Thanks Howard, I appreciate the reply, that is very helpful to know.
I did so much zip tying with my tractor, I think I became a bit of an expert. By the end, when I was zip tying the hardware cloth to the cattle panels of the anti-dig mat, I was using a double loop at intersections, which locks the wire from moving left, right, forward, or back.
Same in the main cage of the tractor, always zip tie at an intersection, to stop movement in all directions. Also when lapping the hardware cloth six inches at joints of the hardware cloth, always taking the opportunity to not just tie the hardware cloth together, but do it in a spot where the same zip tie also ties the hardware cloth to the cattle panel wire again, like I said at intersections preferably.
If I was alone, I would walk outside the tractor and push both ends into the hardware cloth, so both ends were hanging inside the tractor. After doing hundreds like that, I'd walk in the tractor, zip all the ends down, then go back and cut real close all those hundreds of ends at once and toss them straight into a bucket. Sure didn't want to be lazy toss them on the ground, then have to hunt for them like my 13 year old wanted!
They really do a great job of getting tight, and looking good after you're finished.
That's just what I got good at. With practice, I'm sure the baling wire would be just as fast, and more permanent.
Definitely though, someone should spend a couple dollars more and get at least galvanized wire, or perhaps better the PVC coated wire.
I'm not kidding how bad cheap uncoated wire rusts, I've got a big roll of the double looped wire for rebar in my shed that's incredibly rusty, and it's not even exposed to rain.
Uncoated is just meant for tying the rebar this week, and encasing it in a concrete pour next week, that's all it's supposed to do, very short term. Exposed, it would be a huge mess long term.
I can see it now, rust all over the surrounding wire, and of course the rust is the oxidation and weakening of the wire as well.
