1:72 Electric pole

What kind of accessory this is

A pole of an overhead electric line, that is a feature that stands in for infrastructure in a scene. On a diorama it does much the same work as a lamp or a fence: it gives a scene a vertical line, suggests that the action is taking place near housing or along a road, and helps a viewer judge distances. According to the name the pole is in 1:72 scale, that is the size usual for small dioramas and display-case scenes.

How to set the pole into a scene

The pole belongs at the edge of the base or on the line of a road, not in the middle of the action. It looks best slightly leaning and not quite upright, because few poles in the field stand exactly vertical. Work the foot into the terrain so that no visible transition appears: coarser grass, soil drawn up to the foot and a stone all suit. The line between poles is usually imitated on dioramas with a thin dark filament, which is stretched between the insulators and left to sag a little; a wire pulled too tight takes credibility away from a scene.

Building and painting tips

Cut the excess material and the traces of manufacture off with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the surface. Before painting, wash the surface, degrease it and apply a primer. A wooden pole looks better grayed than brown: a light gray base coat, a thin dark wash into the cracks and a dry brush in a lighter tone over the edges. The bottom of a pole tends to be darker and muddy, while the upper part is bleached by the sun. Distinguish the metal parts and the insulators with a shade of their own.

Who it is for

For builders of dioramas and vignettes who want to give a scene a setting and a vertical feature. Paints, glue, wire and the base are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.