Hollaender Speed-Rail Fittings Proudly Distributed by Academy Fence

[caption id="attachment_818" align="alignright" width="250"] Hollaender® Speed-Rail Fittings[/caption]

Aluminum 535 is an alloy combining aluminum and magnesium resulting in a product with good combination of strength, shock resistance and ductility. It can be polished and anodized. It has excellent machining properties and an exceptional finish can be produced, especially when machined with carbide tools at maximum speeds. It is highly resistant to corrosion and will not need any additional surface treatment for most applications.

I'm telling you this because we're proud of the material the long-lasting Hollaender® fittings we distribute are composed of.

Hollaender's® lines of modular pipe fittings - Speed-Rail® slip-on fittings and Interna-Rail® internal fittings - are the broadest line of aluminum pipe fittings available - ANYWHERE!

Hollaender® pipe fittings are made of high tensile strength, aluminum/magnesium alloy 535 with physical strength characteristics comparable to that of malleable iron at only one-third the weight. This alloy can be used with any other metal, including carbon or stainless steel, without fear of electrolytic (dissimilar metal) corrosion.

More than 75 years of American-made experience and superior manufacturing technology have resulted in the most reliable, durable, and high-quality products.

Their pipe fittings and handrail systems today can be found everywhere you look. From rocket launchpads and complexes to oil rigs, from Hollywood movie studios and modern amusement parks to the fixtures in your favorite retail stores, and from water treatment plants to powergen facilities around the globe.

Why? The reasons are simple:

• They have a handrail system to meet any application.


• Their slip-on fittings are cost effective, easy to install, and reusable.


• They are vertically integrated. In other words the design, casting, and manufacturing is done under one roof.


• Aluminum-magnesium alloy is strong, corrosion resistant, and usable with any metal pipe.


• They have the capability for in-house development of innovative ideas.

Our relationship with Hollaender® enables us to sell high-quality Hollaender® Speed-Rail Fitttings at a price as low as you'll find anywhere so please order now or contact us with any questions or comments.

Distinguishing Premium vs. Discount Vinyl Fence. A Simple Comparison.

[caption id="attachment_634" align="alignright" width="167"] Chesterfield CertaGrain by Academy Fence[/caption]

There are dozens of manufacturers of Vinyl PVC Fence, and becoming informed of the difference in quality and longevity of the various brand options can be overwhelming. Allow us to simplify the process.

All Vinyl PVC Fence can be put into one of two easily distinguishable categories; Premium and Discount. Although the pricing for either grade will vary significantly, it is critical to be able to distinguish between the two to ensure you are getting what you pay for.

Premium Vinyl PVC Fences will be strong, durable and will look new after decades, while even the best discount Vinyl PVC Fences will be weak, easily crack and turn yellow with in just a few years. If you are not getting a premium Vinyl PVC Fence, it is wise to consider a comparable style of a cedar wood fence, which will outlast a discount quality Vinyl PVC Fence.

Two fundamental differences: 1. Material Density & Thickness 2. Fastening Method

1. Material Density and Thickness
Premium Vinyl PVC Fence	Discount Vinyl PVC Fence
The "heavy wall" Vinyl PVC Post is thick and strong enough to be set directly in to the ground for stable lifetime endurance. It is not necessary to set a rot prone wood post first and sleeve it with a "vinyl pvc post" sleeve.	A discount "vinyl fence post" is composed of a wood post, as the fence foundation, with a vinyl sleeve over it. The life of the fence is then based on the life of the wooden post.
Remember, the premise of a Vinyl PVC Fence is that it will outlast a wood fence by decades.
2. Fastening Method
Premium Vinyl PVC Fence	Discount Vinyl PVC Fence
Routed Post & Rails Premium PVC Vinyl Fence components are fastened together by routed components, so that the structural integrity is inherent in the design. The pickets go into the horizontal rails, and the rails go into the post. Full vertical pickets are lodged inside the rails, and the full horizontal rails are lodged inside the posts.	Hardware Fasteners Brackets, nuts, bolts and screws are used to attach the pickets onto the rails and the rails onto the posts. Structural integrity is reliant on the diameter of (potentially rust-prone) screws and other hardware.

All of the Academy Fence Vinyl Fence is premium quality. Please call or email us anytime and speak with a specialist with at least twenty years of experience in the fencing field.

Don't Buy Post and Rail (Split Rail) Fencing... Yet

Post & Rail has been traditionally used for horse corrals, and other livestock enclosures. Now-a-days it is commonly used for yard and garden fences. If you're interested in this rustic style of fence, please familiarize yourself with the characteristics you'll be looking for.

Rails

Rails are normally 11 feet long, which provides 6 inches of railing on either end, for insertion into post at the standard spacing of 10 feet apart.

[caption id="attachment_479" align="alignright" width="300"] Husky Post and Rail Fence by Academy Fence[/caption]

Rails should be made of a softwood, typically either spruce or hemlock. Mixed hardwood rails are usually lower in cost, but make a poor choice because of their tendency to rot, mildew and discolor. The Academy Fence rails are cut from a "very husky" (thick) beautiful softwood rails of a very hard-to-find variety, pictured to the right.

Posts

Posts should be made of locust wood, which in Abraham Lincoln's time would have been a Black Locust - an extremely hard wood, resistant to rot and durable, prized for furniture, flooring, paneling, fence posts and small watercraft - and is now usually a cross-pollinated variety.

Avoid posts made of treated wood. Not only do they lose the traditional look of natural lumber, but until 2003 the preservative most commonly used in residential pressure-treated lumber was chromated copper arsenate (CCA), an extremely toxic chemical. Contemporary treated lumber uses less toxic alternatives... amine copper quat (ACQ) and copper azole (CA), but whether these new chemicals will turn out to be less hazardous in the long term is anyone's guess.

All posts should include a galvanized staple on top to prevent splitting.

Number of Rails - 2 or 3

• Posts for a two rail fence should be 6ft long.


• For a three rail fence the posts should be 7ft long.

Academy Fence Products

If you or anyone you know is currently considering or shopping for a Post and Rail fence, please consider Academy's Rustic Split Post & Rail fencing, which features 11ft Hemlock rails (considered the best), enclosing spaces between posts 10 feet on center. Post are made from high quality locust wood, and all posts are reinforced with a galvanized staple at the top. This combination results in an esthetically pleasing, long lasting fence.

Additional Features

Color PVC coated welded wire is easily attached to render Post & Rail into an attractive dog enclosure, yard guard or pool code fence. Choose one of the styles here for additional information and pricing, or send in your choice of style and layout measurements on our quick quote form.

Razor Wire: Stainless Steel vs. Galvanized Comparison

Razor wire, which is also known by the names Razor Ribbon, Helical, Security Barbed Tape and Concertina Wire, is a mesh of metal strips with sharp edges whose purpose is to prevent passage by humans. The term "razor wire", through long usage, has generally been used to describe barbed tape products. While razor wire is much sharper than the standard barbed wire, it's not actually razor sharp.

Razor wire can be made out of either stainless steel or galvanized steel.  This article will explore the benefits and drawbacks of the two.

The fundamental difference between stainless steel and galvanized razor wire is that the galvanized wire is protected from rust and weathering by a coating which can be scraped or scratched off, leaving the wire exposed to the elements, while in stainless steel, the actual material that the razor wire is made out of is resistant to rust and weather because of its carbon content has been reduced through the blending of metal alloys at high heats.

The stainless steel is universally accepted as the preferred option. This is because of its superior performance in strength, longevity and appearance.  Because of its highly corrosive resistant properties, the razor edges of the stainless steel razor wire stay and sharp. While the leading edge of the galvanized type tends to lose its vividness due to the thin zinc coating that peels off leaving the ‘razor barbs’ blunt and less effective both physically and psychologically.  Stainless steel will far outlast the effectiveness galvanized wire by many many years (decades).

[caption id="attachment_454" align="alignright" width="300"] Stainless Steel Razor Wire - photo: www.alibaba.com[/caption]

Stainless steel is more costly to manufacture and is therefore more expensive to the end user. However with this information and knowledge consumers can properly compare and assure knowing what they are getting at a minimum and certainly be able to avoid purchasing the galvanized type when the two types are close to the same price.
This relative comparison becomes even more apparent when product use is very long term, especially near or under water.

As always when there is labor involved, in the long run higher quality material is usually more economical due to the long-term reduction in installation and maintenance costs.

 

Nine Types of Wood Fence Compared and Explained

[caption id="attachment_573" align="alignright" width="300"] Board on Board Shadowbox Wood Fence[/caption]

There are as many different types of wood fence as your mind can fathom including fence made from wood found in your yard, split rail timber and wooden rails and pickets attached to steel posts. This article offers an overview of some of the most common options in wooden fence styles and their benefits and pricing.

We'll look at the following wood fence styles:

Tongue and Groove Wood Fence
Board on Batten Wood Fence
Lattice Wood Fence
Board on Board or Shadowbox Style Wood Fence
Solid Board Wood Fence
Stockade Style Wood Fence
Spindle Picket Wood Fence
Spaced Picket Fence
Post and Rail Wood Fence

I'm gonna guess that if you're still reading you are either interested in installing a fence or writing a book that includes one because let's face it, there are more compelling subjects on the internet.

The primary differences in the above styles are price, degree of privacy and esthetics (in other words how nice it looks), and you guessed it, the best looking and most private wood fences are the least inexpensive. Well explore the options more-or-less from the top down, price-wise, so scroll to the bottom if you're on a tight budget and don't mind being visible.

Tongue and Groove Wood Fence

[caption id="attachment_574" align="alignright" width="300"] Tongue and Groove Wood Fence with Diamond Top Design[/caption]

Similar, but not the same as Tongue in Groove, Tongue and groove or T&G is a method where fence boards are joined together, edge to edge. Tongue and groove joints allow two flat pieces to be joined strongly together to make a single flat surface. This type of fence is known as a "Good Neighbor Fence" because it looks identical on both sides. This is achieved with the use of thin cross rails on both each of the fencing, which are sufficient because of the added strength provided by the tongue and groove joints between the boards. When wood expands and contracts, the interlocking boards retain connection, preventing the 1/8"-1/4" gaps between boards on traditional stockade and solid board fencing.

Board on Batten Wood Fence

[caption id="attachment_575" align="alignright" width="200"] Board on Batten Style[/caption]

The high privacy fence more common in the Midwest US called Board-and-batten fence in which narrow planks, called "battens", are festooned over the joints between the boards. The result resembles siding on farm buildings of the past. The top rail on this type of fence protects the ends of the vertical boards from the weather, giving them a long life. The assembly of a board-and-batten fence requires the placing of a board vertically and a batten in the opposite direction. This fence is made by alternating board and batten directions, butted to one another, and covered with a top rail.

 

Lattice Wood Fence

[caption id="attachment_578" align="alignright" width="250"] Lattice Top Wood Fence[/caption]

Lattice fence styles are a more decorative fence type and a true lattice fence is one in which the entire area between posts is composed of lattice-work, potentially framed. The more common variation is a fence with lattice-work at the top.

 

 

 

 

[caption id="attachment_580" align="alignright" width="300"] Board on Board (Shadowbox) Wood Fence[/caption]

Board on Board or Shadowbox Style Wood Fence
Board on Board (also known as shadowbox) fencing is also considered a "good neighbor fence" due to both sides being identical. Board on Board fencing is a semi-private fence which allows airflow and sight through the openings between the fence boards on either side.

 

Solid Board Wood Fence

[caption id="attachment_581" align="alignright" width="250"] Solid Board Wood Fence Style[/caption]

Solid board fencing is the simplest and most common style of fencing in which the boards are fastened to the rails side-by-side. This type of fence offers a high degree of privacy, but the expansion and contraction of wood through changes in weather will create some gaps between boards. Solid board fences may may be customized by adding picket detail as dog ear, gothic, French gothic, arch or scallop to the top.

Stockade Style Wood Fence

[caption id="attachment_582" align="alignright" width="250"] Stockade Style Wood Fence[/caption]

The fundamental difference between stockade and solid board style wood fence brings to light the difference between a fence board and a fence picket. A board is flat on both sides, which a picket has a convex bevel on one side. The stockade fence is a modern variation on stockade fortifications, which were simple forms of defense of military camps or settlements, used since ancient Roman times and earlier. They offer the same fundamental privacy and security as board on board, with a more traditional or even historic look.

Spindle Picket Wood Fence

[caption id="attachment_583" align="alignright" width="300"] Spindle Picket Wood Fence[/caption]

Spindle Picket wood fence is considered a New England type picket fence (on the high end of spaced picket) with a more discriminating design, which utilizes a square or rounded picket, usually about 2" x 2" with a spacing of 1"- 3" between spindles. Spindle fencing achieves the look of a deck railing with the durability of a solid square picket. Spindle picket fencing detail options include a cap board, gothic picket cut, and 45-degree angle cut. Spindle picket fencing is available in 48" and 60" heights. The rounded pickets are called balusters and are made on a lathe.

Spaced Picket Fence

[caption id="attachment_584" align="alignright" width="259"] Spaced Picket Wood Fence[/caption]

One of the most economical choices, spaced picket fencing styles have gaps between the boards ranging from 1"-3" so it doesn't really offer much in the way of privacy. But since spaced picket fence can be installed in heights ranging from 3' high to 8" it does serve to contain or prevent entry when desired.

 

Post and Rail Wood Fence

[caption id="attachment_586" align="alignright" width="300"] Rustic Post and Rail (Split Rail Style) Fence[/caption]

For those who just need to keep covered wagons and stray horses out off the lawn, the rustic Post and Rail fence offers an old fashioned, rustic feeling of the old Split Rail fences from which they are derived. It's a sturdy, long lasting design made of posts connected by two or three thick rails, which in the original split rail design were simply the split trunks of small trees.

If you have any questions feel free to send an email to info@academyfence.com
or call (973) 674-0600 to speak with someone with at least 20 years experience. We also invite your comments.

24 mile long Art Fence on this Day in 1976

[caption id="attachment_289" align="alignright" width="300"] Running Fence by Christo and Jeanne-Claude[/caption]

On September 10th in 1976, exactly thirty-six years ago today, the married artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude completed a 24.5 mile long art project called Running Fence. It project was installed in the hills of Sonoma in Marin County, California. The 18-foot (5.5 m) high fence was composed of 2,050 panels of white nylon fabric hung from steel cables by means of 350,000 hooks. The cables were supported by 2,050 steel poles stuck into the ground and braced by steel guy wires anchored to the earth. It was removed by the builders 14 days after completion, leaving no visible trace.

[caption id="attachment_290" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Color photograph by Wolfgang Volz[/caption]