Rob Densmore - Taradale Victoria

G’day Rob Thanks for sitting down today to talk fencing!

How long have you been fencing?
I’ll put it this way, 3 of my uncles were fencers, my old man was a fencer and I was on the fenceline when I was just out of nappies. I’ve done other jobs like shearing and abattoirs but I’ve come back to fencing.

What sort of fencing do you specialise in?
Exclusion fencing more and more, but mostly hinge joint, we use 4 plain wires with hinge joint.

What’s the trickiest job you have ever done?
A waterway crossing just the other side of Metcalf was tricky, very deep gully. We had to get hinge joint over what was basically a ravine. I used three plain wires loosely strung between posts on either side, clipped the netting to it on the ground, then strained up the plains to lift it in position. Then we got it drum tight.

Can you give us a brief rundown, starting with the driver, of the gear you use?
I have a Lyco driver on the tractor and a Munro on the bobcat. We run a four man crew, we run our compressors and spinners on a polaris side-by-side with a spinner of my own design. I’ve also designed my own vertical hinge joint spinner and it lets me run out a hinge joint roll in a minute and a half. That’s kind of a secret weapon.

Why fencing?
It’s easier on my body, I’ve got arthritis, which is why I invest in the latest equipment, I use the best equipment I can get to make the job as safe and easy as possible on the body.

How important are good fences to your clients?
Good fences are everything to a landholder.

For you, what’s the most satisfying moment in the job?
Clipping the hinge joint, We use two compressed air clippers so it means that when we start that, the job is nearly done.

How critical is your gear to producing high quality fences?
You’ve got up with technology because it gives you market advantage. You can't afford to use old tech or cheap gear or you’ll get left behind.

Where do you see fencing going in the next decade?
Exclusion fencing will start to take over.

Safety is pretty important these days, does gear have a large role to play?
Yes, absolutely we are safety conscious. Good gear helps that.

Let’s talk strainers now, there are lots on the market, why do you choose Fenceline units?
I like the tension gauge and the quality gives you consistency, I've never broken one. The steel is great.

How much impact do fenceline strainers make on the job?
They make it easy, I run four sets. I can strain up in one go and all wires are uniform thanks to the strain gauge.

What would be your top three tips for straining wire right?
Knots are critical, make sure you are neat, use a strain gauge every time.

A poor workman can’t blame the tools, but a craftsman uses the finest tools eh?

Thanks Rob!