Great way to stretch sprue

[phat trev]

Found this trick from a model shipbuilders webpage (many here may already do this?)

http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewt...f=4&t=37536

Not sure about the 'swapping hands part' although I guess it's upto the modeller how they want to go about using the tools (ie. Lighter/Sprue)

I kept the lighter in my left hand (I am right handed) and then when blowing out the alight sprue used the side of the lighter to secure one end of the sprue to the card.

[gcn]

Found this trick from a model shipbuilders webpage (many here may already do this?)

http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewt...f=4&t=37536

Not sure about the 'swapping hands part' although I guess it's upto the modeller how they want to go about using the tools (ie. Lighter/Sprue)

I kept the lighter in my left hand (I am right handed) and then when blowing out the alight sprue used the side of the lighter to secure one end of the sprue to the card.

Very useful thanks for that. I tend to have no end of problems with stretched sprue and i'll definitely be giving this a go

[Julien]

Nice one,

will have to try that.

I do find that my supply of older matchbox / airfix sprue streches better than the newer stuff. strange.

Julien

[dahut]

Ive always used a small lighted candle or small wick lamp. The lamp is gone, but the candles still work.

Ive not tried jabbing the melted end and drawing off the sprue like this one, but its worth a shot.

[crookedmouth]

I thought I'd add my experience with this approach. Of course it works - Mr Bauman obviously knows what he's doing! However, I found that the first few cm of wire that comes off the sprue, comes off in multiple strands of hair thin filament - no real use to anyone. It took me a few goes to realise that, if you keep going, these hairs coalesce into a thicker gauge and continue to come off the end of the sprue for quite a while, until the sprue cools or your arms run out!

I didn't work out how to vary the diameter of the wire, but I did find that it was better to pull fairly slowly (say a couple of inches per second) than quickly.

Obviously, setting fire to sprue means that your study will get a bit stinky, bbut the other problem I found was that the charring sometimes transferred to the wire, giving it a rough, uneven texture.

Overall it's better than the traditional method, but it takes some practise (more than I managed to give it).

[gcn]

I tried this method without much success and as you say indoors with molten plastic hanging heavy in the air is not going to impress SWMBO.

I've practiced the traditional method now with some success so i'll stick with that.

[ASHO77]

Sorry guys but this technique does not work for me.Maybe I'm using the wrong type of plastic or something. What I found works well is to swipe from left to right whilst rotatig it over a candle until it softens and then gently pull it apart. I pull fast for thin or slow for thicker and blow cold air on it when I have the desired length and thickness. Works great for me.

[dahut]

Sorry guys but this technique does not work for me.Maybe I'm using the wrong type of plastic or something. What I found works well is to swipe from left to right whilst rotatig it over a candle until it softens and then gently pull it apart. I pull fast for thin or slow for thicker and blow cold air on it when I have the desired length and thickness. Works great for me.

As gcn suggests, "The time tested way."

[Skii]

Hmm I must admit I've never had a problem stretching sprue, and on the occasions it does snap there's always another hundred yards of the stuff to use