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I wanna play rancher with my truck and lay out 400 ft of welded wire fencing at 5ft height. I see corners and gates need more attention than pounding in a t post.

Anyone a subject matter expert on corners? Any tips?

I've done more fencing than I care to remember

What are you trying to keep in (or out)?

Yup, what Paul said. Lotsa fences here in Wisconsin.

Set posts, braces and tension wires are your friends, at least if you plan on a gate or stretching the fence tight.

Its to keep an 80 lb dog in basically. I have a small 20x30 section currently that has held up moderately, but its obvious that I did nothing more than pound in the stakes and wire tie the fence. Corners are an issue.

Do you use T posts in your corners or wood posts? If T posts, what do you use as a diagonal support? Do you place a second T post close by and somehow brace the diagonal to it? I've seen several little contraptions but I'm not sure whats the best way.

I've also never really stretched the wire, which I plan on this time. Any tips?

I've had better luck with keeping dogs in using the radio fence/collar, especially with that long of a run.
Electric works pretty well too. one shock is usually all it takes for them to learn not to go out.
Now, keeping critters out is another story...

totaljoint wrote:I've had better luck with keeping dogs in using the radio fence/collar, especially with that long of a run.
Electric works pretty well too. one shock is usually all it takes for them to learn not to go out.
Now, keeping critters out is another story...

the shock collars work well from what I can tell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... trn_Wrctk4

Check YouTube. There are lots of ways to secure fence and set posts. I like the bolt 2x4 to each side of fence material and use a come-along to stretch the fence material.
Got a winch on your pinz? great stretch with that device.

Probably the simplest way is to use a heavy wire or cable from the bottom of the corner post (where it can't move much with force) to the top of the second post on each side; this way the second post is well anchored and can take the force of the stretched fence, and the corner post only needs to hold the fence (at reduced tension) around the corner between the posts on each side. Stretch the fence and tie to the second post, go around the corner gently, with less tension, anchor to the post on the other side of the corner, and stretch from there. You can use the T posts for all with this method.

Gates tend to pull outwards with their weight, so you can similarly wire from the top of the gate post to the bottom of the next post; and "cross" this wire with one from the bottom of the gate post to the top of the second post. Again, the second post takes the force of the stress of stretching, use less tension to the gate post (on both sides of the gate).

Jim,

Around here, we use the tension wire you describe, but usually add a horizontal brace between the corner post and 2nd post (all wood posts). See this video for sort of an example, but I've never notched it in. I usually lag bolt it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huDMWqpjCII

Also, with respect to putting a large wood post in the ground: Dig a hole with a PHD (post-hole digger), typically 2-3' deep. Sharpen one end of a post with a chainsaw - four sides about 8-12" from the end of the post. Drop it in, and drive it as far as desired or possible with a post maul or hydraulic driver. Backfill the hole and tamp it hard with a steel rod. For looser ground, use gravel fines to backfill.

...usually add a horizontal brace between the corner post and 2nd post...

Yup, this gives the corner some stiffness to resist the fence tension. Remember that I prefaced my suggestion "Probably the simplest way...". There are always better methods -- just depends how far you want to go.

Remember that I prefaced my suggestion "Probably the simplest way...".

Oh yeah. You did write that, didn't you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3FnpaWQJO0