{"id":3256,"date":"2014-05-09T10:34:44","date_gmt":"2014-05-09T14:34:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/livestock\/?page_id=3256"},"modified":"2025-02-19T15:34:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T20:34:54","slug":"appendix-b","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/livestock\/pasture-course\/lesson-3\/appendix-b\/","title":{"rendered":"Lesson 3. Fencing Systems — Appendix B"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Stronger Brace: It\u2019s Less Expensive and Easier to Build, Too!<\/h3>\n

The following is a brace design that is less expensive and a bit easier to build. It\u2019s called a Diagonal Strainer. <\/i>This design has been tested and compared to a standard \u201cH\u201d brace on clay soils. The diagonal strainer was 8% stronger than the \u201cH\u201d brace. The brace failed at a load of 8400 pounds (that\u2019s over 5 <\/i>times the load you\u2019d be likely to use on a 7 wire high tensile fence).<\/p>\n

\"Illustration<\/a>
Diagonal Strainer. Note: A mortise was used instead of a brace pin on the brace in this illustration.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To build this brace you\u2019ll need the following materials and tools:<\/p>\n

Materials<\/h3>\n
    \n
  • 2 — 8-foot-high quality pressure treated posts<\/li>\n
  • 1 — 4\u201d x 3\/8\u201d brace pin<\/li>\n
  • 1 — twitch stick or (1) in-line strainer<\/li>\n
  • 20 feet of 12-1\/2 gage high tensile steel fence wire<\/li>\n
  • 1 — rock (the rock should have a\u00a0flat side at least 6\u201d x 8\u201d)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Tools<\/h3>\n
      \n
    • Post hole digger & rammer<\/li>\n
    • 3\/8\u201d drill (or a chisel)<\/li>\n
    • Hammer<\/li>\n
    • Chain saw<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Here’s How You Build It<\/h3>\n
        \n
      1. Dig a post hole 4 feet deep (for every 6 inches you set a post beyond 3 feet you double the strength of the post). Place the post against the\u00a0 side of the hole closest to the source of stress. Make sure that this side of the hole is straight\u00a0 so that the post fits flush against it. This will\u00a0\u00a0provide a solid surface to pull against and\u00a0leaves only 3 sides of the hole to pack.<\/li>\n
      2. \n
        \"Illustration
        3\/8-inch holes 2 inches deep in post and stay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

        Once the post is set, drill a 3\/8\u201d hole, 2 inches deep, 4 inches from the top of the post. The hole should face the direction of strain on the fence. If your post hole is less than 4 feet deep you\u2019ll either need a longer stay-bar or have to drill the hole lower on the post. The stay-bar should be at least twice as long as the height of the hole drilled in the post<\/em>.<\/li>\n

      3. Saw the end of the stay-bar so that it fits flush against the post. Drill a 3\/8\u201d hole, 2\u201d deep in the end of the stay-bar.<\/li>\n
      4. Hammer the brace pin into the hole in the post. Slide the stay-bar on to the exposed pin. (As an alternative to brace pins, you can saw the stay-bar so that it fits into a 1\/2\u201d deep mortise chiseled into the post. This would replace steps 2-4.)<\/li>\n
      5. Find a rock or other solid object with a flat surface and place it on the soil surface under the end of the stay-bar in the direction of strain. Do not bury it.<\/li>\n
      6. Cut the bottom of the stay-bar so that it fits flush on the rock.<\/li>\n
      7. Take a half-round wood scrap and place it at the end of the stay-bar on the rock.<\/li>\n
      8. Loop the high tensile wire around the base of the post and around the end of the stay-bar on the rock. Fasten the wire to itself using a figure \u201c8\u201d knot or nicopress sleeves.<\/li>\n
      9. Insert the twitch stick and make several wraps in the wire until the wire is tight. An in-line strainer can be used instead of a twitch stick.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        The force on this post is transferred through the stay-bar to the ground. It looks weird but it makes a solid brace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        A Stronger Brace: It\u2019s Less Expensive and Easier to Build, Too! The following is a brace design that is less expensive and a bit easier to build. It\u2019s called a Diagonal Strainer. This design has been tested and compared to a standard \u201cH\u201d brace on clay soils. The diagonal strainer was 8% stronger than the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"parent":3173,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"templates\/page-withsidebar.php","meta":{"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3256","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nLesson 3. Fencing Systems - Appendix B - Cooperative Extension: Livestock - University of Maine Cooperative Extension<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/livestock\/pasture-course\/lesson-3\/appendix-b\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lesson 3. Fencing Systems - Appendix B - Cooperative Extension: Livestock - University of Maine Cooperative Extension\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Stronger Brace: It\u2019s Less Expensive and Easier to Build, Too! The following is a brace design that is less expensive and a bit easier to build. It\u2019s called a Diagonal Strainer. This design has been tested and compared to a standard \u201cH\u201d brace on clay soils. 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