Hints and Tips...

beeza · 16 January 2010, 12:40 AM

I agree with Bob, the Maxima Chameleon mono is excellent, I used it on my DH-2 and also my latest build the Bristol. The 2lb line is 0.12mm in thickness, it is easy to use, very strong and glues well.

Steve.

As requested by you about two weeks ago, I sent you a very detailed and illustrated email explaining my rigging techniques. I don't know if you received it or not, it was not returned so you either have it or you gave me the wrong email address.

Geek44
Rigging varies greatly between modellers, what suits one person is a complete waste of time to another. You will find the one that suits you best, one that you find is easy to apply. Rigging materials also vary, anything from mono, copper wire, stretched sprue, brass wire, elastic cord, solid stiff wire and even cotton thread. The material you end up using will be the one that you are most comfortable with, the one that you have little problems with.
I tried several methods and several different materials and ended up using the mono line, this is the one I like using, it does exactly what I want it to do and is available in just about any size you want. Definately listen to what others have to offer you regarding rigging but ultimately, it will end up being the way you want to do it, the way that makes you happy.

Good luck with your modelling and I look forward to seeing some of your work.

Des.

Geek44 · 16 January 2010, 03:24 AM

Thanks for the input Des. Been a stretched sprue man for a long time. Most of my builds have been WW2 aircraft and it's great for radio wires. I guess I'm interested to try other things though, which is why I'll be looking into the monofilament. I don't usually build smaller than 1/48 for aircraft although I'm in the midst of a 1/72 EIV to get the feel of things. Less disastrous if I mess up...I'll be trying some new stuff on it. That's the way I usually do things. Use cheap kits to experiment with then apply what I've learned to better kits.
There are a couple of things I don't like about the stretched sprue though. I find it very brittle and doesn't handle any kind of treatment let alone 'rough' treatment. I've also had some sag after looking nice and tight for a while. Then there's the consistency of thickness issue. I'm a reasonable stretcher too.
Need to get that Photobucket account started don't I?
Peace.
Nick

albatros1234 · 16 January 2010, 07:02 AM

I always thought the stretch spue method was a joke, as in who can consistantly stretch it that thin. but bob, ala bobs buckles had a good video a page or two back where you light the sprue, blow it out then touch it to some plastic and pull, boy you can get threads as thin as a human hair with ease that way. thanks bob.

terri werner · 16 January 2010, 10:11 AM

Hi Nick , Des has some very good points , we all have are different ways of doing the rigging which works best for a individual . It also depends on how much detail to the rigging you want to add . I have a few different ways for doing it . My favorite way is twist wire hoops and stretched q-tips . I can make these in any scale I need them to be . Steel tubing is a great replacement for the Q-tip which can be an art forum in pull on it's own . Des has listed the place where he gets it . You can also go to a medical supply shop and pick up replacement needles ( just the metal part ) in many different sizes as well .

For rigging wire , well that is up you . For 72 scale I use my own hair ! It's nice and long and fine and takes the ink from a sharpie very well I might add . For 48 scale I use smoke invisible thread ( that mono stuff ) Love the stuff ! Will work for 72 as well . In 32 scale I will be trying out 1 1/2 pound test line , but again this is my own preference . I never did care for through the wing method , if a line breaks you have to redrill your holes and then the touch up for the painting and weathering all over again . Another reason why I love the wire hoop and Q-tip method . When it comes time for you to do rigging if you need help just give as holler and well will aid you in your time of need

beeza · 17 January 2010, 03:12 AM

Sorry Steve - I sent the email to the wrong address, no wonder you didn't get it.

I hope the way I have explained my rigging technique helps you out, if you have any more questions please don't hesitate to ask.

Des.

Geek44 · 17 January 2010, 03:28 AM

Sprue stretching is a bit of an art. I've been doing it since I was a kid and it depends on a few factors. First, if you want it really fine it will require more heat. Second is the styrene compound you use and that depends on the manufacturer. I've found that clear works really well but getting lengths that are long enough to stretch can be a challenge. Another great source are the long sprue lengths to be found in Dragon's armour kits but I wonder how many of you guys have any of that lying around

.

Terri Werner, appreciate the input mate and I think you turned a light on for me. I was looking at Des' Bristol F2.b Fighter last night and marvelling at the detail in the rigging. Being a nut for stuff like that myself it would seem that the stretched sprue shows another limitation right there. Although I doubt I'll be trying that kind of thing soon...I'm working on a 1/72 kit now to 'get into character' so to speak. Sprue will be fine for that and until I can get to a bigger town or get some of this Maxima Chameleon monofilament to give it a try. Never thought I'd ever find myself in a tackle shop

.
Peace.

beeza · 17 January 2010, 10:15 AM

Hi Geek44.

Stretched sprue has many uses but it certainly has it's limitations. The technique I used to rig my Bristol would be impossible to do using stretched sprue.
I have sent a rigging tutorial email to Steve which I hope will give him some ideas, if you like, I could send the same one to you, maybe it might explain it a bit easier. If you PM your email address I will gladly send it.

Des.

albatros1234 · 17 January 2010, 12:53 PM

seriously if you like stretched sprue look at bobs video . I tryed this method, and on my first attempt was getting hair width ,long stretchs, and I never was able to do it before.

New here

badlanding · 29 January 2010, 08:43 AM

Let me guess, you guys are holding the sprue over a candle or something, right? Wrong! Well OK not wrong, but I couldn't do that for toffee, and there's an easier way!

Get yourself a piece of plastic - a plastic paint-pot top is fine but anything will do. Then - set fire to the end of your sprue! Get a nice flame going...

Now - and best done before you set anything else alight! - blow out the flame, and immediately jab the hot end down on your lid. It will instantly weld to it.

Now, all you have to do is hold the lid down and pull up on the sprue, at a steady speed. The faster you go, the finer your sprue. You can do feet at a time like this - it's simple - and so long as you do it in one reasonably smooth motion it will be the same thickness all the way up!

Now all I need to know is reliably WHAT that thickness should be for different planes, and how not to make such a xxxx of doing the actual rigging, and I'm laughing lol!

albatros1234 · 29 January 2010, 03:17 PM

badlanding that is bobs method in his video i spoke of