Where the ranch work is
The open land is on every edge of the Metroplex: north of Haslet and around Justin and Rhome on the Fort Worth side, west of Denton and out toward Sherman in the north, and south through Ellis County around Midlothian and Red Oak. Hobby farms and small acreages sit inside the ring too, and new subdivisions keep pushing the line outward.
How ranches use spools
| Job | What the spool does |
|---|---|
| Fence building | A spool on a bar in a pickup bed or on a trailer pays out barbed wire, high-tensile wire or field fence wire |
| Water lines | Poly pipe for stock tanks and troughs is wound onto a big spool so it can be laid out and taken up |
| Hose | A 30 to 48 in spool on a pipe between two posts makes a hose reel by the barn |
| Feeding | Large spools stood on their flanges make stands for mineral tubs and feed |
| Work tables | A spool on its side is a sturdy outdoor table in the shop or by the pens |
| Electric fence | Poly tape and wire for temporary paddocks wind onto mid-size spools |
What to look for
Ranch spools live outside, so choose nailed wood over plywood every time. A round arbor hole matters if the spool will turn on a bar. Loose nails, broken boards and sharp bolt ends matter if livestock will be near it. Weathered faces and faded stencils don't matter at all. See ranch and farm spools for sizes and delivery.
Moving big spools on a ranch
A 60 or 72 in spool weighs hundreds of pounds and rolls easily on sloping pasture. Use a tractor with forks, a front loader with a spear through the arbor hole, or a winch. Stand spools on level ground, chock them, and keep them away from pens where cattle could push them over. Our guide on moving large spools has more.
Old spools on the place
Most ranches have a spool or two that has finally rotted through. We can collect those when we deliver new ones, or on a pickup route nearby, so they don't end up burned or left to collapse in the brush.
Building a wire dispenser
The simplest fence-wire dispenser is a length of pipe through a spool's arbor hole, resting in two notched uprights bolted to a trailer or a pallet in a truck bed. Fit a washer and a pin at each end so the pipe can't slide out. For a brake, a short board hinged against one flange works: press it with a boot to slow the spool. Keep the spool low, keep hands clear of the turning flange, and wear gloves; barbed wire coming off a spinning reel catches anything near it.
Spools in show barns and arenas
Equestrian and livestock show facilities use spools as mounting blocks, display stands, jump wings and seating. For those uses, choose spools with smooth, unsplintered flanges and sand the edges well. Seal them if they'll stand outdoors.
Questions
Which spool size is best for fence wire?
For rewinding and storing several rolls, 36 to 48 in. For paying out long runs from a bar, 48 to 60 in.
Can you deliver into a pasture?
To where a flatbed can drive safely. In wet weather, that may be the gate.
Are spools safe around livestock?
Sound ones, checked for nails and sharp edges, generally are. Remove loose boards and pull protruding nails first.