Replacing fence panels.. and what to do with the old ones...

[Fecn]

My back fence is 8ft high concrete posts with 6ft x 6ft panels which slot in the gaps. Once again, it's been windy.. and once again, I've lost a few fence panels. - Fortunately that's all that's gone this year so I don't have to get the wall rebuilt.

I've just ordered myself some new panels which will be getting delivered tomorrow and will again be faced with the fun task of installing them.

Last year I adopted the rather.. erm.. fun... approach of standing halfway up a step-ladder, lifting the panels above my head and slotting them into the posts... It was all a bit challenging - especially when the wind picked up whilst holding panels above head-height.

I'm thinking there has to be an easier way (aside from getting one of my tall mates round to help)... I'm thinking about making some kind of crane-style-thing to get the panels raised up.

Last year, I fed the old broken panels through my garden shredder and used the chips to fill in a hole at the foot of the garden - Rather tedious but it managed them all.

Anyone got any better ideas for how to tackle this? Seems to me like I did a lot of hard work last year for a simple job... and my golden rule is 'If you're working hard, you're probably doing it wrong'

Cheers,

Fecn

 

[Slim]

Replacing fence panels is an easy two person job, but with one person it is a pig. I wouldn't waste you time with any fancy contraptions, just get a mate round to help. It really wouldn't take long.

 

[Fecn]

Replacing fence panels is an easy two person job, but with one person it is a pig. I wouldn't waste you time with any fancy contraptions, just get a mate round to help. It really wouldn't take long.

I need to find some mates who don't have to work during the daylight hours - I'm (un)lucky enough to be my own boss so it's easy for me to take an hour in the middle of a sunny day - My wife's pregnant again so she's not doing any heavy lifting.. and my resident employee has hurt both of his arms so can't lift anything either.... Sounds like a pathetic bunch of excuses but really and truly it'll take me a couple of weeks to arrange an able-bodied mate in daylight hours (without wind or rain).

 

[Digit]

It's a bit late now as the panels are on their way but I solved the same problem by replacing the panels with lengths of timber slid one at a time down the grooves.

Roy.

 

[Fecn]

Panels got delivered this morning and I've still got no mates... so I worked out another way...

Victim planks/scrap wood...

5 mins later... some kind of lifting frame thingy..

Up she goes...

And into the slot...

Easy peasy... one down.. two to go.

 

[Paul Chapman]

=D> =D> =D>

 

[Travis]

 

[Slim]

Brilliant ingenuity Fecn. Although, I wouldn't expect anything less from you. =D>

 

[Dave S]

Brilliant!! With a load to do myself, I just might consider trying that myself!

Dave

 

[Fecn]

Brilliant!! With a load to do myself, I just might consider trying that myself!

Dave

I was orignially thinking of a pulley at the top.. but when I tried using the rope to pull the frame to upright I found that it was just not going to happen... The way that works for me is just to tie the panel to the frame with a quick-release knot at the bottom of the fence panel and then lift the frame up by hand - Once the frame's leaning against the fence it becomes pretty stable and you can nudge the panel into the top of the posts.. then just release the knot.

 

[Anonymous]

That is very impressive.

 

[Rich]

It's because of people like you that once upon a time this country led the world in ingenuity, I would'nt mind betting that even Niki will comment on this one, well done.
Rich.

 

[wizer]

hahah that made me laugh, fantastic solution.

 

[Southern377]

I can't see those all important pictures?? Suggestions? Thanks.

 

[beech1948]

pics refuse to open here as well. message is that the web site address can not be found.........if google can't find it it does not exist!!

Al

 

[devonwoody]

Its a 2008 post so I suspect the link is broken.

I wonder where Fecn got to, did he not make a computerised machine, we swapped boxes many years ago so Fecn, would like to hear from you.

 

[Southern377]

Thanks for quick response, shame about the pictures. Any one else got a similar solution to the problem; panels ready but currently waiting for the wind to die down.

 

[Jack (W)]

I made this fence panel hoist a couple of months ago using six 63mm x 38mm x 2.4M lengths of studwork timber (£2.60 each from the local shed), six coach bolts and bits of ply and rope I had in the garage, and a couple of pulleys I found part way through the installation.

It worked exceedingly well, the whole installation was very easy and controllable.

Jack

 

[thick_mike]

It looks like something from Les Miserables!

 

[Jack (W)]

Yes, I based in on an earlier French design, but modified it to meet today's British H&S requirements (mind your toes though).

Jacques