Figure 8-6.--Barbed-wire bobbin.
Figure 8-5.--Barbed-wire reel.
4. Wind the wire in a figure-eight shape on the
bobbin sticks.
Handling
5. Tie a piece of white tracing tape to the loose end
of the wire to facilitate finding it.
When handling barbed wire, wear the standard
barbed-wire gauntlets shown in figure 8-4 or heavy
BARBED-STEEL TAPE
leather gloves. They permit faster work and protect
against cuts and scratches. As an added safety
The physical characteristics of barbed-steel tape
precaution, grasp the wire with your palms down.
(fig. 8-7) are as follows:
Width: 3/4 inch
Issue
Thickness: 0.022 inch "
Barbed wire is issued in reels (fig. 8-5), containing
Weight: 4,438 pounds/164 feet
about 1,312 feet of wire. The wire weighs 90 pounds and
the reel about 1.3 pounds. When a fence is being built,
Width of barb: 7/16 inch
two men carry one reel.
Interval between barbs: 1/2 inch
Breaking load: 500 pounds
Bobbins
Two significant characteristics listed above that are
Bobbins (fig. 8-6) holding about 98 feet of wire are
important to field users are the weight and the breaking
prepared, normally in rear areas, for use in building short
load. A comparison of pertinent characteristics of barbed
lengths of fence and in repairing entanglements. When
tape and barbed wire is shown below.
bobbins are used, two men handle one bobbin. One
BARBED WIRE
BARBED TAPE
CHARACTERISTIC
unwinds the bobbin and the other installs the wire. Two
or more men can make the bobbins by following these
104.5 pounds
Weight (1,312 feet)
35.5 pounds
steps:
1,075.0 pounds
270.0 pounds
Breaking load
1. Prepare the bobbin sticks.
4 inches
1/2 inch
Barbed interval
2. Rig the reel on an improvised trestle or other
23 inches
Size (9,900 feet)
18 5/8 x 19 1/2
Support.
x 17112 inches
3. Have one man unroll and cut 98-foot lengths of
2
2
9.7 feet
3.6 feet
cube
wire, fastening one end of each to the trestle.
8-4