How to Barb Wire Fence
Barbed wire, while somewhat dangerous, is one of the most durable types of fencing you can build for boxing in animals and keeping sections of your fields and yards separate. There are a variety of tips and tricks for protecting yourself while building barbed wire fences. In addition, there are a few things that can help ease the physical labor portion of the project. The right tips and tricks can turn the complicated task of building a barb wire fence into something more manageable.
Instructions
1 Wear leather gloves whenever you handle the barbed wire. While stationary wire isn't dangerous on its own, stringing the barbed wire taught can cause accidents should the wire break. While this is rare, the most likely outcome if the wire breaks is that the wire can shred through your hands while you are handling it. Always wear leather gloves that are as thick as possible and still allow you to work.
2 Guide your work with a string line. While you can eyeball your fence posts to keep them as straight as possible, you should always use a string line for the most accurate positioning. String the line between each corner post section on the termination point of each section of fence and use that line as a reference when driving your T-posts.
3 Stretch the wire with a come-a-long. While tightening the wire by hand is possible, the most effective way of getting the wire taught is with a come-a-long tool. Attach the come-a-long to the strand of wire you are stretching and then attach the opposite end of the tool to something stationary, such as a tree, the hitch on the back of a pickup truck or anything you can find. Crank the handle to stretch the wire tight.
4 Attach the wire clips with a pair of fencing pliers. While normal pliers can suffice in a pinch, fencing pliers have a specially designed hook-type tip that is designed to clamp around the curved end of a wire clamp, allowing you to easily spin the pliers around the wire one time to twist the clamp into place.
