T-Post Bracing with Diagonal Member
 

Hi,

I'm putting in a short (60 foot) length of welded wire fence (4' tall),
using t-posts every 8 feet, and using a braced t-post at each end. This
isn't for farm animals, nor will it have any great load place on it, so it
doesn't have to be done with the standard concern for rigidity (FLW, I
know).

(ascii art follows, not to scale):

|\ |
| \ | \
| \ | \
| \ | Fence Pull Direction----
| \ | /
| \ | /
| \|

While it would be normal to use a wooden post for stability at the end, I
need to use a t-post at each end, which I will brace with a diagonal t-post
to an adjacent vertical post (I'm thinking three feet from the end post, and
using a five foot t-post for the diagonal - 3,4,5).

They sell a nifty product for connecting the t-post brace to the vertical
posts, company called "wedgeloc", but that'd be about 25 bucks extra, and
I'm not biting.

I am, instead, considering just drilling a 1/4" hole in the top of one and
the bottom of the other t-post, and using a 1/4" hex head bolt to fasten the
diagonal brace (which will also be drilled out with a 1/4" hole) , but I'm
thinking there has to be a slightly more clever way of doing this.

Given this situation, how would you connect the diagonal brace between the
two vertical members? I have lots of angle iron and a buzzbox, if need be.

Thanks,

Jon

T-Post Bracing with Diagonal Member
 

(ascii art follows, not to scale):

|\ |
| \ | \
| \ | \
| \ | Fence Pull Direction----
| \ | /
| \ | /
| \|


I've built WAY too much fence in my day. You got the diagonal backward. It
should be in tension, not compression. Then the brace piece goes horizontal.
Use a pair of wires for the diagonal, just a loop around both posts. Then
you can put a stick in the middle and wind to tighten. Pull on it till
square and tight. This is WAY stonger.


| /|
| ----------------------/--|
| / |
| / | ===
| / |
| / |


Karl

T-Post Bracing with Diagonal Member
 

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
anews.com...

(ascii art follows, not to scale):

|\ |
| \ | \
| \ | \
| \ | Fence Pull Direction----
| \ | /
| \ | /
| \|


I've built WAY too much fence in my day. You got the diagonal backward. It
should be in tension, not compression. Then the brace piece goes
horizontal. Use a pair of wires for the diagonal, just a loop around both
posts. Then you can put a stick in the middle and wind to tighten. Pull on
it till square and tight. This is WAY stonger.


| /|
| ----------------------/--|
| / |
| / | ===
| / |
| / |


Karl



I didn't mention the reason. design 1 has lifting force on the end post and
will pull it out of the ground. design 2 has a down force on post 2. No
problem.

karl

T-Post Bracing with Diagonal Member
 

Karl Townsend wrote:

I've built WAY too much fence in my day. You got the diagonal
backward. It should be in tension, not compression. Then the brace
piece goes horizontal. Use a pair of wires for the diagonal, just a
loop around both posts. Then you can put a stick in the middle and
wind to tighten. Pull on it till square and tight. This is WAY
stonger.
/|
--------------------------/--|
/ |
/ | ===
/ |
/ |


Karl



I didn't mention the reason. design 1 has lifting force on the end
post and will pull it out of the ground. design 2 has a down force on
post 2. No problem.

karl

Thanks Karl, that makes a load more sense, and the wire is cheap enough.
I'll go with it.

How would you attach the horizontal t-post rail to the vertical members,
though? Drill and use a bolt?

Jon

T-Post Bracing with Diagonal Member
 

How would you attach the horizontal t-post rail to the vertical members,
though? Drill and use a bolt?

You just need to hold it in place. Lots of ways. I'd want to do the work in
the shop, not in the field. How about weld a short piece of pipe large
enough to make a socket for the cross member on each post?

Karl

T-Post Bracing with Diagonal Member
 

"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
anews.com...


How would you attach the horizontal t-post rail to the vertical members,
though? Drill and use a bolt?

You just need to hold it in place. Lots of ways. I'd want to do the work
in the shop, not in the field. How about weld a short piece of pipe large
enough to make a socket for the cross member on each post?

Karl



I wonder if T rail is kind of like bed frames for welding...not great. I
would hacksaw the side flange of the horizontal brace to get a flat joint
with the two posts amd run a bolt through. We've used 10/24 stove bolts in
the past. It doesn't take much. Definately use the wire windlass.

John

T-Post Bracing with Diagonal Member
 

John Hall wrote:
"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
anews.com...


How would you attach the horizontal t-post rail to the vertical
members, though? Drill and use a bolt?

You just need to hold it in place. Lots of ways. I'd want to do the
work in the shop, not in the field. How about weld a short piece of
pipe large enough to make a socket for the cross member on each post?

Karl



I wonder if T rail is kind of like bed frames for welding...not
great. I would hacksaw the side flange of the horizontal brace to get a
flat joint with the two posts amd run a bolt through. We've
used 10/24 stove bolts in the past. It doesn't take much. Definately
use the wire windlass.
John

Thanks John, that's a good idea.

BTW, what do you mean by a "wire windlass"?

Jon

T-Post Bracing with Diagonal Member
 

"Jon Danniken" wrote in message
...
John Hall wrote:
"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
anews.com...


How would you attach the horizontal t-post rail to the vertical
members, though? Drill and use a bolt?

You just need to hold it in place. Lots of ways. I'd want to do the
work in the shop, not in the field. How about weld a short piece of
pipe large enough to make a socket for the cross member on each post?

Karl



I wonder if T rail is kind of like bed frames for welding...not
great. I would hacksaw the side flange of the horizontal brace to get a
flat joint with the two posts amd run a bolt through. We've
used 10/24 stove bolts in the past. It doesn't take much. Definately
use the wire windlass.
John

Thanks John, that's a good idea.

BTW, what do you mean by a "wire windlass"?

Jon


That's what Karl described: the diagonal wires twisted together with a stick
in the middle - properly called a spanish windlass- lets you pull everything
up tight.

John

T-Post Bracing with Diagonal Member
 

On Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:49:49 -0700, the infamous "Jon Danniken"
scrawled the following:

Hi,

I'm putting in a short (60 foot) length of welded wire fence (4' tall),
using t-posts every 8 feet, and using a braced t-post at each end. This
isn't for farm animals, nor will it have any great load place on it, so it
doesn't have to be done with the standard concern for rigidity (FLW, I
know).

(ascii art follows, not to scale):

|\ |
| \ | \
| \ | \
| \ | Fence Pull Direction----
| \ | /
| \ | /
| \|

While it would be normal to use a wooden post for stability at the end, I
need to use a t-post at each end, which I will brace with a diagonal t-post
to an adjacent vertical post (I'm thinking three feet from the end post, and
using a five foot t-post for the diagonal - 3,4,5).

You really want to use chain link tubing for the ends/braces.


They sell a nifty product for connecting the t-post brace to the vertical
posts, company called "wedgeloc", but that'd be about 25 bucks extra, and
I'm not biting.

They're absolute CRAP. Good for you for not biting. I used them on
the neighbor's fence and was thoroughly fed up with them within an
hour that day. They're about as satisfying as using Thompson's Water
Seal on a deck.


I am, instead, considering just drilling a 1/4" hole in the top of one and
the bottom of the other t-post, and using a 1/4" hex head bolt to fasten the
diagonal brace (which will also be drilled out with a 1/4" hole) , but I'm
thinking there has to be a slightly more clever way of doing this.

There's not enough t-member to drill and still have room spin the
nuts, is there?


Given this situation, how would you connect the diagonal brace between the
two vertical members? I have lots of angle iron and a buzzbox, if need be.

Buzzed angle iron is probably the better way to go if you're not using
tubing.

--
Mistrust the man who finds everything good, the man who finds everything
evil, and still more the man who is indifferent to everything.
-- Johann K. Lavater