Stretched Fence

[MikeFLA]

Occasionally I allow my horses to graze an area not enclosed by an electric fence. The other day "the brat" looking for greener pastures leaned over the top of my field fence. I ran two strands of wire across the top when I built it. Naturally he leaned on it so hard it stretched the wire. I came up with a quick fix but was looking for your input on how to repair stretched fencing.

Attached is a picture of the quick fix. I simply loosened the staples, grabbed the wire with a pair of linemen’s pliers and gave it a twist. I then stapled the top and bottom of the twist.

Are there any better ideas without re-tightening the entire 330’ run of wire.

 

[Hillbilly]

I would put a strand of electric on the top.

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Mike,

Oddly enough use a <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.northerntool.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=120530&prmenbr=6970&cm_catid=000088&cm_partner=tl&cm_pid=120530&cm_ref>fence stretcher</A> They work great.
Al

 

[cowboydoc]

Ditto with twinkle toes use the fence stretcher.

 

[bky]

do you use spring tensioners?

 

[Harv]

Al -

So that's what that is!

Along with the myriad of tools I inherited from my father, I have one of these hanging on the wall of the shop. I figured it was for pulling sumpin', but was never sure exactly what.

The things you learn on TBN. /w3tcompact/icons/clever.gif

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Harv,

Can I drop by and just nose around your place for a bit./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif The one pictured is the el-deluxo model mine doesn't have the extra "dog". The <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38871>economy model </A> is $20. I inherited mine also. Lost it and found it a half dozen times.
Al

 

[MikeFLA]

Okay, forgive me for being naïve. I get the stretching part, but what do you do with the slack. Remember I am not pulling from one end, I am in the middle of the fence.

I’m really not as dumb as I sound, I just never had to repair my fences.

 

[MikePA]

Could you cut the wire and splice the two ends with one of <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.kencove.com/crimp.htm>these</A>?

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Mike,
Thats a good question, not dumb at all. You don't necessarily have to be in the middle. One of the "dogs" at the end can be placed around a post. You can then wrap or staple to the post. If you have to be in the middle then you need to splice the two ends togather. This allows a stronger splicing technique than twisting the wires with the fence pliers. I work with barbed wire and splicing techniques vary with the wire type. If I can't get enough wire slack to make a decent splice then I add more wire and splice twice.
Al

 

[Egon]

Wire stretcher:
I also have an inherited one but it has two double blocks with rope and a lock that will hold it tight. Each end has a chain with a cam lock device on the end which will lock on to the wire. The length depends on how much rope you use. It's probably 80+ years or older. Still use it as a block and tackle set up.

Egon

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Egon,
Sounds like you got a good one/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif They are real handy. I used mine once to pull the four speed out of my truck. Hung it over a 4x4 between the dash and the back of the seat. Jacked it right thru the head liner, hole is still there.
Al

 

[Harv]

Dang it, Al! Now ya got me searching through my pictures to see which fence stretcher I have. Unfortunately, it's on one of the less photogenic walls, and the only shot I could find is in the background of a ROPS rack picture. /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif Not much detail, but I'm guessing from the attached pict that it's the economy model like yours.

<font color=blue>Can I drop by and just nose around your place for a bit.</font color=blue>

Absolutely!

Just head south about 600 miles, hang a left and look for an orange tractor. /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

Mike,

They make splices for the fence, but it takes a $65 tool to make the splice, or like was mentioned just go pull it tight at the corner posts.

 

[beenthere]

MikeFla There also is a crimping tool (about the size of bolt cutters) that can be used to crimp a short splice coupling over two wires. The wire ends slide into the coupling, and you crimp it closed. Works great when tightening, repairing, and working away from the ends of the fence. Also good for older wire that will not bend so well to make a good splice. (delays putting up new wire a bit). I used to have a lot of need for this tool, until I bought it and have hardly had a need for it since! Does it always happen this way? Wash the car and it rains, build a better snow plow and it does not snow. /w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif But the fence doesn't need fixing, so that is good.

 

[bgott]

I'm from the originally from the west coast. Out there they use stretching posts every 100' or so. A stretching post is two posts set in the line 6 or 8 feet apart tied together with crossbars and twisted wires. These make it really handy to repair just a section of fence when you strung it too tight and it pops a wire when it freezes or some dumbass kid slides a car through it. Or a horse leans on it. I bet you're wishing someone had told you about stretching posts before you made that 330' run, ain't ya? I've tightened fences the way you have it pictured, the only problem with it is the way you have it zig zagged you gave the wire leverage to pull the staples out the next time the horse leans on it. Or you climb the fence. A couple of extra staples might slow this down, hell, it might never give you a problem the way it is. The only way to fix it right is to tighten the whole thing, but with that kink in the wire you have a weak spot and it sure is hard to judge how tight is tight enough and how tight is too much. The weight of that much wire would play hell with feeling the tension. I'd leave it and if it gives you problems, sink another post near the one you have it zeed on and build a stretching post. That way you can tighten both ways.

 

[MikeFLA]

A collective thanks to all of you for your ideas. I think I will pick up a fence stretcher and splice it by hand.

Like Hillbilly said a few posts ago, the only way to prevent this in the future is to run electric on the top.

 

[cowboydoc]

Another way easier solution Mike is just to run a new strand of high tensile wire there. Put a strainer and tightener and you are set for life. Anytime it comes loose like that you just tighten it back up with the tightener that is already there. That's why I love high tensile. Once it's up repairs are a piece of cake.

 

[Hillbilly]

I have never seen a horse or cow that electric would not correct there bad habits,let them get against it a couple of times.....you could even unplug the fencer for a few days after the realize what it feels like to get against the electrified wire and under observation if they return to the undesired habit just plug the fencer back in and remind them.

 

[bky]

here is what i was talking about on the fence i helps keep it tight