Fixing a Broken Top Rail on a Chain Link Fence

The top rail of our chain link fence broke sometime during the winter.  We can't say for sure how it happened but our theory is that the post to the right of the break, heaved out of the ground during a freeze.  This caused the post to bend away from our property until it broke the insert connection on the top rail.  This left us with a broken connection on the top rail and a bent post.

You can see, in the photo above, the broken top rail insert inside the top rail. The photo below shows the bent post with the chain attached for the ratcheting come along.

 Here are two diagrams to help familiarize yourself with chain link fencing.  I should also say that I dislike chain link fence but due to the size of our lot we cannot reasonably even think about any other type of fencing.  This fence is old and rusty so I painted the fence in front of our house in a satin black but did not paint the north side because it is jointly owned by us and my neighbor who is not fond of painted chain link.  I painted the fence to match the driveway gate and because black makes the fence visibly disappear.  Believe me I want this fence to disappear.

 skewred.com

www.FenceSupplyCo.com

The first step was straightening the post.  We used a chain and a ratcheting come along.  The come along chain was wrapped around the fence post and another chain connected the truck bumper (we used the unused hole for a trailer hitch ball) on the truck to the come along.  The truck bumper was the fixed point and by ratcheting the come along, the post slowly straightened.  We over corrected because we figured that there would be some rebound and we were correct.

Check out this video of the post straightening process. 

You can hear the Indy 500 on the radio in the background.

At this point we have a straight post but a broken rail and we need to insert the rail sleeve so that the top rail is once again one continuous rail.  But to do this we need to go to the end of the rail and remove the rail from the rail end.  This will allow us to use a small sledge hammer to make the space longer between the two pieces of top rail.

We then slid the rail sleeve onto one end and then lined up the other end of the sleeve and the other end of the top rail.  I held it so that it was aligned and R tapped the far end of the top rail until it was into the rail sleeve.  He then put on the rail end and bolted it back into the brace band.

And we were done.

R purchased the rail sleeve at Home Depot in the fence department across from the bags of concrete.  He also purchased a bag of fence ties.  These keep the chain link fence attached to the posts and top rail.  We were missing a lot of the fence ties at the bottom of the fence where it attaches to the post.  We had a long list of stuff to do so we didn't get to that today.

Total cost for 1 sleeve and 1 bag of fence ties.....$10.20 

Easy peasy

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Replacing a Broken Shovel Handle

We must have 5 shovels of various shapes and age so occasionally we have to replace a broken handle.  One of our oldest is a flat blade shovel that I use to edge my flower beds and edge along the concrete curb.  It is a great shovel because you can file a nice sharp edge on the blade so it can cut through the hardest soil. 

 But I broke the handle and rather than toss it I headed to Ace Hardware for a new handle.

Here is a diagram of the parts of a shovel to help you understand the directions for replacing a broken handle.

https://www.wonkeedonkeetools.co.uk/shovels/what-are-the-parts-of-a-shovel/

Before you back out of the driveway, you will need to remove the broken handle from the blade of the shovel.  I drilled out the pin/rivet but you could also use a grinder to grind off the head of the pin/rivet.

You are going to think that you can remember what the old handle looks like but when you find yourself standing in front of a display of all different shapes and sizes of handles, you will have wished that you brought the blade or the old handle with you.  So don't leave home without one or the other.  I took the blade with me to Ace Hardware.

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Here is the one that I needed.  So off to the cash register.

 But first.... I got out my Ace Rewards coupon for 15 bucks.

 But the handle was only $14.99 so I had to buy a 15 cent mini York candy to bring my purchase over $15.00.  In the end the shovel handle cost me 14 cents.  Gotta love a bargain. 

 Oh by the way, before you leave the store with your new handle, make sure it has the pin/rivet taped to the handle.  You will need this pin/rivet to secure the blade to the handle.  You can use a bolt and nut but using the pin is a more secure method. 

 Insert the handle until it is all the way into the socket.  Turn the shovel upside down and tap the end of the shovel handle against the driveway or any hard surface. It always surprises me that this method works. Once the handle is all the way into the shovel socket you will need to drill a hole through the handle using a drill bit that is the same diameter as the pin/rivet.

 Drive the pin/rivet all the way through the handle until the head of the pin/rivet is resting against the socket.

 Place something hard, like the head of a hammer, under the pin/rivet head so that when you start peening the pin/rivet, it will stay in place.

You can then either use a pin punch, nail set, or the rounded end of a ball peen hammer to peen the pin/rivet.  The pin/rivet will start to spread out and flatten. 

Keep hitting the head until it is completely flattened out and tight against the shovel socket.  Flip the shovel over and make sure the head of the pin/rivet is still tight against the shovel socket before you pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

Don't throw away your tools because they have a broken handle. It is a cheap and easy fix to replace the handle.

Easy Peasy.

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