GB2475493A

GB2475493A - Fencing tool suitable for erecting a close board fence

Info

Publication number: GB2475493A
Application number: GB0920233A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Bentley
Original assignee: LIVING LANDSCAPES
Current assignee: LIVING LANDSCAPES
Priority date: 2009-11-18
Filing date: 2009-11-18
Publication date: 2011-05-25
Also published as: GB0920233D0

Abstract

The fencing tool comprises a body portion 2 having a planar surface 3 and a pair of stubs 14a, 14b separated in a first direction along the planar surface and protruding from the planar surface. The planar surface defines a first plane and the pair of stubs have end surfaces 5a,5b that define a second plane parallel with the first. The distance between the first and second planes is adjustable. The fencing tool may include spirit levels 30a,30b and a handle 20. The body portion and stubs may be made from polypropylene. The stubs may be telescopically adjustable and selectively detachable from the body portion. The body portion may include first and second recesses, each recess receiving one of the stubs and permitting the stubs to be selectively secured in a plurality of positions within the recess at which the distance between the first and second plane differs. A fencing tool set comprising a further set of stubs of a different length to the pair of stubs is also defined.

Description

FENCING TOOL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a fencing tool for constructing a feather-board or closed-board fence.

BACKGROUND

Fences are generally used to indicate the boundary of a property or to protect an area or object from the harms of the environment. It is generally desirable to construct fences which are sturdy, weather resistant and aesthetically pleasing.

One type of fencing which is often favoured for both its structural and aesthetic merits is feather-board fencing.

Feather-board fences generally consist of spaced vertical posts, connected by horizontal rails, onto which a series of vertically aligned and partially overlapping feather edged boards are affixed. In the fencing industry, the size and shape of each feather-board and the degree of board overlap, will vary from fence to fence, and are often dependent on the particular scenario and environment in which the fence is intended to be used. There are therefore some scenarios in which it is desirable for the fence to have a small degree of board overlap, as well as some scenarios in which it is desirable for the fence to have a larger degree of board overlap.

Nevertheless, for any individual feather-board fence, regardless of the specific amount of board overlap desired, it is generally desirable to have all the boards uniformly aligned and equally spaced with respect to each other. This is generally thought to give the fence an improved appearance over fences which have unevenly spaced and/or unevenly aligned boards.

Traditionally, the alignment and spacing of the boards has been largely reliant on the visual judgment of the person constructing the fence. More specifically, when fixing each board to the fence, a person will look at the boards and use their own visual judgment to determine whether the board is accurately aligned and spaced in relation to the boards already fixed to the fence. However, since the person will be standing close to the boards, it is difficult for them to gain a full view of the entire board with respect to the rest of the fence, and can therefore often result in an unevenly spaced and/or aligned board being fixed to the fence. To obtain a better view of the alignment and spacing of the board in relation to the rest of the fence, the person can temporarily fix the board to the fence, and then step back from the fence to check whether that board is appropriately aligned and spaced. However, if the person is required to do this for all the boards of the fence, this can add a considerably amount of time onto the time taken to construct the fence, particularly if the user decides the board is not accurately aligned and/or spaced and therefore needs to readjust the positioning of the board.

To avoid the user having to step away from the fence each time they want to check the spacing and alignment of a board, certain hand held tools have been proposed.

For example, GB 2449674 and GB 2443253 describe elongated z-shaped tools which have a downturned lip for abutting against the thick edge of a first feather-board, an upturned lip for abutting against a thick edge of a second feather-board and a flat elongate panel which connects the lips and which overlays the main surface of the first feather-board by a set amount. By arranging for the first lip to be parallel to the second lip, the tool passes on the alignment from the thick edge of the first board to the thick edge of the second board. In addition, by having a flat panel which spaces the lips apart by a set amount, the tool can evenly space the first board from the second board by a set amount.

However, the tools described in GB 2449674 and GB 2443253 are rigid items with fixed dimensions and are therefore limited to assisting with the alignment and spacing of boards of one particular type of feather-board fence. To align and space the boards of other feather-board fences, which have different amounts of board overlap, a person would require a multitude of differently sized tools like those of GB 2449674 or GB 2443253.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is a fencing tool comprising: a body portion, having a substantially planar surface defining a first plane, a first stub protruding from the substantially planar surface and having an end surface located on a second plane, the second plane being substantially parallel to the first plane, s a second stub protiuding from the substantially planar surface and having an end surface located in the second plane, wherein the first and second stubs are separated in a first direction along the substantially planar surface, and spaced from an edge of the substantially planar surface in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein a means is provided to allow adjustment of the distance of the second plane with respect to the first plane.

The present invention allows the user to accurately align and space each feather board with respect to the boards already fixed to the fence, before the user secures is the board to the fence. More specifically, the user can place the tool against such that the substantially planar surface between the edge and the stubs abuts against a vertical edge of a board which is already fixed to the fence, such that the stubs protrude over at least a portion of the main surface of that board. The user can then bring an unfixed board towards the fence, such that the main surface of the unfixed board partially overlaps the main surface of the fixed board, and such that a vertical edge of the unfixed board abuts against the end surfaces of the stubs.

Since the first plane is substantially parallel to the second plane, the alignment of the unfixed board will now be the same as the alignment of the fixed board.

Furthermore, since the stubs protrude over at least a portion of the main surface of the fixed board, and since the end surfaces of the stubs lie on a same second plane which is substantially parallel to the first plane, the boards will be uniformly spaced apart by a set amount. The user can then fixed the unfixed board onto the fence with the knowledge that it is uniformly aligned and equally spaced with respect to the other board/boards of the fence. It will be appreciated that the boards need not be aligned vertically but could be orientated in any desired direction, for example horizontally.

By providing a means allowing a user to vary the distance of the second plane with respect to the first plane, the user is able to determine the amount of board spacing s provided by the tool. By selecting an appropriate distance between the first and second planes, the user can select a desired overlap and keep this overlap consistent for all boards in the fence.

The tool of the present invention can therefore be used to accurately align and evenly space the boards of feather-board fences for a desired board spacing. This io provides the user with a great deal of choice and flexibility when using the tool. For example, if the amount of board spacing of a fence has yet to be decided, the user has the flexibility of being able to specifically choose how much board spacing the tool will provide, and therefore how much board spacing the fence will have.

It will be appreciated that various means may be used to allow for adjustment of the second plane with respect to the first plane. For example, the location of the second plane may be adjusted by having stubs which are adjustable in length. In this case, the user can adjust the length of the stubs such that the end surfaces of the stubs are moved with respect to the substantially planar surface, and hence adjust the amount of board spacing provided by the tool.

One example in which the stubs are adjustable in length is where the stubs are telescopically adjustable such that at least the end surfaces of the first and second stubs are movable in relation to the substantially planar surface of body portion. In this case, the end surfaces of the stubs may be extended away from the body portion or retracted towards the body portion, to adjust the length of the stubs and hence alter the spacing provided by the tool. For example, the telescopically adjustable stubs may protrude around 10cm (around 4 inches) from the body portion when retracted but protrude around 15cm (around 6 inches) from the body portion when extended.

In another example, the second plane is movable with respect to the first plane by including a first recess in the body portion into which the first stub is received and a second recess in the body portion into which the second stub is received, the amount by which the respective stubs are received being adjustable by the user.

Where the body portion includes recesses into which the stubs are received, means may be provided for securing the stubs at one or more desired position. For example, the inner sides of the recesses may be ribbed in order to allow the stubs to be secured at one or more desired positions. Alternatively, the recesses may be provided with a spring-loaded locking mechanism to allow the stub to be retracted to or extended from one or more desired positions within the recesses.

Alternatively or additionally, the second plane may be movable with respect to the first plane by having stubs which are removable from the body portion of the tool, and replaced by other stubs having a different length. Where the stubs have been removed and replaced on the tool by stubs of a different length, the second plane can be defined as the plane in which the end surfaces of the replacement stubs lie when those replacement stubs are attached to the body portion.

Where the stubs are removable and replaceable, a user need only take the body of the fencing tool along with two or more pairs of stubs, and elect which pair of stubs should be used with the tool when they arrive at the site, If the user subsequently decides to construct a different fence, having a different degree of board spacing, the user can simply change the stubs on the tool with a pair of replacement stubs which are more suited for the latest required amount of board spacing.

In one example, stubs which protrude around 15cm (around 6 inches) from the body portion can be removed and replaced with stubs which protrude around 10cm (around 4 inches) from the body portion. In this case, the user can use the same tool to construct feather-board fencing which has a spacing of around 15cm (around 6 inches) and feather-board fencing which has a spacing of around 10cm (around 4 inches). It will be appreciated that the first and second stubs can be removed from the body portion and replaced with stubs of any size, and are not limited to the 15cm (6 inch) and 10cm (4 inch) example given above.

It will be appreciated that various means can be provided to allow for the stubs to be removable from the body portion. For example, the body portion and the stubs may include means which act to attract the stubs to the body portion, for example magnets or Velcro. By applying sufficient force, the attraction between the stubs and the body portion may be broken and the stubs removed from the body portion.

Alternatively the stubs may be attached to the body portion by one or more bolts or the like, for example by bolts extending through holes in the body portion that are received in threaded holes in the stubs. The bolts, of which there are preferably at least two for each stub, may have a suitable head for tightening and removing the bolt, for example our Allen type head.

This allows the stubs to be easily and selectively removed from the body portion by the user. Once removed, the user may then choose to replace the stubs with other stubs.

However, it is preferable that the stubs are removable from the body portion by the inclusion of a first recess in the body portion for receiving at least a portion of the first stub and a second recess in the body portion for receiving at least a portion of the second stub. Preferably, the recesses include securing means for ensuring that the at least a portion of the stubs remains secured within the recesses whilst the tool is in use. To allow for the stubs to be removable from the body portion, the securing means can be provided with a means for releasing the at least a portion of the stubs from the recesses when desired. As an example, such securing means may be a leaf spring or a fastener.

Alternatively, the body portion may include a first pin or protrusion and a second pin or protrusion, and each stub may include a recess or slot, such that both stubs can be mounted onto their respective pin or protrusion on the body portion.

It will be appreciated that even where the stubs can be removed and replaced, they may also be adjustable in length or in the amount received within the body to provide additional adjustment.

Preferably the first stub is located towards a first end of the body portion and the second stub is located towards a second end of the body portion. This enhances the accuracy of the tool in aligning the boards with respect to one another. More specifically, since feather-boards tend to be elongated, stubs which are spaced s close together will only abut against a small proportion of the board, and therefore any offset in the alignment of the boards will not be easily detectable. However, by maximising the distance over which the stubs are separated, any offset in the alignment of the boards will be more easily detectable since the stubs abut across a much larger proportion of the board. For the same reasoning, it is preferred that the io body portion has a generally elongated shape, along the direction in which the stubs are separated.

Preferably, the fencing tool includes one or more spirit levels. Preferably the one or more spirit levels are located in the body portion. However, the one or more spirit levels may include a first spirit level located in the first stub and a second spirit level located in the second stub. The one or more spirit level bubbles provide the user with a further means of determining whether the boards are accurately aligned.

This can be advantageous when the boards do not have consistently straight edges, and therefore, the protruding stubs cannot be solely relied on.

The tool may include one or more markers located at set positions on the stubs for indicating the amount of board spacing provided by the tool. This provides the user with a quick and easy way of determining what amount of spacing the tool is presently providing. If the one or more markers indicate to the user that the tool is currently providing a spacing amount that is not presently required, the user can move the second plane with respect to the first plane until the user can see from the one or more markers that the tool is now providing the desired amount of spacing.

The body portion and the stubs may be made from various types of materials.

Preferably, the body portion and the stubs are made from polypropylene. This is a durable and light weight material which has a resistance to weathering, and can therefore prolong the lifetime of the tool.

The body portion may include a handle to assist the user in placing and holding the tool against the feather-boards. The handle may be formed as an integral part of the body portion or may be separately attached to the body portion. Alternatively or additionally, the surface of the body portion may be coated with a high-friction coating to assist the user in handling the tool.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a fencing tool; Figure 2 shows a planar view of the fencing tool of Figure 1; io Figure 3 shows an aerial view of the fencing tool of Figures 1 and 2 being used to construct a feather-board fence; Figure 4a shows a perspective view of a fencing tool with removable stubs; Figure 4b shows two examples of stubs which can be slotted into the recesses of the fencing tool of Figure 4a; Figure 4c shows an end view of the body portion of the fencing tool of Figure 4a where the stubs have been removed; and Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a fencing tool with stubs which are adjustable in length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a fencing tool (1) according to the present invention. The fencing tool (1) has a body portion (2), having a substantially planar surface (3). A first stub (4a) and a second stub (4b) protrude from the substantially planar surface (3) of the body portion (2). The first and second stubs (4a, 4b) each have end surfaces (5a, 5b) which are substantially parallel to the substantially planar surface (3). Although not specifically indicated in Figure 1, the substantially planar surface (3) lies on a first plane, and the end surfaces (5a, 5b) of the stubs (4a, 4b) lie on a second plane which is substantially parallel to the first plane. In the example of Figure 1, the second plane is movable with respect to the first plane, and hence the end surfaces (5a, 5b) are movable with respect to the substantially planar surface (3) through the inclusion of recesses (not shown) in the body portion (2) into which the stubs (4a, 4b) can retract or extend from.

Figure 2 shows a planar view of the fencing tool (1) of Figure 1. As can be seen, the first and second stubs (4a, 4b) are separated in a first direction (7), along the substantially planar surface (3). Furthermore, the stubs (4a, 4b) are spaced from a first edge (6) of the substantially planar surface (3) in a second direction (8), the second direction (8) being substantially perpendicular to the first direction (7).

To assemble a feather-board fence using a fencing tool (1) according to the present invention, a user begins by ensuring that a first feather-board (9) is secured to a post (10) and/or arris rail (11) and that the first feather-board (9) is vertically aligned. The user then brings the fencing tool (1) towards the post (10) and first is feather-board (9), such that the stubs (4a, 4b) protrude over at least a portion of the main surface of the first board (9), and such that at least a portion of the first substantially planar surface (3) abuts against at least a portion of the thick vertical edge of the first board (9). This can be seen in Figure 3.

The user then brings a second feather-board (12) towards the first feather-board (9) and the tool (1), such that at least a portion of the second board (12) protrudes over at least a portion of the first board (9) and such that at least a portion of the thick edge of the second board (12) abuts against at least a portion of the end surfaces (5a, 5b) of the stubs (4a, 4b). Since the substantially planar surface (3) and the end surfaces (5a, 5b) of the stubs (4a, 4b) are substantially parallel, the alignment of the thick edge of the second board (12) will now be the same as the alignment of the thick edge of the first board (9). Furthermore, since the first and second stubs (4a, 4b) protrude the same distance from the substantially planar surface (3), the thick edge of the second board (12) will now be spaced the desired uniform distance from the thick edge of the first board (9). The user can then secure the second feather-board (12) to the first feather-board (9) and/or arris rail (11), with the knowledge that the feather-boards (9, 12) are accurately aligned and spaced. Once secured, the user can then place the tool (1) against the second-feather board (12) such that the stubs (4a, 4b) protrude over at least a portion of the main surface of the second feather-board (12), and such that at least a portion of the first substantially planar surface (3) abuts against at least a portion of the thick vertical edge of the second board (12). The user can then place a third feather-board (13) over at least a portion of the second-feather board (12) such that at least a portion of the thick edge of the third feather-board (13) abuts against at least a portion of the end surfaces (5a, 5b) of the stubs (4a, 4b). The user then knows that the third feather-board (13) is equally spaced and aligned with the first and second feather-boards (9, 12). The third feather-board (13) can then be secured to the second feather-board (12). This method can be repeated for a series of boards, to create a series of secured feather-boards, which are equally spaced and aligned with respect to each other.

Figure 4a shows one way in which the second plane is movable with respect to the first plane. In this example, the stubs (4a, 4b) are removable from the body portion (2). This allows a user to remove the stubs (4a, 4b) from the body portion (2) and replace them with stubs (4a, 4b) of a different length. In this way, the user can use the fencing tool (1) to space and align fences having an initial spacing size, and subsequently remove and replace the stubs (4a, 4b) with stubs (4a, 4b) of different sizes to space and align fences having different spacing sizes. By selectively choosing between several pairs of stub sizes, the user is able to use the same tool (1) to space and align fences having a range of spacing sizes. Each time the stubs (4a, 4b) are removed and replaced by stubs of a different length, the second plane is re-defined as the plane in which the end surfaces of the replacement stubs lie when those replacement stubs are attached to the body portion (2).

In the example shown in Figure 4a, the body portion (2) includes a first recess (not shown) for receiving at least a portion of the first stub (4a) and a second recess (60) for receiving at least a portion of the second stub (4b). In Figure 4a, the apertures of the first and second recesses (60) are located on first and second end surfaces (5a, 5b) as well as on the substantially planar surface; however, it will be appreciated that the apertures of the first and second recesses may only be located on the substantiatly planar surface (3).

Figure 4b shows two example sizes of stub (40, 41) which can be slotted into the recesses (60) of the tool (1) of Figure 4a and used to provide different amounts of spacing. In this example, one stub (40) can be used in the tool (1) to provide board spacing of around 10cm (around 4 inches), whilst the other stub (41) can be used in the tool (1) to provide board spacing of around 15cm (around 6 inches).

Figure 4c shows and end view of the body portion of the fencing tool of Figure 4a.

In this example each stub includes a male slider (70) which can slot into one of the io recesses (60) of the body portion.

To assist in retaining the stubs (4a, 4b) in place, the recesses (60) are each provided with securing means. For example, the securing means may be a leaf spring. When the user wishes to use the tool (1), the stubs (4a, 4b) are fully inserted into the recesses (60) such that they engage with the securing means and are held securely in place. It is desirable to ensure that the stubs (4a, 4b) are held securely in place when the tool (1) is in use, since any movement of the stubs (4a, 4b) with respect to the substantially planar surface (3) could result in misalignment between the end surfaces (5a, 5b) and the substantially planar surface (3), and hence misalignment between the boards of the fence. When the user has finished using the tool (1) or intends to use the tool (1) for spacing a different sized feather-board fence, the user can apply a force to the stubs (4a, 4b) such that the securing means are disengaged, allowing the stubs (4a, 4b) to slide out of the recesses (60) and be removed from the tool (1). The user can then elect which size of stubs (4a, 4b) they desire to have in the tool (1) and then insert the desired stubs (4a, 4b) into the recesses until the securing means engage. Once the newly fitted stubs (4a, 4b) are secured, the tool (1) is ready for use with a fence having a different degree of feather-board overlap.

It will be appreciated that various means can be used to allow for the stubs (4a, 4b) to be removable and that the present invention is not limited to the stubs (4a, 4b) being partially housed in recesses within the body portion (2). For example, the body portion (2) and the stubs (4a, 4b) may include magnets or Velcro which act to attract the stubs (4a, 4b) to the body portion (2). By applying sufficient force, the magnetic attraction or frictional force between the stubs (4a, 4b) and the body portion (2) may be broken and the stubs (4a, 4b) removed from the body portion s (2). Furthermore, it will be appreciated that where the body portion (2) includes recesses for partially housing the stubs (4a, 4b), the securing means are not limited to a leaf spring. For example, the securing means may be a threaded fastener which passes through apertures in the stubs (4a, 4b) and body portion (2).

Figure 5 shows a fencing tool (1) in which the second plane is be movable with io respect to the first plane by having stubs (14a, 14b) which are telescopically adjustable. Here, the stubs can be telescopically adjusted such that the end surfaces (5a, 5b) of the stubs (14a, 14b), are movable with respect to the substantially planar surface (3) of the body portion (2). In particular, the end surfaces (5a, 5b) of the stubs (14a, 14b) can be extended or retracted to adjust the is length of the stubs (14a, 14b) and hence alter the amount of spacing the tool provides. For example, if the user desired to use the fencing tool (1) to assist in spacing and aligning a feather-board fence having a large degree of board overlap and hence small board spacing, the user could telescopically retract the segments of the stubs (14a, 14b) within one another to provide a fencing tool (1) having shorter stubs (14a, 14b). Alternatively, if the user subsequently desired to use the fencing tool (1) to assist in spacing and aligning a feather-board fence having a small degree of board overlap and hence large board spacing, the user could telescopically extend the segments of the stub to provide a fencing tool (1) having longer stubs (14a, 14b). In this way, the single fencing tool (1) is able to be used for a range of spacing sizes.

Alternatively or additionally, the fencing tool (1) may be provided with additional extension pieces which attach on the protruding ends of the first and second stubs to adjust the degree in which the stubs protrude from the substantially planar surface (3). In this case, the extension pieces include end surfaces which, when the extension pieces are fitted to the stubs, are substantially parallel to the substantially planar surface (3) such that they form an effective extension of the end surfaces (5a, 5b) of the first and second stubs. Where the stubs (4a, 4b; 14a, 14b) are fitted with such extension pieces, the second plane can be re-defined as the plane in which the end surfaces of the extension pieces lie.

The fencing tool (1) may further include a handle (20). The provision of a handle (20) helps the user gain a good grip of the tool (1), and hence assists the user in keeping the tool (1) steady whilst aligning the boards.

As can be seen in several of the Figures, the fencing tool (1) further includes first and second spirit levels (30a, 30b), with each spirit level (30a, 30b) located towards opposite ends of the body portion (2). In this case, the first spirit (30a) level is io located approximately in line with the first stub (4a) and the second spirit level (30b) is located approximately in line with the second stub (4b). The spirit levels (30a, 30b) provide the user with a further means of determining whether the boards are accurately aligned. This can be advantageous when the boards do not have consistently straight edges. For example, when the feather-boards are made of is wood, a small proportion of the feather-boards may have an uneven edge. In this case, when the tool (1) is abutted against the edge of an uneven board, the protruding stubs may be misalignment and hence any subsequent feather-board may be misaligned. To avoid this happening, the user can check the spirit levels (30a, 30b) when the body portion (2) of the tool (1) is abutting against the edge of the board, to determine if the edge of the board and hence body portion (2) of the tool (1) are in fact vertically aligned. If the spirit level bubble shows the tool (1) and board to be incorrectly aligned, the user can simple adjust the alignment of the tool (1) and board to correctforthis. In this way, even if there is misalignment in a fixed board, either as a result of the board having an uneven edge or as a result of the board being fixed incorrectly, the user is able to avoid passing on this misalignment to further boards by checking the one or more spirit levels (30a, 30b).

As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the first stub (4a) is located towards a first longitudinal end of the substantially planar surface (3) and the second stub (4b) is located towards a second longitudinal end of the substantially planar surface (3).

This enhances the accuracy of the tool in aligning the boards with respect to one another. More specifically, since feather-boards tend to be elongated, stubs which are spaced close together will only abut against a small proportion of the board, and therefore any offset in the alignment of the boards will not be easily detectable.

However, by maximisirig the distance over which the stubs (4a, 4b; 14a, 14b) are separated, any offset in the alignment of the boards will be more easily detectable since the stubs (4a, 4b; 14a, 14b) abut across a much larger proportion of the board.

Claims

Claims I A fencing tool comprising: a body portion, having a substantially planar surface defining a first plane) s a pair of stubs comprising a first stub protruding from the substantially planar surface and having an end surface located on a second plane, the second plane being substantially parallel to the first plane, and a second stub protruding from the substantially planar surface and having an end surface located in the second plane, io wherein the first and second stubs are separated in a first direction along the substantially planar surface, and spaced from an edge of the substantially planar surface in a second direction, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein a means is provided to allow adjustment of the distance between the second plane and the first plane.
2. The fencing tool of claim 1, wherein the first stub is located towards a first end of the body portion and the second stub is located towards a second end of the body portion.
3. The fencing tool of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the body portion is elongated, along the first direction.
4. The fencing tool of any of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more spirit levels located on the tool.
5. The fencing tool of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising one or more markers for indicating the amount of board spacing provided by the tool.
6. The fencing tool of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body portion and/or the stubs are made from polypropylene.
7. The fencing tool of any of the preceding claims, wherein the body portion further comprising a handle portion.
8. The fencing tool of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stubs are adjustable in length to allow the adjustment of the distance between the first and second planes.
9 The fencing tool of claim 8, wherein the stubs are telescopically adjustable.
10. The fencing tool of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body io portion includes a first recess into which an end of the first stub is received and a second recess into which an end of the second stub is received.
11. The fencing tool of claim 10, including means for securing the respective stubs at one or more desired positions within the recesses.
12 The fencing tool of claim 11, wherein the means for securing the respective is stubs within the recess permit the stubs to be selectively secured at one of a plurality of positions within the recesses at which positions the distance between the first and second planes differs.
13. The fencing tool according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first and second stubs are selectively attachable and detachable from the body portion.
14. A fencing tool set comprising the fencing tool of claim 13 and at least one further pair of stubs having a length different from said pair of stubs, the said pair of stubs being replaceable with the second pair of stubs to provide a fencing tool in which the distance between the first and second planes is different.
15. A fencing tool substantially as shown in or as described with respect to any of the accompanying drawings.