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Posted

In anticipation for my 1/16 Chevy truck build, I'll need to use slightly thicker ignition wire. That old phone wire should be sufficient but the photo etched wire looms I currently have will probably be too small to work correctly. Any suggestions ?

Posted

Real ignition-wire support looms are generally made from 1/16" (.0625") to 1/8" (.125") material.

So an average representative thickness would be .09375"

For your scale, divide by 16. You get approximately .006". That would be pretty flimsy.

But if you make your looms from easily obtainable .010" thick styrene or brass sheet stock, they will look "scale" and still be strong enough to do what they need to do.

 

 

Posted (edited)

I'm trying not to have to make my own looms. I tried that once before and swore I'd never go down that road again. Way too aggravating . I wondering if there is something ready made out there . Right now I'm using the 1/25 stuff for 1/18 engines but I feel like trying it on 1/16 would be pushing it a little bit. 

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Edited by Mike C.
Posted
19 minutes ago, Shark said:

You could open up the holes in your photo etched parts with a drill bit or twirling an exacto blade in them

Pretty much what I swore never to try again

Posted (edited)

Scratchbuilding wire looms is a lot less painful if you drill the holes first, then trim/sand the material to the size  and shape you want.

Edited by Richard Bartrop
Posted

I have done what Richard says…drill the holes first and then trim and sand to shape. A good pair of wide nose tweezers will help to hold the tiny pieces while shaping. I have made them from a pop can, but the aluminum on the can top is heavier and may work better. I’m sure someone must make them to sell….just have to search?

Posted (edited)

Plastic card should be easy enough to fashion ignition wire management looms from.

Following on from suggestions made above I scribe a faint line where my centre line will be then carefully mark the equally spaced hole positions required. Using a fine point like a needle in a pin vice accurately dot each position to make a mark to follow on with the drilling. Once satisfied that I have a series of holes both dead in line and equally spaced I then trim the plastic card to shape around them, making sure my cut edges are parallel to the holes.

Edited by Bugatti Fan
Posted

IIRC there were some brass knuckles included in one of the p/e sets from Detail Master. Might be the correct size and could be modified to work?

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