Can someone recommend a good way to replicate the wires and such on ships? I work in 1:350 scale, and was thinking along the lines(no pun there) of black Lycra thread or something......any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

Jim,

The string you mention should work well. Others have used stretched sprue for the rigging as well. Even thin wire will work.

Hi Jim!

As you have stated, thin Lycra thread has always worked very well for me in the rigging process...it has just enough stretch to it to stay taught after attachment, and doesn't fray like cotton thread...White Ensign Models carries the thread, if you have no other outlet close to home...it used to be readily available here in PA, but since has become a bit hard to find locally...as my mate Mr. Adams has also stated, stretched sprue, as well as thin wire also works well, although a bit more labor intensive...best is to try different methods and see what works for you, as one man's bread is another man's pudding......

Thank you guys .....
I have started my search for the lycra thread locally ...and yes ,I am so far coming up empty on a local source. I will exhaust local possibilities then move on ordering from WE...come to think of it ,I think I need some brass barrels for my Borodino. Hmmmnnnnn...

Hello,

May be you know this material but some days ago on net, I saw a material called 'Ayu' metal fishing wire. Now I think this is the best material for riggings. Unfortunatelly I dont know where can I buy it instead of Japan. Please follow link below and see its performance

http://www.h3.dion.ne.jp/~mokei/e-build-soryu14.htm

Regards.

http://www.h3.dion.ne.jp/~mokei/e-build-soryu14.htm

Working link

From my experience, I have used streched sprue, lycra and in the last one (the shirase) I used a offer by David Griffith: extra thin UNI-Caenis line (Black)
http://www.taimen.com/mt/product_info.php?products_id=2136&language=en&osCsid=b671b5a7

hope this helps,
Rui

Hi Jim

I've only built 2 ships both 1/700th scale and ended up using my daughters hair so if you know anyone with long thick hair you could try that


Steve C Jnr

Hi Steve...I use my wifes hair regularly as my standard rigging material, as I do many biplanes in 1:72 and 1:48. I was just looking to work"outside my box" and try a new material. I have noted the limitations in using human hair to be the following:
1. If you use 3 minute epoxy to bond white metal to plastic(in this case a strut to a wing) I found over time it literally EATS the hair at the connection point(please see my personal pic in my bio of my Fe2b....thats the plane I learned that on...had to rig it TWICE!!!!!)
2. Temperature change can cause the hair to loosen and contract,causing what was once a properly taught line to appear loose.
3. hair that has been exposed to hairdye becomes very brittle over time and may break at connection points.....
Though it may sound like Im crapping on this material I am not ...I am merely pointing out some lowpoints...I use this material exclusively for rigging , and even made a tiny crochet hook out of a cocktail stick and florist wire to negotiate tight areas... I like to stay open to new materials and techniques

Hi Jim

Know what you mean about the hair loosening and tightening as you can see in my picture.
What would you use for 1/700th scale models ?
Someone mentioned to me very fine fishing wire .
Even thread can be too big .

Steve C Jnr

you know .....years ago I did a biplane in 1:72 and used halloween "spiderweb" material for the rigging.....I wonder.....Ill tell you the reason I only used it once was that it was a bear to put on as each thread when not taught was a curly squiggly nightmare to apply!! but I must say now that I think on it the end results ,after being coloured by a sharpie marker looked great ..and may be a stepping stone towards finding a great material for 1:700 scale
I must also tell you that I have never built a ship......only U boats to this point...however my collection now contains Varyag,Borodino ....and I just bought Hasegawas Mikasa yesterday......just waiting for my brass to come ......

Hi Jim

I'm just away to start my Bismark.
I was able to get my hands on a set of 1/700 allied aircraft including Swordfish torpedo planes so I'll have them attacking with the torpedoes on route

Steve C jnr

Very cool Steve!
That is a very intense moment in history considering the mathematical improbability of that 1 torpedo launching at just the right altitude,,,with the observer literally hanging upside down out of the plane to ensure proper targeting...along with the exact detonation on the rudder wich HAPPENED to be in the middle of a turn.....makes one wonder about the word "coincidence". That sounds like such a great diorama...I LOVE the Swordfish!

There's a stretchy latex-like stuff called EZ Line:

http://misc.kitreview.com/tools/ezlinereviewbg_1.htm

It's made for railroaders (to do utility poles - apparently knocking the wires in displays is a big problem - the EZ stretches without beaking). It's CA glue-able, and holds tension. I bought a sample pack and it was pretty cool stuff (tho I ended up using hairless thread). Another good one is wire as mentioned, but reeeeeeally thin - take a thin and flexible cord apart, one made from fine gauge stranded wire, each strand is very thin, thinner than circuit board wire-wrap wire.

Also, spider webs! Not the fake material, but the real stuf. Apparently it used to be used in gun scope sights, because it is fine and strong. I know it sure is sticky!