Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tutorial: Making Realistic Barbed Wire Cheaply

What you'll need:
  • Jewelers' Wire (preferably something smaller, like a 32gauge for 28mm minis, but any size is okay)
  • Pliers
  • Electric screwdriver/drill
  • Superglue
  • A wooden dowel/metal rod/or similar to wind the completed wire around

Step 1:
Cut two long strands of wire or roughly the same length from the spool. Taking one end of both wires, wrap these around each other for about 1/2". This wrapped section is then inserted into the chuck of the drill, and then secured.


Step 2:

Holding the opposite end of wire with the pliers, turn the drill on slowly. This will gradually wind the two wires together. The more the wire is turned, the tighter the strand becomes. It's up to you how tightly you would like the strand to be.



Step 3:

Next, cut a length of wire from the spool roughly 2 to3 times the length of the strand. This will be the wire you make the barbs out of. Beginning at one end of the strand, take the 'barb' wire and wrap it around the strand wire, at least once, preferably two or three times. Continue looping the 'barb' wire around the strand, leaving a 1/4" to 1/2" interval between barbs. When you're finished, it should look like the pic below:


Step 4:

Place a blob of superglue on each barb. Once dry, cut off each loop to form the completed barbs.


Step 5:

Finally, wrap the barbed wire around a wooden dowel/metal rod/or similar cylinder. Your barbed wire is completed and ready to install on bases, minis, or to paint and use as terrain.



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