discussion Making aerials from sprues...

[pjgtech]

For my current build, Scorpion Tank in 1:35th scale, I needed to make two very thin aerials, and the instructions suggested the stretching a sprue with heat method.
I have never tried this before so.....
Initial try had me holding a piece of sprue in one hand and holding a lighter in the other, but then when it starts to melt its a faff and a rush to put the lighter down and start stretching.
So subsequent tries had me using my Dspiae vice, very handy, so both hands were free.


There is definitely a technique, and after a few attempts I got better and ended up with two very thin and useable aerials, so pic below, going from the bottom up, you can see how each attempt got better....
I worked out that slow and steady wins, and some sprues were better than others...

 

[Steven000]

Looking good Peter, I used the same technique in the past for making engine cables/pipes. Like you said it takes some practice, I liked to go from slow to fast in order to get very long wires with the same diameter. Have fun

 

[yak face]

Watch it peter , its addictive ! Easiest way is over a candle or tealight , then you can hold each end of the sprue , rotating it so it gets hot all round . Keep practicing youll soon have a boxfull of aerials and various diameter rods !

 

[PaulTRose]

^^^^^ wot 'e sed

Thats my method...... Once you get the hang of it its fun

You will find some sprue just dosnt work....... Never could get sprue from older italeri kits to stretch

 

[Andy T]

Same as the gents above, I find it much easier to work over a candle so that I have both hands free.

 

[pjgtech]

Hmm, will have a hunt around for a tealight, I'm sure the Wife has some stashed somewhere.
I do have my old (but still working) portable gas bottle in the garage, which I used to use for soldering copper pipe/fittings back in the day, but I reckon that might be overkill! Lol...

 

[Jim R]

Definitely two hands and a tea light. Steady pull and keep holding it straight while it cools. My success rate is about 10%

 

[Tim Marlow]

Something worth knowing about this technique is that the sprue retains its original shape as it is stretched. I remember finding some hex shaped sprue once and making scale wagon nuts from it. The best for it was original Airfix sprue from the seventies. Stretched very fine indeed. Modern sprue sometimes has too much spring (plasticisers?) and snaps back when broken.

 

[davecov]

A picture is worth a thousand words and came from a Chris Ellis book from the Seventies:

Just remember to use CA to glue it. Liquid Poly & Tamiya Extra Thin Cement et al will dissolve it.

Dave

 

[pjgtech]

Good point about the CA to attach it, I would have almost certainly just gone straight to TET! Cheers