Wire Tie Downs from Aluminum Cans

[StevenGuthmiller]

I've been making these easy wire tie downs for some time now, so I thought I'd share.

A very simple operation consisting of cutting thin strips of aluminum from a soda can, (or as most of us might prefer, beer cans ) and then bending them into a "U" shape.

 

I wrap them 3/4 of the way around the tip of a sharp dental pick, and then bend the ends at a 90 degree angle with a tweezers.

Snip the ends to the length that you want, and glue them into place.

 

Some of these photos are not good, (too small of an item to photograph well with my phone) but I think you'll get the idea.

 

I'll paint them black after their installed, and then add a little more weathering.

 

Be prepared to lose about 3 of these for every one that makes it on the model!

Luckily, you can probably get a few thousand of these from one aluminum can.

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[Rattlecan Dan]

Thanks for the tip Steve. Might use that on very next model.

[NOBLNG]

Good tip! Since the aluminum will have a bit of “spring back” make sure to form it around a smaller diameter form than the desired finished size.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks guys!

 

An update after painting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve

[SfanGoch]

Great tip, Steve. Since I build a lot of 1/35 armor, 1/72 and 1/48 aircraft, I use the thin parts of brass/stainless PE frets for the same purpose.

[StevenGuthmiller]

3 minutes ago, SfanGoch said:

Great tip, Steve. Since I build a lot of 1/35 armor, 1/72 and 1/48 aircraft, I use the thin parts of brass/stainless PE frets for the same purpose.

Should work just as well, although maybe a little harder to bend?

 

 

Steve

[SfanGoch]

Not really. The brass frets a pretty flexible. I form the tiedowns over various micro drill bits. The stainless frets are a bit stiffer; however, annealing them with a butane torch or lighter makes them easier to work with.

[Straightliner59]

36 ga. tooling aluminum works very well. It's nicely pliable. Hobby Lobby has it by the roll, by Maid-O-Metal.

[Perspect Scale Modelworks]

Great tip. Thanks!

[Straightliner59]

Aluminum duct tape also works, excellently. It's already sticky, too.

[Bainford]

6 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

Aluminum duct tape also works, excellently. It's already sticky, too.

I used to use beer can aluminum and turkey pan aluminum for such things, but I use the aluminum tape now. Very pliable, and the stickum is very strong so no need to mess with an additional adhesive.

[Straightliner59]

30 minutes ago, Bainford said:

I used to use beer can aluminum and turkey pan aluminum for such things, but I use the aluminum tape now. Very pliable, and the stickum is very strong so no need to mess with an additional adhesive.

Work smarter, not harder, right??

[kelson]

Are you using regular scissors to cut the aluminum or scissors for P/E parts?.

[StevenGuthmiller]

1 hour ago, Bainford said:

I used to use beer can aluminum and turkey pan aluminum for such things, but I use the aluminum tape now. Very pliable, and the stickum is very strong so no need to mess with an additional adhesive.

I’ll have to try it.

 

 

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

5 minutes ago, kelson said:

Are you using regular scissors to cut the aluminum or scissors for P/E parts?.

Just a plain old sewing type scissors.

 

Steve

[TarheelRick]

I would think the aluminum tape should be a better way, since cutting aluminum cans can produce several razor-sharp edges which result in blood loss.

[blunc]

I used a similar material to make hard brake line detail.

[SfanGoch]

I scratched an axe handle, a shovel handle and a baseball bat in 1/35 scale from real wood.

This is me selecting the choicest logs from Maine's forests to whittle down into perfectly scaled and accurately designed miniatures examples of the originals.

 

I also fabricated the axe head and shovel blade from individual 100 lb ingots of high carbon steel

 

which were artisanally smelted by me using this Bessemer Process furnace I picked up for 38 bucks (w/free shipping!) on fleabay.

 

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

46 minutes ago, SfanGoch said:

I scratched an axe handle, a shovel handle and a baseball bat in 1/35 scale from real wood.

This is me selecting the choicest logs from Maine's forests to whittle down into perfectly scaled and accurately designed miniatures examples of the originals.

 

I also fabricated the axe head and shovel blade from individual 100 lb ingots of high carbon steel

 

which were artisanally smelted by me using this Bessemer Process furnace I picked up for 38 bucks (w/free shipping!) on fleabay.

 

 

A true craftsman! ?

 

 

Steve

[SfanGoch]

I believe the "fts" is a modified diphthong and is pronounced like a "P".

[deuces wild]

They can also be used for anti sway bars... great tip Steve!...??

[jaftygas]

On 5/14/2023 at 2:41 PM, SfanGoch said:

I believe the "fts" is a modified diphthong and is pronounced like a "P".

Love the sense of humor on this rag. ?

Edited May 22, 2023 by jaftygas