I've always seen them high but wondering if anyone ever built one low with no problems with it?
I've always seen them high but wondering if anyone ever built one low with no problems with it?
They're pretty popular. I think they're great for young dogs, especially pups before you introduce them to a proper chain set up.
I have saw them lay right on the ground but they were not mine and I didn't really pay much attention to how they were made..They seemed to work fine though.
We had one years ago. What we did was use cable clamps to make a loop big enough for an axle to slide through then buried the first end, axle and all. We attached the desired length of chain and first used a pulley but it was constantly needing maintenance. We ended up using a heavy o ring.
We then used an adjacent power pole to stretch the cable with a come along once the second axle was hammered in and used cable clamps to secure the cable around the axle. Cut the excess and buried the second axle. Wallah a ground running cable run.
It didn't last long though, the ring sawed in two fairly quickly. I just don't trust any type of cable run for a bulldog.
S_B
S_B, I have read where using heavy bearing rings will last longer than O rings. Being the steel is much harder. The person that wrote the article recommended putting several bearing rings on the cable so as not having to dig up the cable to replace ring. For a safety protection one could use two different size O rings or Bearing rings attached to the dog chain. When the one that is taking all the pulling stress breaks. The other will catch till you can fix or add another O ring.
I use to make my O rings out of the thickest heavy duty pipe I could find at a metal shop. Just cut extra wide O rings for the attachment etc. at the Axle stake.
I saw also where instead of using car axles this fellow used heavy concrete blocks. Putting the cable thorough the heavy block and tie down with clamps. Then bury deep enough to keep from being pulled up. Your method may still be the best over all though. Once a O ring gets a wear grove in it. Will not last long sliding up and down the cable.
I wanted to try over head cable runs,since I could get high quality used Cable from the telephone company I worked for. We have a lot of thunder and lightning storms where I live. Was afraid one good lightning strike over my dogs might wipe out some of them real fast. Those over head cable runs look inviting like a lightning rod in a bad electrical storm. LOL Cheers
I kept a real active dog on mine for at least a year. I can take a picture of the cable, only spots where the cable is exposed is where the dog chewed and not from actual wear and tear
Use a 3/4 inch cable or bigger with a rubber coat and suspend it between two axels and put into the ground. How far you want to bury and how tight you want to suspend it will be up to you. No slack and buried deep will have the cable too tight to the ground with not a lot of room if any for the chain to move back and forth. You can almost use anything to attach the chain by just keep in mind it will need maintenance as the dirt build up will grow from the chain moving back and fourth. I raked mine every day when I cleaned up shit just to make sure the dogs movement wasn't restricted or that he didn't have to put too much extra effort in sliding the chain across.
Yes CYJ I agree with the steel bearings. That pipe idea isn't a bad idea either.
Black Hand I never thought about using coated cable, good idea but I would think with an active dog the coating wouldn't last very long. Especially if you have sandy soil. Has your experience been different?
S_B