Note: this is a very old post I found in my drafts that I didnt get around to finishing. I'm publishing it today but it's actually several years old.
For my bison fences I use what is called an H-brace to reinforce the ends and corners of the fences. Here is the process I follow to make an H brace.
Pictured above are three posts installed that will become the corner of a fenced area. This corner will consist of two H braces when done. The first step after installing the posts is to install the horizonal wooden beam of the brace.
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| Before I can raise the crossbeam I must drill holes in the two for the brace pins used to hold the beam. Brace pins are steel rods about a quarter inch thick and 10 inches long. Here is me drilling the first hole. |
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| Now the other post. |
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| Next I trim the crossbeam to the distance between the two posts. |
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| The handsaw was dull so I switched to a chainsaw. |
Next I push the brace pins through the holes. I then lift up the beam and set one end balancing on top of one of the protruding brace pins.
The other end of the beam is then raised up to the brace pin hole so I can hammer that pin into the beam.
If I'm not careful the beam will slip off the protruding pin on the other side.
Here I've gotten the post back up and I'm hammering the pin in.
Now I can hammer in the pin on the other side.
Now that both pins are in the H brace is ready to be wrapped diagonally with tensioning wire.
To do this I first hammer in a staple above the brace pin of the side of the brace facing the direction towards which the future fence will extend.
Here is a close up of where I hammered the staple in. This staple is only temporary and helps to keep the wire in the correct position while I'm wrapping it around the brace.
At the base of the opposite post I hammer in another staple. It serves the same purpose but will remain there after I'm done with the H brace.
Next I wrap one very long piece of 12.5 gauge high tensile wire diagonally around the brace twice threading it through the staples each time it passes by a post.
More wrapping
Then I twist one end of the wire around the post at one end and wrap it around itself. Then I get the wire wrapping as snug as I can then do the same with the other end of the wire.
This next step is very important to make sure the tension wires come even length when they are twisted. I use both of my arms to vigorously push and pull the wires so they are all the same length.
In this case I pushed and pulled so much the crossbeam came loose and fell on me.
So I got be beam back in place with the pins in it.
Then I pushed and pulled the wires a little less vigorously.
Now comes the twisting part . I insert one end of a juniper stick, called a twist stick, between the bundle of wires and start twisting the stick.
I twist and twist the stick until there is a lot of tension. The force of the tension will draw the posts and crossbeam together snugly into a solid unit. When I'm done twisting I set the free end of the twist stick against the horizonal beam.
I then nail many staples at the place where the wires wrap around the bottom end of the post. The other end will be held fast by the end of the brace pin sticking out.
I then use a length of wire and some staples to secure the free end of the twist stick to the crossbeam.
Here's another staple I put on the other side of the crossbeam. And that's it. I move one to the next brace.
Pictured above are three posts installed that will become the corner of a fenced area. This corner will consist of two H braces when done. The first step after installing the posts is to install the horizonal wooden beam of the brace.
Next I push the brace pins through the holes. I then lift up the beam and set one end balancing on top of one of the protruding brace pins.
The other end of the beam is then raised up to the brace pin hole so I can hammer that pin into the beam.
If I'm not careful the beam will slip off the protruding pin on the other side. 
Here I've gotten the post back up and I'm hammering the pin in. 
Now I can hammer in the pin on the other side. 
Now that both pins are in the H brace is ready to be wrapped diagonally with tensioning wire. 
To do this I first hammer in a staple above the brace pin of the side of the brace facing the direction towards which the future fence will extend. 
Here is a close up of where I hammered the staple in. This staple is only temporary and helps to keep the wire in the correct position while I'm wrapping it around the brace. 
At the base of the opposite post I hammer in another staple. It serves the same purpose but will remain there after I'm done with the H brace. 
Next I wrap one very long piece of 12.5 gauge high tensile wire diagonally around the brace twice threading it through the staples each time it passes by a post. 
More wrapping
Then I twist one end of the wire around the post at one end and wrap it around itself. Then I get the wire wrapping as snug as I can then do the same with the other end of the wire. 
This next step is very important to make sure the tension wires come even length when they are twisted. I use both of my arms to vigorously push and pull the wires so they are all the same length. 
In this case I pushed and pulled so much the crossbeam came loose and fell on me. 
So I got be beam back in place with the pins in it. 
Then I pushed and pulled the wires a little less vigorously. 
Now comes the twisting part . I insert one end of a juniper stick, called a twist stick, between the bundle of wires and start twisting the stick. 
I twist and twist the stick until there is a lot of tension. The force of the tension will draw the posts and crossbeam together snugly into a solid unit. When I'm done twisting I set the free end of the twist stick against the horizonal beam.
I then nail many staples at the place where the wires wrap around the bottom end of the post. The other end will be held fast by the end of the brace pin sticking out.
I then use a length of wire and some staples to secure the free end of the twist stick to the crossbeam. 
Here's another staple I put on the other side of the crossbeam. And that's it. I move one to the next brace. 
