dano_68 Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 (edited) Hi, I intend on starting a series of builds for WW1 bi-planes. As such I am looking for the best products for the rigging in 1/48 scale. I have looked at Bob's Buckle's and he suggests fishing line. However I cannot find a fishing line that is thin enough to simulate rigging. Also, what do people use on their WW2 aircraft that have antenna's (from cockpit to tail). I don't like using stretched spru, and again, I have found that fishing line loses it's tension very quickly. Any advise is greatly appreciated. Danny ps. I am in Australia Edited March 24, 2013 by dano_68 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham T Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Eezeline! Stretchy lycra thread is yoiur friend. Available in the UK from www.Littlecars.com. You can get 1/48 scale turnbuckles from http://modelskills.co.uk/. I see you're "overseas" but I'm sure they'll post to you or others may know a local source. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Jase Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 If you want really thin line that allows a bit of stretch then I suggest picking out the threads from and old pair of tights - make sure you ask the wife's permission first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dano_68 Posted March 24, 2013 Author Share Posted March 24, 2013 Thanks Graham! Perfect mate, and they will post to me Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcn Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Make sure you order the thin ez line and not the thick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Good grief! Surely we can all cut a bit of tube to length by rolling a knife over it? I thought I was going to see turnbuckles, not cut-to-length tubing! Did you notice that what appears to be a very small home made website is actually owned by Albion Alloys? Suppliers of said tubes. And it tells you nothing about how the Strutter works. It appears to be another pair of vice jaws to put in your own vice. Anyone used one? Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcn Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 There's a review here http://scaleplasticandrail.net/kaboom/index.php/all-other-subjects/all-things-tools/75-all-other-tools/1699-the-strutter-from-albion-alloys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swordfish fairey Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 If you want thin rigging use "Invisible thread" available from any dress making shop, I have been using it for years and it works a treat. It looks metallic in some lights and has a certain amount of stretch..It also comes in a few colours..........Smudge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pte1643 Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 If you want to go down the fishing line route (possibly the cheapest option). 1.5lb Maxima Chameleon is 0.1mm dia... Works out to a "Gnats" under 5mm in real life. Freely available in any fishing tackle shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Jase Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Whilst EZ-Line is ok for Rigging, it's definitely too thick for antenna wire. And I've found it goes brittle after a while. I really would recommend giving the the tights thing a go. I've never got on with stretched sprue and fishing line isn't stretchy. This is a 1/48 Hurricane - that thread is incredibly thin: Antenna Wire by Jazzy Jase, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham T Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Good grief! Surely we can all cut a bit of tube to length by rolling a knife over it? I thought I was going to see turnbuckles, not cut-to-length tubing! Did you notice that what appears to be a very small home made website is actually owned by Albion Alloys? Suppliers of said tubes. And it tells you nothing about how the Strutter works. It appears to be another pair of vice jaws to put in your own vice. Anyone used one? Martin Yes we can, but imagine the number of times you need to carry out this task in order to rig even an average biplane, the effort in making sure they're all equel length, plus the number of blades you'd go through & the number of parts that go pinging off & disappear & you start to see how buying them pre-cut pays off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Thanks for the review address, but it is basically a pair of vice jaws. I bought my smooth jawed swivelling vice for £7. The Strutter is £28!! Does exactly the same as the vice, which you need anyway. And the Cutter is the same as my dial callipers. Only it won't do everything else my callipers do. Sometimes I think you can have too many gadgets. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchbuilder Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 Graham, you can make a small cutting jig from two bits of hard wood or even 60 thou styrene glued together to ensure similar length. Cutting tube is a case of putting a piece of wire inside, rolling the knife over for a couple of inches of travel, then snapping, the wire preventing bending of the tube and loss at the same time. And surely, compared with rigging a complex airframe, cutting a few bits of tube is nothing. Maybe I was influenced by the Make-do-and-Mend mentality of my parents....(in fact I know I was!) Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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