HelloI am trying to think of a way to make barbed fence. Maybe tooth picks and string. I do know one would not be able to see the barbs in HO or N scale but I would like to have a two wire fence. Anyone have any ideas?
As the Midas Moose would say "I appreeeeeciate it"Lee
I'd be seriously looking for round toothpicks and string or even thread( which may be a little thinner). I'm not so sure there is another way...
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You might try very thin thread and tie a series of knots at regular intervals to simulate the barbs. Any type of thin wood rods eg. toothpicks, match sticks, or skewers would work for posts.
Doc
Hey Lee,
Maybe mono-filament fishing line tinted a silvery gray or a rusty color, depending...?
Round toothpicks for posts might work. They would almost be too thick to be scale but they would be close. If it's an old fence the toothpicks will look too perfect, IMO, but the newer treated posts are pretty uniform in size and are quite straight.
Modeling the barbs is the biggest challenge I think. Maybe you should look at it as being a two strand electrified livestock fence?
Let us know how you make out with it.
Kevin
I like Doc's idea of using thread. I would cut short pieces about 3 inches long, and then tie those at intervals along the main thread. Then, cut the ends off short. The long pieces are just so you can tie the knots without resorting to tweezers. Thread is cheap.
Question - how far apart are the barbs on a prototype fence?
I guess I would use a thicker wire for the main, maybe silver or gray in color, and then tie thinner black thread for the barbs. The darker thread would highlight against the lighter. If it's a really old fence, a rusty red main might look better.
For reference, I've just put in a short section of Walthers chain-link fence. I assembled the framework and sprayed it silver, and then added the fence mesh and re-sprayed the silver paint. It looked very good, but way too much like brand-new fence, so I hit it with some Dul-Coat and it looked a lot better.
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Get your self an old toy transformer, and unwind the very fine copper wire and use that. Copper magnet wire comes in a variety of thicknesses, and you can buy it by the roll - it's been some time since I bought any, so I couldn't tell you, just what it's going to cost, but 1 roll will supply up to a couple of 'scale' miles of wire, depending on the size of the roll.
Unlike string it ( and like real barb wire ) will take a set and like barb wire it will take crimp that shows up. Unlike fishing line, you can easily paint it a dark color.
Get this stuff:
http://www.joann.com/joann/search/search_results.jsp?CATID=cat1110&keywords=invisible+thread&_requestid=735153
Buy the smoke color. Tie a knot at regular intervals to simulate the barbs and use whatever for the posts- toothpicks- plastic or whatnot. It looks like wire and needs no painting, adheres well with CA glue. Many uses for this stuff and 440 yards last a lifetime.
Verlinden makes barbed wire, very scale looking but it's about 1/48 so it's better for O and larger. Use the invisible thread stuff, trust me on this one.
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Yes, good stuff everyone. It's helped to get the old brain working, just like I had hoped. I'm going to try first the invisable thread and tooth picks. This is a prosperous horse farm so it gets white fence posts. I can't imagine seeing N scale barbs so we pretend they are there. I think I'll try inserting tooth picks in a board 1" and 1/2" inches apart and glueing the thread on that way. My calculations indicate a 5' post sticks up a 1/2" in N scale 15' spacing is 1 1/2" apart? Has anyone tried glueing the wire on with the fence posts in place?
Happy railroading
Lee
MisterBeasleyQuestion - how far apart are the barbs on a prototype fence?
I want to say around 10 inches or a foot. Maybe I'll run out and measure.
Good stuff, but lots of work.
I measured my barbs on the barbed wire at 5".
Have fun, Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
gear-jammerI measured my barbs on the barbed wire at 5".
Yup!
I just got back in from checking and you are correct. My bad!
I've used a very thin wire, painted it with a brush and sprinkled the still wet color with fine Woodland.
Here at my German station "Naumburg". Look at the big picture to see the barbs.
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
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Wolfgang Your wire is terrific. Is that 1:87 scale? I will try some samples to see if I can do that good.
ThanksLee
wedudlerI've used a very thin wire, painted it with a brush and sprinkled the still wet color with fine Woodland.
I wondered how that might work. It looks very good!
Hi Lee: Lots of good ideas already. Here's one more. Get some of the smallest picture hanging wire, separate it and use one strand. It measures .0075 thick. Tie knots in it, ( the closest I got was a scale 12"). I used N scale narrow ga. rail for the posts. I drilled a .021 hole through the web. These pics were taken about 3" away. Just an idea.
Here's a pic from about 6" away.
yankee flyer Your wire is terrific. Is that 1:87 scale? I will try some samples to see if I can do that good.
Yes, 1:87, of course.
Here're two pics more.
Fence at KWIK-E-MART, Plywood District.
Fence at a small module.
I doubt a prosperous horse farm or stable would use barbed wire. Horses don't try to push through fencing and horse owners would never risk injuring their horse. Barbed wire is usually used for cows because it is cheap.
http://www.briarpatchstables.com/gallery/index.html
Check out these pictures.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I'm surprised no one has brought this up yet ....
Get an old piece of window screen - the plastic type, not the woven metal. Carefully cut a single "thread" from the screen. The remaining "barbs" left on both sides make perfect looking scale barbs with almost the exact spacing as the proto-type.
Mark.
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