THE HANDY MAN’S CORNER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3862, 20 March 1928, Page 10

THE HANDY MAN’S CORNER.

GARDEN FENCES.

( Special fop. the Otago Witness.)

Here are two fresh ideas for inexpensive but attractive fences which can be made by any handy man.

The first, illustrated in Fig. 1, is specially suitable for the garden, and is made throughout with rough poles from which the bark. is peeled. The posts should be about 4in in diameter and approximately 4ft 6in long, allowing 18in for embedding in the ground and 3ft standing above it. The posts should be spaced about Bft to 10ft apart, and be connected by two inclined poles about 2jin in diameter arranged in a diamond pattern as shown. These serve the purpose of bracing the posts, and also help to keep them in position. A horizontal bottom rail about 2in in diameter is nailed between the posts, and the framework is then ready for the pales. These can be made from cleft chestnut sticks, or can be rent plasterers’ laths about wide and |in thick. To get a nice even curve at the top, drive a temporary nail into each post about 2in from the top, and fasten string between them, allowing the line to sag in the middle until it shows a nice curve. See that all have the same dtop, and then proceed to nail the pales in place, cutting them to the proper lengths to that the top ends touch the line, and the bottom finishes at the lower rail. The whole, when finished, can be given a coat or two of hard copal varnish.

The second fence is suited to the forecourt or entrance of the house, and is made throughout with prepared timber. The posts are Sin square, the cap or top rail 3in wide and 3in deep, planed to a V-shape on the top. The second rail is a round bar lin in diameter, the third rail is 3in wide, deep, and planed on top to a shallow V-shape. The bottom rail is 3in wide and 2in deep. Between the two lower rails a series of short, vertical pales are fitted; these are likewise lin diameter round bars.

All this material can be had at low rates from any timber merchant, and should be bought “ prepared,” that is, machine-planed on all surfaces. The height of the fence and the spacing of the posts can be arranged .to suit the required conditions, but it will be found that proportions of 4 in height to 6 of length will look agreeable ■ and prove practical as regards strength and so forth. Thus if the posts stand 4ft out of the ground, they should be spaced aboht 6ft apart. Tlie best way to carry out

the work is to prepare all the pieces in advance, give them a coat or two of “ under-coating ” or red lead paint, and then erect them in their proper positions. Tlie various parts and their treatment are shown in the diagram, Fig 3. The posts are cut to length, allowing about 15in to 18in for sinking into th'- ground. A hole is then drilled into the end of the top, and a dowel pin. A, about in diameter driven into it and left protruding about lj,in above the end of the post. A hole is drilled through the post

for the rails, B, which can be left in a long length and pushed through several of the posts, or inserted in sections, each post supporting an end of the rail to right and left. The middle rails, C, must be tenoned and fitted into mortices in the posts as shown, a like treatment being given to the bottom rail, D. The first step in erecting is to fix one of the end posts perfectly square and upright. Strut it up temporarily with a couple of diagonal braces, the upper ends being nailed to the posts, and the lower ends secured to stakes driven into the ground. Rain the earth well in around the post, and then insert the lower and middle rails. The upright posts should already be fitted into the holes drilled in the top surface of the lower rail, as shown at I), in Fig. 3, and similar holes in the underside of the middle rail, C. This done, fit the next post against the ends of the rails, with the tenons nicely fitted into the mortices. Adjust the height and position of the post by a line stretched tightly between the end post and a temporary stake. This line should be adjusted until it is level, and the post raised or lowered a trifle, as may be necessary, until the rails are perfectly level. Insert the bar, B, according to its length, and continue in this way until the whole is thus far completed. Then take a long length of capping rail, A, and after blacking the tops of the dowel pins, put the rail into position and press it on to the pegs. Drill the necessary holes at these points, and fit the rail on to the dowels. If marked in this way the rail will fit perfectly and finish off the constructional work. All joints are then completed by small dowel pins about Jin in diameter driven through holes drilled through the post and the tenon or the bar, as the case may be. The capping rail can be secured with a well countersunk brass screw into the top of each post. Finish the work by thoroughly painting with a final coat of varnish or enamel.