Unconventional Materials - From the jewelry area

[Straightliner59]

17 hours ago, Jiml0001 said:

Straightliner59 - what scale is that dragster?   What did you use for the tie wraps on the roll cage?

I understand that there are differences in cable Construction but I am looking for scale visual appeal.  To me the less expensive option has a more pronounced three dimensional visual appeal where the braids cross each other.  Also there are more braid “twists” per  inch.  No matter what advertisments say I am sure that after market braided hoses are taken from coaxial cable just like mine is.   The process of braiding wire requires that there is a core cable to wrap around.   
 

I am a bug for scale accuracy.  1.1 mm coax is easy to find and I believe that is what aftermarket braids are made of.  After removing the core and stretching the braid it will get pretty small but to me the weave becomes more flat and elongated.  I searched and found .81 mm coax. Rare but the braid is less distorted when stretched out.  Also it can get down to a half inch in scale size.  
I am also picky on wire sizes.  I don’t like plug wires that aren’t accurate.   I found sources for very small wire so on my engines my older system wires are a quarter of an inch in scale.  I also have 3/8 and 1/2 inch scale wire for HEI systems.  These actually “appear to the eye” as too small because we are used to out of scale wires on model engines.   Again, the scale wire was hard to find and I tried many times till I found what I wanted.  I chronicled all about wire sourcing in a past post.  Also I found sources for correct scale wire for a couple cents a foot instead of two dollars a foot for out of scale aftermarket wire.   I can get 60 feet of .25 mm wire for six dollars.   That scales out at a quarter inch in 1:1.  
 

looking for less expensive options doesn’t mean I sacrifice accuracy and in fact when it comes to hoses and wires I think my sources are more accurate and look better.   And if you want accuracy I can show you how to create real hoses in any size down to a quarter inch in 1:1 scale for pennies per foot.  Let me know if you are interested in that option.  
 

The dragster's 1/25th scale. The chassis is brass, body is aluminum step flashing and the nose and tail section are hammered and soldered tin sheet. There's a WIP thread in the drag racing section, if you're interested. The zip-ties are nylon monofilament from Clover House, essentially black fishing line. I also use 4# test fly leader just to mix it up. I flatten a length in the vise, then melt a ball on the end, using a lighter. I flatten that with tweezers, and poke a hole through it with a sewing needle mounted in a section of wooden dowel. Then, it's just a matter of locating it, looping it and pulling it tight with a pair of tweezers, and hitting it with a tiny drop of CA adhesive.

I agree about the aftermarket stuff--it all comes from some other industry. The trick is locating the source! 

Your engines look fantastic! I'm always up for learning new techniques, so, by all means, please share about the hoses.

16 hours ago, ColonelKrypton said:

Thinking of it some more, armour modelers often use tissue paper coated with PVA glue or very thinning rolled epoxy putty or the "lead" seal from wine bottles for making tarps, canvases, webbing, covers, etc.  I will have to experiment with the black plastic garbage bag idea some.  Sometimes you can't see what is front you, it pays to play and expirement.

cheers, Graham

 

I've used this stuff to make the cockpit skirting for my Monogram Midget project, as well. I use the tissue (kitchen parchment, in my case) and white glue, as well. The "lead" foil from wine bottles is absolutely my favorite seat belt material! I can't recall the last time I used anything else for them. For the garbage bags, when I did these sheaths, I folded it to the size I wanted, then, leaving the two edges exposed, I laid a steel rule across it, and sealed the edges using a quick pass with a lighter. I enjoy experimentation--the "mad science meets modeling" thing!?

[ColonelKrypton]

10 hours ago, Straightliner59 said:

I enjoy experimentation--the "mad science meets modeling" thing!?

Indeed.

I think I spend more time playing and experimenting with different materials than  actually finish building something. I am a bit of a art/craft store supply junky too.

It'a all about enjoying the journey.

[4knflyin]

On 12/23/2023 at 10:45 AM, ColonelKrypton said:If you are lucky and happen to find an old wireless router or two ( or three ), you get luckier still and find some of this small diameter coax cable inside the router case. 

cheers, Graham 

LOL, I have a couple!  You know what I’m about to go do. Thanks for the tip. 

And thanks to Bruce for turning me onto this thread… great stuff guys  

 

[4knflyin]

On 12/26/2023 at 9:10 AM, NOBLNG said:

This is my first attempt at braided lines. This thread is elastic, but once I have it routed where I want, I coat it with thin CA. The CA soaks in and helps the thread hold its shape. Then I just painted it with Tamiya silver paint.

Well done. It looked like foil insulated hose. ?

[4knflyin]

On 12/27/2023 at 8:43 AM, stitchdup said:

A source for free clear plastic for doing glass is your local phone/laptop/tech repair shops. Every new screen comes in decent clear packaging and the shops have to pay to dump it. I've been getting 2 carrier bags full every month from them as my friend works there and its costing them a lot each month to send it for recycling, so they keep it for me. it needs sorting as some is a little distorted but most of it is good

Care to post a pic? I’m having trouble envisioning what it is you’re talking about.