Aerials

[Modelholic]

What recommendations would you have for make and thickness of 'thread' for 1/48 radio aerials (from pole to rudder top kind of thing...you know!)

TIA

Tom

[Rob G]

I use the dark tinted 'invisible' sewing thread for all antenna, regardless of scale. It's close enough for government work.

[Work In Progress]

I use a lot of that too, also stretched sprue which is any thickness you make it. If in any doubt, go finer rather than coarser. Too fine a filament will always look better than too heavy.

[corsaircorp]

Hello,

I did it so, until I discover EZ line from Berkshire junction.

It's a fine resin thread that remain elastic.

So, if you touch or bump the aerial weeks after it has been cemented, don't you worry, it would'nt break down.

http://berkshirejunction.com/ez-line/

You will surely find a retailer in the vicinity of your home or order by website.

Sincerely.

Corsaircorp

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

I use this:

 

It looks subtle enough for my liking and it's virtually indestructible once in place. I was forever snapping stretched sprue (or using the sprue to snap off the aerial masts) moving models before.

 

This is it used on my two most recent builds:

 

 

[mhaselden]

Those look great, Jamie.  One quick question...what was your technique on the Ki-27 for replicating the downlink wire from the main horizontal wire to the rear cockpit section?  I've seen this on a number of aircraft but haven't figured out how to replicate it on a model.

 

Many thanks,

Mark

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

1 hour ago, mhaselden said:

Those look great, Jamie.  One quick question...what was your technique on the Ki-27 for replicating the downlink wire from the main horizontal wire to the rear cockpit section?  I've seen this on a number of aircraft but haven't figured out how to replicate it on a model.

 

Many thanks,

Mark

 

 I actually botched this one Mark - I had glued on the canopy before troubling myself to find out what sort of antenna it had. 

 

 

What I ended up doing, therefore, was to drill a small hole in the canopy and insert a short length of stretched sprue for the fuselage-to-canopy bit. I glued this to the canopy with a teeny droplet of medium CA applied with my now ubiquitous acupuncture needle glue applicator. I then glued the lycra line to this and carried on as as normal.

[Nigel Heath]

I use EZ Line, brilliant stuff. Little Cars are a UK supplier that stock it.

[mhaselden]

24 minutes ago, SovereignHobbies said:

 

 I actually botched this one Mark - I had glued on the canopy before troubling myself to find out what sort of antenna it had. 

 

 

What I ended up doing, therefore, was to drill a small hole in the canopy and insert a short length of stretched sprue for the fuselage-to-canopy bit. I glued this to the canopy with a teeny droplet of medium CA applied with my now ubiquitous acupuncture needle glue applicator. I then glued the lycra line to this and carried on as as normal.

 

Wish all my botches looked that good!

 

So how do you secure the 2 pieces of lycra to each other?  Is it just glue (super or otherwise) or some other mechanism (I'm truly hoping it's not some arcane knottery at play!).

[Nigel Heath]

EZ Line is best glued with extra thin CA. Something about the chemistry of Lyca gives it an almost instant grab with CA glue. No knots required. Here's some on my Airfix Gazelle:

 

 

Here's more on my Airfix Hormone:

 

 

The curly piece was made by repeatedly manipulating (stretching and generally distressing) the EZ Line. The insulators are short lengths of 0.4mm brass tube painted in situ.

[Nigel Heath]

EZ Line is best glued with extra thin CA. Something about the chemistry of Lyca gives it an almost instant grab with CA glue. No knots required. Here's some on my Airfix Gazelle:

 

 

Here's more on my Airfix Hormone:

 

 

The curly piece was made by repeatedly manipulating (stretching and generally distressing) the EZ Line. The insulators are short lengths of 0.4mm brass tube painted in situ. Once the joint of EZ Line to itself is made I have found that the best tool for trimming off the surplus is nail clippers.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

1 hour ago, mhaselden said:

 

Wish all my botches looked that good!

 

So how do you secure the 2 pieces of lycra to each other?  Is it just glue (super or otherwise) or some other mechanism (I'm truly hoping it's not some arcane knottery at play!).

 

I use medium CA - I thought it easiest to just show you so here's a quick video I just took. They take ages to upload to cyberspace so apologies for the slow response!

 

http://vid2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/jamie_duff/Sovereign/Infini Model/20170120_171458_zpsieenmokb.mp4

[mhaselden]

That's a great little video Jamie.  Thanks for sharing.

 

For the line connecting the main aerial to the fuselage, presumably you drill/glue the line to the fuselage first, then pull up to the main aerial and glue, correct? 

 

Again, thanks for sharing.  I learn something new every time I come to Britmodeller.

Cheers,
Mark

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Hi Mark, yes that's what I did. A tiny spec of CA on the main one was applied with the needle then the line from the canopy brought to it.

 

I got the tension of the canopy line too tight, so tensioned the main one more in each direction and re-glued it. I'll get it right first time next time around hopefully!

[Murray]

Hey! I use clear 0.05mm clear nylon thread. I would use something artificial before any sewing thread type as I think the fibres show and it subtracts from the effect 

 

 

[bull-nut]

1/72, rather than 1/48, but here is the aerial line on my Academy B24, built to remember my Great Uncle, who went down aboard her in 3/45

 

 

And the rigging on my Airfix 1/72 Swordfish

 

 

Both done with 0.5mm EZline in charcoal grey.