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

 

[yak face]

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

Nice one dave , the chris ellis book is where I first learnt it from , on a school trip to the big library in town! ( back when school trips didnt cost anything ! Not like today - your average school trip nowadays is something like a weekend in Barcelona !!!!)

 

[LeytonO]

I wonder if a hot air paint stripper would work, got one I use for shrink tubing

 

[Tim Marlow]

Don’t know, but holding the sprue above a hot soldering iron does….

 

[davecov]

My modelling bible - "How to go Plastic Modelling" by Chris Ellis -

I bought it in the Seventies, still have it and still read it although it is more for nostalgia now than anything. However, it does have a lot of tips that are still relevant. All of the glue has failed along the spine but I have a second hardback copy. I also have his How to go Advanced Plastic Modelling book (along with two or three other of his books).

Dave

 

[pjgtech]

My modelling bible - "How to go Plastic Modelling" by Chris Ellis -


I bought it in the Seventies, still have it and still read it although it is more for nostalgia now than anything. However, it does have a lot of tips that are still relevant. All of the glue has failed along the spine but I have a second hardback copy. I also have his How to go Advanced Plastic Modelling book (along with two or three other of his books).

Dave

Nice one, Lol, [Scuttles off to see if I can buy a copy somewhere.....]

 

[Tim Marlow]

Stan Catchpole books are good for that stuff as well…..used to read the hints as they came out in Milmod back in the day…..

 

[radish]

Instead of using an open flame to heat the sprue, has anybody "ever tried" using a 100 watt light bulb to softer the sprue, much easier and a lot safer ?

Just hold the sprue over the light bulb to get it to heat up the sprue.

No nasty burns from the flame and you actually use two hands to hold the sprue as well, for very controlled stretching to get that correct thickness your after.

 

[radish]

My modelling bible - "How to go Plastic Modelling" by Chris Ellis -

I bought it in the Seventies, still have it and still read it although it is more for nostalgia now than anything. However, it does have a lot of tips that are still relevant. All of the glue has failed along the spine but I have a second hardback copy. I also have his How to go Advanced Plastic Modelling book (along with two or three other of his books).

Dave

Still VERY relevant to what persons are doing today, strange as how these 'simple things' have kind of been lost to modern society, by todays fascination with the web.

Basically, if it aint on the web, then it aint been thought of yet, -- but, somehow the old readable stuff is still very accurate.

 

[Ian M]

I must be the odd one here. I use a lighter, I hold the sprue in one hand and twist it as I heat it. When it sags/bends I just put the lighter down and GENTLY stretch the sprue. If it is to hot you will get hair thin threads, to cold and it just snaps.
Also worth looking for are the plastic ID on the sprues. There are sometimes a mix of plastic types. Ones marked PS (for polystyren) make the best sprue.
Note of interest. Tubes and profiles can also be pulled. Done with a bit of care, the profile is maintained.
I always found a candle sooted things up and funk up the air in the room.

 

[Ian M]

Whilst on the subject: If you have liquid hand soap in a pump dispenser, the little tube that sucks the liquid from the bottom of the bottle is PE (polyethylene) plastic. this also can be stretched. It does melt very quickly, i suggest you hold it NEXT TO the flame, not over it, but it makes great super fine spouts for CA glue and the like.

Found I had posted this in the wrong thread. lol