on a budget

Part of my layout is a point to point coal operation. The Jerusalem Ridge coal preparation plant is towards the middle of the layout and allows for shunting and end for ending of the caboose and locos. With an industrial installation like this, OH&S requirements demand a security fence be erected around the perimeter. A chain wire fence, 10 feet high with two rows of barbed wire meets this requirement.

There are three tracks leading into the plant, so six gates are required. At the Western end of the property, two gates are required to close the access road. The gates were made of 1/16" piano wire, bent with pliers and soldered using liquid soldering flux and resin core solder.



This photo shows two of the gates before and after fitting and painting, and a wire post made from 5/64" medium tensile wire. The post was bent at the top by inserting it across the width of the jaws of the pliers and bending in the fingers. Thirty posts were required for the fence, which was 1:1 scale 2.5 metres long.



This is a photo of the western end of the property, showing the entrance road. Some of the posts have been erected by drilling 5/64" holes in the base board and CA gluing them in place. Note that the soil has not been added. It is the next step.



This is looking back to the west showing the line of posts before the soil goes in. A depth gauge made from a piece of scrap tin was used to make sure each post was set at the same height.



This is the western end of the property, showing the three railway tracks going in.



Looking west again. The soil is now in place.



The gates at the western end have been erected, as well as the start of the short section of fence. There is a roll of chain wire, some posts and wire lying on the ground. I am not sure at this stage how to fix the fence to the hill, so I have left the materials there for the fencing crew to complete the job.



I left some materials at the western end as well. Now I strained five rows of extra strong polyester thread along the fence, starting from the western end. If extra strong thread is used, it is possible to put quite an amout of tension on it - if the posts have been glued in securely. Start with a clove hitch and then loop once around each post and end with a clove hitch the other end. Clove hitches have the benefit of being able to "ratchet" themselves tight, so if tension is kept on while looping, the final tightness can be achieved at each end. A drop or two of thin CA glue will run down from the top of each post and secure the thread where it has been looped around.



After the five "wires" have been strained up, the chain wire is added. Bridal tulle which is used for veils, is ideal for this. I used grey coloured tulle as the white looks too stark. I guess the grey tulle is for the bridesmaids. The tulle is held in place by spray adhesive, which takes a while to dry so it can be moved around to get it right. The braces can be added at this point. I used the same wire as for the posts and made a 45 degree bend each end using half the width of the jaws of the pliers.



This shows the double braced strainer post in the middle of the fence. The base board is drilled and the braces inserted and CA glued top and bottom. The braces are for show only as by securely fixing the medium tensile wire posts, they have enough strength to anchor the strain.



This is a shot of the western end, showing the gates, wires and braces in place. I soldered each gate to its own post, which was glued into its own hole after the fence was up. It's not strictly proto-typical, but it was the only way I could do it successfully.



Here is an aerial shot of the complex, showing the fence in its entirety. I hope I have covered everything. The whole fence cost less than A$20. Questions welcome. Cheers. Max

Now that is neat  :doublethumb - can you build it in UK style:question

dunno - have you got a picture?

That's a first class piece of modelling Max, very professional. I have seen machine made fencing for sale that doesn't look as good.

Thanks Bob. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a disappointment to the NKPHTS modellers, though. Everything I do looks like OZ

NKPHTS  - does this mean Nickle Plate, etc  or Nit Pickers  ? coz I certainly cannot find anything to nit pick over ( yet)

nice one Max. How did you do the barbed wire; it looks effective in the pics

mikey

You're too kind, Sol. The Nickel Plate Historical and Technical Society. They are very polite and supportive . . .

Max, here is one UK version - photo a bit small but I reckon if I hunted long enough, I would find your method in use in the UK somewhere

Mikey. The thread (I'm not allowed to call it cotton) is naturally furry. When you spray it with adhesive, it goes "spikey" also when I painted the gates, the spray paint had the same effect.

Sol. There are fences like that here. Let me know when you want one, and I'll be over.

Max. if the thread is "furry", why not use the finest fishing line? Or have you tried that?

I was going for the furry look so it looks like barbs. When I do yours, I'll use fishing line if you like.

Furry for the spikes eh, I like that.

Max your fencing looks really good and the same as yo have done can be found n the Uk as wth many thngs there are varuos types of this mesh type fencing everywhere.

Using the bridesmaid cloth for the actual mesh is a very good and cost effective way of doing it.

cheers Brian

Thanks Brian. I think Sol is angling for a fence for his layout.

Max

Bridal tulle

I work with this every week, and did not see it for that use, brilliant idea, I want to put a long fence down the complete side of the layout, and using your way will enable us to do it.

Thanks

Whether we can make such a good job as yours, Time will only tell ( doubt it), I can see that space on your layout is a big thing and with the first area coming on, it looks very good.

Really looks the part Max, and a really good "how to", no doubt Bob already has this earmarked for the index

So am I if it's as good as the one you've done. Trouble is cost, as the return ticket from Oz to Cardiff International is quite a lot :exclam

:hmm Maybe I could line up a dozen or so layouts for you to do whilst you were over and charge them £50 or so each :question:question

It's already in there Lawrence. I have to do these things as soon as I see them else they get overlooked.

So you don't just spend your life asleep in your chair Max !!

That's a great looking fence around a great looking yard.  The gates really look authentic.  Barbed wire is always a problem to model but you seem to have cracked it - ever thought of marketing "spikey" thread ? :roll::roll:

Looking at the building - I presume a crushing / sorting shed - what's the "bridge" structure disappearing into the banking - is it a mine shaft ?

Also, what did you use for the "soil" - not the fine sandy stuff, the actual soil  - it looks very effective ?  Also. the sandy embankment - it too look great.