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Rigging myself into disaster


Osher

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For me, modelling is a journey of adventure, trying out new things. Anyone at Barnet this week would have seen my attempt at using Humbrol primer for the first time... I've also decided to finally rig an aircraft, on a cheapo Academy Spad XVII kit (pretty awful kit, actually), inspired by the article in Finescale. OK, so, I've learnt how to stretch sprue (YAY!), and decided to use this for the rigging. OK, rigged one of the double struts (2 tiny pieces, cross over, repeated top and bottom), not brilliant, but OK. However, the rigging was a tiny bit saggy. Remembered what the article said about using heat to tense stretched sprue. Applied heat...melted the rigging! Had a glance to see what I'd done, and before I knew it, melted the struts too...

Modelling is a learning curve...

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stretching sprue........ now thats an art i have yet to master <_<

Any tips anyone?

Hello Perry,

The only time I use stretched sprue is when I do internal cockpit control cables. Fishing line is used for all external rigging.

But, the process for stretching is easy with a little practice.

Hold a length of waste sprue over a tea light candle. Warm the center until it starts to go slightly gooey. Take off the heat and start stretching. Don't go mental as you will break the strand. Pull apart in measured control. It will take a few efforts to get the feel for it, but stick with it.

sprue.jpg

The center of this effort is what I would use as it is the finest.

sprue2.jpg

The end bits are trimmed and used as glue applicators. Give it a go!

tat.jpg

Stretchy Bob ;)

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For me, modelling is a journey of adventure, trying out new things. Anyone at Barnet this week would have seen my attempt at using Humbrol primer for the first time... I've also decided to finally rig an aircraft, on a cheapo Academy Spad XVII kit (pretty awful kit, actually), inspired by the article in Finescale. OK, so, I've learnt how to stretch sprue (YAY!), and decided to use this for the rigging. OK, rigged one of the double struts (2 tiny pieces, cross over, repeated top and bottom), not brilliant, but OK. However, the rigging was a tiny bit saggy. Remembered what the article said about using heat to tense stretched sprue. Applied heat...melted the rigging! Had a glance to see what I'd done, and before I knew it, melted the struts too...

Modelling is a learning curve...

I have only rigged one aircraft so far and used E-Z line available here Bob's hobby house

I bought a 100 ft roll of charcoal, I think it will last a while!!! They only ship direct from "bobs" but they did a good quick service.

Any way, the technique I used was to drill (tiny) holes in the attachement points, only on the surface that it need attaching to, not all the way through the wing as some peaple do, during the assembly phase. One the model was painted and weathered, but before the final dull coat, I then glued lengths of E-Z into one end (using regular liquid poly glue), once dry, put very slight tension on the line, cut and glued the other end, hold of a minute or so for the glue to take and let go! having only slight tension means the rigging look taught but doesn't rip the glue out.

Result:

Albacore1.jpg

Albacore4.jpg

Albacore8.jpg

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