New Here Pipe fence ?

[Txcoonhunter]

I am going to build a pipe fence up my driveway about 250' feet 2 3/8 pipe with four runs of 1'' pipe no top rail the only thing like that I have ever built is a few coners and a brace or two . How do I keep the tops of the pipe post straight without that top rail. thanks

[spotsineyes]

Since you're new, I get to pick on you: I have never heard of 2-3/8" pipe.

[deafman]

Pipe or Tube?

Just to help you out, tube is usually measured by the OD. Pipe is often from average or agreed upon ID. 2 3/8" OD "pipe" could be 2" sc 40, etc.... 2 3/8" tube is 2 3/8" OD and the wall thickness is usually in hundredths. 2 3/8" tube with a wall of .110 or .120 is common. Take my word for it that 2" or2 3/8" tube with a wall of .062 or.083 dents easily. This is what the green mass produced livestock fences are made out of. 1" tube with a wall of .120 is also common.
Good Luck with the fence.

[Txcoonhunter]

drill stem . Tubing or pipe I don't know?

My question is how do I keep the tops of the pipe,tubing, or drill pipe at the same higth? Do I run a string at the top or use a mesuring stick mark the pipe before I place it in the ground ? The pipe is 2 3/8 drill pipe cut on 8'. thanks

[Pass-N-Gas]

2 3/8" (oil-field)tubing has several classifications some of it is NUE (non upset ending) as in no upset at the threads, EUE (external upset ending) is flared at the ends prior to threading. The OD of 2 3/8 tubing is the same as 2" pipe and can be threaded with 2" dies.. the main difference with oil field tubing is the chrome molly content.. hit it with a hammer and hear it sing.. Welding can be tricky too as most used tubing is magnetized..

To answer your question on keeping things straight use a string line or laser to cut off the tops after the cement has dried..

[Txcoonhunter]

Thanks!!

Thanks for that very good reply . Like I said I am new to this thanks.

[wroughtnharv]

You can do it the way fencemen do it.

I saddle all my posts first and then set them for height and line by eye.

http://www.harveylacey.com/id27.htm

[davedarragh]

"Straight Line"

My question is how do I keep the tops of the pipe,tubing, or drill pipe at the same higth? Do I run a string at the top or use a mesuring stick mark the pipe before I place it in the ground ? The pipe is 2 3/8 drill pipe cut on 8'. thanks

If you know someone who owns an optical transit level, it makes things much easier. Not only can you keep the tops level, you can set the posts in a straight line, so it doesn't look like an accordian when you're done.

If not, Mason's string line and a magnetic "torpedo" level will suffice. You can also take some re-bar, and bend a couple of pieces into a long "S" and hang from the 1" laterals for uniform spacing. Similar to when elecrtricians used a "story board" before the advent of laser levels, when placing outlet boxes on studs.

David

[Txcoonhunter]

Thanks Harvey & Dave

Thanks for your knowledge and your willingness to share it with a newbee thanks

[davedarragh]

"On the Level"

Thanks for your knowledge and your willingness to share it with a newbee thanks

A decent transit level, tripod and survey rod can be bought for less than $500, and takes the guess work out of any building project. From octagon patios, spiral staircases, Stadia Distance measuring, or any layout work they are an invaluable tool. Might want to consider this small investment. CST/Berger & David White are the most popular. www.engineersupply.com or Northern Tool. Make sure you get the "bubble level" for the survey stick too. This insures the rod is plumb and true when reading it. .025" difference over 100' translates into 2 1/2"

You stated "up my driveway." Is there a slope? Grade percentages are computed by the rise in elevation divided by the grade. The posts should always be plumb and true, and the rails can follow the terrain. A "Bobcat" with an auger and depth gauge (like on a Hilti Drill) is a timesaver too. It's really not hard to do, just needs to be planned and layed out properly.

If you don't want to deal with coping the rails and intricate angles, flatten the ends, trim to fit, and weld to the posts.

David

[FUZZYTX]

My word! You can sure make this stuff more complicated than necessary. I am not a rig or pipeline or super talented nuclear process plant welder, but I do know how to build fence. Pull a heavy string line to set your post as you want them. If it's a long straight stretch, set every forth or fifth post and eyeball them against the string. When you have those set, go back and fill in with the remainder of post. Reason being, the post already set will help keep the wind or grass from throwing your line off. Now that your post are set, measure up the post and make a mark at the height your wanting. Tie your string to the first post at that height, and pull to last post. Take thin wire, electrical tape or string and twitch the string line up every other post or so at the marked level your shooting for. Step back and look at it from different places to see where to adjust to make the fence FLOW. If you follow the height from the ground on each post it's going to look like a drunk snake. Or you can try the transit level, but I have built fence on very few completely flat places. Hope this helps. Not trying to get anybodies dander up here, just actually have done this steadily for the last 20 years.

[DDA52]

Fuzzy, that is close to what I told him on WW. That is the way to do it and have it flow....meaning look right.

[Txcoonhunter]

Thanks fuzzy

thanks for your reply

[wroughtnharv]

My word! You can sure make this stuff more complicated than necessary. I am not a rig or pipeline or super talented nuclear process plant welder, but I do know how to build fence. Pull a heavy string line to set your post as you want them. If it's a long straight stretch, set every forth or fifth post and eyeball them against the string. When you have those set, go back and fill in with the remainder of post. Reason being, the post already set will help keep the wind or grass from throwing your line off. Now that your post are set, measure up the post and make a mark at the height your wanting. Tie your string to the first post at that height, and pull to last post. Take thin wire, electrical tape or string and twitch the string line up every other post or so at the marked level your shooting for. Step back and look at it from different places to see where to adjust to make the fence FLOW. If you follow the height from the ground on each post it's going to look like a drunk snake. Or you can try the transit level, but I have built fence on very few completely flat places. Hope this helps. Not trying to get anybodies dander up here, just actually have done this steadily for the last 20 years.

Fuzzy, you know how to build a Texas fence. If you showed up on a west coast fence job as a foreman with string even in your boots you wouldn't be let out of the truck. LOL

Seriously, if you took the time to lay out string a real fenceman would already be setting posts that didn't need to be trimmed for height.

Think about it. How do you check your string job? You sight it. We just skip the string because it takes too much time.

As for the laser stuff. I have the Hilti laser that does all the trick stuff, love it for construction, barns, houses, etc. It never comes off the truck for fences except for building tall overheads etc.

I've been in Texas for over twenty five years and still get a kick out of the string and wire methods for fencing.

[davedarragh]

My word! You can sure make this stuff more complicated than necessary. Step back and look at it from different places to see where to adjust to make the fence FLOW. If you follow the height from the ground on each post it's going to look like a drunk snake. Or you can try the transit level, but I have built fence on very few completely flat places. Hope this helps. Not trying to get anybodies dander up here, just actually have done this steadily for the last 20 years.

Nope, not trying to complicate matters. If you've ever been for a drive on US 93 between Kingman, Az and Phoenix (actually to Wickenburg) you'll see about 125 miles of "drunken snake" wire fence protecting open range. One has to excercise some creedance and judgement when establishing the "FLOW" you referred to. I'm sure you've built many a box culvert or wing wall drainage basin fence, with drastic grade percentage differences, and in the case of the OP's question, he has 250' of driveway. Whether that's 125' each side, or a total of 250' one side is a moot point. If you read my previous post, I suggested Mason's string line and a torpedo level "will suffice." If one doesn't have access to precision instruments, then they resort to "Plan-B," the next best way. I guarantee, I can layout an octagon patio, with a transit level, have it formed, and ready to pour, while your still trying to figure how an 8-sided polygon has 135 degree angles. To keep this within the scope of "Welding Projects," I'll make the Gazebo out of 304 Stainless.