I am new to boats and thought I would try my hand at a U-Boat. I am doing the Revelll VII D. My question is; what is the best material to use for the rigging and what would anybody suggest to make those swivel looking things that connect the cabels. Thanks

hello Ken,
first off Welcome to MSW,this is a great place for ship builders.
per your question:some use stretched spruce,others use fishing line and still others use clear nylon thread.if is realy up to you.i have tried the spruce idea,but i had no luck with it.i am now using clear nylon thread for my builds.
as to your other question,i have not done a submarine yet so i do not know what to tell you.if you look through the posts i know that there are a couple of guy's that build sub's will proberly know what you need to do.sorry i can not help you there.
again,Welcome to the site.
cheers,
Bruce
edit:try to PM Jay Massey(treadhead1952)i know he has built some sub's.i am not sure if he has done the one you are doing but i know he has done some U-Boats.good luck on your build.

Ahoy Ken,
Welcome to Model Shipwrights mate!

Revell's VII D kit is a good starter kit, for any modeler that is breaking into the "wetter side" of the hobby, mate, good choice!

Rigging your work can be one of the most challenging parts of your build, and with some practice and patience, you will succeed...as far as the "best" material to use, well that's a toughie, as Bruce has stated, there are a few different common materials used, and the best thing to do is to do as much research on the subject as you can, examine the different materials and methods, and try them out in a test fashion to see what works best for you.

Wire of different gauges, stretched sprue, monofilaments, and different threads are all included in these materials...I myself prefer to use a Lycra based thread (which used to be easily available here in the US, but not so much anymore...you can still get it from White Ensign Models though), as it has a decent amount of stretch to it, and doesn't lose it's elasticity over time, providing a nice looking finished product...since you are new to shipbuilding, I suggest going to Mike Ashey's fairly new website, where he has converted many of his most fabulous writings to .pdf file, FREE! Follow this link here to be transported directly to one of the best publications for ship modeling.

And here is the direct link to his main site, where you can spend hours perusing his work, and gleaning some fantastic tips and methods...keep us posted on your build, mate, looking forward to helping you out along the way in this fantastic hobby that we all share in!

Cheers,
~Gunny