Tips for streaching wire

[lesgo54]

Im soon going to build a run. what are some tips on streaching 2x4 fencing and 1/2 x 1/2 hardware cloth. nad for that matter any other types of fencing

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are a lot of different ways and how level your ground is has a lot of influence.

Hardware cloth is not that hard. It’s so stiff you don’t have to do much. The 2x4 fencing is harder.

One big thing with any welded or twisted wire fencing is to start it off right. Attach it so you can easily adjust it if it does not run along the ground right.

Another thing, especially on ground that is not level, is to not be afraid to cut it at a post and start over. You have to be able to pull equally top and bottom to be able to keep it tight. That’s just not going to happen on uneven ground.

Do not stretch the fending around a corner post. You will break that post. Only pull in a straight line.

Hopefully others will have some tips. There are a lot of techniques out there to do this and some pretty experienced people on this forum.

I made a fence stretcher. My fencing was 5’ long so I cut two 2x4’s that length and drilled three holes in them, one near each end and one in the middle. I clamped that over the end of the fencing I was pulling on using bolts, washers, and nuts. Then I attached a bridle to do the pulling. That was simply a rope that was attached to my stretcher at the top and the bottom. It was slack so it formed a triangle when I started pulling on it. It’s important that you pull equally top and bottom. With that rope having slack I could adjust it to get even pull. I then anchored to something, maybe a tree, a post, or even a lawn tractor, and used a 2-ton come-along to stretch it.

I don’t have any good photos which I know would help you understand this. The main idea is to clamp it at the end with something rigid enough that you are not warping or distorting the wire. Keep the top and bottom even.

 

[Hollow Point]

There are a lot of different ways and how level your ground is has a lot of influence.

Hardware cloth is not that hard. It’s so stiff you don’t have to do much. The 2x4 fencing is harder.

One big thing with any welded or twisted wire fencing is to start it off right. Attach it so you can easily adjust it if it does not run along the ground right.

Another thing, especially on ground that is not level, is to not be afraid to cut it at a post and start over. You have to be able to pull equally top and bottom to be able to keep it tight. That’s just not going to happen on uneven ground.

Do not stretch the fending around a corner post. You will break that post. Only pull in a straight line.

Hopefully others will have some tips. There are a lot of techniques out there to do this and some pretty experienced people on this forum.

I made a fence stretcher. My fencing was 5’ long so I cut two 2x4’s that length and drilled three holes in them, one near each end and one in the middle. I clamped that over the end of the fencing I was pulling on using bolts, washers, and nuts. Then I attached a bridle to do the pulling. That was simply a rope that was attached to my stretcher at the top and the bottom. It was slack so it formed a triangle when I started pulling on it. It’s important that you pull equally top and bottom. With that rope having slack I could adjust it to get even pull. I then anchored to something, maybe a tree, a post, or even a lawn tractor, and used a 2-ton come-along to stretch it.

I don’t have any good photos which I know would help you understand this. The main idea is to clamp it at the end with something rigid enough that you are not warping or distorting the wire. Keep the top and bottom even.

I use the same set up, only I don't use a come-a-long, I keep a steady pull with my 4-wheeler while nailing the fence to the corner post. I use this setup on all livestock fencing..

 

[chfite]

For my run, I did not stretch the 2 x 4 wire. I left it loose at the top to dissuade climbing.

Chris