Greetings ,
I’m a newbie to the IGKTF and was wondering if you could tell me the best way to tie a string line on 4x4 metal posts. I’m building a steel and redwood fence and I need to get the redwood pickets level. I’ve never had to tie a stringline so I didn’t know where to start. Let me know if this is the correct place to ask this question and if so, please feel free to give me any suggestions you might have. thanks so much.
jeff
How far apart are the posts?
I’d think that this is a quite simple task (putting up
the string), and one would just wrap the string one
turn around each successive post, with tension;
the intial post can be tied off with perhaps two
full turns and a clove hitch of tail to line (aka
“two half-hitches”). Possibly, the entire task can
be done in several sections (so, string only so long).
5 posts are 5’ roughly apart, 20 at 8’ and one at 9’
Hello manta/Jeff,
A simple way to do what you’ve posed is to tie a timber hitch to the first post, take your string to the last post and tie what construction workers tie to guide their work.
http://home-building.wonderhowto.com/how-to/tie-string-line-215309/
Some just guesstimate the tensioned length and tie a loop knot (overhand or eight) at the pulled end and put over the top of the last post.
Or you could use a truckers hitch assy to gain more tension if you can prejudge the best location for the “pulley” loop.
Whatever method chosen, you will either need a line level/optical level or a method to raise the line to the desired position. Then mark all the posts in between. You can then set the pickets to the desired height with a simple gauge or measurement.
Hope this helps.
SS
Edit: Be advised that with enough tension your leveling string could break and whip dangerously!
I like what SS suggested, but I’d go with a Slipped Buntline instead of a Timber for the first anchor. As I understand it, they’re 4x4 square posts. A Timber would be secure on a round post, but insecure on a square post.
A buntline, slipped or not, would work though a timber hitch works on any shape as long as there is compression on its parts. I tie timber hitches on 2x4’s (and larger), etc. all the time with no problems.
For that matter, once there is tension on the string line, any loop or hitch at the first position will do and then can be slid up or down into place.
SS
I’ve been playing around with string on a square post. A Slipped Buntline works fine for me, but I can get a Timber to slip. This is just my experience. You can do whatever the heck you want to do.
Thank you knot4u.
Tie a bowline in the sailors manner, guaranteed no slippage!! You could use a rolling hitch at the other end of it to get a little tension on it too.