Make your own Telephone Poles

[dsmith]

I made my own telephone poles and it was a lot of fun. 
1/4" dowels 8" long.
Scrape the sides of the dowels with a hacksaw blade to make them rough.
Crossbars are 1/4 x 1/8 x 2" pine.
The insulators are small beads from the craft store.  They are available in white, green or clear.  Put straight pins through 2 beads and push the pin through the cross bars.  Cut off the ends of the pins that stick out of the bottom of the cross bar.
Walnut stain was used to darken the wood.
Glue the crossbars to the pole.  The metal braces are pieces of paper clip formed into a V.
If your layout base is wood, drill a hole in the bottom of the pole and glue a small nail into the pole.  If your layout base is foam, add at least 1" in length to the pole, sharpen the end and push into the foam.
For telephone lines I use black or gray elastic thread from the craft or fabric store.  The line is simply wrapped once around the space between the 2 beads and continued to the next pole.

  

[cnw1995]

They look great. The thread weight seems perfect to capture the telephone cable look.

[cbtrainman]

 Outstanding!  I appreciate the skill and patience it took to make these...two qualities I seem to lack! Thanks for sharing!

[Serows1]

NICE job David!!

Thanks for the quick and concise instructions too.  I might give it a try.

Paul

[Kooljock1]

 I bought elastic thread at a Train Show.  It was made specifically for use on telephone and telegraph poles, and came in a variety of prototype colors like copper green, black and gray.

 I still haven't installed it yet though, so no pictures!

Jon 

[laz 57]

BIG CONGA on the poles they look great.

laz57

[nickaix]

 Nothin' to add. Just repeating: those look SWEET!

[kpolak]

Great job David!

Kurt