Goldpine
Andrew McCracken and Matt Slade: Mitering a Stay into a Block
Big Dog Fencing
Introducing Andrew McCracken & Matt Slade
In the Blue Mountains framing Wellington’s Upper Hutt, we met with Andrew McCracken and Matt Slade, the solid team behind Big Dog Fencing.
Andrew used his 40 years of fencing experience to launch Big Dog Fencing five years ago, with his wife Ingrid. Matt, an award-winning builder, joined Big Dog Fencing last year, relocating from Tauranga to Wellington for a change.
Some of their recent projects include 900m of pig-proof fencing and building enclosures for other rescued wildlife for HUHA Animal Rescue, and around six kilometres of fencing for Mangaroa Farms.
The name Big Dog Fencing was inspired by Andrew and Ingrid's late 76kg Leonberger dog, called Ralph. The team predominantly handle fencing projects in Wellington and the Wairarapa region, and travel with a trailer, tractor and rammer in tow, setting them up for a wide range of jobs. They are looking to start working on more pole shed projects in future, as Matt is a Licensed Building Practitioner.
Matt fences like “he has done it all his life”, Andrew said. “He just has all those hand skills and that eye for detail which makes him a great fencer. He’s fencing now like a pro - there’s people I know that have been fencing for 15 years and Matt is on par with them.”
At Big Dog Fencing, the team focuses on building strong, solid fences that stand the test of time while keeping cost and time management at the forefront. Andrew said that mitering a stay into a block does all of the above. “Using a front block and mitering the stay into it, ensures it stays secure and lasts a long time. Also, you can do this faster than digging a hole, so we save labour costs. I think it’s something any fencer can do, they just might not have thought of it yet,” he said.
Andrew recommends this fencing tip for challenging ground conditions. “You’ve usually got a big plate underground but that only works if you can dig in the ground in a lighter soil. If you’ve got rubble, rock, or if it’s really soft, it’s almost impossible to dig. That’s when you ram the front block in," Andrew explained. “We miter into the front block and put the stay in, so that when we’re finished, you’ve got a nice, mitered end that an animal can’t knock out. It not only looks professional but is also stronger than other methods.”
