Farm Fencing
Tools of the Trade
Essential Gear for Solid Fences
By Steve Sniff
Likely we’ ve all heard the carpenter’ s mantra,“ Use the right tool for the job.” While excellent advice, it doesn’ t just apply to carpenters. People in every trade and profession have found that employing a tool that was designed for a specific task usually gets that job done faster, easier and better. And often the converse is also true.
Let’ s discuss what equipment is available and should be used for the various aspects of fence building.
Whether you are an old-time farmer or a newly minted acreage owner, fences are( or will) become a large part of your life. There are a number of types of fencing available, depending on the intended purpose for your land.
Many of the tools needed can be found in toolboxes almost everywhere. Others are more specialized and may need to be acquired prior to building your fence.
So, what kind of fence is appropriate for your land and purpose? And which tools should you be using?
Let’ s walk through some basic fence-building equipment and also touch on a couple of specialty items. Having and using the right tool for the job can make your fencing project functional and attractive— and even fun to build and maintain.
The Fence Building Bag
Before diving into your project, it’ s essential to have the right tools on hand. Whether you’ re working with wood, metal or a combination of both, using the proper equipment will make the job easier, more efficient and ensure a sturdy, long-lasting fence.
Beyond the Basics
Even wire fencing requires wood corners since regular steel posts will bend under the strain of being pulled from two different directions. Some builders prefer using wood line posts as well, such as for post and rail fences. Even though the line posts do not need to be as deep as the corners, digging that many holes with a manual post hole digger can be exhausting. This is where a powered auger can be a life and labor saver. They can be truckor tractor-mounted, tow behind or one- or two-man gas-powered hand augers. If you’ re on the fence about purchasing one, they can all be rented from big box stores and tool rental companies.
The One-Man Tow Behind Auger
Possibly the best post digging machine developed for the“ lone wolf” fence builder is the tow-behind one-man auger.
The auger bit hangs from a pivot at the back end of the machine where the operator controls are. At the front end is the gas engine which also acts as a counterweight. At the center is a wheeled fulcrum. The machine is self-propelled, so all the operator has to do is“ drive” it up the fence row and center the tip of the auger over the potential hole. He then engages the auger drive and slowly pulls down on the handle mechanism as the bit eats through the dirt and deposits it around the neatly dug hole.
April 2025 | www. FarmersHotLine. com | 25