How do I make this fence? Is there a fence making machine?

Great, thank you. A lot of clever solutions indeed. Two questions. 1. Considering that the shaft through the sleeve only uses grease as a lubricant is it hard to turn all the sprockets with the crank? 2. Are you using a motorbike or bicycle chain? /Johan

Here's how it's traditionally done in England: -   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhzXu9pk2co

I've been intending to make one of those machines for years and never got round to it. Here, in Canada, I would make the frame out of that perforated box section tube that holds up every road sign I've ever seen, it would be perfect for the job and allow easy setting up of the required spacing of the wires. The ideal wood here would be red cedar, longlasting, light and easy to cleave. Sawmills would indeed be good places to look for raw material, you could cleave the larger slabs and you could use anything too small for them to saw. Driftwood could be another source of supply. It's best to staple the wires to each paling to keep everything in place.

Making fencing like this would be an excellent demonstration of a traditional craft at local shows and you'd no doubt be able to take orders and get a lot of business while having fun chatting to the general public as well as potential customers. This fencing looks great in a garden setting and will control any livestock, if well made. You might even be able to sell some to the show organisers for temporary fencing. Back in the days when I helped to run a traction engine rally, we used miles of the stuff to keep the public away from moving machinery and stop them getting in without paying. 3 1/2 foot or 4 foot, anything over crotch height and the job was good! We supported it on ordinary round fence posts driven in with a post hammer on the back of a tractor if we were lucky and a "man-killer" jug handled post rammer when we weren't. Posts were about 12' apart, more if we drove them by hand! As we were mostly farmers, for the show, we tied the fencing to the posts with red baler twine so the occasional little oik with a knife caused problems. Memories!

I love this idea. When I saw it the first thing that went through my mind was "I can use bamboo for that "  when we moved here there was a small patch and now it has grown to about three acres and is taking over the place. That would get rid of it and put it to good use. Then all I would have to do is keep it cut down for 5 years or so to be rid of it for good. I hope

Thanks for the great ideas

Saralee Couchoud wrote: "I can use bamboo for that "  

Easiest way to solve a problem is to change your attitude to it so it isn't a problem any more. Maybe this bamboo is a renewable resource, a business opportunity? Depends on the type of bamboo of course. Has anyone tried firing rocket mass heaters with bamboo?

To keep smaller patches under control, I'm told you can dig a trench round them, fill it with sand and occasionally drag a hook on a pole through the sand. You hook out and cut off any runners you find. Bamboo tends to run only at certain times of the year, which you can find by experience so you know when to keep the closest watch on it. Three acres, hmm? That's an awful long trench and a lot of sand!

Johan Rytters wrote:Great, thank you. A lot of clever solutions indeed. Two questions. 1. Considering that the shaft through the sleeve only uses grease as a lubricant is it hard to turn all the sprockets with the crank? 2. Are you using a motorbike or bicycle chain? /Johan

1) It turns easy. I greased it once at the beginning of the project and it worked fine the whole time.
2) It uses standard #40 roller chain

I love the fact this is made out of copiced wood and lasts a long time. Having used electronet for a long time my first reaction is that this would be incredibly heavy so not useful for quick rotational grazing set ups. Also I don’t think it would be coyote or fox proof at the bottom, so it could be great for a semi permanent dividing fence within a predator proof larger field.
       We could also see a use to protect young trees by encircling them in an Agro forestry setting from sheep etc from eating the trees !
      In Vermont they are testing a new system using invisible fence set by radio!

Hi Sabra,

Welcome to Permies.

Wow!  This looks awesome, but a potential ton of work.  I was wondering, we have an old fence tensioner for barbed wire, but I have had to deal with so much old rusty barbed wire that I decided some time ago to go with the barbless version.  My thoughts would be to set the posts and run smooth, barbless wire with tension.  The laths or other vertical wood could be set through the horizontal wires with alternating one side and then the other.  Once set in the appropriate section, use ironworker tie wires.  A hooked spinner on a wood handle hooks through the end loops of the ties and then spins the wire tight.  That way, it is simple to not only set up the wire base, but the laths could be replaced if necessary easily.  Using tie wires would allow one to keep the base off the wet ground and would increase lifespan significantly although some animals will try to dig under the fence.  Even my chickens will dig along a fence .  One answer for that is to place poles along the fence bottom that can be readily replaced every couple of years.  Two to three alongside each other will keep most critters on one side or the other.  Using a line trimmer can keep the weeds at bay.  I have a DR push unit that cuts wonderfully in such conditions.

This type of wire and lathe fence is incredibly quick to make with the right machine - it would be reproducing it with hand tools (or an inadequate machine jig) that would be time consuming.

You can't get away from the labour of preparing the lathes in either case.

I understand that the OP wanted to make this fence.

For those that don't have time to make the fence, it can be purchased.

Here is an example:

Ideal for snow drifting to prevent blowing and eroding
Can also be used as a sand fence to protect sand dunes
Wooden slats are woven together with four 2-wire strands

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-1-4-in-x-4-ft-x-50-ft-Natural-Wood-Snow-Fence-14910-9-48/202533611

Great thread, I'm thinking of making my own "coyote fence" on my property when I move to New Mexico, using this method by hand.
More as a privacy fence and not really to keep the Yotes out.
I'm thinking that lightly charring the ends that contact the soil will help prevent rot and discourage insects.