Bracing fence corners?

[RandB]

Our sheep are fenced with rolls of field fence, the kind with "box squares" in it, attached to metal T-posts. Over the past few years, some areas are getting "saggy" from the sheep rubbing on it and pushing against it. I am looking for suggestions on how to tighten and straighten it that won't cost a lot of money, as money is kind of a problem right now. I think if we had a good way to really brace the corners, it would help. Any ideas?

[just_sawing]

First of all take care of the bracing. They should be wood three to a corner with diagenial braces to the corner. Now pruchase a fence tightner for the resr it is like a currling iron for wire. They are not expensise but it is amazing on how fast you can repiar. . When that is finished it would be good to put a strong wire at the top for extra support.

[fordy]

Originally Posted by RandB

Our sheep are fenced with rolls of field fence, the kind with "box squares" in it, attached to metal T-posts. Over the past few years, some areas are getting "saggy" from the sheep rubbing on it and pushing against it. I am looking for suggestions on how to tighten and straighten it that won't cost a lot of money, as money is kind of a problem right now. I think if we had a good way to really brace the corners, it would help. Any ideas?

............The strength of any bracing is contingent upon the strength of the corner posts and Hbraces that the field fence wire is tied too!! IF , your posts are set deep and strong , then one of the easiest wayS to 'Brace' is to cement a deadman with a eye on each end of the run of the fence wire , say 6 feet out . Then , you simply UNtie the field fence and hook a cable from the deadman eye too the corner post with a turnbuckle and tighten appropriately . Now , you're ready to REstretch , the field fence , and retie the ends . Implicit within the restretch is, the fact , that , you will have to UNcilp the field fence from all Tposts and then REtie after you restretch the wire . This is actually more work than when the fence was origionally built . fordy

[WindowOrMirror]

Wedge-Loc's for the t-posts

[moopups]

Standard corners around these parts is a 10 to 12 inch corner post, and two lessor size posts as first line posts. A chain saw notch is cut into both the corner post and the line post at the same top height of the final fencing. A horizontally mounted small post (3 to 4 inch) is then nailed into both posts on both directions of the corner. Lastly a wire is installed diagonally between the top of the bigger post to the bottom of the line post, this wire is held in place with a pair of fence staples and is a complete loop with its ends twisted together. A metal rod or piece of pipe is then used to twist the center of the loop until the wire is very tightly wound. At this point some people install a wooden stick to prevent the wire from unwinding, I use a second piece of wire, first wrapped around the horizontal post above where the twist area is located and the lower end is inserted between the wires twists. Using your fence pliers open space at the front of its jaws, clamp the lower end of the wire very close to its first exposure after the twist area and then wrap at least 3 turns around the twisted loop, this leaves a neat permanent point of tension.

If using wooden posts and staples do not drive the staple all the way in, leave a tiny bit of non contact so the wire can exspand or contract with temperature changes, this will make your fence (single wire application) last for a very long time.

Once your corners are completed a small tractor will stall before breaking a multi unit or woven fence.

Edited to add, I forgot to mention that a second wire is also used in an 'X' fashion, as was pointed out below. Just make sure your second loop has the second loops wires on the same side of the first one as it is applied. Its that dreaded fence post wire dyslexia again!

[agmantoo]

Moopups, are you certain that the diagonal wire is as stated above? Just checking

[Rockin'B]

Some info on corners here:

Link

[Colorado]

My corners -ends are braced like Moopups says but the wire brace is X'd Two wires that cross.