Fence post corner...? Wrong?????

[Fuddy1952]

I recently got more land that I'm fencing about 500ft. I'm using 8"-9"x8ft treated posts every 50ft with 7ft T posts every 10ft between.
It's not perfectly straight line, halfway there's a slight angle, so there I use 3 posts with a treated 5"x7ft. across with galvanized pins I drilled.
I auger, then post hole clean out to 30" (posts I got were over 8ft some so about 6ft above ground).
I used heavy gauge wire and ratchets, center post galvanized U nail bottom, then nail to outside posts top where crosspiece is.
When I bury posts I put in a few inches dirt red clay, tamp heavy tamper, so on to top, making sure level as I go.
Now the problem...as I tighten ratchets it was pulling center post up! What was I doing wrong? All's well in the end because I used tractor loader bucket (actually lifted tractor off ground) then pulled back. I loosened ratchets first. Everything plumb I tamped with bar and sledgehammer.
Now everything is tight and level, curious what I did wrong at first?
Opening there I'm putting in a 12 ft. gate.

 

[ovrszd]

In a turn like that I make an "x" with the wire. Actually two "Xs". The additional two wires prevents the probem you are experiencing.

In your case, don't overtighten the wires.

Best way to do the wires is hand tighten, twist the ends together, then using a stick twist them until they are tight. Leave the stick in there with the long end wedged against your braces.

 

[bcp]

Yep. The tension from both directions is using the V arrangement of wires to lift the center post. Add wires to make two X patterns.

Bruce

 

[Fuddy1952]

Thanks. I was thinking about an X, I like the ratchets, they're not exensive, so should each side of the X have a ratchet? I assume so.
I did learn one thing the hard way which is drive the big staples in part way in, tighten, then drive then fully in after tightening.
I'm finding out fencing is a real art and finding easier ways to do things.

 

[Timm250]

I put the braces about halfway of the post height & put the wire in an x on both posts.

The braces at the top is what pulls the post over.

I also use rebar to pin the braces to the post. It is a lot cheaper than buying the galvanized pins.

 

[ovrszd]

I put the braces about halfway of the post height & put the wire in an x on both posts.

The braces at the top is what pulls the post over.

I also use rebar to pin the braces to the post. It is a lot cheaper than buying the galvanized pins.

Yep. Good stuff right there.

 

[Timm250]

I have also tried this with the wires at the top & tightening them with a ratchet. There's a 1/2 x 18" rebar drove through the post & into the brace.

I put this up in 2012 & it is still tight. The field floods & the water will completely cover the posts.

 

[bruceha2000]

What kind of critters are you trying to keep in such that you put wood posts every 50'?

• Cross piece should be at 3/4 the height of the posts above ground. That is part of your problem, the angle of the pull.
• Don't hammer the staples after tightening, they are there to hold the brace wire down and let it slip around the post as you tighten. The ratchet strainers keep the wire tight. You might need to adjust the tension at some point. Especially if the fence is new, might get some post shifting as the clay settles after a good rain. Kinda hard to adjust the tension if the staples are in tight. Oh yeah, you found that out already
• Yes, run brace wires both directions and yes put a ratchet strainer in each one in your example. What you have for brace wire SHOULD be OK IF the brace post were lower and the brace wire had a proper angle.
• If you are going to hinge a gate on an H brace with fence running to the other side, you need to X wire the H brace. The gate will try to pull one post away from the H and the tensioned wire will try to pull the other post the other way. Thus the top of each post needs to be anchored down to the base of the other post.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Horses.
My across the road friend has beef cows, 5" post every 60ft. For whatever reason for the few dollars more I like the large posts every 50ft.
The new neighbors have horses, going to get goats, cows, chickens, Lord knows what else. Their fence they had 'professionally' installed just 6ft steel T posts every 10ft, no posts. Fence already had a huge hole in it a couple weeks ago from running a bush hog through it to avoid a rabbit.
He's a dentist.

 

[oosik]

That middle picture tells the story. The wire bracing must be in an X pattern. As they are now - they are pulling that center post right out of the ground.

For any corner or change of direction I always use a rock filled gabion. Its about four tons of rock - stacked in a 4' x 4' x4' cube. I use old rejected industrial shelving. It is in 4'x16' chunks with expanded metal as the decking of the shelf. Cut & fold and you have a four sided cube. Locate where needed and fill with rock.

 

[ovrszd]

That middle picture tells the story. The wire bracing must be in an X pattern. As they are now - they are pulling that center post right out of the ground.

For any corner or change of direction I always use a rock filled gabion. Its about four tons of rock - stacked in a 4' x 4' x4' cube. I use old rejected industrial shelving. It is in 4'x16' chunks with expanded metal as the decking of the shelf. Cut & fold and you have a four sided cube. Locate where needed and fill with rock.

Wow!!! Tremendous amount of work to turn a corner. Got any pics?? Thanks.

 

[oosik]

I had two pictures specifically showing the gabions. For the life of me - I can't find them anywhere on the computer. Actually, the entire gabion situation is very easy for me. The neighboring original homestead has miles of rock walls. They built the walls when they cleared the rocks out of the fields. With the permission of the current owner - it was easy to gather the rock off the walls and put them in the gabions. I will get pics tomorrow and post - its too late and too cold at this moment.

 

[bruceha2000]

Horses.
My across the road friend has beef cows, 5" post every 60ft. For whatever reason for the few dollars more I like the large posts every 50ft.
The new neighbors have horses, going to get goats, cows, chickens, Lord knows what else. Their fence they had 'professionally' installed just 6ft steel T posts every 10ft, no posts. Fence already had a huge hole in it a couple weeks ago from running a bush hog through it to avoid a rabbit.
He's a dentist.

I like some wood posts as well, not so fond of digging the holes for them though. Of course the acre I fenced in 2 years ago was done by hand, didn't have the tractor then (haven't yet used the PH auger I got with the tractor a couple of months ago). Plus, I have lots of rocks and ledge, even a PH auger won't put holes in that. I have one fence line that is about 300'. About 120' of woven field fence (including H brace, fence, H brace) then a 12' gate, a floating braced post then field fence to the floating braced post at the corner. I hit ledge at 2' so I had to use concrete on that post. The "field" is filled with 7.5' T-posts spaced 10', sunk 2.5'. Of course the only animals I have in it are a bunch of chickens and 2 alpacas. Neither are hard on fences.

6' T- posts? Sunk 2' so a 4' fence? And no wood H-braces even at the corners? Does this neighbor have hot wire along the inside of the fence? Lots of people do that to keep the animals from putting any pressure on the fence itself. Height of the hot wire depends on the animals you want to keep away from the fence. Has your neighbor figured out that chickens can fly a 4' fence?

... For any corner or change of direction I always use a rock filled gabion. Its about four tons of rock - stacked in a 4' x 4' x4' cube. I use old rejected industrial shelving. It is in 4'x16' chunks with expanded metal as the decking of the shelf. Cut & fold and you have a four sided cube. Locate where needed and fill with rock.

Must be tough to get the fencing to the post I would think.

 

[Fuddy1952]

I like some wood posts as well, not so fond of digging the holes for them though. Of course the acre I fenced in 2 years ago was done by hand, didn't have the tractor then (haven't yet used the PH auger I got with the tractor a couple of months ago). Plus, I have lots of rocks and ledge, even a PH auger won't put holes in that. I have one fence line that is about 300'. About 120' of woven field fence (including H brace, fence, H brace) then a 12' gate, a floating braced post then field fence to the floating braced post at the corner. I hit ledge at 2' so I had to use concrete on that post. The "field" is filled with 7.5' T-posts spaced 10', sunk 2.5'. Of course the only animals I have in it are a bunch of chickens and 2 alpacas. Neither are hard on fences.

6' T- posts? Sunk 2' so a 4' fence? And no wood H-braces even at the corners? Does this neighbor have hot wire along the inside of the fence? Lots of people do that to keep the animals from putting any pressure on the fence itself. Height of the hot wire depends on the animals you want to keep away from the fence. Has your neighbor figured out that chickens can fly a 4' fence?



Must be tough to get the fencing to the post I would think.

Yes, Bruce...it's a weird fence.
Nice, wonderful people...but not farmers.
They did put plastic insulator caps on top of posts with electric fence wire. It's always off though.
It's been very entertaining though!

 

[oosik]

OK - Just so you know - its 26F and blowing here as I ventured to the very far corner of the property for these pictures. This gabion is the NW corner of my 80 acres. I took a tape measurer and it is - four feet wide by four feet deep by three feet high. The barb wire simply ties into the expanded metal on the sides. My eleven month old Chocolate Lab - Olly - didn't seem to mind the cold at all. I have six of these gabions on the fence line at various points around the property. The picture of the property - North is UP - West is to the Left - etc, etc.View attachment 578556View attachment 578557View attachment 578558View attachment 578559View attachment 578560View attachment 578561


Why the gabion here at the NW corner. At this point there is 14" of dirt over solid basaltic lava bedrock. A gabion is much easier, stronger and guaranteed to last almost forever. The rock walls where I get the rock for the gabion is about a quarter mile to the NW of this location.

 

[Fuddy1952]

I've never heard of that but seems like a great idea.
One place I noticed just over into the woods from a pasture is a large pile of quartz rock. I've always wondered what it was. There isn't much rock anywhere in fields, quartz is there and in creek but not that common.
I wonder if it could be an Indian burial mound.

 

[ovrszd]

I guess it could be. Where did they carry the quartz from and how far away is that??

 

[Fuddy1952]

That's what's so odd. There is quartz around but not all that common. When we get home next week I'll try to remember taking pictures.

 

[bruceha2000]

OK - Just so you know - its 26F and blowing here as I ventured to the very far corner of the property for these pictures. This gabion is the NW corner of my 80 acres. I took a tape measurer and it is - four feet wide by four feet deep by three feet high. The barb wire simply ties into the expanded metal on the sides. My eleven month old Chocolate Lab - Olly - didn't seem to mind the cold at all. I have six of these gabions on the fence line at various points around the property.

Why the gabion here at the NW corner. At this point there is 14" of dirt over solid basaltic lava bedrock. A gabion is much easier, stronger and guaranteed to last almost forever. The rock walls where I get the rock for the gabion is about a quarter mile to the NW of this location.

We appreciate your sacrifice!
OK, got it. I ASSUMED the post was in the middle of the gabion. WRONG! Best not have goats though, they would be over the fence in no time at all.