Thread: tensioning farm fencing!

The use of a ratchet type or similar wire strainer requires 2 loose ends for it to work. Typically you would have the join in the middle of the fencing run so that the strain is taken up in two directions. The joining knot is then tied of in the middle of the straining tool while it maintains tension on the wire.

In a short run it may instead have the join close up to the post at one end. Tie the wire of and have maybe 3-4 foot of wire from post. Tie off wire at other end and run to where join is going to be. Join as above.

It would appear that neither of these methods have been used.

In the scenario that you have presented, one method may be to use a claw hammer or similar tool to just pull the wire thru or around the post and then just tie off. Generally thru the post is better because you can clamp off the wire with something like locking pliers to get another bite on the wire with the hammer, to strain tighter.

This method is generally used for shorter runs and doesn't achieve as tight a wire as the first method I outlined.

I have seen plenty of wire strainers at clearance sales go for less that $20, as all farmers that go to the sales generally have 2 or 3 strainers themselves. It is usually people with a little hobby block that are looking for them, and not much competition in the bidding.

Good luck, its not a job I enjoy.

The farmer who showed me just anchored the rachet tensioner to the fence post and strained the wire to the post. He then wound the wire around the post a couple of times using the fencing pliers to tighten the wire until he tird it off in a 'knot' similar to the one in the photo. I used this method successfully when I did some fencing on my own.

This is what you need. You wrap the chain around the post and then set the strainer on the wire and then attach the ratchet dogs on the chain and then just tension the wire and then just wrap the wire around the post.

A set of strainers is about $80 to $100 at a rural supplies store.

What Barry said, but just watch the newer high tensile wire. It tends to slip through the jaws on the strainers, usually just as you're about to hitch the wire off. If you're only doing short runs I'd suggest getting the low tensile wire. It's easier to work with - bends ties and grips better.

Mick

journeyman Mick
The new Tyeasy (sp??) ht wire is supposed to be good.
I threw the chain strainers into the back of the shed and went to gripples.
Much easier on the hands.

I use a false tail - it's just a bit of heavy wire (about 600mm long) with a small loop at the very end. You wrap the non-looped end around the post and then feed it through the eye of the loop and then attach it to the strainers. It basically anchors one end of the strainers to the post (similar to what Whitewood said).

We used to use a tail of the heavier, softer wire to temporarily hook the strainer to the post. On really long runs where there was a lot of tension on the wire it would often slip out of the jaws before it was any where near tight. We'd kink the wire slightly where the jaws gripped it in an effort to prevent the slippage. In some cases this didn't work either and we'd put a loop in the HT wire and tie a tail of the softer stuff to it and work with that. Tyeasy has probably made all that effort redundant (thankfully ) but most of the fencing I did was more than 20 years ago, kilometres of the stuff. Can't say that I miss it at all.

Mick

Hi Rileyp,

The fence is strained using a chain Grab Strainer. The wire is tied off at one end, strained from the strainer at the other (using the chain grab) and then the wire is tied off and the strainer released.

You can see a chain grab strainer in most rural outlets (Landmark, Elders etc)

What I would suggest in your situation if you want to re-tension the wires is to purchase a In-line strainer. An in-line strainer looks like a cast cotton reel about 65mm in circumference. The wire slots in to the centre of the spool and you use a handle or ratchet and socket to twist the wire around the spool. Once the wire is at the desired tension you insert a clip which retains the wire.

Hope this is of help.

Roger

Originally Posted by DavidG

I threw the chain strainers into the back of the shed and went to gripples.
Much easier on the hands.

But they look crappy in a nice neat fence.

Originally Posted by Barry_White

But they look crappy in a nice neat fence.

Yes, but with arthritis in both hands and being old enough to just want a fence, I don't care.

Plus they can be easily retensioned when the fence slackens off.

Thanks for the mass of responses!
Is this what you are suggesting Barry and Rogerch?
ie the fencing strainer you suggested has dogs on it that can grip the wire where my pink arrow is without creating a loop to hook the wire to tension it.
I understand the strainer would be set at the same vertical height as the wire to be strained but have drawn it lower so it can be seen clearly.

I will probably use gripples regardless as it cost a whole $2 from the local farm supples to hire for the tensioner day.
I was just interested to know how the boys in the know do it!


I have an engine chain block and could use it I suppose but I would have to have a join in the line unless there something I'm missing here
cheers rileyp
edit:I have no intention of straining off the pictured post....just so everyone knows I'm not completely silly....

Originally Posted by rileyp

Thanks for the mass of responses!
Is this what you are suggesting Barry and Rogerch?
ie the fencing strainer you suggested has dogs on it that can grip the wire where my pink arrow is without creating a loop to hook the wire to tension it.
I understand the strainer would be set at the same vertical height as the wire to be strained but have drawn it lower so it can be seen clearly.

I will probably use gripples regardless as it cost a whole $2 from the local farm supples to hire for the tensioner day.
I was just interested to know how the boys in the know do it!


I have an engine chain block and could use it I suppose but I would have to have a join in the line unless there something I'm missing here
cheers rileyp
edit:I have no intention of straining off the pictured post....just so everyone knows I'm not completely silly....

if you do it this way you will still have some slack in the line. what you do is conect the handle end to the end of the wire. wrap the wire round the post, put the chain end on the wire back up the line and pull it tight, put a few staples over the wire one on each side of the post. undoo teh strainers and tie it up. no slack in the line what so ever.

You can use the chain end of the strainer around the post or have a extra piece of wire around the post and slide it down as you go then remove it when you have finished. You get the same result as what you described.

Cheers

here you go.