Wire fence problem

August 20, 2005 6:20 PM

RanchFilter: Has anyone here done a barbed wire fence? I can't figure out how to tension wire.

My problem here is not with barbed wire but the 9-gauge wire to secure brace posts. I cannot figure out how to tension it. I tried tensioning the loop with a 4-foot tension bar but 9-ga is so thick that the bar bends severely and wants to slip out.

The closest resource I can find is at this link which has piss-poor graphics resolution, but even then it doesn't go into much detail. Most of the other barbed-wire how-tos online gloss over this too. Wouldn't mind a resource that showed how to tension regular barbed wire too.

posted by rolypolyman to Home & Garden (13 answers total)

I don't know what a 4-foot tension bar is, so I don't understand that part of your question. And maybe that means I don't understand what you're asking. But the way they're tensioning the brace wire in the images you link to is this: They make multiple loops with the wire from the lower left to the upper right, and then splice the loose ends together. Then they stick a stout stick through the middle of these loops in the center, and use it to twist the loops. The more times you go around with the stick (orthogonally to the wire), the more tension is applied. When it's tight enough, the stick is allowed to rest against the upper wooden brace, to keep the twisted loops from unwinding.
posted by bricoleur at 7:48 PM on August 20, 2005

Fence Stretcher. Really.
posted by nathan_teske at 7:59 PM on August 20, 2005

Doh. I should have read the whole question first.
posted by nathan_teske at 8:01 PM on August 20, 2005

I think you need a come-along to tension the barbed wire and then the come-along can hold the barbed wire until you can put the 9-guage wire in place. Then you can remove the come-along. You should be able to get a come-along at any hardware store. Or mabye rent one. HTH.
posted by tayknight at 8:03 PM on August 20, 2005

Best answer: I have done some high-tensile fencing, plus a couple of barbed stretches. bricoleur's method is what I used to tension the brace posts. The only thing he didn't mention is that you must insert a steel rod into the post at each end of the diagonal tension wire for it to pull against. Also, to tension the strands of barbed wire, I cheated and used this (the top item in the picture), which is actually a high-tensile tensioner - just don't tighten it as much.
posted by rfs at 8:41 PM on August 20, 2005

Response by poster: Part of the problem is figuring out the proper "knot" to tie, to do the initial splice. I'm worried that the hand-tied splices I'm making are too weak.
posted by rolypolyman at 9:03 PM on August 20, 2005

I declare this to be the most awesome AskMe (fence)post of all time.
posted by mwhybark at 10:51 PM on August 20, 2005

You need a come along.
posted by bat at 2:15 AM on August 21, 2005

I do a loop from the top of one post and another from the bottom of the other, so that the two loops can come within about 10" of each other. Then connect the two with a turnbuckle, and twist it tight.

You could also do a loop all the way from the top of one to the bottom of the other, pinch it together in the middle with a couple of twisted staples (or scrap pieces of wire) and then slide those pinchers towards the ends. It'll get tighter as you go.

My experience with both of these methods is with multi-strand (like Maxi-Shock) rather than high tension, so YMMV.
posted by Framer at 4:01 AM on August 21, 2005

Best answer: Part of the problem is figuring out the proper "knot" to tie, to do the initial splice. I'm worried that the hand-tied splices I'm making are too weak.

You want the double-loop knot illustrated in this PDF.
posted by bricoleur at 5:45 AM on August 21, 2005

My dad used a come-along . . .God I hated putting up fencing. Good luck with that.
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:07 AM on August 21, 2005

Take a look at the sleeves (we call 'em crimps) in bricoleur's excellent PDF. Slide one on, mash down on it with the crimping tool, and you're done. Much, much easier than trying to knot stiff stubborn wire. (Especially if you or any helpers have the XX chromosome configuration and/or the often-linked small hands and relatively low upper-body strength.)
posted by vetiver at 10:06 AM on August 21, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks, actually a lot of great answers here... you all rock!
posted by rolypolyman at 4:11 PM on August 21, 2005