Industrial fencing

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I would like some tips about building ho scale industrial fencing. I vaguely remember a past article concerning fencin, but I can’t seem to find it.

The fence wil surroun an electric power substatio.

2

If you mean chain link, then say so. But you may be thinking of something else [#oops]

3

Chain link would be good

4

Best I have seen is micron art.

5

Hudson,

I found this video of what seems like a cheap and easy way to make realistic chain link fence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vywJ4YPsYA

Note: I haven’t done this myself, so I’m going strictly by watching the video.

6

I have achieved excellent results using a hybrid fence based on the Walthers chain link fence kit. I have several scenes on my layout that required several 1:1 feet of fencing so I needed a way to make long fence sections quickly and easily. The trick was using 3’ lengths of .020" music wire for the horizontal tubes between the fence uprights. The first thing to do after opening the Walthers fence kit is to carefully drill .020" holes through the side of the top and bottom sleeves (short thicker sections) on each plastic fence upright WHILE THEY ARE STILL ON THE SPRUE! Keeping the uprights on the sprue helps you hold them still much more securely during the drilling process. I also found it was much cheaper to cut a few short lengths of .020" music wire with each cut at a sharp angle to make cheap and much more forgiving drill bits. Do use a pin vise though!

Once all of the holes are drilled, remove the uprights from the sprues and perform any necessary clean-up (there is some flash). Next, choose an upright spacing distance and mark the upright locations on two lengths of music wire. Slide each upright onto the two lengths of music wire, then move it to a marked position. Repeat this until you have the desired length of fencing. Lay the fence frame on a flat surface and make sure the uprights are perpendicular to the music wire. Place a small drop of CA at each junction.

The hardest part of the job is accurately cutting the toule! Use a dark colored cutting mat or lightly spray the toule black and use a light colored mat. I have to use a magnifying visor to see the individual diamonds of the toule material. However, this makes it far easier to make cuts along a single row of diamonds. Toule is usually too stretchy to try to make a straight cut using a straight edge and hobby knife. I go along the material and cut each individual strand along one row of diamonds. It takes longer but your

7

That is excellent-looking fence you made, Hornblower! I’m impressed.

8

Wasnt there an article in MR recently about making fence?

And of course cue video of chain link made by Luke Towan.

Shane

9

I’ve made a ton of chain-link fences. Here’s the guide I used:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_guMOYoCpw

Here’s what I did:

Got picture frame hanging wire and cut a about a 3-6’ section. Attach on end with a clamp to something and the other end in a drill chuck. I then use the drill to make the wire straight.

I next cut the wire into 12-18" sections and made a template using a scrap 2’ section of a 1x3. That helped me figure out where to lay the frame, which I secured using a soldeirng iron and resin.

The fence itself I made using tulle (get at a craft store) in gray that I glued on using crazy glue with brush applicator.

The video I included makes far more sense than what I described.

10

Same location of the electric company team track, different view of the rusty chainlink fence.

SHane