Tire Gray: How to do it

Lyle · 25 July 2005, 06:31 AM

Being that most WWI tyres were gum rubber and had no carbon black added, what can one do to replicate the right color? Surely paint is the only option for tires already fabricated, but anyone here make their own tires? I have an article in a Giant Scale handbook by David Boddington that describes the process, but don't know anyone who goes to the trouble.

FlyingRazor · 29 July 2005, 09:30 PM

Lyle, one method that seems to work well is using a light gray shoe polish. You can touch up the tires as needed. The only place I every found any gray shoe polish was at a shoe repair store

DonnyW · 30 July 2005, 02:07 PM

If the tyre is a hard rubbery plastic as in a William Bros wheel, sanding the surface with fine grade sandpaper will help the shoe polish or paint to adhere

25 August 2005, 09:17 AM

Hi!
Does anyone have plans or reference articles on building German spoked wheels? I know several moderately expensive kits are available but I would like to try from scratch (for a 1/4 scale Phalz DIIIa).

By the way, as a followup to an earlier post of mine, a few folks in the replica-plane business I've spoken to about scale wheel retension say a threaded nut on the axle, cross-drilled and pinned, is pretty typical. All the photos of the Phalz DIIIa I have, and the DXII at the Smithsonian, have a cap covering the retaining nut.

Lastly - anyone know of a source for modestly-priced turnbuckles?

THANKS!

FlyingRazor · 25 August 2005, 03:17 PM

Lyle - forgot to mention that marine fuel tube comes in gray. Use Zap to connect the ends..

han1 · 28 August 2005, 02:31 PM

Not to get off the Thread here but FlyingRazor (Glenn ) How`s the Hanriot coming have`nt seen any updates on your webpage or Aerodrome post on it lately?
Thanks,
Jim