dylan the rabbit Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Disaster! Months after finishing my Sopwith Pup, the black invisible thread I used for rigging has started to lose its tension and sag! How could this be? I made sure the thread was super tense before I super glued it in place. Two aerial threads (hair) also lost tension on my old Spitfire and Me109's. What could be the cause? Changes in room temperature? Humdity? They were all glued on really tight.. Nick von Flaccid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 What sort of thread did you use? (Elastic, Lycra, Nylon etc) If it's a hard non-stretchy thread, it may just be natural 'give' in the material - one way to fix it is to hold a heated needle close to the line - the heat can cause it to contract slightly. test first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan the rabbit Posted December 21, 2007 Author Share Posted December 21, 2007 It just says "Invisible Thread", but I reckon it's probably nylon. Would a heated needle still work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 Could work for nylon, I'd test it first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted December 21, 2007 Share Posted December 21, 2007 I've heard it said that a lighted fag (cigarette for the Colonials that are giggling right now) does the job well, cos the heat isn't that intense. The thread on my Mossie has sagged a little & I keep forgetting to ask Caz for her ciggie whenever she's smoking outside the workshop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan the rabbit Posted December 22, 2007 Author Share Posted December 22, 2007 As there weren't any fags around (), I tried the hot needle, and it worked a treat. I think I need glasses though for this close up work though! By tightening one wire, the needle touched another and sliced it in half! Cool tip though guys. Cheers, Nick von Tightwire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan the rabbit Posted December 23, 2007 Author Share Posted December 23, 2007 Nah. Saggy again, and I burnt through a bracing wire. DOH! Can anyone recommend a good rigging material then for both 1/72nd and 1/48th? Maybe this stuff I've got has no stretch in it and is just no good. Wot's the Aeroclub stuff like? Cheers, Nick von Brewersdroop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeke Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 fishing line mate...that's what yer need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan the rabbit Posted December 23, 2007 Author Share Posted December 23, 2007 Thanks Zeke, but I've tried that route. Not many fishing shops out here, and the only line they have is too thick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miduppergunner Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 (edited) Nick I wonder if it is your environment and also the possibility that you pulled it too tight. I think that if you pulled it as tight as it would go then it will lose all of its elasticity and like old elastic just stay stretched - then if the humidity or temprature changes much rather than "taking up the slack" it sags - a problem of age - quite simply that! Davidvonsprungnicht Edited December 23, 2007 by miduppergunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan the rabbit Posted December 23, 2007 Author Share Posted December 23, 2007 You're probably right there David. I made the kit during a time when I was having to use the house air-conditioning all the time (v.hot outside vs cold inside), and pulled the thread tight. Now, I'm not using the A/C, and as the temperature and humidity is up and down a bit, that temperature change must have caused the sag. The only thing is? How to fix it, and how to avoid the same thing happening in the future? Nick von Newatthisgame Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 Can anyone recommend a good rigging material then for both 1/72nd and 1/48th? Maybe this stuff I've got has no stretch in it and is just no good. I have been using hair for the last couple of years, with no signs of sagging. Haven't convinced the original owner to dye her hair silver yet though! I recently used some Lycra from White Ensign (on my Fokker) but I think it looks a bit too white. With more on an aircraft I think I would have to tone it down a bit. Scale wise, I reckon the hair is bit thick for 1/72 (but way better than any fishing line) and a bit thin for 1/48. The Lycra lokks about right for 1/72 though. cheers Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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