When did the use of chain link fence become widespread? A google search revealed that it began to be manufactured in the USA a few years prior to 1900. Did it become popular then, or did it take a few years?
The reason I ask is I have been rebuilding some window screens from my house, and have some scrap screen pieces that may look okay as chain link fence. If it was common during the WWI era, I may make a few fences for my layout.
My "Fences, Gates & Bridges" book (originally published in 1892) mentions barbed wire (invented circa 1875) as the only type of wire fence. It notes that while it was invented ~2 decades ago, it was only really beginning to sell well in the last 5 or so. Note that it took over 10 years for 250,000 miles of barbed wire to be produced. That's only 50,000 miles of fence when you consider that there are 5 strands or so needed for every fence.
If you apply that model to chain link, I would not expect it to be very popular in circa 1900. All kinds of wooden fencing, hedgerows, and low walls would have been much more popular unless very newly constructed.
Andrew
I agree with what Andrew said, but, as with many new products, you'd probably see that type of fence being used first by a commercial concern, such as a factory or other industrial site. Even then, I doubt that its use would be widespread in your modelling era. Most homes would opt for a board fence or hedge.
I think that window screen would be hard to work with, though - most nowadays is fibreglass or aluminum, with steel, I believe, no longer available. You can purchase a half-mile-or-so
of chain link at any fabric store for a couple of bucks. Ask for tulle (pronounced tool), and select the one whose openings appear most suitable to your scale. While you're there, check out the faux fur, too - some of it makes really good-looking long grass.
Wayne
from what i could find it was first made by Anchor post fence Co. in 1891.
jim
doctorwayne Wrote:I think that window screen would be hard to work with, though - most nowadays is fibreglass or aluminum, with steel, I believe, no longer available.
Wayne
Well, the damaged screen I am replacing is steel
In any event, I am thinking pre 1920 is a little early for chain link. The one area I was thinking was a fence around a schoolyard.
You might see if "page wire fence" (I think that is what it is called) was in production. That's the wire fence with the horizontal rectangular openings. I think (careful - that's dangerous!
) that it was produced before chain link? IF true, you may be able to install your wire screen horizontally, instead of on a 45* angle...
But for a school application, I'd think that a board fence, post and rail, or possibly a waist-high pallisade-type would be more common, especially in the 1920s.
Andrew
MasonJar Wrote:You might see if "page wire fence" (I think that is what it is called) was in production. That's the wire fence with the horizontal rectangular openings. I think (careful - that's dangerous! ) that it was produced before chain link? IF true, you may be able to install your wire screen horizontally, instead of on a 45* angle...
I think the the openings in the screen would be too closely spaced for this type of fence, also known as Tite-Lock fencing. It's the kind seen around most farm fields, at least around here. It's not really suitable for a schoolyard, though. I think what Andrew is describing sounds more like hardware cloth, a wire mesh available with square openings in a variety of sizes from about 1/4" up to about 4" or 5". I think that if a fence was used, a board one would be most likely, vertical boards with no spaces between them.
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Wayne
Here are a couple of photos I found of my protoype town. I'm not sure of the date - but I am confident they predate 1930. The first one showing the loading dock shows boxcars spotted at the dock - and by about 1930 that track would be removed. The second shows a fence around a schoolyard, I am guessing from the teens or 1920s.
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The schoolyard one is almost certainly chain link, but I'm not sure what you'd call the one on the loading dock. The fencing at near left in that picture, though, is also chain link. I'd say that you're probably okay to go with it for your era, although I think that you'll get better results using tulle.
Wayne
Yeah, tulle would probably look better, but I am trying to use up what I have around rather than buy something new and have a bunch left over. The openings on the window screen may be a bit large for chain link - about 5 scale inches in HO scale. But, this could fall under the "rivet phenomena" where scale "rivets" are too small to see, and larger rivets look better than having no rivets at all. Larger holes may look better because the "wires" would be thicker than scale. Since I have some extra, I will play around with it to see what I can do.
I have 2 comments on this subject. First, schools I attended in the early thirties were farm fenced, about 6X8 squares. These were country schools.
Secondly, I have used screen wire for chain link fence and it worked great. Cut strips at 45 degrees, about 6 scale feet wide. Then pull on the ends and it not only narrows down, but makes it into smaller squares. Works for me. Also, on the metal screen, pull a long strand from the edge. The kinking in it makes it look like good barbed wire. Paint can make it look rusty, and it is easy to roll up coils of it.
Lynn
Great post! I would never have guessed that chain link started that early.
I will agree with Doc the tulle looks better ,the mesh in tulle is finer than screen and i think tulle is somthing like 2 or3 dollars a yard and its 42 or 45 inches wide it also comes in a silvery gray color that looks line weathered chain link .
jim
I'll put this up, it's the closest shot I have of tule chain link fence. You can see it between the loco and tender.[
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