Fencing "bandaid" for coated tensile wire

[2DogsFarm]

Murphy's Equine Law:

I am leaving town for a week Saturday.
Friday I got home to discover my horses had broken the top line of coated tensile wire in my small pasture.

Since I am the World's Greatest Procrastinator I do not own tools for restringing wire.
WTH: fence has been in A-1 shape since (professional) installation 5 years ago.

So right now I have closed off this pasture to the horses and cobbled together the broken ends by using fence staples.
Of course, horses now hang by the gate and look longingly into this pasture which they rarely used when it was not compromised!!!

I have a call in to my local handyman to see if he can help me out and if he can't I might try calling one of my neighbors.

Is there anything else I can do before I leave town?
Or is just wait until I get back a better idea?

[DiablosHalo]

Go to farm supply store and get (ugh.. WHAT are they called...) these lil metal connector thingys. They are one piece- with two holes in them. You can put one broken wire in one side and the other broken wire in the other and krimp them down to hold the wire tight. You will have to have someone help pull fence while you pull wire and krimp.

If you don't have enough slack in the wire- they also sell very small sections of coated wire that you can buy and attach to each broken piece to give you "enough to work with".

Good luck! I've had lots of experience with that stupid coated wire! LOL!

[DiablosHalo]

just a note- the krimper things are very small- maybe like a paper clip. Just so you have an idea of what you are looking for. The length of a paper clip but thick so you can fit two wires through...

[BasqueMom]

You can repair with crimp fittings for 12.5 gauge wire. You will need a crimping tool--
$40 or so bucks for a low end one. Use at least two crimp fittings to make the repair.
You'll have to strip a couple inches of polymer off each end which means you may have
to loose the tightner a little to make the stripped ends overlap.

You can also wire links which are harder to find locally. They are about 3 inches long,
you strip about 1.5 inches of polymer off each end and just stick them in each side.
They work like Chinese thumbcuffs--remember those from carnival days. Probably dating
myself. Again, you need the size for 12.5 gauge wire. As far as I know, the brands of
polymer coated wire all use 12.5 gauge wire.

Wire links are more expensive (about $3.50 each) but don't require a special tool. Plus they have no sharp edges which crimp fittings do and unless you have help, you can get a kinked look.

[2DogsFarm]

Thanks!
I did get the handyman out and he has a friend who uses the plain tensile wire so he'll ask for info there.
I was also able to show him the crimper piece but I'm sure he'd be glad to get the information on what tools he may need.
I am going to print this thread for reference. :yes:

As for add'l wire - my fencing guys left me the excess so I have pelnty to repair this line.

I wish I had someone to help me fix it myself, but I am alone here and leaving town Saturday doesn't give me any time to recruit help before I leave.
Maybe I'll just put the job off until I return.

Horses continue to desire IN to the small pasture :rolleyes:.
Tough cookies, boys!