Securing a Grape Trellis

When we moved here, we had a very nice cloths line in the yard that we would never use. I lowered the back wire and am running the vines up and over the top. The lines go through some kind of eye contraption, and come back. then they are clamped together with a fairly large clamp. They don't slip and seem to hold a lot of weight.

Dwayne

"Bob Provencher" wrote

Although there may be a special tool, you don't need one. You can crimp them with a hammer and "anvil".

A good framing hammer will do, although a small sledge hammer will do better. For an "anvil", use a small section of railroad iron or similar (which you can pick up at a scrap yard for a few dollars). Take the them both to where you are constructing your trellis (or clothesline), wrap the end of the wire through the turnbuckle eye, insert the ferrule, stretch the wire by hand to the right lenghth, then bring it down to the ground where your "anvil" is sitting, and give it a sharp rap.

Depending on the type of ferrule, you may wish to give it a rap with a cold chisel, to form a small indentation which acts as a "set screw".

Hi Bob,

This topic is generally excepted in this group. Many of the members grow their own grapes which a friend has affectionally termed as venologist (those who grow and make wine).

Others have already provided some homemade suggestions. As for places to buy equipment, here's a link to a page that has quite a few other links pertaining to vineyards... supply links are about halfway down the page:

Also, here's a viticulture FAQ produced by a group member:

clyde

A couple sites I bookmarked on this topic:

Not wanting to spend $40+ on a "Ferrule Crimper", I went to "Big Lots" and bought a less than $10 pair of Chinese Bolt Cutters. Used my Dermial with a small diameter stone grinder to grind a couple of ajoining holes in the blades. Works at least as good as the $40+ models!

Look closely at a Ferrule Crimper and a Bolt Cutter. The minor difference is obvious, and easily duplicated. A round chain saw sharpening hand file would work to make the "holes" as well.

Fred

Bob: At

Michael Amigoni vineyards centerview, MO

Michael (and everyone else who responded). Thanks a ton, this has been very helpful!