Where can I get a fence puller?

kensfarm · Mar 26, 2003

The most versitle & cheapest puller is one I made.. I copied the idea from my Dad.. who used a smaller version for pulling a single strand barb wire. Since you are pulling 6ft fencing.. use one 6ft length of 2x6.. and the same length for a 2x4.. the different board sizes will help the squeeze effect once bolted together. Lay one on top of the other.. and drill 3 holes evenly spaced across the 6 ft length.. mark the boards so you can always tell how the boards where arranged when you drilled the holes.. the size of holes depends on the size of the bolts you use. I used large equipment bolts.. you'll also need 3 lock
washers & 5 regular washers. Put a washer on the two outside bolts before putting the 3 bolts through the 2x6.. then put on the 2x4, washers, lock washers, and nuts. I then use some heavy guage(high tensile strength) wire(doubled).. and secured it on the 2 outside bolt heads behind the washers.. the length of the wire should be long enougth so that once connected.. it'll make a V when you pull on the middle. You could use some cable instead.. or even substitute hooks to attach to the outside bolts.. the heavy guage wire I use is called "galvo".. and the setup has worked very well. Here's what makes life easier for me when having to pull fencing: I use a single strand of heavy gauge wire and connect one end to a small 1ft piece of board by drilling 2 holes in the middle of the board.. and running the one end of wire through them and securing. I then run the strand of wire through the center of the fencing roll and make a loop at the end to hook up to. Since I don't have a hook welded to my FEL.. I just wrap my chain around the bucket and hook to the loop to suspend the fencing roll. I attach the puller.. makes it easier to get a grip on.. and drive the tractor to corner post.. where you'll initially mount the fencing. The fencing will now spin off the roll easily from the suspended roll.. and will save you a lot of grunt work if you are in heavy bush or going inbetween trees. After mounting the one end of the fence to the post.. I then move the tractor to where the puller is.. I actually use FEL to hook to the puller to stretch the fencing.. by backing up initially to get out the slack.. then by using the bucket pivot for making the fencing taunt.. but if you're not careful.. you can pull the fence to pieces. For the single strand.. barb-wire puller.. my Dad used 2 large clamps to squeeze the barb-wire between to pieces of wood.

wroughtn_harv · Mar 29, 2003

I'll see if I can find the time to take some pictures of a couple of the wire stretchers I have around the shop.

For single strand like barbwire or twisted smooth wire I use what is called a "porkchop" in the fence industry. They can be found a TSC, Northern, probably even Harbor Freight has them. They don't cost much. But even at that I do recommend looking over one closely before purchasing. You want it to grip but not nick the wire. When you pull the wire as tight as it should be a nick means you could have a new necktie permanently installed if you're not careful.

For pulling net fence like two by four horse wire I have made some pullers similar to what has been described in the other replies.

I have two metal frames. They consist of channel the length of the puller with a loop welded out one side and bolts welded on one half and matching holes on the other one. I use good wood between these to grip the wire. Hardwood is best.

The piece with the bolts is laid down on the ground with it's board in place so that there isn't metal touching the net wire, bolts sticking up. The wire is laid down on top of the wood. The other matching side is laid down, wood first, on top of that with the bolts from the first piece going through the holes on the second piece. I use wingnuts to secure the frame together evenly. Six foot frame should have at least five bolt--wingnut attachments.

I've found when stretching it is best to stretch past the end post when possible. Usually I'll park the tractor or truck sideways and pull to it.

This allows a strand at a time to be stripped and then twisted around the end post. I stagger them to keep the wire taught as possible.

My rule of thumb is to pull as tight as I think it can possible take. Then I pull a couple of more times cause I can.