional fence stretching tool we're all familiar with for pulling woven wire fabric tight.

So I made one of my own that has only one moving part and works like a straw on a shake.

It's heavy, two men working or one man really working heavy.

Basically you thread the fabric, think of a belt buckle, I did. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I got tired of replacing bolts, nuts, and boards on the traditional fence stretching tool we're all familiar with for pulling woven wire fabric tight.

So I made one of my own that has only one moving part and works like a straw on a shake.

It's heavy, two men working or one man really working heavy.

Basically you thread the fabric, think of a belt buckle, I did. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Then it's a matter of folding the fabric over the floating rod.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Then it's a matter of folding the fabric over the floating rod.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The idea is the floating rod will lock in the fabric tighter as the stretcher is pulled, well, tighter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The idea is the floating rod will lock in the fabric tighter as the stretcher is pulled, well, tighter. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The downside of my stretcher is it works best pulling past the end post. Sometimes it takes a little planning to have it where the stretches work out that way but then that's the price one has to pay I guess. If there's nothing to pull against framework wise I'll use the truck or tractor.

I always use a Maasdon Power Pull cable jack come along for stretching. I like knowing and feeling the pull. I can't do that with the tractor or truck. I haven't been able to pull the truck sideways yet but I've found that when the tractor starts moving sideways the fence is generally as tight as it should be.

If you're not familiar with V Mesh think of fifty eight inch wire consisting of fifteen strands of barbless wire tied together with two vertical wires woven in opposite twisting patterns. The fact that you're pulling fifteen strands tight at the same time means that most of the time some strands are tighter than others.

In this situation it's complicated by the top strands being naturally shorter in length than the lower ones due to the change of grade at the ends.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The downside of my stretcher is it works best pulling past the end post. Sometimes it takes a little planning to have it where the stretches work out that way but then that's the price one has to pay I guess. If there's nothing to pull against framework wise I'll use the truck or tractor.

I always use a Maasdon Power Pull cable jack come along for stretching. I like knowing and feeling the pull. I can't do that with the tractor or truck. I haven't been able to pull the truck sideways yet but I've found that when the tractor starts moving sideways the fence is generally as tight as it should be.

If you're not familiar with V Mesh think of fifty eight inch wire consisting of fifteen strands of barbless wire tied together with two vertical wires woven in opposite twisting patterns. The fact that you're pulling fifteen strands tight at the same time means that most of the time some strands are tighter than others.

In this situation it's complicated by the top strands being naturally shorter in length than the lower ones due to the change of grade at the ends.