Wiring, tubing, etc

[cyarborough]

So...I am getting better with almost every aspect of modelling with the exception of wiring, tubing, etc. I see everyone sprucing up their gear bays, engines, and pits with all kinds of interesting parts but I just can't seem to figure out what it takes. I have tried styrene, copper wire, lead wire, paper etc but can't seem to make things look right. I either have trouble bending the material because it is too hard or too soft, or I have trouble attaching it to the model. Either it won't stick or I make a mess with the glue.

 

Anyhow, I have looked for tutorials or build logs for more info about doing this type of detailing and can't seem to find anything that is helping me. Do any of you have any good references for this? With all the various materials available, do you just have to find something that works for you and run with it?

 

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

[automaton]

Hi Chris, I'm sure you'll get a lot of useful suggestions on this, but I'll get things started with my .02 worth.

 

In this pic from an in progress thread I have going . . .

 

 

. . . the yellow wiring underneath the console is two different diameters. The smaller is made from 6lb. test monofilament fishing line, the larger from .010 lead wire. As a start, both were tack glued to a jig made from sprue which held them taught and airbrushed yellow with Tamiya acrylic paint (wastes some paint, but much smoother, cleaner, and more consistent than brush painting). Then, to ensure that the "wires" were evenly spaced and securely attached, small rectangles of styrene were cut and drilled at the correct wire positions. Then, the wires were cut to lenth, glued into the holes, allowed to dry, and then the little styrene rectangles were glued underneath the console. Then, the wires were routed back to the correct position and secured with Dow rubber-reinforced superglue. To avoid marring prepainted wire detail during installation, try covering the gripping area of your tweezers with little pieces of masking tape.

 

Ends of wires need to be glued into drilled holes for a clean glue joint, correct positioning, and security (nothing more aggravating than having something like that pop loose after the model is already assembled to a point you can't get to it to fix it). Also, in certain situations that don't require a lot of strength, Future can be an excellent choice of adhesive (for instance, an area where a length of wire lays on a surface and needs to be secured). Using superglue in that type of situation invites a messy-looking disaster, but Future's low viscosity and flow characteristics make it leech into the area where it needs to be without making big messy glops. Any shine caused by overapplication can be gotten rid of with a little spritz of clear flat, and if worse comes to worse, can be removed with alcohol (providing you have a paint surface that can withstand alcohol).

 

I don't like to use stretched sprue for this type of detailing, as I can never get it stretched to a consistent enough diameter along its length.

 

HTH;

 

Automaton

[Shawn M]

I use guitar strings, easy to bend and adhere well with CA.

I drill holes for the ends to go into or pass through which helps hold them in place.

 

 

and painted:

 

[cyarborough]

Thanks guys, I am going to try all these tips out this weekend. The only thing I don't have is the 6lb test. I don't know why I never thought to put something on the tips of my tweezers. I have even seen coated tweezers and for some reason but never put two and two together. I do have a couple more questions.

 

Was the jig for painting only or did it play a roll in shaping the wiring as well?

How do you apply the future to the parts that are laying down...small brush and let it wick into the cavity?

Is there a specific order to which you drill, paint, etc. or does it just depend on the situation?

 

I am really looking forward to trying out the guitar strings as well. Have you tried all types of guitar strings? Steel, brass, etc. If so, are there advantages to using one over the other. I think this will help greatly since my biggest problem with lead wire is keeping the straight pieces straight. I just don't know how many E string strings I can part with.

 

Please keep the tips coming. I would love to hear more about everyone's various methods and it would be nice to have all this info in one place.

 

Thanks again!!! I am ready for the weekend now!!!

Edited April 22, 2011 by cyarborough

[Out2gtcha]

Personally I use a combo of a 6 pack of diff diam of lead wire from Bass Pro shops -

 

 

Intercom wire, along with CAT VI computer cable, as they both have multiple pairs of solid core wire in them that is both easily bent, and has slip off insulation for making brake line / hose mounts -

 

 

 

Works well for me so far -

 

 

 

Brian

[automaton]

Was the jig for painting only or did it play a roll in shaping the wiring as well?

How do you apply the future to the parts that are laying down...small brush and let it wick into the cavity?

Is there a specific order to which you drill, paint, etc. or does it just depend on the situation?

 

 

The jig was just to hold the monofilament in a straight line for spray painting (and to make it easier to handle until the paint cured). The situation in my example was pretty simple as far as routing is concerned, just a matter of attaching one end, then "combing" the rest of the wire into place. In cases where lead wire is used, and has to be bent around a lot of stuff, I prefer to pre-form it, remove and spray (being careful not to change its shape during handling), then reinstall. In situations where I use Future as an adhesive, yes, I just wick it under the part using capillary action. As far as the order in which things are done, it all depends on the situation-one key to successful "wiring", (as in other areas of modeling) is patience and planning.

 

HTH;

 

Automaton

[cyarborough]

I bought a small spool of CAT3 to try out. Awesome stuff!! The combination of the wire and sheathing opens up tons of possibilities.

 

Is the big tube at the top left of that cockpit pic miiliput?

[Out2gtcha]

 

Is the big tube at the top left of that cockpit pic miiliput?

 

Its actually two of those twisted pair cables from inside CAT IV cable wrapped in some Pactra 1/16th masking tape, and kitchen foil for the tube brackets.

 

Brian

[richdlc]

I use various diameters of fuse wire - just to reiterate what others have said, invest in a set of micro drillbits & drill holes to insert the wire - fix with superglue.

I also use some various diameter real rubber wires I bought years ago - at the time there was some hoo-hah about them becoming brittle and disintegrating after a while exposed to direct sunlight or something....however my collection is still going strong 20 years later. Can't for the life of me remember the manufacturer though.....

[Shawn M]

I'm using Bass, Guitar and Dulcimer strings. Super easy to cut and bend, they take paint well and I get em for free from my band mates.

Pretty sure they're steel.

[Sabre F-86]

Another source for ultra fine wire is inside old radios n such. They have coils in them that will provide a large amount of hair fine copper wire.

 

 

Sabre

[Shawn M]

i always scavenge electronics for wires and shapes!

[rudy d]

Hello Gentlemen.

First let me say thanks for all the great information. Many a question of mine has been answered just by browsing thru the forums. My question is about determining how scratch build parts to scale. Is there a mathematical formula or do you just go by 'it looks right'. I'm working on the Hasegawa 1/32 F-86 and am having trouble getting the brake lines right. Like I said, it's just an example. I'd be grateful for any advise. Thanks.