I've not seen the rope and pulley type for years. They were used for so much more than just tightening fence. Were very handy for butchering as loaders were not common then.
Perhaps one one of the new cable comealongs could be used by putting on a snatch block, chain and locking device to clamp the wire.
But I do know where there is one. It's right outside in my trailer. It does get used for moving logs out at the farm.
I've never used the present style fence strecher but just from looks would conncur with your opinion. Don't know of anything else.
All my thoughts would be around making a wire gripping attachment for one of the cable come alongs. This would not be as handy but a close replacement.
Perhaps there would be fittings designed for line handling and clamping from sail boat gear that could be combined with blocks to make a wire stretcher. Some of the chocks [ terminology ] may even work for gripping the wire.
Pat may know of a sailor with this knowledge!! [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
I think you are trying to reinvent something that you can buy in any good feed store , hardware, or even Home depot. Here is a pic of a wire gripper. They cost about $5 around here at the feed store.
Here is a pic of the two fence pullers that i use. I prefer the orange one on the top. It automatically grips wire and pulls two wires or pulls against a post. One person can build fence easy with it.
The last time I helped with fencing I'd never seen either of the stretchers shown.
What we used were were two double blocks with the one having a feature that would jam the rope in place after tightening. This was activated by pulling sideways on the rope and then releasing the pulling force.
Had a regular chain with hook on one set of blocks. The other set had a double chain with wire gripper.
It used 1/2 in. hemp rope.
Course there were times the tractor was used to tighten the wire.
[img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] Don't even mess with them there so-called fence wire stretchers. Git you a block and tackle setup exactly like what l Ergon has suggested. We bought one a few years back and have re-done all of our fences with it. It's faster to set up, has way more range, and is not as clumsy. You stay farther away from the wire so you get less cuts and you can set up to stretch hawg wire real easy too. And........you can use the rope block to lift other stuff and do lots of other jobs. When I was a kid we even used the rope block fence stretcher to pull tractor engines. [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] We bought our latest one through the True Value Hardware Hank hardware store. It had to be ordered. [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
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