Engineering /Design help needed

Post by **Kimon** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 8:33 pm

Jay has inspired me with his dog gate hangers and now I need a little design inspiration.

I have just begun fencing our property. The front of our property will be white post and 3 rail fencing like a horse farm. We want to run eectric wire below the bottom rail to keep out preditors and to keep in the goats, dogs, and chickens. There are fence insulators available to attatch to steel posts or wood posts but nothing I have seen for vinyl fencing. What I would like to do is come up with one I could machine out of white hdpe inone or two pieces and then attachto the post with an aluminum screw. Function is to keep the wire taught and form shouldbe fairly low profile matching the posts in color.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Post by **Paco** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:03 pm

With a key hole or a small T-slot bit, going right-down-right, you may get something simple to work. I do assume you want to work with flat material ending up with a somewhat flat design and that you will probably want to attach it with a screw (white?!)...?

This idea that I have would make the machining very simple (production work) to avoid any further handling/machining steps or more tooling such as indexer to work sideway.

Concerns:

1)What are the bit available with a "proper" size?

2)What will be the cost for a insulating material to do this? (I can think of recycled plastic from local lumber store that would be cheap [not so very sure you'll find it white]... HDPE might be expen$ive [depending on how many you need])

Let me know if it doesn't make sense and I'll try to come up with drawing(s) and maybe a CRV file.

Post by **dighsx** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:11 pm

So the purpose of these things is to just hold the wire, right? They don't have to put any tension on the wire, just hold it in place? Also do you mind if you have to bold two pieces together? One last question, does this have to mount to the front of the fence and stick out or could you mount it to the side of the fence and stick out towards the front.

Opps one last question (really), how far out from the fence do you want the wire to be?

Post by **Kimon** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:11 pm

I need about 100 pieces and they are pretty small so material is insignificant. I would prefer to do them in one piece but two pieces that lock together with a twist or a tab might work too.

Bits are plentiful and I don't mind buying one for the tody in the tool chest especialy if its a t-slot but because it may comein handy in the future.

Post by **Kimon** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:15 pm

Because the fence is noncunductive it doesn't need to stand off very much. It can attache to the inside of the post or the face.

Post by **dighsx** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 9:21 pm

How about something simple like this: The long piece gets screwed to the side of the post and then sticks out. The little piece gets bolted to the side of large piece. You set the wire in the groove at the end and then clamp down the little piece from above and tighten the bolt. Like a pair of scissors.

I'm sure it could be made too look nicer but the idea might work. You couldn’t get any simpler.

Post by **Paco** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:39 pm

Since I can't seem to get to be able to make a T-slot cutter profile to be acceptable for the form tool editor, I can't demonstrate... sorry.

Sad cause, I believe you would like the simplicity.

I'll see if I can make a 3D CAD later and post screen shots...

Post by **Paco** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:53 pm

Here something; it's very rought but you should get the idea.

Post by **Paco** » Fri Sep 08, 2006 11:54 pm

Post by **Kimon** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 12:03 am

wow, both you guys are great,

Paco way more than I expected.Now if I can wrap my simple mind around it and figure out how to generate some toolpaths.

Post by **Paco** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 12:12 am

Yeah!? I can't help wondering how one will plunge a T-bit!!!??? Still, it may just require one more toolchange; start with a "plunge entry point for each T-bit plunge then profile with the T-bit then cut it out. Maybe a key hole could be well enough for the task and readily available. With the tabs, you don't need much more to held the wire in. It may even be able to plunge!?

Keep us post on the project.

Post by **MZiegler** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:32 am

How about a rectangle block with two holes for the mounting screws and a slot for the wire. The screws would fasten the block to the fence and the top screw would keep the wire from getting out of the slot. Mark

Post by **CRFultz** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:58 am

Kimon, is this what you need?

http://fencingsolutions.com/Insulclick.htm

Chuck

Post by **Kimon** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 12:51 pm

Thanks chuck, yep thats what i need but ordering them wouldn't be any fun.

Post by **Colin P F** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 1:22 pm

I can see this one will never end.

Cheers,

Colin