So I'm installing wire between two 4×4 wooden posts. I've done two but it seems to take forever, so I know there's a more efficient way.
Here's what I'm doing:
- The wire's plastic-coated, so I remove about 5" of plastic coating and crimp one side (where the eye screw is).
- I take the reel and go to the other post, with the turnbuckle.
- I reach the other post and I pull the wire (without bending it) to know the distance from the eye screw to the turnbuckle, say 30ft for example.
I add about 7" (for the crimp) and cut the wire. Then I remove the plastic and put the wire through the crimp.
The difficult part is pulling the wire so it's as tight as possible, holding the crimp so that it doesn't move, and then trying to use the very heavy and very uncomfortable swaging tool.
At the end, I'm able to crimp the sleeve, but the wire's sagging. The turnbuckle tightens it a bit, but it could be tighter.
Is there an easier way? I was considering buying a tool that I can use to pull the wire, but I don't know.
Best Answer
Without photographs or sketches, this is going to be more of a general answer than a precise solution. Focusing on the loose end, you have the cable passing through the sleeve, around the eyebolt and back through the sleeve, with the aforementioned seven inches extending.
I would use a simple ground wire clamp attached to the loose end, to add an extension of the same cable. This extension reaches to a location of some stability, a tree, a stake, the next post in line. The extension is reusable, not wasted.
Place a lever at the base of the stable post and attach the extension as low to the lever pivot as possible and as low as practical. Too low means insufficient travel, too high means insufficient force.
As the lever is pulled away from the loose end eyebolt, it will tension the extension cable and the original cable. Tie off the top of the lever to maintain tension (or use an assistant) while securing the sleeve with the tool.