# Fastening Fence Panels?



## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

OK, So I finally cracked under Spousal Pressure, dusted the moths off the old wallet and bought heavy duty welded cattle panels to make some decent hog pens for the winter. Will the regular T-Post clips work for attaching to T-Posts, or is there a better way? What methods have you used to incorporate a good gate to pen that is pig-proof but can still be opened without Arnold Schwartzenegger on hand?


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

We haven't found T-post clips to work. Under the strain of the pigs lifting the panels, they break. As temporary we're using barbless wire, the heavy duty kind. What we're going to do, and maybe the only way, I don't know, but is to sink pipe in the ground and weld it. I'm not sure about a pig proof gate, but is to weld pipe together and weld on pin hinges and weld a panel to that. Seems like a lot of work. I'll be anxious to see what everyone else has to say. We also string hot wire around the bottom of the fence to keep them from digging under the fence. Right now in one pen we have a crater that they're digging under the fence and the chickens use it to go in and out of the pig pen!


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

I agree with 6e; they'll pop those clips off in a heartbeat. We tie the panel to the posts with electric fence wire doubled a couple of times and twisted very tight. Unless it's in a pen that I have to open often, I don't usually bother with a gate. I just untie one corner of the pen, and bend the panel back a little to let them in or out.


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## Misty (May 29, 2005)

yes, don't use the clips. In about 3 years the cattle panels will be toast. We are in the process of getting ready to put in pip, and make some indestructable pens. We have the heated automatic water's in. We can't keep our hogs in it seems this year.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

There are 2 types of coating on cattle paneling, electro galvanizing and hot dip galvanizing. Only the hot dip is worthwhile. Hot dip panels will last many many years. The other crap will be gone in a few years. Also just buy hog panels not cattle as you do not need the height. A long legged person can step over a hog panel or feed can be place by reaching over the hog panel. I weld the hog panel to a pipe frame, then coat the weld with cold galvanizing. These will last 20+ years. Then I just mount the gate like panel/frame to posts by bolting it to the posts. For access, I just hinge one of the panels to a substantial post..


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

I constantly move our panels around so we use efence wire 
Making a gate can be easy or hard . 
I Cut a 3-4ft wde piece of panel forthe hinge I used chain repair links top,bottom and middle . a post is set on each ide of the gate . For latches I use caribiners . 
We also use cattle panels cut in half length wise and covered with chicken wire for chicken pens .


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

I actually prefer the combination panels, as they have closer horizontals at the bottom than the cattle panels do. I also do like having the height. My boar got out the other day, and went right over the hog panel into a sow's pen.


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## Up North (Nov 29, 2005)

In our case we need the height that the cattle panels give us. These will be winter pens. We get a huge amount of snowfall here, so the pens will have a lot of snow and hay build-up in them by the time winter is done.

Heather


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## farmergirl (Aug 2, 2005)

Up North said:


> OK, So I finally cracked under Spousal Pressure, dusted the moths off the old wallet and bought heavy duty welded cattle panels to make some decent hog pens for the winter. Will the regular T-Post clips work for attaching to T-Posts, or is there a better way? What methods have you used to incorporate a good gate to pen that is pig-proof but can still be opened without Arnold Schwartzenegger on hand?


For gates, I use regular pipe gates with welded wire panels strapped to them, or if I happen to have one handy, a wire-filled gate. Haven't had any escapees with that set-up. I use the plastic coated electrical wire to tie the panels to the gates. That method would probably work for attaching the panels to the t-posts. Just use a heavy gauge coated wire.


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## savinggrace (Oct 27, 2005)

Hi,

I have used the T posts but with wooden posts at the corners. For ease of putting together, I fasten the cattle panels with plastic zip ties. Then once they are 'up' with the Zip ties, I go through with T post clips and wire to really securely fasten! 

Of course, this is for my feeder pigs. And I can imagine with you guys getting REAL snowstorms, that hot wire is not an option. 

Good luck!


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