Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Zip Tying Away

Duct tape gets a lot publicity as the ultimate quick fix, but I think that zip ties deserve an honorable mention. These handy plastic strips are strong, they come in multiple sizes, and they leave no sticky residue. Any visitor to Farcical Farm will find them doing hard service by the dozens. Several are holding the gridded panels into the horse feeders, and I use them backwards through the lid latches to keep the feeders closed. They break easily if a horse gets hung up on them, but they last forever otherwise (until the goats chew them up, anyhow). When Titan learned to escape from the horse paddock through the big gaps at the tops of the tubular gates I zip-tied some wire mesh on to block them. There is small one at the end of the big spoon I used to stir horse feed so that I can hang it from a hook, and there are several large ones anchoring tarps to the back of our manure bins.

I have been closing both garage doors at night to keep Pipsqueak safe, but one of the four hook latches is so tight that I have hurt my hands multiple times trying to close it. Last night I used a zip tie to extend that loop by about half a centimeter and now it closes easily -- still secure, but not too tight.


7 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

They do come in handy, another thing we use them for is anchoring the fans to the stall bars in the summer.

Mrs. Mom said...

Zip ties rock- I have actually used them to fix electric fences with in a serious pinch! Bundled together, they can hold as a temporary insulator until I can get more replacements!

Anonymous said...

I zip tied a dog crate together when the kids had a penchant for unscrewing the wing nuts. We use them regularly enough that I know where to find them in CP's toolkit of geek stuff (ie, computer stuff).


wv: cants- I am full of "cants" today. I cants get off my butt and make coffee. I "cants" workout because I'm tired. I "cants" do anything! (whine, whine, whine)

The Border Collies said...

Zip ties keep my computer cords off the ground and attached to the desk leg. Cuz I have a LOTTTA gear. Zip ties run my whole life, and I'm totally happy this way!

EvenSong said...

One year, we used zip ties to "string-up" a couple of rolls of snow fencing to the pasture fence (horses in the paddocks for the winter). When the infamous Ellensburg wind blows, I think it all leaves the valley thru our back pasture, and drops horrendous snow banks in all sorts of inconvenient places!

trales = stories of country rides

allhorsestuff said...

We use the zips around the yard so some folks don't think our personal things in the yard are Public domain. Zip it down!

Got a special someting for you today over at my place...you may scap it- but please take the sentiments behind it! I count on you for the uplifting always.
KK

Black Jack's Carol said...

Just home and catching up on your blog. Interesting typing challenges with cast holding 4th and 5th fingers together, but wanted to thank you for the good thoughts and let you know your posts are as fascinating as usual. The one about blackberry bushes definitely caught my attention:) I've always felt that your mind works and observes in unique (NOT weird, at least from my perfectly logical perspective:) and wonderful ways.

I like zip ties. Sometimes, they can even repair musical instruments.