Barn Hinge Jack Used To Straighten Fence Posts

2015 - Volume #39, Issue #4, Page #03

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A pair of old barn hinges can be used to make a jack that works great for straightening wooden fence posts, says Luke DeWit, Millarville, Alberta.
  He has a fenceline on hilly ground where posts tend to lean over with time. “I didn’t want the hassle of using a come-along or getting on and off a tractor all the time to straighten them out,” says DeWit.
   Instead he came up with his “barn hinge jack” that consists of a couple of large hinges, a 6-ft. long 2 by 4, and a hockey stick.
  It works kind of like the ratchet on a bumper jack, walking slowly down the post with each “bite” as the barn hinges are cranked.
  “I’ve used it for 5 years with no problems. My friend Doug Horsley gave me the idea,” says DeWit.
  The two hinges are 10 in. long. He bolts one near the end of a 6-ft. long 2 by 4. The second hinge bolts to the loose end of the first hinge, along with an 18-in. long piece of a hockey stick that serves as the handle. (DeWit notes that a hockey stick handle works well because it’s made from durable hardwood.) A 3 by 5-in. piece of flat iron, sharpened like a knife blade at the end, bolts to the underside of the 2 by 4 and protrudes about 1/2 in. beyond the end.
  The hinges are offset, with one hinge cylinder located about 1 in. behind the other. The free end of the top hinge extends about 2 in. beyond the end of the 2 by 4 when fully extended.
  DeWit jams the 2 by 4 into the ground at an angle against the post, with the jack handle back. Pushing the handle up causes the free end of the hinge to force the post upward a couple inches. As the post moves out, the 2 by 4 drops down and the sharpened end of the piece of flat iron gets a new grip on the post.
  “The offset hinges push the free end of the hinge upward against the post with a lot of force,” says DeWit. “The 2 points of contact on the post keep moving down as I crank the handle back and forth. After I straighten the post, I hammer a short 2 by 4 into the hole to hold the post in place.”
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Luke DeWit, P.O. Box 1, Site 7, Millarville, Alberta, Canada T0L 1K0 (ph 403 931-3640; luke.dewit.1@)gmail.com).

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Barn Hinge Jack Used To Straighten Fence Posts FENCING Miscellaneous A pair of old barn hinges can be used to make a jack that works great for straightening wooden fence posts says Luke DeWit Millarville Alberta He has a fenceline on hilly ground where posts tend to lean over with time “I didn’t want the hassle of using a come-along or getting on and off a tractor all the time to straighten them out ” says DeWit Instead he came up with his “barn hinge jack” that consists of a couple of large hinges a 6-ft long 2 by 4 and a hockey stick It works kind of like the ratchet on a bumper jack walking slowly down the post with each “bite” as the barn hinges are cranked “I’ve used it for 5 years with no problems My friend Doug Horsley gave me the idea ” says DeWit The two hinges are 10 in long He bolts one near the end of a 6-ft long 2 by 4 The second hinge bolts to the loose end of the first hinge along with an 18-in long piece of a hockey stick that serves as the handle DeWit notes that a hockey stick handle works well because it’s made from durable hardwood A 3 by 5-in piece of flat iron sharpened like a knife blade at the end bolts to the underside of the 2 by 4 and protrudes about 1/2 in beyond the end The hinges are offset with one hinge cylinder located about 1 in behind the other The free end of the top hinge extends about 2 in beyond the end of the 2 by 4 when fully extended DeWit jams the 2 by 4 into the ground at an angle against the post with the jack handle back Pushing the handle up causes the free end of the hinge to force the post upward a couple inches As the post moves out the 2 by 4 drops down and the sharpened end of the piece of flat iron gets a new grip on the post “The offset hinges push the free end of the hinge upward against the post with a lot of force ” says DeWit “The 2 points of contact on the post keep moving down as I crank the handle back and forth After I straighten the post I hammer a short 2 by 4 into the hole to hold the post in place ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Luke DeWit P O Box 1 Site 7 Millarville Alberta Canada T0L 1K0 ph 403 931-3640; luke dewit 1@ gmail com

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