RAF wires

[smperry]

When I was last actively building, 1:32 was pretty rare. Since then things have changed. What are people using for airfoil shaped RAF wires?. The scale is big enough that that an accurate representation is definitely called for. I'm a devote of stretched sprue, but in spite of attempts, I've never made anything usable for RAF wires. Hoping someone can point me in the right direction.
Thx
sp

[smperry]

Thanks for the info. I was hoping for something a little more magical :-) 

Something that is light and rigid,and can hold tension. I don't know how thick they would be in 1:32, but what about this:

Glue strips of plasticard the correct thickness parallel to each other on a flat base. The strips are spaced the scale distance of the "chord" of the RAF wire apart. Casting resin is poured and then spread with a plasticard squeege so the tops of the plasticard strips are clean and there is only resin between in the RAS wire sized gaps between the strips.

I can see stretching very fine Mono and embedding it in the cast "wires", leaving a "tail"on each end. Short tail on one end to go into a hole in the underside of the top wing and a longer one on the other end to go through a hole clear through the bottom wing panel. Secure the top and then pull on the bottom to tighten.

Pretty much have to pre-measure the wires and make the "mold" accordingly. Not sure I'm making this idea clear. I'll have to give it a try and see if it has any potential. The remark about 3d printed wires with embedded mono got me thinking.

sp

[Dave Brewer]

I use a pair of round-nosed pliers to deform monofilament fishing line to a flat section,takes 2 or 3 passes to flatten it,and I do get some breakages if I'm too heavy-handed.I run a black sharpie over it, followed by a silver one,this seems to give the most "wire-looking"colour .By cutting it at an acute angle I can still easily thread the flat stock through the short pieces of microtube I use to simulate the terminal ends;usually I glue one end directly into the hole and slide the tube down,while the other end goes through another piece of tube,then an eyelet in the opposing end and back through the tube,which is slid down to tension it and locked with a drop of thin superglue.There is Radu's PE RAF wire and terminal system but I have heard less than encouraging tales of the difficulty of use;I prefer working, tensioned rigging personally.

[smperry]

Hey Dave
Thanks for the good info. Had to Google round nose pliers, but once I had a photo, it makes perfect sense. I totally agree with you about rigging under tension. Taught rigging or no rigging, either one looks better than sagging rigging. Thats why I love stretched sprue, You can make it so tight. I also like that all the materials are stock rolls of line and wire and lengths of tube, not specialized manufactured parts you run out of at inconvenient times. Not to mention it sounds like fun.

Couple of questions
What size mono to use to flatten? Any particular brand work best?
What size and what source for micro tube. Any material other than brass work?

sp

[Dave Brewer]

My pleasure Steve.I use Albion Alloys MBT06,which is .6mm ext x .4mm int in packs of 3x305mm,a lot of terminals.I use the same stock for turnbuckle bodies and seizings per Des' method http://www.ww1aircraftmodels.com/page8.html.I use Platypus Platinum mono .16mm which is close to the .15 WNW specifies,simply because I have used it as a trace line for fishing for years and always have some around.For control lines I drop down to .5x.3 microtube and slightly thinner mono.

[smperry]

Thanks Dave. I found some on the web and will be ordering it in both sizes you mentioned. Ill pi k up the mono and pliers tomorrow.
What really sold me on this method is not having to cut line to an exact length. Pulling it taught through the bit of tube solves all that. Not having a surefire way of getting a reasonable facimile of RAF wires to hold a taught run was seriously dampening my enthusiasm.
Thanks again
sp

[Dave Brewer]

Photography is not my forte Justin but I'll see what I can do when I get a chance in the next day or so.I was originally thinking of just glueing the ends and tensioning by exiting the lower wing like I do in 1/48 but after having a close look  at some of Jamo's TVAL photos of Pups realised that some simulation of terminals would be more realistic and this method avoids having to touch-up holes or else paint and decal the wing after rigging. http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/thread/1350793222/Sopwith+Pup+reproduction+by+The+Vintage+Aviator+Ltd+(image+heavy)

[ALBATROS1234]

i dont understand why some company cant make styrene raf wire which can simply be glued in place. you would think plastic wires of the proper length and scale width could be molded and given ends which mimic the look of the raf airfoil wire hardware which could be simply glued in place. its be a thought of mine for a while. perhaps even extruded wire which could be cut to size and glued to the molded hardware which would come with it.like below:

http://thevintageaviator.co.nz/sites/default/files/styles/media_gallery_large/public/images/re-8-walkaround/re8-ground-4582.jpg?itok=-d1npVLH

[bobs_buckles]

Here is a pic I took years ago.
A simple way of creating flat section Mono/wire.

 

[smperry]

I received my order of micro brass tube from Albion Alloys. All I can say is WOW!. I've looked at photos of how this material is used in making turnbuckles and fittings and I never got a real sense of just how small this stuff is. I'm awaiting delivery of mono and round nose pliers in order to attempt this method. I have the coil winding from a small relay which is very fine copper wire and will do for eyelets.
Thanks for the photo of the pliers and mono Bob, that answers some questions I had, especially since I have gotten a better sense of the size involved.
I really like the idea of making my own fittings, though my fat fingers may have other ideas. Like any technique, I guess this takes some practice.
sp