Hayes strainer

Zr105

MfMan wrote: »

The likes of Arrabawn co-op probably stock them; I'm sure Mullahone would have them also.

No matter how much I read the literature or study online postings, I still can't figure out fully how they work and if they're effective. Are they a one-man job? For fencing recently, I have a cable-puller, a ratchet-type job that I anchor to the tractor, put a loop in the wire, slip it through the hook on the puller and strain away. Does the job reasonably well.

Took a pic for you yest, shows the jaw that you pass the wire through, open, then when you pull on it it closes and grips the wire.
Set up the handle end and the chain end then by working the handle you "walk" up the chain which pulls it tight! Very easy to use, well after the first time and you get a bit more used to it anyways!

Mad4simmental

Zr105 wrote: »

Took a pic for you yest, shows the jaw that you pass the wire through, open, then when you pull on it it closes and grips the wire.
Set up the handle end and the chain end then by working the handle you "walk" up the chain which pulls it tight! Very easy to use, well after the first time and you get a bit more used to it anyways!

We have one here it must be 20 years old. The best thing around the place.

Zr105

Mad4simmental wrote: »

We have one here it must be 20 years old. The best thing around the place.

Have an old b**ls of a one ourselves, has 2 S shaped plates on each end that lock around the wire when ever you eventually get them in the right set up... Is awful rough on the wire compared to the newer type tho, planning on getting proper one soon tho and firing old one into the scrap, but can get a loan of the one i took pic of for the time being if needed!

Muckit

frazzledhome wrote: »

tighten till you can stand on it!

Your spacing your stakes too close together :-)

Muckit

49801 wrote: »

All soft wire here. Much easier to work with. But I agree about it breaking when over tightened :mad:
If I could learn to work the high tensile stuff I'd prefer to use it.

Nothing wrong with using mild steel tying wire for electric fencing. You don't have to pull the sh*t out of electric fence wire. It only has to carry the current and not be hitting the ground! It's a psychological barrier not a physical one like a barbed wire and/or sheep wire fence.

leoch

How far up of the ground do u keep the sheep wire and any other useful tips on tightening and joining rolls together i hate working with sheep wire cause I m no good at it a few tips from ye will help and also when u are putting a run or 2 of barb above the sheep wire do u put it on and tighten it at the same time or willl this upset the sheepwire u have just tightened

Nekarsulm

You really need to tighten the top row of (barbed) wire first, cause it has more leverage , being higher up the post. Not easy to do in practice, and still have a nice even spacing above the sheep wire . All depends what you are straining to, big strainer posts, trees, etc, or lighter posts. Keep the sheep wire close to the ground, an inch or so, cause the buggers will work away at scraping under them. You can cut a piece of holly or thorn or something, and "notch" it with the chainsaw and use it like a tent peg to pull down the bottom row if there is a slight hollow somewhere.

Muckit

Firstly have your strainers drove well and make sure they are solid. The strength and stability of fence rests on the strainers. They need to be mechanically driven. Stakes in between just hold the wire so staples should not be driven home.

I strain sheep wire with two hayes strainers on the second from top and second from bottom row. Then when l've tied off at strainer l use my foot to hold the wire to the ground. You need to staple the bottom two rows on each stake, then every second one is enough. I've heard of some lads using a single row of barbed wire or ht wire along the bottom to save sheep wire rusting, then the sheep wire over this.

But whatever way you do it you need to make sure a ewe or ram can't put it's head in under and force the wire up.

Then put on top barbed wire strands. You need to keep the bottom strand 3-4" from sheep wire. Again to stop cattle sticking head out between the two. The spacing between the two barbed wire strands not as important.

With the hayes strainer l made up a short length of rope that I make a running knot in and loop over strainer. I then place last link of chain in claw, pull wire hand tight and attach clamp to wire. This way you have the fulk length of chain to pull. If you put on wire first you can run out of chain to pull off , very frustrating!

Hope this is of some help. Like anything the more you do the better you get at it. :-)

paddysdream

leoch wrote: »

How far up of the ground do u keep the sheep wire and any other useful tips on tightening and joining rolls together i hate working with sheep wire cause I m no good at it a few tips from ye will help and also when u are putting a run or 2 of barb above the sheep wire do u put it on and tighten it at the same time or willl this upset the sheepwire u have just tightened

Keep sheep wire 3 inches or more off the ground and run a strand of plain halfway's between the bottom of the sheepwire and the ground.
Usually use the plain wire for a line to drive the stakes and when the sheep wire,barbed etc is on then use it as the bottom strand.

Join the sheepwire with gripple's.Most rolls of ht. sheepwire come with these now or you can buy bags of them.You can tie it together but unless you do it right it looks sh..e and is slow.

Think I put up a picture of a strainer to pull sheepwire.

Barbed or plain ,when strained after sheep wire,can loosen it if strainers are not down right and propped correctly.Usually leave the end strainers with a tiny lie back to allow for the strain to straighten them.Not really necessary but looks better.
2 strands of barbed wire over sheepwire puts a fair strain on the end posts.Very important to prop them correctly.


Normally keep the barbed about 4 inches per strand over the sheepwire, ie the head of a claw hammer is handy measure

Muckit

Nekarsulm wrote: »

You really need to tighten the top row of (barbed) wire first, cause it has more leverage , being higher up the post. Not easy to do in practice.

I see your logic but this wouldn't be best practice. Easy forget about the top strand when your bending down then stick your head up and catch yourself. Eyes are handy to have.

freedominacup

Mad4simmental wrote: »

We have one here it must be 20 years old. The best thing around the place.

We have one here my grandfather bought. We lost it in 2012 and had to but a new one last year before turnout. Oul boy found the old one in a place neither of us remembered doing anything with fencing for ages. Have two of them now. The jaws on the old one are a bit shook but a small vise grip does the job clamped onto the wire on the chain side.

Mad4simmental

freedominacup wrote: »

We have one here my grandfather bought. We lost it in 2012 and had to but a new one last year before turnout. Oul boy found the old one in a place neither of us remembered doing anything with fencing for ages. Have two of them now. The jaws on the old one are a bit shook but a small vise grip does the job clamped onto the wire on the chain side.

If there is one thing better than one of those pullers around its having two of them!

gerryirl

bogman_bass wrote: »

anybody use gripples?

same as that.. thinking of getting one but don't know much about them

Never wrestle with pigs

Are these as good ? Fraction of the cost.
I need one but wondering has anyone got this one?

https://www.agridirect.ie/product/smooth-grip-wire-strainer

freedominacup

Never wrestle with pigs wrote: »

Are these as good ? Fraction of the cost.
I need one but wondering has anyone got this one?

https://www.agridirect.ie/product/smooth-grip-wire-strainer

I don't know but if you mind a Hayes strainer your grandchildren will still be using it. The old one here was bought in the early seventies.

lakill Farm

freedominacup wrote: »

I don't know but if you mind a Hayes strainer your grandchildren will still be using it. The old one here was bought in the early seventies.

What price is a Hayes strainer ?

Looking for one myself. Brother in law was her last week putting up a fence for me and has one. It’s on the go 25 years and they are full time fencing. Said he must get a new one

Attie

Lakill used to have one until a neighbour relived me of it jcuker.
Now use matbro on the boom just as handy.

patsy_mccabe

Are these ratchet strainers not handier? Just drill a hole in the strainer post. You can open them and re-tension again. No hassle.

Buford T. Justice XIX

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Are these ratchet strainers not handier? Just drill a hole in the strainer post. You can open them and re-tension again. No hassle.

Better job again...
No drilling the post at all, just attach the insulated end to the strainer and pull the wire through the holes and strain the wire with a few turns of a spanner.

Never wrestle with pigs

They are grand but the puller is better. Had a Hayes here for over 30 years. It went walk about. I bought that one on agriland so I'll let you know how it goes.

patsy_mccabe

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Better job again...
No drilling the post at all, just attach the insulated end to the strainer and pull the wire through the holes and strain the wire with a few turns of a spanner.

I've used both types but I prefer the first one as it is heavier and will last a lot longer. You have to estimate how much the wire will stretch though to figure where to put the egg, if you know what I mean.

49801

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Better job again...
No drilling the post at all, just attach the insulated end to the strainer and pull the wire through the holes and strain the wire with a few turns of a spanner.

Agreed

We've used similar for yrs on electric fence wires

Buford T. Justice XIX

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I've used both types but I prefer the first one as it is heavier and will last a lot longer. You have to estimate how much the wire will stretch though to figure where to put the egg, if you know what I mean.

I find it easy enough to measure, just cut the wire about 4 inches from the post and fit into the two holes. Then attach the wire to the insulated end and put around the post so you have a bit of leeway with cutting too short.

Do you not find the strainer posts rot quicker at the top with a hole drilled through the top? I have most of those replaced now with the insulated strainers because of the top of the post rotting and the wire popping off.

patsy_mccabe

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

....
Do you not find the strainer posts rot quicker at the top with a hole drilled through the top? I have most of those replaced now with the insulated strainers because of the top of the post rotting and the wire popping off.

Not at it long enough for them to rot. First ones only done about 3 years now.:D

charolais0153

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Not at it long enough for them to rot. First ones only done about 3 years now.:D

Wat does each one cost

Buford T. Justice XIX

We put up tannalith(?) treated posts about 20 years ago and they started rotting at the top in the strainer posts after about 10years and most gone at 15 years.

Hopefully you'll have better luck.

Floki

Reading through this thread these hayes wire strainers seem like flighty yokes, walking about the place.:D

anthony500_1

I also had one go walking, left it hanging on the newly strained wire on the outfarm, when I called back to collect it the following week, it had grown legs. Bought one of the cheaper ones of agridirect, so far I'm happy with it, but it's definitely more bulky and slightly harder to set up on the wire but all in all, very happy with it

Attie

To stop posts rotting bag of bitumen and blow torch, brake bitumen with hammer and melt on top of the post when you have it driven in.
Have poles in over 30 year's kind of past it now, someone else can do as I did you'd want to be at yourself handling those.