Time has come to make my chain link fencing, I have three options. The first is Alloy Forms, two is Walthers and three is do it yourself. Don't need opinions about cost as I own all three and so at this point, I don't care unless you have another product which is better. What I want to know is which, in the end, makes the most relistic and any tricks you used, like can you soulder the Alloy Forms or is ACC good enough and what glue for the fencing material and tricks in planting the posts.
In the past past I have read about and seen the results of use I think its referred to as wedding veil material that can be found at frabric places.
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
"Wedding veil material" is known as tulle, pronounced tool-ly or like Thule, the AFB in Greenland.
I've used the Walthers kit. It's fairly easy. I used thick CA and hit it with kicker and this seemed to work well so long as you're neat about it.
One very good tip the Walthers instructions had was to bury small piece of cut, round tubing sized to hold the bottom of the posts. If you paint it cement color, so much the better, as it will look like the cement post foundation sometimes seen holding up chainlink. Then you can take section down to work on it or to get it out of the way when working on something else by slipping it out of the "foundation." This also makes it less breakable if smacked, as it tends to come loose rather than break.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
BLMA has sold chain link fencing. I believe it is photoengraved. It's not available now, but you might find some somewhere.
Hopefully, Atlas will reintroduce it. My recollection is it was declared the best by someone somewhere.
Ed
I have to check out that tulle. I just Googled "tulle used as fencing" and found all sorts of pics and results.
Mike
My You Tube
I made mine with thule. First attemt I used a metal rod I had laying around, sodered the cross members to post, but could not get the fabic to stick. Made another with styrene, no problems, spray with gray priemer, stiffen wire right nice.
To install, just poke holes in foam set in place, completely removeable,but fragle, broke a few cross members off post, but looks like I planed it. I bet every fence around scrap yards is damaged someplace
Chain link material is nylon filter mesh, posts and stringers are tempered brass wire, rust color EZ line for barbed wire. Wood jig used for soldering posts and stringers. CA glue for attaching mesh to fence frame.
Transferred post locations to a strip of styrene from jig, (fence frame still attached to jig), drilled strip and test fit. Though the transfer seemed quite accurate still had to slightly elongate a few holes. Strip glued to layout base (plywood), then using strip as a guide drilled post holes for snug fit.
Caveat is soldering work and tricky cutting of mesh material. In retrospect should have angled top of posts where the simulated barbed wire is attached for a more realistic look.
Regards, Peter
Uncle: How thick was the styrene? I def need to make some fences around my yard and oil dealer. Putting in fences makes the layout more realistic and industrial.
That's a great looking fence, Peter.
Mike.
kasskaboose Uncle: How thick was the styrene? I def need to make some fences around my yard and oil dealer. Putting in fences makes the layout more realistic and industrial. I used .060 post and .030 cross, anything smaller did'n make it off the workbench...fat fingers and bad eyes
HO-Velo Chain link material is nylon filter mesh, posts and stringers are tempered brass wire, rust color EZ line for barbed wire. Wood jig used for soldering posts and stringers. CA glue for attaching mesh to fence frame. Transferred post locations to a strip of styrene from jig, (fence frame still attached to jig), drilled strip and test fit. Though the transfer seemed quite accurate still had to slightly elongate a few holes. Strip glued to layout base (plywood), then using strip as a guide drilled post holes for snug fit. Caveat is soldering work and tricky cutting of mesh material. In retrospect should have angled top of posts where the simulated barbed wire is attached for a more realistic look. Regards, Peter
Uncle: Thanks for the info. I might just get 18 gauge brass wire instead of stryene. Of course I plan to get the mesh at a craft store and not ask my wife to run there. Sigh! At least I feel terrible for those who get cosmetics for weathering powders!
Peter: love that fence and the fuel tank along the side! Nice work. Where did you get the brass wire? I saw that HD sells some. How did you make it straight since it comes in a spool.
Gentlemen, Thanks for the kudos.
Kasskaboose, Purchased the spring brass wire online from Clover House, comes already straightened in 12" lengths, pkgs of 10. Posts 21ga (.0284), stringers 25 ga (.0179).
For stringers longer than 12" an effective connector can be made with a strand of soft copper wire. Make many tight wraps around the end of the spring wire, about a half inch worth. The completed connector will look like a tight and tiny spring. Carefully slide half of the connector off the stringer, insert next piece of tempered wire and solder. Stagger connector location for top and bottom stringers. After the fence is painted the connectors become fairly obscure.
A soldered brass spring wire fence frame is stout and flexible, also works well when a curved fence is needed.
Thanks again and regards, Peter
Nice looking fence Peter...
I believe in My opinion only...Alloy Forms made the best chain link fence that was out there....mainly because the chain link fence material was made out of Aluminum mesh, already cut to size, length/width, 6ft.x 50ft scale sections. A scale HO figures hand would not fit through the mesh...it was half a figures hand insize.
I had two kits from 15yrs. ago...200 ft each, that I was finally going to use around the perimeter of a Railroad Transload scene...but I wanted it removeable...so I used 1/16 inch K&S hard brass rod for posts and 1/32 rod for stringers all soldered together in 50ft sections, with 1/16 brass tube on each end of the stringers so they slide into one another. The Aluminum mesh material was CA'ed to the brass. I needed at least another 300 ft. to finish My project and found that SS LTD. now carry's Alloy Forms products and to My unfortunate amasement they no longer make the Aluminum mesh material....they now have a fiber like material, that has to be cut to fit...rats,rats and double rats.....I have not tried it yet...so who knows..LOL.
The longer posts fit right into holes drilled in the Homasote based area. None of the fence's are up yet...still working on the whole area.
Take Care!
Frank
You can still finde the original Alloy Forms on e-bay all the time.
zstripe...so I used 1/16 inch K&S hard brass rod for posts
That works out to about 5.5 inches in HO. That'll work for a gate post, but it's more than twice as thick as a vertical line post should be. With a little practice you can solder much finer wire. You may need a jewelers file to clean up some of the solder joints. Here are a couple of tests I did. I forget the exact thicknesses, but you can measure an actual post and divide by 87.
Steve S
Steve S,
I did not want to use the finer brass rod....these will go in an area two feet away from viewing angle....the up-close fence with sliding gate will be more to scale.....all of it being removable, every building, bridge in the area is removable....so that is why I made that choice....more robust.
Soldering for Me is not a problem......most joints, don't even require a dress-up file.
Nice Job on Your fence....I believe I told You that before.
The fence I showed goes between the down overpass and building..there is a rail siding there, for the Transload buildings and another part of the fence will go under where the concrete pillars are.
Steve: Nice wire work. Where to get it?
All: I saw that HD sells 22 gauge coiled brass wire, which is cheaper than anything else I found. Is that suitable for the posts? I need about 9-12' for a yard and small oil dealer. What about piano wire?
Yes, what about souldering piano wire??????????
rrebell Yes, what about souldering piano wire??????????
rrebell Time has come to make my chain link fencing, I have three options. The first is Alloy Forms, two is Walthers and three is do it yourself. Don't need opinions about cost as I own all three and so at this point, I don't care unless you have another product which is better. What I want to know is which, in the end, makes the most relistic and any tricks you used, like can you soulder the Alloy Forms or is ACC good enough and what glue for the fencing material and tricks in planting the posts.
I use Walthers chain link with the fence post drilled into a wood base. For the top razor wire I use 32 gauge solid wire twisted around a #2 pencil then cut to fit, heavy CA for attaching , model power aluminum paint over everything. A bit tedios but looks good...