I have to build a chain link fence around an oil distributor at the local model railroad club. I have been playing with a material I believe is called tulle, it is used for bridal veils, and is often used to make chain link fences on HO layouts.
My problem is how to cut it in straight lines. I have thought of spraying it with starch or hair spray to make it rigid and easier to cut. However, I am afraid that either of these treatments might have a negative impact on painting the fence.
Any ideas or suggestions for working with this material? I am open to other suggested materials to use. Thanks.
I use it also I stretch it to scale on a scrap piece of wood and pin it to size and spray it with spray starch and let it dry and flip it and spray the other side, I use my air brush and spray it lightly with what ever color you chose. Jim.
I've found the best way is to make the frame of the fence first, then cut the material a bit oversize. I glue the material to the frame with contact cement and after it dries trim it to size. It can then be painted.
I made a jig for soldering the fence posts and top rail from wood - to hold them in position while soldering. It's just a piece of wood with slots.
George V.
I have also heard of this, can someone post a picture of how this looks? Thanks, Chris
If you do use hair spray to make it lie flat and pin it to make it straight to cut, you can always hand wash it with mild soap and water to wash out the hair spray before painting if the paint wont stick. It shoud still lie and dry flat if you lay it out that way. ALso, if you need to straighten it more or again, you can iron it flat but only BETWEEN two layers of bath towel!
I second the motion of cutting it a larger than your intended need and trim to fit later when done.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Hello I made my fence out of old metal window screen. And for the post I used used sparklers clean off the burnt part and cut to size.
hope this helps Frank
I just ran a strip of scotch tape on the material made my cut through the tape,and removed the tape, worked like a charm, no muss no fuss.
Here's a fence gate using the tulle material and the method I outlined in an earlier post - some brass wire soldered into shape and the material glued with contact cement (or maybe CA?) The excess material was cut off and the gate sprayed the appropriate color.
I also use toille, but get the stuff on a roll:
Loks like this after a shot of silver paint and a little rusting:
Noticed I put the posts on the wrong side, tho.
Terry
Terry in NW Wisconsin
Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel
saronaterry Noticed I put the posts on the wrong side, tho. Terry
Terry,
It depends on where you live. Here in Illinois, the posts go inside the fencing. In California, the posts go on the outside of the fencing. I once had a neighbor who put in a pool and a fence around his property with the posts to the inside. He later moved and sold his house to a family from California. As a result of a severe wind storm, a portion of the fence blew down. My Californian neighbor offered his condolences to me thinking the fence was mine because of the position of the posts.
Rich
Alton Junction
Rich, I'm in NW Wisconsin. They're on the wrong side for up here. They're installed like yours in Illinois! Anyhoo, I can move it to another site that'll work and build a new fence for the lumber yard. This time I'll use florist wire instead of stripped 20ga. wire, it'll be stiffer. That was my first attempt at a fence and I didn't space the posts very well, either! Thanks for the info, I didn't know that. Interesting.
An alternative to using tulle fabric/ribbon might be the Walther's chain link fence kits. I have one but have not yet attempted assembly. I have read it can be challenging.
Another alternative is etched brass fencing--see this link: http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mcr/mcr93405.htm It is undoubtedly quite a bit more expensive but may give best results. I haven't tried this either but I intend to use it around my small oil distribution industry.
Good luck!
Thanks for all the tips guys, this is very helpful information.
One more suggestion for material for the chain link fence. I have used the plastic window screen. To cut this use either the siccors, or a box knife with a metal ruler. I have cheated in securing the fence to the post, by just weaving the post down through the material. Either all my guests are very polite, and say nothing about it OR they just haven't noticed what I had done.
Thats my two cents worth.
Harvey McRae.
Harris Creek Central http://www.freewebs.com/harriscreekcentral/
I like to use real metal wire screen, a little harder to find then aluminum wire screen which is almost as good. I like the metal because it's pretty rigid when you cut it into strips. I have found using a paper cutter works very well. You get a dead straight line every time or a good pair of sharp scissors. I have used everything from piece of brass tubing to pieces of sprus for poles
I use brass filter screen that was used in fuel filters , certian auto parts stores carry it and you can solder it to brass posts and top rails. It comes in two or three mesh sizes and if real careful you ncan even rack it at an angle to make it look better
I use tulle also. Also use brass rod for the posts. Make a drawing of the size of the fence you'll need on cardboard or thin piece of wood. Cut posts and crossbars and tape them in place. Also, cut a few pieces of rod (I call 'pins') to use to attach the fence to the layout. Make sure posts are fairly snug. Solder posts together and let cool (about 1 minute) Also solder the 'pins' in place along the rod at the bottom of the fence . Cut piece of tulle larger than fence. Lay it over the fence and attach 4 alligator clips to the tulle to keep it taut and stretched over the fence. Apply loctite or super glue to hold tulle in place. Let set a few minutes. Paint fence using silver (new fence) or Rail Brown (rusted fence). Cut excess tulle with very sharp Xacto blade #11. Plant the fence using the pins. Put groundfoam around base of fence as desired. Note: if you want to add barbed wire to top of fence, cut individual strands of tulle and glue in place to posts using the super glue.
Here's my HowTo. Hope it helps.
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de my videos my blog
I have used old metal screening also. I got mine from an old screen door. It was already weathered and corroded and looks great. I cut it on the diagonal to get the wire to be run in the right direction so it looks like a real chain link fence. Most any small guage wire will work for posts. The old screening that I used was so old that it had little rips and tears in it from being so brittle. Added an even more appealing look and no paint was needed.
I do not know if my original reply went thru. In regards to your chain link fence question: I used a chain link fence by Micro Structures from Walthers. It is Oga. stk # 502-48985. I used to build a "SHOOTIN'HOOPS" O ga. diorama. The fence has barbed wire at the top. I used a pair of red Avaiation snips ( I am a retired sheetmetal mechanic with 40 yrs experience) to cut the fence. I use them upside down if notching ( you only have to use half oe the pressure and they are easier to use. When cutting circles I use them the correct way. As long as you do not "TWIST" them while cutting you have no problem). Also you may try a pair of yellow handled snips. They are for cutting straight. ( I would grind off the tip of them ). I you go this route get you a good pair manufactured by Wiss, you'll be money ahead. I made my diorama with one of the shootin hoops basketball sets. It included 6 teenage boys and the backboard,pole and ring. I also ordered three teenage girls. It is designed using a local playground half court. I did not use any gates but only a hole in the fence at one corner of the fence. I am througly pleased with the fencing product. Yes the barbed wired top is sharp. I used a pair of my handtongs to bend the fence at the corners. You could use handtongs to bend the barbed wire out to 45 degrees as per a lot of fences. This fence is scaled 10' high. Hope this helps. TLB
When you shop for the material look (or Ask) for a material wheel cutter. the tool is used to cut material in stright lines using a rule as a guide.
Have you tried painting it first? The paint will stiffen it to allow cutting.
My wife is a quilter so I am familiar with one of their prime cutting tools - an Olfa wheel cutter. Quilters use this for cutting their fabric. Very sharp and rolls across the fabric rather than pulls on it.
Allegheney-
I'm pretty sure that alluminum is real metal, too.
-- D
I use wedding veil for chain link fence. I can get a three foot piece of it for about $2.00 at Walmart and it goes a long way. usually when i cut it, i'll tape a piece of it to a board on both ends and use a straight edge and sharp hobby knife to cut out the piece.
Walters sells a fence kit that usually has more fence post than chain link so by using wedding veil, i can use up all the fence posts in the kit. It also works well with plain spring wire for the posts and the cross members. i usually build the frame and then with needle and thread, i'll tie the chain link to the posts, add some Ca glue with a tooth pick (sparingly), then cut as much of the the thread away from the posts once the glue has dried.....chuck
I've used the Walther's fence kit as described. But, to easily cut the material, I first lay it on the sticky side of shelf contact paper. You can lightly scribe the size needed with a pencil. After cutting, slowly peel the material off of the contact paper.
Actually, the fence posts should always be on the inside so that the fence is less climbable. I am an engineer at an airport and we do not want folks climbing fences. Also, the tenion rods(diagional braces) need to be on the inside for the same reason.
If you go to a fence company, I am sure they would give anyone diagrams of the details of chain link fencing.
I notice that often fence is modeled with the same sized posts everywhere. In real life fence corner, strain (reinforced panels along the fence route), and gate posts are much larger to make the fence structurally able to withstand wind and other loads. The fabric is pulled very tight so the fence structure has to withstand that strain as well as withstand a vehicle impacting it. The idea is the fence may be damaged, but it will not fall down for long distances. Similar concepts apply to gates.
Sometimes a modeler may want the fence to look old and not maintained. In this case loose panels are OK, well maintained fence needs to be shown very tight and panels perfectaly rectangular.
Hope this helps someone.