ON THE LAND

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LI, Issue 5, 31 January 1924, Page 45

ON THE LAND

The Utility Fence

(Contributed.)

ATTACHING WIRES TO THE IRON ROST.

But to return to our iron post: "How are you going to attach the wires to it is one of the first questions to be expected from those who still adhere to the custom of stapling to wooden posts. The answer is a simple one. When the strainer is stayed in position ready to wire to, split a totara batten so that it will fit in between the flanges of the iron rail, then turn the wires around both, securing each wire in its proper place, spacing them to the desired gauge. Drive a batten staple over each wire into the batten to fix it in position, and when , the wires are tightened there need be no apprehension of/their shifting; all the pressure is taken by the iron rail, and the totarabatten will have an extremely long life as si ch, as it is .above ground. ; • Wire-lacing would do just as well where ii is required to guard against fire risks, and could be done in a few minutes. The iron rail might also be drilled to the required gauge, but in practice it has never appeared necessary on account of the extra trouble and expense involved, when the above method, which is so simple, acts just as well. HOW TO FIX THE STAY. With regard to the staying of the post, Many of the railway rails are drilled in the flanges where the spikes passed through them to secure them to the sleepers before they were discarded by the railway department. These holes may be used to secure the stay; especially where a wooden stay is used, they are very serviceable. Of course, where wood is used for this purpose it shoulr be totara, jarrah, or of the most lasting variety. Fit the stay in the required direction, with the stay-head resting between the two flanges, then take the wire-twister and a short piece of No. 7 wire, run the end of the wire through the hole in the post (which can almost always be got below the stay). A few turns by the twister will secure the wire to the rail, then bring the wire tautly up the post to the head of the stay, which should have been previously cut on the bevel to fit up against the post, and shaped each side so as to completely fill up the spree between the flanges; turn across the stay-head; beat the wire well home to the stay-head and staple on tcp so as to leave no chance of slipping. This is all that i? necessary. A description of the manner of fixing the stay in the ground will be given when we come to i he chapter on erection. There need be no apprehension that th stay will turn when fitted as above, because there will be a Heavy pressure on it when the wires are strained, ani it cannot turn sideways, being wedged in by the flanges of the rail. Note here that the post must be put up with the flanges facing the direction of the fence line, to suit this manner of staying. The wooden stay can be easily fitted to the iron post, and this combination of wood and iron is a d.stinct gain over the wooden post, in as much as though the stay will need renewing in 20 or 30 years after erection, the post which it supports will last about a hundred, am' has, moreover, the... advantage of being fireproof. The post does not require drilling for the fixing of the stay. The convenience of its adaptability to being easily fitted in circumstances where iron is not readily available prompted me to describe the method of fixing the wooden stay: by using '.iron for this purpose, also, durability might be extended almost to its farthest limit. To fix the iron stay, drill a hole in the centre of the post iiptween the flanges—about 13 to 15 inches from the , top is about the right height—and large enough for the insertion of a $-inch. or f-inch bolt, which should project far enough through the iron rail to act as an unquestionably certain stop for the head of the iron stay. Tie stay will be immovable when the pressure resulting from.the straining of the wires comes upon it, for the stop ..will prevent it from slipping upwards, and " the flanges or. each side of it prevent its being forced out of position, on either side. ''■*"• .•'.'■■'.'■' *';'■'. '■ ' ','■ " -. v; r : r .'•-.•t ''':'*<.'-.'•■' -.' : -: .■■•■■■ " ;,; '"-';.;■. .. '

f .;;, K .I A,TRIANGULAR CONCRETE POST. '&? With the object* of lightening the post as much as possible, consistent with the necessary strength, moulds of triangular < shape are worth considering. The maximum strain to which posts are subjected occurs at the surface line, and, generally speaking, side on to the fence, so that the isosceles-triangular form -would be the best shape for the moulds. The angle made by the two greater sides might be rounded off and the face of the post opposite grooved to a g.iuge in the manner of the "B" ixnt described, in these pages. Wire does not take sharp angular bends kindly, and the rounding-off saves a lot of beating into shape. Angles would be the best position for reinforcing rods. The continuous binding attachment similar to that used on the "B" post would appear to be the most sutable for a triangular-shaped post, and with a view to diminishing the weight as much as possible the post might be made hollow at its greatest size, say about a foot from the bottom. It should not be weakened too near to the ground surface line. These hints are offered in the nature of a'suggestion by the writer, who, so far, has not manufactured posts in this shape. After all there is not much to be gained in weight by the difference in this shape and that of the "B" post, which is somewhat of oblong form with one flat face; but the proposition is practical,, and may commend itself to some. ANCHORS. ' • Anchors are substitutes for and take the place of straining-posts, than which they are more easily fixed, less costly, lighter by far to carry, and probably more lasting than the majority of wooden strainers. In a well-tightened fence all the pull comes in the shape of a dead lift upon the anchor in the bottom of the hole, at an angle of about 60 degrees, and against the solid earth. This makes for more strength and less "give" than is the case with the straining-post, which being by half above ground acts in some sort as a lever, the fulcrum being the ground line, the resistance the lower part (if the post, wedged in by the surrounding earth, and the power, the strain of the wires above ground, which exercise great pressure on the stay. From this it will be evident how important it is to fix the stay well. No stay! No fence! For wherever i+ gives, in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred the post will follow. '■'.'■". HOW TO MAKE THE ANCHOR, To make the best anchor take a piece of the heaviest galvanised wire obtainable (No. 0), about lift Gin to 13ft long, according to the place for which it is destined as well as the size of the anchor-bar or block intended to bo put in the earth. ...,-••■ To make the eyelet to. which .the wires are to be fastened a good plan is to staple a couple of wire loops on to the top and bottom rails of a timber panel, so that a round iron bar or piece of piping can be passed through them in an -upright position, and be easily taken out when the eyelet is made. Slip in one end of the anchor wire between the rails and the bend can then be made round the iron bar with the hands. About 15ins from the end is the distance at which to start the bend, so as to allow about 9ins for twisting. The bend being made, have at hand a bar of iron about 2ft long by about fin or £in thick, in which a hole has been drilled near one end, and just large enough for the anchor wire to pass through to serve as a twister. Don't make the first turn too short. Give it a rather long turn to guard against the possibility of breaking when subjected to strain. Short bends are more snappy than the longer kind. Next, make one or two more turns as close up to each other as possible, to make a neat finish, and the operation is performed. If the material for the anchor be a short bar or piece of - iron, a similar eyelet may be made at the other end through which the anchor bar is inserted when the hole has been sunk in the ground; but if it be a block of wood, first round off all corner edges at the centre thereof (where the anchor wire is to be secured), then lay the block down on, the wire, calculate how much' wire will: be needed to encircle it, drive in staples to keep the wire well up to the block at the corners, then hold 'the block 'or put it between two fixed posts, or any other, device that will keep it from turning, and finally get the ;' twisting lever '■'. and take " two or ; three turns .-> as previously described to make all secure. As before "9ins" should be allowed for twisting. \ :>''"' : :; -'.v : 'U'r''. ;V '"'•':(To be continued.) ;:v ■■'■"■•■'•: .. ■- .. ■>.:'■ ' , "■' ■: ■',:<"■«. •. • U '•'■■- ■•■ -•■,■■ -.\ •:■ ■ -'." ; :■ v-... '•■• ■■" '.*■■:■"•■' •': ' A: ■■;*.. -i'V,v. • '■:■■; '. "V'- ■•■••■■..,'.l ■-■•-. , ','.,'.' ,- .--.:.■ :<■:-■; ; •;'•.:'■■ • j-.V.'.^'av v.-;.; .. y .: : . ■■■•:/■ .-",.- <■■■•■: ■•..• ■ . ■■:■. ■- :•" •'.■■ ; ■.-.',':' :nr' : ■•■:\'\j' - : ,'H