Building a Box End Assembly

Hi Tim, absolutley love your videos mate! Was wondering what kind of snips you use? I'm in Scotland so hoping I can get same kind here!

Hi Tim, love all your videos. I've noticed that all of the (very) old box end assemblies out our way (darling downs) actually have a piece of timber in between the stay wires in order to twist them (I assume to be done if the frame loses tension). I notice you don't do this - is it necessary, do you think? More applicable in softer soil/clay perhaps?

What's 2.56 mil in gauge? I've tried looking it up with no hope.

Question. I am fencing my farm in American on some very hilly land. On sloping land do I put the top rail parallel with the slope of the land instead of level? Thanks for the videos - very helpful.

Is it the same concept when using square pine posts? Planning on using square posts down our short boundary as a dog fence. Just wondering about the box assemblies at either end now. Thanks for your videos!

Still amazing

Love ya page mate all the tips are the best bud.🤠...ever come to Northland nz I'll show ya round our farms cheers.🤸

Thanks for the video Tim. Just wondering why use box assemblies in place of either a 200mm strainer and gal stay or 100mm gal strainer + stay? Is it a money thing or just easier to get hold of 100mm copper logs from the hardware and rural stores? Seems like a little more work than just a big post and stay?

Tim - Great videos, I am in the first stages of installing 500M of HT stock fencing/barbed wire between field and river. I would like to put a couple of access points for infrequent use. What would you recommend, a couple of stys independent to fence - or is there a better solution. So far I've dug in half the 8ft Chestnut strainers at each bend, so still have options. I want to avoid gates and the extra box assemblies etc... Thanks

Hi Tim love your videos, has taught me heaps. Going to start buying the tools to get started. Saw in one of your videos a pair of pliers and cutter in 1. What brand are they and where do I get them from please? Thanks. Kaz

Hi Tim. Great vids. Very easy to watch.
Looking at putting a fence around my (very) small orchard. Would 3m posts for box end assembly set 1m deep be ok? I want a nice high fence to keep foxes away from my chooks when I let them in the orchard. The top rail 3m long work ok?

Great explanation Tim! Only thing that can be improved is that the posts should be concrete so they will never need to be replaced! and no drilling is required! Good explanation of the ratio and dimensions of the diagonal, the strainer and the stay brace! Very useful video!

I love your videos and work Tim. Very educational and helpful to an amateur fencer,

Hi Tim, I wish to build a double wire strained h frame in the middle of a longer barbed wire fence so I can build it two parts and ensure good tension from the middle out to each end. Any tricks? Thxs Jd

Hi Tim, what size holes and steel rod is best for these end assemblies ?

Gday Tim - I'm trying to find information on an old type of metal rural fence picket which has a twisted form and a flat tab at the top which seems to take a turning tool. Can you help please and if you could give me a pic that would be great. I want to see if I can find some stored or discarded on a property.

Braces are done great.. For me my posts are a minimum of 4 ft in the ground on a two post brace. 2' in the ground would not ever work. Maybe 1or 2 wire fence. Most of the time I go 1 corner post 4' in the ground and then the 2 brace post would be 3' in the ground. Great channel on fencing.thanks for sharing.

That fence stretching is a great tool. I need to invest in one of them.

It needs to be level with the ground and run between the wires not level on a level unless the ground is level

bloody legend. so informative and helpful for us city folks pretending to be farmers

Excellent stuff. So, it seems I had no idea about building a fence :( Thanks.

Thanks Tim, these videos are awesome. Quite a few slightly different variations on the box ends. This looks like the least fiddly way I've seen it done. Can't wait to give it a go.

Who only have a single nail holding it together.

We fence for alpacas here so our fences are 1200 high, i have been putting my top staple for the stay wire just above the rod that goes all the way through, that's more inline with our top wire, it's not to close to the post top to be weak but i'm curious why do you say below top rail for the staple?
Cheers

That is extremely useful - I was taught to brace with a short post and another full post diagonally from top to bottom - this is far better, easier and cheaper. Thanks a million mate.

Hi Tim, great videos. One question- when building a fence & end assembly on sloping ground do you have the top rail horizontal or parallel to the ground?

do the end posts need to be concreted in ? TIA

In Idaho this is what most people do. We call it an H-brace. A lot of ranchers (myself included) are going to pipe (used oil pipe) and concrete for our braces. Lasts a lot longer!

Are these 125mm posts?

Whats the reason for keeping the second nail below the strainer rail. I have been putting it just above the steel rod.

G'day Tim
Could you show us a diagonal stay??... I've been watching your videos and looking to do a short corner block farm fence say 50 m in length each way.... With out big box ends at every gate and end is there an easy diagonal stay I could use?
Thanks mate

Hey Tim, hope you are well and thanks for all of the informative videos over the years, they have been very helpful!
I thought it would be a good time and beneficial for your channel to do a redo of this box assembly and maybe the difference, pros/cons of a “H” brace assembly, understanding the ideal location for the horizontal post & where the straining wire should ideally be located?
Thanks again & keep up the good work Tim!

You said ...."the top rail needs to be longer than the posts are out of the ground" Is it more accurate to say that the strainer wire needs to be at an angle of 45 degrees or less (relative to the ground). ? I am asking this to find out if I can use an end assembly for my orchard exclusion posts where I can have the strainer wire above head height. I don't want stays or wire impeding mowing etc.

Hi Tim... Thank you so much for these clear and concise instructional fencing video's which, I have been religiously researching as I am planning to build my own fence for 2 pygmy goats and a sheep (completely by myself, lol). I liked your method of building a H brace as it removes the need for chiselling but I just had one query about the type and length of the pin you used to secure the top rail to the the stay and end post? I am from the UK and no one is very helpful when it comes to DIY endeavours, and all seem to think I'm crazy for attempting it myself but I really want to try and am very determined to do so. Hopefully, I will be successful🙏

Awesome videos mate! I’ve just learnt the hard way! Strained it up and over tightened it! Now have posts on a lean buggering up my gates! I have a more to do, but nothing beats hands on experience! Keep them coming Tim!

What diameter steel rod do you use for securing the rail please Tim?

My button at the bottom says subscribed not subscribe sorry

Why don't you use a wire rachet strainer. Over time the wire stretches and becomes loose.

Hi, I’m using 100x100 hardwood post for chain wire. Fence sections are around 30m long. I am intending to use another 100x100 post on an angle concreted into the ground for the end assembly. In my lack of experience, do you think that single brace will be ok or I setting myself up for problems when the wires are strained… should I do a box end assembly instead?

I was told the wire should be a figure eight. What’s your thoughts?

Love your work Tim!

Normally we have the rail a little lower ( so the top wire runs on top ) then when you put the longer rod in you can leave it sticking out a few inches and the diagonal straining wire sits on top of the rod on that end thus eliminating the need for a staple

Normally we have the rail a little lower ( so the top wire runs on top ) then when you put the longer rod in you can leave it sticking out a few inches and the diagonal straining wire sits on top of the rod on that end thus eliminating the need for a staple

Thanks for sharing your knowledge Tim! Just built my first 2 Box Ends with your video for guidance..very rewarding

goggles?

Hey Tim are those posts concreted in or dirt is fine ?

I built a box end and it seems very stable. Only problem is when I strained the wire stay the strainer post pushed back an inch or so and now my gate doesn't quite fit perfectly. Did i over strain the stay? How much will the post pull back when I strain the fence or will it not pull back much at all.

I've seen some double box end assembly.

What are the benefits of those and do you have any videos?

Hi Tim, love your videos. I live in Gippsland and I'm about to purchase an auger to start building some new end assemblies. I would like to go for 7 inch diameter poles for my strainer posts and I'm trying to decide whether to bury them 1.2m or 1.4m deep. Do you know anyone in Australia putting their round posts in 1.4m deep? I'm aware of Americans such as Greg Judy who advocate for a 1.4m depth but I'm not sure if this is overkill for my climate in Gippsland. Thanks, Alex