BEST WAY TO CROSS OVER BARBED WIRE FENCE?

We have a tight 5 strand wire fence that goes on for a mile without a gate.... Looking for a good way to cross over the top without killing myself.

1) I have read the reviews on T Post stepper and won't do that. To many bad reviews....
2) I have looked at outdoor pool ladder, but looks a little shaky

Does anybody know of a shop that sells good machined steps that a 70 year old can use to get over the top? I've seen them in the oil fields before, but don't know where to find them.

Thanks.

I made an "A frame" out of 2 x 4's with steps/braced, worked like a charm and I am 61.

Home Depot

http://www.homedepot.com/p/MoJack-Easyst...CFUypaQod_6cHUw

I think I would just buy one of the Little Giant ladders and pack it with you

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Little-Giant-Ladder-Systems/N-5yc1vZ7hu/Ntk-all/Ntt-ladder?NCNI-5

a small bench/step out of 2x4

I stacked cinder blocks on both sides to make steps, and topped the nearby T-post with a tennis ball...

find a stretch with 2 T-posts in a row, pop the clips on the middle wires and replace with some easy to twist bailing wire, when you wanna go thru just untwist and tie up/down the loose wires then replace and twist back up

oughta give you a 2-3 foot hole to go thru

Yep - this the way to go. Make an extension off the ladder at the top with 2x4 on either side that go a few feet above the last step. This gives you a grab bar when you have to turn around at the top to climb down the other side.

Ask the landowner for permission to put up a gate at an agreed upon location. That mile of fence is about $10,000. The owner more than likely does not want you climbing on it or untying the wire. A good gate is a beneficial capital improvement. Then you can walk to the other side.

Back in the day, when I was working catching smugglers on the Rio Grande, we would carry an old Army blanket. If you are tall enough to go over the top strand throw the blanket over the wire. If you have a partner, you can go over the second wire while he/she keeps the top wire off of your back. Blankets are good to step on over bare spots so you don't leave any sign. Surplus army blankets are a lot cheaper, and lighter than that Home Depot deal, and you can wrap up in it if it gets cold.

This is what I was thinking of.

Makes sense.

Get ya onemof those above ground pool ladders and then get some 1 or 2 gallon size buckets and fill them with concrete. Put each leg in a bucket Should help keep it more stable and prob cheaper than most options.

We have welded up several copies of this a-frame ladder and strategically placed them on our ranch. Work great but require that you sink all four legs a few inches to stabilize.

The wooden front porches that come with a mobile home purchase and most people part with make excellent crossers, one on each side. I asked a sales outfit if they had any old ones they wanted to get rid of and they gave me two. Lasted 10 years.

Get an old piece of carpet and lay it over the fence. Step right over the fence and keep the crotch in your pants.

I'd say a 70 year old aught to be smart enough to find another way.

If you have access to a couple of wood pallets you can do one of two things.

1). Take two of them, lean one up against the top strand of wire & then lean the other on the opposite side. Not with the wood slats going horizontal. Makes for a cheap easy fix ladder. You can stake the bottom portions down sow they don't move and wire the tops together.

2). Stack the pallets on each side of the fence making stairs out of them so they are tall enough to step over the top wire strand of fence.

They sell these at Academy.

Amazon has them as well $19.00 - $24.00. I plan on this being a stocking suffer for my son this Christmas, though I might be hesitant for some of us fat boys with muddy or sandy soil.

The online reviews of this device are scary

The reviews on Amazon were good. I found a few post in some forums though that was not so good, I guess I will save that $19.00 along with medical bills. Thanks for the heads up.

What is scary about the reviews?

I put a couple of tposts in and cut the fence then added a small piece of cattle panel that I can open and close. It's just big enough for my tractor to fit through.

Just add a few t-posts? something tells me that fence is going to look like carp in a little while.

Trick is anchoring the posts and keeping it tight.

Ive used old mexican blankets folded 2 or 3 times then draped over the fence without issue.

It comes loose while you are straddling barbed wire. Feedback is 2nd hand. Check it out.

link
https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&...1k1.WgOG5ie3KMU

The product reviews I read all seemed positive.

The complaints I read all indicated it slipped down. If people are using it correctly then to slip down it had to break the stepper or tear the little nubs/ears/bumps off a t-post. In proper use of a product will likely lead to failure. What is that age old quote about 99% of mechanical failure is operator error...

I'd put a gate in.

I thought that they had not properly used the product as well, but some mentioned that some tee post are not the same size. I have no resources that would prove or disprove that theory. Considering that a Tee post is not engineered to have 2 - 3 Hundred pounds shifting around on them I could see a possible issue.

This may be true but the penalty sounds pretty steep. Let us know how it works out.

I'm only 43 so still hopping them. However, on the occasions I don't for whatever reason generally just lay on the ground and roll or slide under. Cheap, easy, works anywhere and no ripped britches.

I have the T Post Stepper.
It works OK but the post can be very wiggly. Especially if it is a cheap post, the ground is soft or the post was not driven in far enough.

M

THIS!

Or just build or have a welding shop build you a crossover with a handrail old timer.

These are way too complicated.

All you need is one good pair of fence pliers. Cost you thirty bucks maybe. Takes two minutes and your done and across and the fence is like you left it.

Geez some of these city slicker suggestions on here scare the hell out of me.

Over?! On your belly and slither under that wire, Private, before I put my boot up your behind! lmao..

Just messing with ya. The fences where we hunt are so raggedy I dont know how the cows arent getting out all the time, so we can usually find a section to get through pretty easily.

Had a spot I crossed in my fence for a while, but not enough to build a metal staircase, or add a gate. cut 2 pieces of about 1" rubber hose and put those on the wires I wanted to squeeze through, took all of a few minutes, some hose and elec tape and was there for almost 10 years.

My fence had 2 "stay's" between each T post, so I did end up taking one of those out.

Back in the day I was thin enough to slither between strands without too much trouble. Now my belly gets caught. Just buy a cheap aluminum step ladder and lay beside fence. Easy enough to set up and take down when needed.

I do like that contraption that spreads strands, but afraid it might weaken the fence over time.

I go under bottom strand. Safest way.

X 2 Climbing over or going through stretches wire and will make it sag. This makes farmers and ranchers unhappy. It makes a place that cattle will push on or ride down. Like Smokey Bear said " ask about putting a gate in" I would suggest a 6' so an Atv/Utv could go through. This may help the farmer/rancher say yes, and give you access to retrieve your game.

No offence to Palehorse, but I would not allow that stretcher thingy in any fence.

Talking to the land owner/manager will help you out.

Roll under bottom strand or cross at h-brace/corner. Don't cut or remove anything if it isn't your fence. A gate will need two new h-braces and re stretching the wire. Messing with someone's fence is bad business and might get you run off.

I would only change the word "might" with "WILL". Pay the land owner what ever he wants to put in a gate. This way he will be happy and you wont get hurt slipping off a frozen ladder. I built one out of 2x6's and it was slick as #ell when it snowed and iced.

Have none of you heard of a stile? Did I miss that this was a neighbor's fence and not an inter-fence? If that is the case nevermind.

I read he was in his 70's. Wood stiles get dangerously slick in cold wet weather. That's why I suggested having the owner put in a gate.