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AspieEgg , to Do It Yourself in Caps(?) for upside-down galvanized fence?

I’m no fence installer or anything so I don’t know if it’s possible, but instead of replacing the fence, could the chain link part be removed from the posts and flipped over and reinstalled?

Drusas OP ,

Sadly does not appear possible.

LallyLuckFarm , to Do It Yourself in Caps(?) for upside-down galvanized fence?
@LallyLuckFarm@beehaw.org avatar

Write or type a letter to your neighbor explaining that you’d like to help them make their fence safer, then leave it for them if they’re not home when you go to drop it off. Provide your name, a way to contact you, and be polite. Don’t make moves to alter their fence without them; changing your neighbors is expensive and good will is priceless.

If it’s a chain link style fence, with the exposed ends twisted together and jaggedly facing up, a top rail with fasteners is likely to be the easiest to set up. If there’s a fencing installer locally, try calling them up and telling them about it, then ask if they have the means to fabricate or modify a top rail to work for what’s going on. If you have the means to make a jig for an angle grinder you may be able to cut appropriate openings in the top rail yourself and secure them with ring clamps or appropriate hardware for connecting them to the upright posts. Wooden toppers might be less expensive to purchase or fabricate but will have their own upkeep needs - a router with a channel bit or a table saw with a dado blade could make short work of the recess needed to cover the sharp parts of the fence, and conduit clamps could be used to secure it in place.

Drusas OP ,

Yeah, I will at least try to speak with the neighbor about it before I do anything. With the way the properties are set up, they barely even see the fence, whereas for me, it's kind of front and center in my backyard. I expect they may be surprised when I point out that it's technically their fence.

It is a chain link fence. A top rail sounds like a good idea which wouldn't be too unattractive or hard to install. I'd sure love to replace it with a proper wooden fence because the privacy in my backyard is severely lacking when they're on their front stoop or in their driveway, but with the grade and the need to remove the current fence, it would be very expensive.

lazynooblet , to Do It Yourself in Caps(?) for upside-down galvanized fence?
@lazynooblet@lazysoci.al avatar

Sure it’s not sharp on purpose? Could be anti animal or anti climb?

Drusas OP ,

I thought of that, but considering the location, definitely not.

Car , to Do It Yourself in Caps(?) for upside-down galvanized fence?

You’d have to talk with your neighbor to make any modifications.

Something like this would probably work. You could DIY it with some plastic tubing from a hardware store cut lengthwise and stuffed over the tops of the fence. Maybe anchor it every few feet with zip ties or something.

www.hittingworld.com/…/sig-ptcap.htm

Drusas OP ,

That sure is ugly but it looks effective.

rhythmisaprancer , to Do It Yourself in Caps(?) for upside-down galvanized fence?
@rhythmisaprancer@kbin.social avatar

Is this what you are working with? If so, you may be able to purchase lengths of wood trim and sandwich the edge of the fence between them. You can also get extruded aluminum in channel form and perhaps attach it with wire. You may even be able to put heavy duty shrink wrap over each sharp point.

Or maybe you have a different type of fence and this won't help haha. Let us know 🙂

apis ,

Assumed OP meant this type of thing, but yours seems more likely as it would be cheaper to buy & to install.

Drusas OP ,

Yes, that's the type I meant.

Wahots , to Do It Yourself in Caps(?) for upside-down galvanized fence?
@Wahots@pawb.social avatar

I wouldn’t personally do it, but you might be able to hire a contractor who can ground down the points and then add a weatherproof coating to the tips. I would definitely talk to the neighbor before you do this, though. They also make rebar caps to keep people from impaling themselves on construction sites. Ugly as sin, but would make the fence safer for humans and animals alike.

Sounds like the fence company should be on the hook to remedy an improper installation, though.

Drusas OP ,

I wish the fencing company could be on the hook for it, but I'm pretty sure that fence has been there for a few decades. No idea who installed it.

Tristaniopsis , to Do It Yourself in Caps(?) for upside-down galvanized fence?

Timber strips?

MxRemy , to Do It Yourself in Caps(?) for upside-down galvanized fence?

Measure the ends, design some 3d printable caps, maybe? Except it sounds like you might need a LOT of them, 3d printing isn’t as good for that… maybe make a mold for a cap and then thermoform a bunch off of it? Orrr maybe it could be easier to grind the ends down instead?

Drusas OP ,

Grinding the ends down might be a reasonable option.

darkesthour111 , to Do It Yourself in Caps(?) for upside-down galvanized fence?

Maybe something like rubber u channel trim?

Rubber U Channel Edge Trim Small, Fits 1/16 inch Edge (1.6mm), Length 10 Feet (3.05 Meter) - Anti-Leakage, Anti Vibration. a.co/d/fsgAFJb

Drusas OP ,

That doesn't look too bad.

SubArcticTundra , to Do It Yourself in Running Electrical Wire through insulation
@SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml avatar

I know this insulation is fine but just watch out for asbestos, I don’t know how old your house is

Uprise42 OP ,

Ya, there is asbestos in the house. It is wrapped around the HVAC in the basement. We were told to get it removed now because it’s not yet a health hazard so I’m working on getting that done. It’s still in good condition and it’s not dangerous until it starts to flake away. But the insulation is newer from a remodel when the last owner turned it into a duplex. So within the last 10 years I am pretty sure

zephr_c , to Do It Yourself in Running Electrical Wire through insulation
@zephr_c@lemm.ee avatar

If it helps any fiberglass isn’t called that for funsies. It’s actually made of glass fibers in a resin. It’s not any more flammable or conductive than any other kind of glass/resin combination. The most important safety advice for using it is to wear gloves and protective glasses, because having lots of tiny glass fibers break off in you is super itchy, and your hands are right up in there, and itchy eyes are just the worst.

Uprise42 OP ,

I knew it had glass in it but I wasn’t sure if that’s all it was made of. That and the paper backing just made me want to be cautious. But I do know how to handle insulation from tearing a room off my grandparents house a few years ago.

NoLifeKing , to Do It Yourself in Running Electrical Wire through insulation

Modern insulation is basically fireproof and the probability of just cables causing a fire is pretty low nowadays as well.

deegeese , to Do It Yourself in Running Electrical Wire through insulation
@deegeese@sopuli.xyz avatar

Regular modern romex wire is fine.

You can’t insulate over old knob and tube since the cloth insulation degrades and flakes off.

Nemo ,

Tell that to the maniac who wired my house 95 years ago.

deegeese ,
@deegeese@sopuli.xyz avatar

The guy wiring with knob and tube was probably not the maniac who put insulation over it at a later date.

Nemo ,

AFAICT it was all done in a four-year period from 1926 to 1929 and untouched until I ripped the ceiling open in 2018.

Uprise42 OP ,

This is thankfully not knob and tube. The house is old enough for it though. Going in the attic you can see where the wires used to run

Creesch , to Do It Yourself in Running Electrical Wire through insulation

If everything you have read is saying that it is fine, then why does it not feel right for you? Looking around I do get the same impression, it is non-combustible so there is not really a concern there. Basically from what I gather as long as you use the proper wire for use in walls/isolation, leave enough space and generally take good practices in account like using conduit where needed you should be good to go.

I am not an electrician though and certainly not aware of your local code and regulations.

Talking about electricians, if you are worried about doing it not right, why not hire one to do it for you?

Uprise42 OP ,

I’ve been through 6 electricians and 3 general contractors. Probably more but I can’t keep those numbers straight. They all show up to give a quote then never actually do the work. I’m tired of it.

That being said, the insulation just feels flammable to me. It’s clearly marked otherwise but the paper backing and stuff just made me want to double check

admiralteal ,

Romex on a 15A breaker is simply not going to get meaningfully hot, even under worst-case scenario loads and even fully insulated in something entirely flammable. If you're very nervous, size it up to -- it will cost slightly more but be even more totally safe. Overbuilding is (should be) the DIYer's creed.

Uprise42 OP ,

12/2 is what I bought for the basement lights I’m working on. Everything I read said that was the appropriate wire to use so I never even co sidered

AspieEgg ,

Make sure you’re buying 14/2 or 12/2 that has a ground wire and running that back to the breaker box. I saw the job you did with the big cable in the floor and it didn’t look like you ran a new cable that had a ground wire. It’s best to replace the old shoddy stuff with circuits that are up to code, even if you’re doing it DIY and your area doesn’t require homeowners to get it inspected. The codes are designed to prevent fires and loss of life.

Uprise42 OP ,

That was a 240v circuit. It didn’t have a ground because it was 10/3. I had the money to get the stuff with a ground, but they were sold out and I couldn’t get anything for a few weeks so I went with the no ground but it is still up to code and manufacturer approved.

This does have a ground and black is going to the breaker with white and ground going to the ground bar.

admiralteal ,

white and ground going to the ground bar.

This is the main panel, right? If it is a sub panel, it is a meaningful shock hazard to have neutral and ground bonded together.

NotTheOnlyGamer , to /kbin in So much spam
@NotTheOnlyGamer@kbin.social avatar

The only way to resolve this situation is to get Ernest to delegate some of the instance moderation and amount. Every other path forward leads to failure.

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