Whats best for fencing

bk1991

bk1991

Well-Known Member
We have to do a fair bit of fenceing some maintance but moastly renew most of it . Iv a bottoms that is fairly soft most the year it has two drains and a river needing fenceing off theres a mix of barbed wire and electric fence on it (its mild steel wire ) which i think has a tendency to break and not up to permant job . Most of the under ground wire going from the mains in shead is all domestic grey covered single copper wire .
I plan to renew all the wire from fencer in shead to the actual fences with the proper wire . What is my best bet on stakes for this ? Glanbia has offer of 18% off untill next friday .

What spaces do i need between posts ? Would 3/5 inch 5 fts b too light ? And heavier strainers ? I was thinkin of useing the high tensile wire too ?

Theres other fences that need patching so il have to try put barbed wire there . My plan is to pick a field eatch year and try tidy it up ditches fences and weed control etc .
 
Try out a few clipex posts. I did some this year and was well impressed with the ease/speed. Not dramatically more expensive than a wooden post and will last a hell of a lot longer.
 
If your using timber then creosote stakes are the only ones. The plain treated stakes are a waste of time. As far as the wire goes high tensile is far better for permanent fencing. It'll stay tighter and is able for the odd pull of a hedgecutter. Mild steel stuff stretches even under it's own weight. 5ft 4" to 5" stakes are plenty good in firm ground including them as strainers for mains fencing. 6ft on soft ground and proper strainers or for barbed wire fencing.
 
Ill second DP on the creosote. Proper job. But wear an old cote to knock them as you'll be covered in tiny dots of the stuff! Old railway sleepers are a good strainer.

I'd say you have it sorted otherwise.

The railway lot are going on about fencing one of our boundaries with clippex. Should be interesting how it does in stoney ground here. Not seen it used here yet.
 
I've read about lads using a battery SDS drill in stony ground for the clipex. Done that way they can fix it most places

clipex-standard-rock-post-01.jpg
 
diesel power said:
If your using timber then creosote stakes are the only ones. The plain treated stakes are a waste of time. As far as the wire goes high tensile is far better for permanent fencing. It'll stay tighter and is able for the odd pull of a hedgecutter. Mild steel stuff stretches even under it's own weight. 5ft 4" to 5" stakes are plenty good in firm ground including them as strainers for mains fencing. 6ft on soft ground and proper strainers or for barbed wire fencing.
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Agree on the stakes and wire and get yourself a Hayes strainer as well, none of this pulling wire with tractors or other nonsense!!
 
bk1991 said:
We have to do a fair bit of fenceing some maintance but moastly renew most of it . Iv a bottoms that is fairly soft most the year it has two drains and a river needing fenceing off theres a mix of barbed wire and electric fence on it (its mild steel wire ) which i think has a tendency to break and not up to permant job . Most of the under ground wire going from the mains in shead is all domestic grey covered single copper wire .
I plan to renew all the wire from fencer in shead to the actual fences with the proper wire . What is my best bet on stakes for this ? Glanbia has offer of 18% off untill next friday .

What spaces do i need between posts ? Would 3/5 inch 5 fts b too light ? And heavier strainers ? I was thinkin of useing the high tensile wire too ?

Theres other fences that need patching so il have to try put barbed wire there . My plan is to pick a field eatch year and try tidy it up ditches fences and weed control etc .
Click to expand...

Ive gotton rid of all the barb wire fences here on the farm and everywhere is now fenced with high tensile electric fence wire. Id start with getting rid of that domestic wire and change it for the highest strengh black insulated wire available. This will be a big help keeping a good conection from fencer to wire as the grey stuff only rusts. Before you head for the fields make sure that your earth points at the fencer are good as this makes a big difference.
This sounds like a big job have you thought about hiring in a crowd like the farm relief to fence a couple of fields for you. Ive used them in the past for fencing and ive found very good. Fencing is expensive the first day but if its done right it should last for 20 years with some annual maintence. I spend about 10 euros per acre on fence maintence every year. Remeber to keep all your reciepts as fencing is classed as a permenant fixture and you will be able to claim the vat back.
 
Barbed wire gone here too. Since Glas, I coppiced a lot of hedges. Had to fence both sides of them. Bought a stack of rebar and the insulators. Put up strong end posts and strained wire between them and did in between with rebar posts.

For glas, I have to maintain the hedges. I can drop these rebar posts and the wire to the ground in minutes to allow access with the hedgecutter.

Rebar will last a long time. Its 25 years since we were milking and we still have rebar posts from then.
 
Yup dad always used the domestic wire and its all rusted . I got 2.5 heavy insulated wire for this job . Biggest thing is getting it across road i dono if there water pape around the old one ......... . How far from hedge do ye keep the electric fence ? Do ye use any of the little wire tightnets or are the gimmek ?
 
bk1991 said:
Yup dad always used the domestic wire and its all rusted . I got 2.5 heavy insulated wire for this job . Biggest thing is getting it across road i dono if there water pape around the old one ......... . How far from hedge do ye keep the electric fence ? Do ye use any of the little wire tightnets or are the gimmek ?
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Put the new wire into a length of water pipe before you shove it under the road. It will make the job easier and help protect the wire. I keep out about a metre away from the hedge it's enough to work the hedge cutter behind and keeps the dirt back. I use the medium size gripples here on the high tensile wire. Their handy for a quick repair. Is there any places local to you that hire out stake pounders for the day?
 
Hope fully thats done already . Cause indono how il get it under road otherwise . The fencer in shead is earthed to a solid bar burried in concrete iv never seen it any other way ....... will 5 ft be of for the posts and heavier 6fts for strainers ? I was thinking of the gripples then if it loosenes easy tighten . Thats what i dont kno i dont thinl so . Im planing on trying to do as much as i can this year and hopefully next year get in a contractor to do a field or two and do same year after . Its great to have piece of mind that the cattle are where there soposed to be when i get home from work
 
bk1991 said:
Hope fully thats done already . Cause indono how il get it under road otherwise . The fencer in shead is earthed to a solid bar burried in concrete iv never seen it any other way ....... will 5 ft be of for the posts and heavier 6fts for strainers ? I was thinking of the gripples then if it loosenes easy tighten . Thats what i dont kno i dont thinl so . Im planing on trying to do as much as i can this year and hopefully next year get in a contractor to do a field or two and do same year after . Its great to have piece of mind that the cattle are where there soposed to be when i get home from work
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If the old wire is still going under the road I'd tie tie the new one to it and pull it through that way. The stakes will be the finest for cattle. I'd be trying to put down all the strainers first as you would be able to fence the rest of it temporary if time was against you. Ask around locally there must be someone near you with a pounder that could come for a day to pound stakes for you. I pound down all my neighbours stakes for him with my tractor and when I'm fenceing I get him to put down the stakes with me.
 
That was in my head too . Once it doesnt snap . Ye id prob be able keep the posts straighter that way . Iv a neighbour i can get to come he will pound them down or could get the digger man either . What insulators is good for posts ? The pipe kind with staple ? And put few extra on wire too ?
 
bk1991 said:
That was in my head too . Once it doesnt snap . Ye id prob be able keep the posts straighter that way . Iv a neighbour i can get to come he will pound them down or could get the digger man either . What insulators is good for posts ? The pipe kind with staple ? And put few extra on wire too ?
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I've found the track machine totally useless at driving stakes compared to the pounder. I use the pipe insulators there's no need for any extra ones they'll still be on the line after the staple falls out. The straight pipe on the strainers is easier to tension a fence compared to the insulated eggs.
 
Going at fencing the farm into mapped out paddocks this week 1 straight electric strand , just wondering what lads reckon the best way of doing it is? Never used gripples before usually use the hayes wire strainer but have heard lads say the gripples are a better job and quicker to do? Dry farm so going to go with 5ft creosoted stakes with a gap at both ends of paddock onto roadway and a gap at both ends of paddock joining them onto the next paddock, anyone have any advice on what theyd do differently if they were fencing the whole farm again starting new?
 
Stopped using Gripples altogether,expensive little buggers and unless their tied off completely will pull after a few years.
Easier just knot the wire and pull to the corner with the Hayes strainer.552EFEE4-FFB5-4F00-9C60-60F4CD4EAE6F.jpeg
 
I use 8 knots,strainrite crimps but mostly use gripples purely because of speed,never had one fail yet or come slack.
 
Anytime I use gripples I fold the wire back so if they let go it is still held, make gaps from roadway 20ft wide and let one gap serve 2 paddocks with a wire from the paddock divide that can be moved to either side of the roadway gap iykwim.
 
Mf310 said:
Going at fencing the farm into mapped out paddocks this week 1 straight electric strand , just wondering what lads reckon the best way of doing it is? Never used gripples before usually use the hayes wire strainer but have heard lads say the gripples are a better job and quicker to do? Dry farm so going to go with 5ft creosoted stakes with a gap at both ends of paddock onto roadway and a gap at both ends of paddock joining them onto the next paddock, anyone have any advice on what theyd do differently if they were fencing the whole farm again starting new?
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Bungee cords (6 wire not 4) for the gaps and 6" galvanised pipes instead of strainers.
 
jpt said:
Stopped using Gripples altogether,expensive little buggers and unless their tied off completely will pull after a few years.
Easier just knot the wire and pull to the corner with the Hayes strainer.View attachment 78931
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Amazing everyone has different opinions on the hayes strainer/gripple debate personally id have always thought the hayes strainer way was elite but others telling me gripples are the only job .

Arthur said:
Anytime I use gripples I fold the wire back so if they let go it is still held, make gaps from roadway 20ft wide and let one gap serve 2 paddocks with a wire from the paddock divide that can be moved to either side of the roadway gap iykwim.
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Deadly lads its hints like this Im after, wouldnt have thought of doing this but I can see the theory behind it

6600 said:
Bungee cords (6 wire not 4) for the gaps and 6" galvanised pipes instead of strainers.
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Had heard the bungee cords go very slack overtime and dont carry current well after a year so was going to go with spring gaps but maybe you have different experience? 6” galv pipe would be serious strainers alright
 
Mf310 said:
Had heard the bungee cords go very slack overtime and dont carry current well after a year so was going to go with spring gaps but maybe you have different experience? 6” galv pipe would be serious strainers alright
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Have everything on bungee here now, at least you and the cows can see them. Don't have a quad but wire could be lethal if you ran into with one. Used be forever going around replacing handles that got pulled and wire that had kinked.
There are two types, the red one has 6 wires and the blue 4. Use the 6 wire one. About €110 for 2 50m rolls. Trick is to not have them stretched to the max and leave them open in the winter.
 
If you bury a insulated wire cross the gap to carry the shock even when the gap is open It’s a good idea too and I think it saves the bungee as they’re not carrying the full load of the fencer.
Always found springs a disaster for knotting and the ones I found were only recommended for small gaps, (would 5m be right?) too small nowadays and once they’re stretched at all they’re ruined, the bungee cord is the only way to go
 
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