Michel’s scratch built fence

“Hi Al,

I though that i would share with you how I made my chain link fences. I first draw a template on paper and placed it under a piece of tempered glass. I then cut some .033 mm and .040 mm brass wire. I taped them on the glass using skinny masking tape. I then solder them and remove the tape. Next I cut some Tull ( also known as bridal veil ), stretch it over the now soldered wired and tape it to the glass. I glue the Tull with Cyanoacrylate to the wire.

If you wish to had some barb wire just cut the posts 3 scale feet longer and glue some sewing tread on the extensions ( again using CY glue). I spray paint the whole thing using Krylon Paint ( a paint that is good for wood, metal, plastic, etc.)

Michel”

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Doesn’t Michel’s fence look great? But again, I don’t know if I’d have the patience scratch building like that – stick to my boy’s print out scenery.

Thanks for all your comments on the latest ones (below). You get all 3 for $6. But only until Monday.

At this price they are cheaper than than the Big Kahuna bundle deal.


You can print them out to any scale you want too.

You can see some more pictures of them here. Have a look. He’s done a great job on the detail.

And if you fancy bagging this deal – all 3 for $6 – you can also do that here.

Happy scratch building!

Best

A




30 Responses to Michel’s scratch built fence

  1. Paul says:

    What an excellent idea, fed up with wooden fences, I’ll now have to find my wife’s wedding dress. Wonder if she’ll notice some of her veil missing after 30 yrs of it being stored in the loft !! Ha-ha

  2. Don H. says:

    Michel, Love your fencing ideas. This will make my job so much easier. Layout looks great also, good job! Don H.

  3. nice fence detail….
    but like Al, I dont think I have the patience to scratch all that fence anymore!!

  4. kenn says:

    Looks real to me. I wouldn’t want to try to climb over it.

  5. david howarth says:

    Nice job with the fence , looks so realistic ..Dave

  6. builder Kim says:

    Great idea’ any chance I could see the power towers up close.Maybe copy them.excellent idea. thanks.

  7. MEL says:

    Fantastic job on the fencing, great idea. I agree with that comment that says it’s real enough to climb!

  8. Ralph says:

    Splendid fencing Michel,
    The time taken has been well worth it for the effect. From the comments above you may have discovered an on line market for your fences.

  9. Greg says:

    The fence is extremely realistic, but I am not patient enough to do that much soldering. I make chain link fence using screen wire with wood match sticks for the posts and rails.

  10. Bill Fitzpatrick says:

    Michel, that is without doubt the most realistic chain link fence I’ve ever seen.
    Great job there!
    Fitz

  11. Paul B 60 says:

    What a brilliant way of doing this.

  12. Marion says:

    That’s an awesome fence! However, like another of your readers, I am too impatient and lazy for that! In all reality, I am just beginning my first layout at age 78, so perhaps when I get it a little further along, I would try this. In the meantime, I use window screen turned on the diagonal for the fence, and have some barbed wire left from a fence kit. My husband and partner in railroading found me some great finishing nails in the shop to use for the posts.

    Love this site, and can’t find enough words to express my thanks to you, dear Alistair!……Marion in Mississippi

  13. Richard Gould says:

    Great looking fencing. Just wondering if you do gates also.

  14. Mark Jarvis says:

    An alternative is the mesh tube that veg is delivered in, comes in different mash size but with a wire or thread sown into the top and bottom it costs pennies

  15. Bruce says:

    And the fencing rips are just large enough for hobos, not so for the larger critters

  16. Fred says:

    Brilliant, I love a bit of ingenuity…!

  17. Rick Lochner says:

    Love the fencing idea. For those like me who do not own a soldering gun, you can get the same effect (at least in HO scale) by using old screening from a screen door, brad nails/stiff wire and superglue.

  18. Susan Cannon says:

    Beautiful!!! Only one teeny tiny adjustment… the material is tulle. You were very close, for a man. Ha ha! LOL.

  19. Thomas scott says:

    I used #16 nails then I stretched window between every nail then super glued it to the nails .

  20. Chris Sylvester says:

    That’s a great job on the fence very realistic I like it !!!

  21. Robert Brady says:

    I want to private fence between my town and the train yard,excellent idea you have there Michael. looks so real.Thanks for the tip!

  22. Ray Z. Pa. USA says:

    Hi Everyone: Plastic or aluminum house screen makes nice chain link fences. You can sometimes find broken screens at your local ACE hardware. Just ask if they have any. More than likely free. I also have used screen repair kits for the raw material. Both are easily cut with scissors. You could make a template on paper to measure the location of the posts Lay them flat and use wire to build the posts and top rails then glue them to the screen with super glue gel, spray them with cheap aluminum paint and cut to size. On the layout, they look real.

    Happy Railroading!

  23. NJ Mark says:

    Great looking fence. Thanks for the inspiration. Cheers! NJ Mark

  24. John Frye says:

    I also use copper wire and bridal vale, I however take the wires that will be the corners, and a few along the run, and make them longer, then drill into the scenery “dirt” which holds up the fence. I add some HO grass mixed with scenic glue to add “vines” growing up some places. I find that after the fence is sprayed it looks too new, so I add a little rust here and there, also I put a diagonal wire on the corners. This method, like Michel’s make a very good looking fence.

  25. Marklin ed says:

    What I like are all the different comments That’s a great fence. Now I have new ideas again thanks to everyone.

  26. Will in NM says:

    Michel, That is some good looking chain link fence. When I first saw it, I thought you had messed up by putting the tulle square openings on the diagonal so I looked up photos of actual chain link fencing. You were entirely correct: the squares or diamond shaped openings in the chain links are installed on the diagonal. Great job. I don’t know if my soldering skills are up to the level needed for this, but I like the idea. May resort CA glue instead.

  27. TJK says:

    Great looking fence Michael.
    The realism takes effect with the damaged areas.

  28. Jim Gerstley says:

    Great looking fence. Also nice job blending foreground and background buildings. Another chain link fence option might be the use of women’s stockings stretched out a bit. But aluminum screening sounds like a great idea.

  29. Bob Muhme says:

    Michel, great looking RR and the fence is great! Is it HO or N?

    Bob in Michigan

  30. Malcolm says:

    Michel, Great looking fence, but no mention of scale. I model in Z, wonder if it would be suitable for 1:220.

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