[Sanchofula]

I’ve got four trail access points I need to protect from wild horses, I tried setting timbers on the ground spaced like a cattleguard, but the horses step through them, so I need a ramp styled guard.

I can use wood, but. when I priced hardware for a 4x4 guard, the hardware alone was going to run $50 each! Plus wood will break down fast and it’s heavy for hand carrying to the trail

I’m thinking angle iron and or rebar, I worry about the rebar holding up and the angle iron ain’t cheap. 1/2” rebar is readily accessible, but it’s not all that robust, 3/4” would be better but it’s real heavy and harder to find.

The guards will be 36” wide and 4-5’ deep, elevated 18-24”, spacing of crossbars 8” or so.

The guard is only for bike access, hikers can go around.

 

[hoolie]

Hey Nurse Ben, good to ride with you a few months ago. Dont you know a welder? Hit that goon up for scraps!

 

[TylerVernon]

I've wondered how concrete filled pvc would work.

 

[Nat]

Nearby. Works great.

 

[TylerVernon]

Pretty, but complicated to build.

 

[Nat]

Pretty, but complicated to build.

🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[brex17]

These little guys are all over BLM land in Utah. I believe it's one inch square stock, but have never really looked at them up close. Rebar may work, if you have a cheap supply, might as well give it a whirl.

https://cdn2.apstatic.com/photos/mtb/7006039_large_1554824491.jpg

 

[Sanchofula]

Yeah, I can weld, carpenter by trade, mostly looking at cost vs time, I was out working on the trails today , got to thinking about using just rebar, bending it at the “top”, then welding cross processes for the “ladder”.

Hardest part is transportation, a 3/4” rebar stick is 20’ long, so I gotta cut it before loading in my van …. but a stick is $20 and it’ll build ~?one guard

 

[Grinchy8]

The green guard above has 17 cross members.
17*3 ft horizontals+6*4 ft sides=75 feet. not including any vertical supports and foundation stuff.
So that's at least four 20' rebar sticks + burn in rod.
You could go full metal workers and just tie the rebar together with the little metal twisties. That'll probably last a couple seasons at least.
Tack weld too and you're up to a long while.
Rustoleum spray it post welding and it'll outlast all of us.

 

[Sanchofula]

5/8” rebar, #14 x 20’, $260 materials, $30 cutter bender rental, next it’s break out the MIG and get busy.

I’m going add a couple more cross pieces, #10-12 per barrier, each barrier has ~ 12” rise, 12” flat at the middle, 40” wide, 60” across.

If the horses cross these, it’s gonna get ugly 😡

 

[TylerVernon]

How about rebar for the bottom, 6x6 panel for the sides?

 

[Sanchofula]

How about rebar for the bottom, 6x6 panel for the sides?

That’s not a bad idea, but you’d need to prevent separation, so the wood would need wood cross bracing or the rebar would pull out of the holes.

I’m gonna start welding today, the real test will be when I start hitting these things at speed, I’ll weld them to last, but will they bend?

 

[Sanchofula]

Two down, two to go, already got #1 installed, rides great, 8” spacing is just right, 5/8” rebar.

Total material cost is ~$300 for four guards, got about two hours in each one including cutting and running for materials.

 

[Sanchofula]

 

[aero901]

Looks good! Is there much flex in the middle of the bars? If so, did you consider adding another "U" shaped piece in the middle to tie them together?

 

[Sanchofula]

Looks good! Is there much flex in the middle of the bars? If so, did you consider adding another "U" shaped piece in the middle to tie them together?

The bars flex if I step on them, but not enough to bend unless I try to bend them, the structure flexes by design.

A little flex is good, it keeps them from bending when I jump them on my bike

 

[Deadman]

Wood is good!

Deadman Sturgis

https://www.deadmansturgis.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/THAD-Drawing.pdf

 

[Sanchofula]

Two of the younger horses figured out how to walk through the bars, the remainder of the herd are staying out, so it's been mostly a success.

Wild horses are smart!

 

[DMFT]

Two of the younger horses figured out how to walk through the bars, the remainder of the herd are staying out, so it's been mostly a success.

Wild horses are smart!

All of my Cattle-guard viewing experiences have a decent-depth pit dug out underneath them..... Have you given thought to doing that???

 

[ezybike]