The thinnest, finest material you've ever used?

[Gazzas]

I would like to make nice, thin DF loops like the one in this picture.

 

Wire or plastic will be too thick, and of a wrong cross section.  My other resources are .3mm thick aluminum and maybe some PE fret.  If you multiply .3mm by 32, you arrive at almost 10mm. 

 

Can anyone think of anything else that might get me closer to scale thickness?

 

Gaz

[DeanKB]

Hair, or bristle from a paint brush.

[Mebo]

I have some 0.12 mm brass sheet i use for stuff like this. 

 

Cheers

 

M

[thierry laurent]

Brett Green is using thin staples. The ones used to close some kit plastic bags such as Tamiya kits are perfect even if a little bit too thick. Alas, you will need to accept some compromise between the solidity and the thickness of the parts. 

[Lothar]

I use regular printer paper cut in very thin stripes. I glue one of them in the correct length in place and then

apply very thin superglue on to the paper. The paper soaks the superglue like a sponge and hardens

the soft paper. Looks very convincing - at least to me 

Lothar

[Ryan]

Lothar has a good suggestion, but there also is sheet plastic that is paper thin, I have some of it.

 

Its hard to work with though.

 

Another idea would be clear acetate from a kit or a spaghetti box container...or the like.

[BiggTim]

3 hours ago, Mebo said:

I have some 0.12 mm brass sheet i use for stuff like this. 

 

Cheers

 

M

I'm with mebo, x2 on the super thin brass sheet.

Edited April 2, 2020 by BiggTim

[D Bellis]

Brass shim-stock sheet is available down to .0005" (.013mm) thick. It's easy to work with and cuts with regular scissors, yet is fairly strong considering the thickness.

 

HTH,

D

[Pete Fleischmann]

I like the clear cellophane from cigarette packs.

 

cheers

 

Pete

[thierry laurent]

There are various very thin materials that can be used but they have to be cleanly cut, painted and sustain a minimum of handling... Do not forget that. 

[Gazzas]

4 hours ago, Pete Fleischmann said:

I like the clear cellophane from cigarette packs.

 

cheers

 

Pete

 

Pete,

    Yours was the first I had to try as it was the thinnest material and because I have some on hand.  Getting the angles where it attaches to the base is of paramount importance to the shape, it seems.  Because you just don't want any old loop, you want one that mimics the original.  I've actually added one to a 1/48  scale me-262 and it's drying.  What is your preferred glue for the job?  I had to use two glues because CA wouldn't hold straightaway.  I ended up using canopy glue to give me something tacky, then I hit the joints with CA to firm them up.  I'm waiting for the CA to dry before I attempt a little cleanup.  I also had to use a Sharpie to color the cello because I could barely see it even with my best vision enhancers.

 

Gaz

 

 

[Pete Fleischmann]

Hi Gaz,

I like the black rubberized CA. I’ve previously used just “thick “ gap-filling CA with an accelerator, but the rubberized CA is a little thicker, and reacts just as well to accelerator.

if you take a peek at my HH-60 build thread, you’ll see the glue I’m referring to-

 

HTH

 

Pete

[Gazzas]

Pete,

    Thanks for the recommendation!  Fortunately, I found a supplier in Australia, too.   i don't think any int'l parcels are getting through for a while.

 

Gaz