With the knob and tube system installed in the barn, it was time to figure out how to get power there. Enter the electrical pole.
I started with a 1/2″ wooden dowel cut to a proportional size of 16″ tall, not exact scale. I took into consideration the fact that the wires need to clear the barn door to reach the tubes on the side of the barn. I then brushed on a grey paint stain just in case any glue seeped out during the later steps. I marred the surface with sandpaper and an awl, then added more washes.
I cut the cross bar from basswood, painted and aged before assembly. The v-shaped stabilizer was cut from cardboard and painted to look like weathered metal. I used metal headpins and tiny brads for stability and nail detailing. I glued green adventurine cone beads onto the side wires and added aging washes.
These are as close to mini glass insulators as I could find. I picked up the real deal – a Hemingray-9 – at a local estate sale.
This needs to dry completely before I finish up the electrical work. :]
