2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Family-friendly forums for discussing traditional cardboard Christmas houses, including their history, collection, restoration, recreation, and display.
User avatar
Howard
Posts: 2317
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:46 pm
Contact:

2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by Howard »

Greetings to all…

Yes, I know…it’s not cardboard…it’s wood and metal…but it’s definitely Christmas…

It's yet another project that has been on my unending list of things to make…my version of a vintage “bobby pin fence“…this interpretation borrowed details from several internet images…owing to the small size of my version, I have not included a gate…

The pictures that follow and pattern PDF show and tell the story of how the pieces are made and assembled…

Notes…very small screw eyes could be substituted for the shortened cotter pins…perhaps there are small, short threaded shaft “L hooks” that could be used in place of bent clothes hanger wire…I have seen what are know as “landscape fabric staples” in hardware stores and the big box home centers that might be substituted for the bent clothes hanger fence parts…but you’ll probably have to adjust the spacing of the holes in the rails…the rails could also be made from 3/8” x 3/8” square lengths of molding or craft wood…don’t use balsa wood…it’s not sturdy enough…

I used a Dremel(R) motor tool to drill all the holes…Gorilla(R) Super Glue was used to assemble this project…a two part epoxy cement would also work…

I plan to spray with a couple of coats of gray primer followed by red for the corner posts and green for the fence sections…it’s just a little too chilly here in north Florida this week for spray painting…

Stay tuned to see how this project turns out…

My very best regards…

Howard…
Attachments
bobby pin fence all parts (2).jpg
bobby pin fence all parts (2).jpg (219.24 KiB) Viewed 16987 times
bobby pen fence corner detail (2).jpg
bobby pen fence corner detail (2).jpg (222.52 KiB) Viewed 16987 times
2021 bobby pin fence sheet 1 of 1.pdf
(34.97 KiB) Downloaded 1370 times
View my Little Glitter House Photo Album
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... x5Mm9MTFd3
Barb
Posts: 233
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:30 pm

Re: 2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by Barb »

Howard this is an AWESOME project!! I love it and can't wait to see the finished pix. I will be attempting one of these for sure, although bending the coat hangers so precisely is not my strong suit. Nice job!! Barb
Barb
Posts: 233
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:30 pm

Re: 2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by Barb »

So, Lowes has a 10-pack of "Drip Irrigation Micro Pins" for $1.97 that look perfect for this project, in case anyone else is challenged by bending wire for the fence.
User avatar
Howard
Posts: 2317
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:46 pm
Contact:

Re: 2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by Howard »

Barb...

Looks like you found them...guess I got the description wrong...not landscape fabric staples...but drip irrigation pins...

Just in case anyone is interested...here's my "low tech" bending jig...a C clamp held in a vice...the rounded part is about 3/4" in diameter...the wire springs back to about 1" after bending...i used pliers to squeeze and adjust the bend to be about 1" wide...I know the radius of the bends are not perfect...but that's OK...I don't want the finished project to look factory fresh and perfect anyway...

Howard...
Attachments
bobby pin fence bending jig (2).JPG
bobby pin fence bending jig (2).JPG (204.26 KiB) Viewed 16970 times
View my Little Glitter House Photo Album
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... x5Mm9MTFd3
JCass
Posts: 153
Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:48 pm

Re: 2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by JCass »

Wow! What creativity and an interesting project for those of us in cold weather to attempt to help with our sanity!

John
maria
Posts: 2381
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:32 pm

Re: 2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by maria »

I wonder if the HAPPY JIG tool would be useful here for bending the wire.
User avatar
Howard
Posts: 2317
Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2011 6:46 pm
Contact:

Re: 2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by Howard »

Update...1-14-2021...

It's beginning to look more and more like a bobby pin fence for a feather tree now that all the parts are assembled...

Howard...
Attachments
bobby pin fence ready for primer and paint (2).jpg
bobby pin fence ready for primer and paint (2).jpg (176.29 KiB) Viewed 16952 times
View my Little Glitter House Photo Album
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipO ... x5Mm9MTFd3
maria
Posts: 2381
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:32 pm

Re: 2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by maria »

This is wonderful and quite authentic looking.
maria
Posts: 2381
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:32 pm

Re: 2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by maria »

Another option for a "smaller" fence might be the large paper clips---cut appropriately https://www.walmart.com/ip/Officemate-P ... t/19514932
maria
Posts: 2381
Joined: Fri Sep 16, 2011 7:32 pm

Re: 2021 "BOBBY PIN FENCE" FOR FEATHER TREES...

Post by maria »

Here's a link to the drip irrigation pins mentioned above https://www.lowes.com/pd/Orbit-10-Pack- ... lsrc=aw.ds
Post Reply