Tree vs Fence

TL (Va)

Member
I knew it would be a matter of when and not if this would happen. Got the tree off, and straightened the fence out. Now the fence is loose and baggy in the area where the tree was on it. I can't see any signs of my connections being pulled loose, or my braces being moved. I guess the fence is just stretched in that area. What's the best way to tighten this up? Thanks!
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Woven wire is hard to keep tight you have a nice fence if its not a boundry fence one thing i do with fences is take a fence post and push the fence in or out hopefully it doesnt take much untill the fence is tight bad thing it doesnt look as nice because the fence is no longer straight but it save time and avoids twisting wires to tighten.all my newer fences have springs and tightners except the woven fences.
 

That tree does not appear to be all that big and heavy. Not to be picking on you, but it would almost seem that the fence was not stretched quite tight enough in the first place. I would consider taking the whole fence loose from the posts and re-stretching it.

Fence building is an art. I myself am not much good at it.
 
When I was a kid, we used a block and tackle designed for strechcing fences. I still have one. Haven't used it in decades.
 
I would put a fence stretcher on it and try repulling it again. Once wire is stretched you will be able to pull it tight but it won't look right where the tree fell on it.
 
(quoted from post at 17:19:52 08/24/14)
That tree does not appear to be all that big and heavy. Not to be picking on you, but it would almost seem that the fence was not stretched quite tight enough in the first place. I would consider taking the whole fence loose from the posts and re-stretching it.

Fence building is an art. I myself am not much good at it.
No offense taken, I was just a helper on the job and I'm no artist. Thanks for the advice.
 
I think we made a gismo that would put a bend in the wire to compensate for the fence getting stretched out of shape.

To describe the gismo, think of holding up 3 fingers and the middle finger would move, putting a bend in the wire.
 
Yes that would work but that fence is not stretched tight enough. If that fence was stretched right that branch would not smashed that fence that bad as it did.
 
(quoted from post at 10:39:21 08/24/14) Yes that would work but that fence is not stretched tight enough. If that fence was stretched right that branch would not smashed that fence that bad as it did.

Exactly!! That little branch would've had very little impact on a properly stretched, new fence.
 
Is it "Red Brand" fence??? The reason I asked is that RED brand seems to be real soft wire anymore. I had a 200 lbs. calf hit a section and stretched it all out of shape.

I second or third, taking it loose and stretching it again. LOL
 
Back in the day when we built fence we used two double ratchet pullers and I think they were made by Dillon. They were strong enough to actually pull a fence apart. I think I still have them hang in garage.
 
Earlier, I posted we had a block and tackle fence strecher. We used the gismo to compensate for something making the wires longer at top of fence after it was properly streched. We alternated wood and steel posts about every 15 ft too.

I'm not musically talented, but you could play a tune on our fences, they were that tight.
 
(quoted from post at 19:19:02 08/24/14) Is it "Red Brand" fence??? The reason I asked is that RED brand seems to be real soft wire anymore. I had a 200 lbs. calf hit a section and stretched it all out of shape.

I second or third, taking it loose and stretching it again. LOL

Yes, Red Brand Sheep and Goat fence
 
I once installed a chain link fence with a homemade stretcher which worked pretty well. I used a length of 2X4 as long as the height of the fence with 3 screw hooks, top, bottom, and center which would hold the fence in three places. I secured a short length of chain to the top and bottom of the 2X4 so that I could pull it at the center with a come-along. If you made some kind of similar fence puller, you might have to find some way to secure it at every horizontal wire attachment point, though, to keep from deforming the fence.

Stan
 
TL, As You said You knew it was a matter of time before It happened! SO Why Not Fix the Major problem Now before it happens again??????????
Here at my place in Texas I visit with the Neighbors about Dozing out the R.O.W. before I put in a new Fence It is a Win-Win for both of Us!
Unless your Neighbor is a complete Nincompoop, Jerk, Egghead, what ever, visit with Him/Her/They and open up the R.O.W. to the point Equal to
2x the height of the Over-story Canopy.....So that trees on the edge of the R.O.W. were to fall they will miss the fence and that will solve a great deal of extra unwanted work after the next T-Storm, Blizzard, what-ever! Also a gives you a new place to drive and check the fence, Hunt, plant food plots or what-have-you!
IMO this looks like a short run of fence!! (4 t-post across) it is stretched out more than you stretched it the first time. Take it loose (one corner and all T-posts) and re-stretch it again! This time stretch it! don't play around with it!
Get it tied off, and stapled, on the corner you take loose, THEN. CLIP EVERY WIRE on EVERY T-POST! it will help Keep the wire supported, and fence tighter
You Asked What To Do Here??!!!!!!
The Owner of the property shot himself in the foot by Half A$$ing the job to begin with, the wire wasn't properly stretched the first time. there still may not be enough wire in the fence to gain you what you need to get it properly stapled and tied-off. you may need to go back 8 feet or so an splice in a new piece to complete the job!
As others have said 2 Oak 2x4s bolted together & that are longer than the Net Wire is tall! use a chain and a cable Come-a-long or tie off on to a tractor to pull with will gain you the stretch you want.
I use a piece of 2 3/8 pipe mounted vertical on the back of my tractor I pull with ... No problem get a fence tight with a 100hp tractor!
*
Hope this helps, Not meaning to be short or rude with you here. I have seen this too many times in my life... a little extra work on the Front End will enable the final product to last 20,30,40 yrs! Not 1 to five before it has to be revisited again. One of my fences went 30 yrs before it needed any major maintenance!!!
Later,
John A.
 
(quoted from post at 20:02:53 08/24/14) I once installed a chain link fence with a homemade stretcher which worked pretty well. I used a length of 2X4 as long as the height of the fence with 3 screw hooks, top, bottom, and center which would hold the fence in three places. I secured a short length of chain to the top and bottom of the 2X4 so that I could pull it at the center with a come-along. If you made some kind of similar fence puller, you might have to find some way to secure it at every horizontal wire attachment point, though, to keep from deforming the fence.

Stan
We clamped the fence between two oak boards, and hooked a logging chain top and bottom and pulled w/come-along. I also have a single strand stretcher that belonged to my Dad. Looks kind of like an old bumper jack.
Any one have an opinion on which method I should use?
 
Where I live the summers are really hot and the winters not so cold but cold enough.

Build a fence in the winter time and it will sag in the summer, no matter how tight you stretch it. On the other hand, build it in the middle of the summer while hot, and it can pull the corner posts out. Some kind of springs help here, hard to do on a chain link style but it can be done. Also, you can run a ten gauge galvanized solid wire through the top and bottom and make it really tight. Even if the fence sags, the wire will support it.
 
It looks like the stretched section is almost right next to that corner post. I would try loosening the fence to the corner post and re-stretching that short length of fence.
 
This is the type of stretcer we used to pull fence. We have a pair of them and if no carefull you could pull a fence apart. We set haevy anchors on both ends and pulled it tight enough that cattle could lean againest it and fence didn't bow.
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I deal with trees falling on my 12 ml of page wire fence all the time with trees big and small on one or the other or both sides on most of its length.

little trees like in the pic should not do anything to that fence, so i think that fence was not stretched tight enough from the get go. They have to be stretched to the limit to stay straight year after year without sagging.
When i put up a page wire fence i use a steel clamp with wedges that grab all the wires at once. i use a chain on top and bottom of the clamp and hook them together to one side of the front end loader of my (80 hp) tractor.
I slowly pull the fence tight till the tractor spins out, then i put the brakes on so the tractor won't slip back,and double staple all the wires to the 2 nearest posts to the tractor.

When i get a big tree(1-2'+ dia) on the fence and i have either broken wires or over stretched wires(i cut those) i use an old calf puller with a power line wire clamps on each end (ordinary fence stretchers don't work on smooth wire) and pull the individual wires one at the time tight again and use a couple crimp sleeves to tie the ends back together. Trees up to a foot in dia don't cause much damage and the fence springs back to straight as soon as the tree is cut off it.

To the OP.
The easiest and fastest way to fix that sag is to cut that fence trough and pull each individuall wire together as tight as you can starting with the top one and use a couple or 3 crimp sleeves to connect them together.

My 2 c
 
Your method with the come-along sounds as if it accomplished exactly the same thing I described. That's the method I would use in this case, too. The single strand stretcher, if I interpret that correctly, sounds as if it could deform the fence badly because of the softness of the wire, as JD Seller notes.

Stan
 
My 9 yr old grandson did that to a 40' section that stands between a walk gate and the drive gate into our property. Got too close (there is a narrow spot there with a telephone pole ) he was trying to miss the pole with a trailer he was pulling and hooked a "T" post with the front wheel on the 2N. He was sure upset because he messed up the fence. Told him that stuff can be fixed. Looked real saggy and I couldn't really tighten it the way it was so I decided to replace the piece. I had given away what extra fencing I had to someone that needed it so I was going to buy a 330' roll. Last time I bought a roll it was $33.00. Price now....$150.00 for the same roll!
 
Just comments - Only the top of the fence is stretched, middle 1/2 way, bottom still OK. To re-stretch fence, it will lean left or right at the ends.

My situation - box wire fence stapled to wooden posts set 10 - 12 feet apart ----
What I've done for simple short areas and not so severe damage - I use a large adjustable wrench adjusted to the width of the wire, slip over the wire, and the give the wrench almost a 90 degree twist. The upper wires will need the most twists, middle wires fewer, and so on. Will take some time, but was easier than pulling all the staples and re-stretching. Got the fence good and tight, and the vertical wires were not leaning left or right.

Worked great for me......
 

When I had that happen I did similar to farmer from Lynville. I tightened at the nearest post then used pieces of wire to secure the extra that I had taken up.
 
(quoted from post at 11:20:54 08/25/14) Just comments - Only the top of the fence is stretched, middle 1/2 way, bottom still OK. To re-stretch fence, it will lean left or right at the ends.

My situation - box wire fence stapled to wooden posts set 10 - 12 feet apart ----
What I've done for simple short areas and not so severe damage - I use a large adjustable wrench adjusted to the width of the wire, slip over the wire, and the give the wrench almost a 90 degree twist. The upper wires will need the most twists, middle wires fewer, and so on. Will take some time, but was easier than pulling all the staples and re-stretching. Got the fence good and tight, and the vertical wires were not leaning left or right.

Worked great for me......
I think I will try that first. As you say the top half is stretched and the bottom half is still fairly tight.
Thanks,
TL
 

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