12 – 10’ x ½” white PVC pipe
2 - 10’ x ½” sections of rebar
44 1 ½” black phosphate screws (just buy a small box)
3 cans flat black spray paint
33 Toppers for posts/or some type of finial
Adhesive to attach toppers (use something that will not damage the material used to make the
topper)
1. Using your table saw, rip the 1x8x8 pine down to two-inch wide lengths. This should
give you 6 sections with a 1 ¼” piece left. (Fig. 1) (Don’t discard, use in some other project!?!)
2. Now cut the length down to 6’2 ½”. This now gives you the length that your fence will be. (I
use this size for convenience of storage and because this length is more stable when on display)
(Fig. 1)
3. Now, using your tape measure, mark off from each end the following points in the two inch
width of the boards: 2 ½”, 9 ½”, 16 ½”, 23 ½”, 30 ½”, and the center will be at 37 ½”. Mark each
of these at the center of the board that being 1 inch. (Fig 1)
4. Using your drill press (way better than a hand drill) drill a 7/8ths inch hole at each point.
Decide which 1” side will be the front and drill a pilot hole on the back side at the center of each of
the 7/8ths inch holes you just drilled. (This will prevent the wood from splitting)
5. If you are as fussy as me, use wood filler for any gouges or errors, and sand to a smooth
surface. As long as you sanding, I round all of my edges and corners for an added touch of safety
and I like the way it looks.
6. Using your PVC cutter cut your PVC down into the following sizes: 1 @ 34”, 2 @ 34 ½”, 2
@ 35 ½”, 2 @ 37”, 2 @ 39”, and 2 @ 41 ½”. (This is per section of fence you are making, and you
have enough material to make three sections.)
7. Take a ¼ sheet piece of wet/dry sand paper, (200 grit) and sand each piece of PVC. This will
clean the PVC surface and give the spray paint a better surface to stick to.
8. Spray everything flat black once you are satisfied that the pieces are in the condition you
wand them in. (TIP: If you have some #6 brad nails, tap them into a wood sawhorse to form a V
then lay your PVC pieces in them for painting. It makes the job way easier.)
9. Now it’s time to put it all together. Lay what will be your bottom strip good side down and
place the 34” PVC rod in. Pull through 6 inches of the rod and screw in place with a 1 ½” black
screw. (Note: do not screw in the bottom of the 41 ½” section as this is where the rebar support
will go to hold your fence in position.)
10. Measure up 21 inches from the bottom wood strip and place the top strip over the center
34” rod and screw it in place as well..
11. Continue the pattern out with each rod size in a shortest to tallest progression until all are
in place and secure.
12. Touch up any bad scratches with the black spray paint.
13. Attach your toppers or finials with an appropriate adhesive.
14. Your project is complete. For my toppers I used a 4-inch Styrofoam skull I found at Wal-
Mart, and a 2” foam skull from a garland strand I found at Menards. Take the ½” rebar and cut it
into 3 equal sections, push into the ground so that each end section will fit over it then slide your
fence into position and you now have just enough to block people from wandering through your
graveyard. (Fig. 2)
drilled out and pilot holes for the screws have been done as well. You can also tell I used wood putty
to fill in some of the rough gouges...then it's off to the sanding and painting room. I use a belt sander
to rough shape my pieces followed by a palm sander for finish work.
Figure 2 shows how I positioned the skull onto the post. I glued a #8 brad nail into each skull using
PL300 foam board glue to avoid melting the Styrofoam skulls.
Figure 3 is the finished product...For 2006 I intend to make 6 to 8 more sections.
Figures 4,5,6 are just a better look at the skull finials.
Figure 7 illustrates how the small skulls were packaged. I just cut them apart, pulled out the string, and
glued away.
