Fencing

INSTALL, MAINTAIN AND INSTALL, MAINTAIN AND REPAIR FENCINGREPAIR FENCING

FencingFencingThere are a number of reasons

for fencing.Fences can be used to:

◦Define boundaries◦Separate paddocks◦Keep stock in or out◦Decoration◦Keep stock off crops◦Isolate or quarantine areas of risk

Types of fencesTypes of fencesThere are two main types of

fences used in agriculture.These are:

◦Conventional◦Electric◦Post and rail (wooden)◦Steel◦Brick

Electric fencingElectric fencingElectric fencing uses an

electrical current supplied by either mains power or batteries.

The current runs along the wire and when touched by an animal completes a circuit and the animal is ‘zapped’.

This causes stock to stay away from fences.

Electric fencing cont…Electric fencing cont…The main advantages to electric

fencing are: ◦It is easily installed◦It can protect the fence from damage

The disadvantages for electric fencing are:◦It can lose power and become

ineffective◦It is expensive to run

Conventional fencingConventional fencingConventional

fencing is the fencing you usually see as you are driving throughout the country

It consists of end assemblies, star pickets (posts), and fabricated and straight wire.

•This is the type of fence you will build at the school farm.

Conventional fencing Conventional fencing cont…cont…The advantage of conventional

fencing are:◦It is cheap to maintain once built◦It is easily repaired

The disadvantages of conventional fencing are:◦It is labour intensive to build◦It is expensive initially◦It can be damaged as stock graze

through it.

Conventional fencing Conventional fencing cont…cont…To begin construction of a

conventional fence. You start with the strainer posts. These are located at either end of the fence and hold the wire.

Conventional fencing Conventional fencing cont…cont…The number of strainer posts

used depends on the type of end assembly.

You can use either a post and stay assembly or a box end assembly.

Post and stayPost and stay

Post holePost holeMost fences are

started by erecting the strainer posts.

A hole must be dug in order to place the strainer in the ground.

A post hole can be dug in a number of different ways, including:◦With a PTO driven auger

on a tractor or other motorised vehicle like a bobcat or dingo digger.A number of different auger sizes are

available for different sized holes.

They can also be dug with a hand held motorised auger.

Or by hand with a shovel and crowbar.

Strainer postsStrainer postsOnce the hole has been dug at either end

of the fence. The strainer post are placed in to them.

Strainer posts can be made from a number of materials.

Usually they are either solid hardwood or tubular steel.

Hardwood strainer posts are placed in the ground and have earth rammed back around them.

Steel strainer posts are placed in the ground and are usually concreted in place.

StaysStaysOnce the strainer posts are in

place. A stay is put in.The stay runs from about three

quarters of the way up the post to the ground.

This is to stop the post being pulled over when the wire is tensioned.

Stays cont.Stays cont.Stays are held in place by

placing a rock, concrete pad or other stopper in the ground .

This creates a bigger surface area to push against the hard earth when the fence has been tensioned.

Star postsStar postsOften called star

pickets, these are the next to go in after the strainer posts and stays.

Generally one wire is tensioned between the two strainer posts and is used as a straight line.

Star post driverStar post driverStar posts are

driven in using a star post driver, often referred to as a ‘dolly’.

These can be driven by hand or using pneumatic power.

WireWireOnce all the star posts are in the

ground the wire can be run.Wire comes in a number of

different forms, including:◦Plain wire◦Barbed wire◦Hinge joint◦Ringlock◦Wire netting

Plain wirePlain wireWe use high tensile wire at

school. This allows for a greater strain along the fence line.

The high tensile wire has a zinc coating with a light protective coating on top which gives it a blue appearance. This is to prolong the life of the wire.

Barbed wireBarbed wireBarbed wire is two runs of plain

wire twisted together with barbs or sharp ends twisted on at set intervals.

The main purpose of barbed wire is to prevent stock (especially cattle) leaning through and damaging the fence.

Wire nettingWire nettingOften referred to as

chicken wire.It has a similar

appearance to netting used in fishing.

The gaps which appear in the wire are quite small, and is therefore used to keep small animals in or out.

Hinged jointHinged jointHinged joint has

seperate vertical droppers which are wound like a hinge around the horizontal wires.

The advantage of this type of wire is that it can be straightened up if a tree for example falls on the fence.

Ring lockRing lockMuch the same in

appearance as the hinge joint.

However, ringlock has only one vertical wire (or dropper), meaning it does not have the same possibility of straightening after impact.

Prefabricated wire fencingPrefabricated wire fencingPrefabricated wire fencing is an all in one

type of fence, with a series of vertical and horizontal wires. Meaning that time for fence construction is greatly reduced.

Prefabricated wire fencing Prefabricated wire fencing cont.cont. Prefab fencing includes

hinged joint and ringlock.These are always sold

according to size and type, which is displayed as 7,90,30.

7 refers to the number of horizontal wires.

90 is the space between the top and bottom wires in centimetres.

30 is the space between the vertical wires (droppers) in centimetres.

Fixing the wire to the Fixing the wire to the fencefence

Once the wire for the fence is in place it needs to be fixed to the strainer posts at either end of the fence.

It also needs to be fixed to the star posts along the fence and it needs to be joined where extra wire or a break occurs.

These can be fixed using knots or gripples in conjunction with a fence strainer and tensioning gauge.

Fencing knotsFencing knotsThe knot at the

top is a figure of 8 knot. It is the strongest of all knots.

The one in the middle is a square knot

The knot at the bottom is a double loop knot.

Fencing knots cont.Fencing knots cont.Other useful

knots include the end knot (top)

The donald knot (centre)

The pin and loop knot (bottom)

StrainingStrainingThe knots are tied

whilst the strainers hold the wire tight.

The strainers are then let out and the knot holds the tension in the fence.

A wire tensioning gauge is used to ensure the correct tension is placed on the wire.

GripplesGripplesGripples are a

relatively new invention which hold the wire together without the need for a knot.

They can be strained tight using a gripple tool.

An advantage is the time saved.

A disadvantage is the cost.

Attaching the wire to the Attaching the wire to the postsposts

Once the wire is fixed and strained. It should be tied off to the star posts.

It is recommended to tie the wire off rather than run it through the posts as this can strip the protective coating off the wire.

Finishing the fence.Finishing the fence.Once the wire has been attached and

tied off the fence is basically finished.At this stage all waste material should

be collected and disposed of in a responsible manner.

All left over materials should be stored for later use.

The only thing left to do at this stage is add a gate.

Methods for joining gatesMethods for joining gatesThere are a number of methods for fixing gates to posts. Often this will depend on the type of strainer post. One example of this is shown in the pictures below where a fence is fixed to the prefabricated concrete post with bolts.

Fencing Tools and Fencing Tools and equipmentequipmentThere are a number of tools and

equipment used in the construction of fences.

They range from large and complex machines to small hand tools

Some of the tools and equipment used are shown on the following slides.

Fencing pliersFencing pliers

Wire cuttersWire cutters

ShovelShovel

Crow barCrow bar

DrillDrill

Spirit levelSpirit level

Strainer posts and staysStrainer posts and stays

DroppersDroppers

Star picketsStar pickets

GeneratorGenerator

SafetySafetyAs with all aspects of Agricultural work

injuries can occur when fencing.It is important to be aware of the risks

and to take all possible actions to prevent them.

Basic first aid training is recommended, and a first aid kit should always be kept near by and fully stocked.

Some of the PPE which should be used is shown on the following pages.

Student taskStudent taskCorrectly name all the items

shown on the previous page.Give a brief explanation and

example of how each piece of PPE could prevent injury.