making convincing barbed wire for 120mm

[faust18]

Hi im wanting to make barbed wire for 120mm figure basing any ideas on what gauge I need for this ive found some fly fishing and jewelry surpliers online that carry v fine wire 6 thous of a inch being the finest is this too fine? Any tech tips on gauge of wire needed and making would be great ive tried the etch but it dosent cut it in this scale

 

[pte1643]

I think 6 "Thou" would be a little fine. It works out at 0.15mm dia, if you X by 16 it comes out at 2.4mm real life size.

I've never actually measured any Barbed wire, but I think this is too fine.

I'd say that somthing like 4mm wire would be "In the Ball Park". Divide this by 16 and it works out at 0.25mm.

As for making ... I made some for a 1:35th WWI tank, it's a little overscale, but the end result was quite pleasing.

Small strip of wood (something like 2x1") drive a small pin in at each end.

Now twist two strands of wire together to make the initial wire.

Then (painstakingly slowly) make the individual "knots" and trim the ends to the desired length.

Once this is painted/weathered it looks great... Well, I was happy with the results I got, see following...

 

[faust18]

Thanks for the advice regaurding scale i was having problems with that i found a good tutorial on you tube using a simular idea to yours but the guy used a paint bush and a series of holes to get the spacing another "snaked" the wire for the barbs over the main wire gave them half a twist then snipped them and went onto create the barbs this way .your barbed wire looks great ill have a go myself now ive got an idea what size wire im needing thanks for the information its saved a lot of head scratching and wasted time I know though german barbed wire was denser and thicker with more barbs than ours esp in the first war to combat the cutters we made for the enfield

 

[Helm]

I've used fuse wire before to do it and made each barb separately it's fiddly and time consuming but does look well and is easily shaped to suit

Steve

 

[pte1643]

I know though german barbed wire was denser and thicker with more barbs than ours esp in the first war to combat the cutters we made for the enfield

Yep, the German stuff was certainly thicker, and the barbs were around half the distance apart (twice as many per same length) compared to the British stuff. The "twisted knot" bit of the barb was a bit longer too.

 

[pte1643]

I've used fuse wire before to do it and made each barb separately it's fiddly and time consuming but does look well and is easily shaped to suit

Did you also find that it acts like the real stuff too? Vicious little bugger it is... Even in a small scale.

 

[tonydawe]

Verlinden 1/35th scale etched brass barbed wire look great for 120mm dioramas.

 

[faust18]

"Its nasty stuff even in small scales" your right there I sliced myself a good un with the verlinden stuff it does warn you on the packet but as always didnt take any notice.ive been trawling the net for images of german wire and were all right about it being heavier and denser by quite a bit its orrible looking at best .Im gonna give it a go with a mixture of fuse wire and jewelers wire the jewelers wire because its riggid and I want a stop line each side of the post and the fuse wire as its easier to form the barbs with .Its been an interesting topic it makes you realise that simple works best running up against an entanglement of this stuff in real life would cause problems to say the least

 

[Einion]

I think 6 thou would be perfect for many examples of barbed wire - 2.4mm at full scale is right on the money.

Previous thread with links on to another thread in case it's of help with the method:
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/making-barbed-wire-sbs-for-german-pow.42824/#post-437198

Einion

 

[faust18]

Thanks forthe link everybody on this forum has been so helpful its a refreshing change great straight advice, no egos and a bit of a giggle now and then I really rate it, thanks

 

[Gellso]

Give me a pm and i'll send you some barbs. I have a load made up.

Gells