What, you don’t have fencing tools on your Christmas list?! Okay, we get it. Tools are usually associated with work—the last thing on your mind during the holiday season. But hear us out. What if you could get or give the gift of practicality? Something that makes your life or someone’s life easier. Now, that is a Christmas present if we do say so ourselves.
We spoke with Bekaert Fence Pro Van Medley to hear what fencing tools make his life easier.
Here are five tools that Medley swears by.
1) Delfast Fence Post Staple Gun
At the top of Medley’s list is the cordless Delfast Staple Gun because of how much it speeds up fence installation. “It just makes life so much easier,” Medley said. “It turns a job that takes hours into a task that takes minutes. ”Medley really likes the tool-free depth of drive adjustment. “If you’re driving staples into different wood densities, you are able to set it to that density tool-free. There is a turn dial on the front of the gun, which is handy.” And what takes the cake is the gun’s cordless ability and fuel cell. “Other staple guns use a fuel cell specific to the gun,” Medley said. “The Delfast gun uses any, which is very convenient. Say you’re out on a job and you accidentally spill your fuel cell. You can go to your local hardware store and purchase whatever fuel cell is available versus searching for a specific brand fuel cell.” Find a Delfast Staple Gun at your local dealer that carries Bekaert wire. Watch the Delfast gun in action here.
2) Gripple Torq Tool & Joiners
Anything Gripple would make a practical Christmas gift, but what rises to the top for Medley is the Gripple Torq Tool paired with Gripple Joiners. “They work well for fence installation and repairs,” Medley said. “If you do get a broken wire, you can have those in your side-by-side or truck to splice wire back together quickly. Then the Torq Tool allows you to put it under tension without having to tie the wire back together with the possibility of getting cut or scratched.” Medley says the overall quality workmanship makes Gripple products a great choice. “Plus, they’re a long-lasting fix.” Like the Delfast gun, Gripple products can be found at your nearest Bekaert dealer.
3) KNIPEX Cutters
Next on Medley’s list are KNIPEX Cutters. “They’re a high-quality wire cutting tool,” Medley said. “There are a lot of high tensile wire cutters on the market but they require a lot of hand strength to use. It can be really tough to cut the wire you’re working with.” KNIPEX makes cutting wire a lot easier, Medley said. “They’re designed to fit in your hand really well, and don’t require a great deal of hand strength.”
4) Chain Grab
To make the job of installing barbed wire or smooth wire easier, Medley recommends the Bekaert Chain Grab. “It’ll grab individual wires and pull it together,” Medley said. “It is a finger-and-chain system. You can walk it up in about an inch increments until you get the proper tension on it. Then it will hold the wire while you’re making a splice.” Medley shares how it also comes in handy for maintenance. “It’s also good in a situation where you need to add tension. Say you have a strand of wire that is starting to sag. You can grab single strands of wire and pull them together to make a repair.”
5) Stretcher Bar and Pullers
Lastly, when it comes to woven wire installation, Medley recommends a stretcher bar and pullers to make the task easier and safer.“They’re really easy tools to use,” Medley said. “Much safer than come-alongs. You don’t have to watch for cable fraying or jumping off the spool. You also don’t have to worry about getting poked by damaged cable or the cable potentially breaking. It gives you a lot of flexibility when you’re installing new wire.” See how the Fence Pros See how the Fence Pros use stretcher bars and pullers to install a fence here.
Have questions on any of these tools? Medley and the Bekaert Fence Pros are available to answer any questions. Submit your question and a member of The Bekaert Fence Pro team will respond within 24 hours.
More information To learn more about Bekaert’s high-tensile fencing products, visit https://fencing.bekaert.com.
Acreage Life is part of the Catalyst Communications Network publication family.