Getting hinge joint fencing straight

[polk_farmer]

Doing some fencing at the moment, normally use Hampton HNHT wire? (Single vertical wire) which stands up quite well when strained up. But got some hinge joint wire at present. Our fields don't normally have many straight edges so when tightened up before intermediates go in there's normally good straight lines to work off, so isn't a problem.

But the ground im doing at the moment has quite long straight runs, a couple 300 metre runs and some runs where there aren't turners for perhaps 80 metres.

So my question is, how do I get a straight line from hinge joint fencing, as once it's tensioned on the strainers it still flops over, before I do the intermediates? Any tips? (That preferably don't involve string lines or plain HT wire) TIA

 

[neilo]

Put the odd stake in by hand perhaps, for it to lean on?

 

[polk_farmer]

Put the odd stake in by hand perhaps, for it to lean on?

Yes but it is getting them dead inline, going by eye isn't the most accurate, I was just wondering if there was some kind of knack to it that I havent found yet?

 

[Bury the Trash]

Doing some fencing at the moment, normally use Hampton HNHT wire? (Single vertical wire) which stands up quite well when strained up. But got some hinge joint wire at present. Our fields don't normally have many straight edges so when tightened up before intermediates go in there's normally good straight lines to work off, so isn't a problem.

But the ground im doing at the moment has quite long straight runs, a couple 300 metre runs and some runs where there aren't turners for perhaps 80 metres.

So my question is, how do I get a straight line from hinge joint fencing, as once it's tensioned on the strainers it still flops over, before I do the intermediates? Any tips? (That preferably don't involve string lines or plain HT wire) TIA

well a ht bottom wire is a good way mind you and worth the extra bit of work imo.

and same with a line i know its a faff but use poly electric fence wire (which makes a good line ) pulled tight as a line
then go along it with a red sheep aerosol marker and mark a dot where every stake will go along that line sounds even more of a faff but you can then remove the line and bang away with much more freedom
.and as opposed to working with the line in place and the possibilty of inadvertantly skewing it during work.
a measuring wheel can be used for stake spacing position or a string tied to your boot /ankle of the correct length between stakes and if necessary a small weight tied on the end of it will help to keep it pulled out to length each time
. bit like a ball and chain .....

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I use those fibreglass electric fence rods to stay up the netting, like the bones in a corset, as you say the hingejoint stuff is just great for not staying upright enough to give a distinct, straight line to follow
Polywire as good as most for a start and I just mark the posts out with a "ball and chain" and my spade as @Bury the Trash described - a T mark and then the posts are marked out - just my spare claw hammer taped to however many feet of string

 

[polk_farmer]

well a ht bottom wire is a good way mind you and worth the extra bit of work imo.

and same with a line i know its a faff but use poly electric fence wire (which makes a good line ) pulled tight as a line
then go along it with a red sheep aerosol marker and mark a dot where every stake will go along that line sounds even more of a faff but you can then remove the line and bang away with much more freedom
.and as opposed to working with the line in place and the possibilty of inadvertantly skewing it during work.
a measuring wheel can be used for stake spacing position or a string tied to your boot /ankle of the correct length between stakes and if necessary a small weight tied on the end of it will help to keep it pulled out to length each time
. bit like a ball and chain .....

Yea I've bitten the bullet and strung a few bits. Got 1200m of HT plain kicking round so I might use that on the runs splitting up the field to get them bang on

 

[Lapwing]

We are usually replacing old fences so there is usually some old but ok barbed wire around. We use it as a ground wire between strainers to mark a line & put the posts in before running out the net. The marker barbed wire is left at the bottom & handy to staple down into any hollows below the net rather than try to drag the whole fence down into small undulations.

 

[agrotron]

We put posts in first. Use an electric fence poly wire to mark the line. Doesn’t take long to put out. Put one strainer in then run it out while going to next strainer.

If you put the netting up first you can’t use the rock spike if required.