1/35 Rope and straps

[A_J_Rimmer]

Hi All,

How do you guys emulate things like rope in 1/35? I'm thinking of stowage tie-downs and tow ropes etc.?

I think I get how to make straps, maybe using metal foil, but ropes escape me.

Cheers!

[AlanG]

Last bit of 1/35 rope i made, i used a thread off my pair of jeans. It had the strands and was easy to make it hold it's shape because it soaked up dilute pva nicely

[Dave Ward]

Ropes? Use cotton thread - paint it with diluted PVA to reduce the 'hairiness' - button thread for heavier ropes. The twisted wire for hanging painting/photos is useful, as well as stripped thin electrical wire. Thicker wire for towing cables. Loads of household stuff can be utilised. The thicker foil from takeaway cartons, or pies can represent thick leather, or canvas, just a matter of looking at things with a modelmakers eye!
Dave

[wasdale32]

If you have any old usb cables you could try stripping off the insulation and pull out the wires. You should be left with the woven sheath which can be twisted to make tow cables. Copper will be softer and more malleable than brass. Old coax tv leads are good for heavier cables

[Waspie]

If you have any old usb cables you could try stripping off the insulation and pull out the wires. You should be left with the woven sheath which can be twisted to make tow cables. Copper will be softer and more malleable than brass. Old coax tv leads are good for heavier cables

USB wire was what I used for a tow cable on a AFV.

[Tim Marlow]

For hemp ropes I use ezeline if it needs to be taut or waxed thread if it doesn’t. Wire ropes I use brass picture hanging wire, sometimes just a couple of strands rewound using a bench vice and a pin vice (one to hold and one to twist). Straps I use pewter or heavy foil cut to size with a scalpel.

[Jim R]

Strips of masking tape doubled over, sticky to sticky side, can make good straps. Thin wire can be used to make buckles.

[A_J_Rimmer]

Last bit of 1/35 rope i made, i used a thread off my pair of jeans. It had the strands and was easy to make it hold it's shape because it soaked up dilute pva nicely

Ropes? Use cotton thread - paint it with diluted PVA to reduce the 'hairiness' - button thread for heavier ropes. The twisted wire for hanging painting/photos is useful, as well as stripped thin electrical wire. Thicker wire for towing cables. Loads of household stuff can be utilised. The thicker foil from takeaway cartons, or pies can represent thick leather, or canvas, just a matter of looking at things with a modelmakers eye!
Dave

If you have any old usb cables you could try stripping off the insulation and pull out the wires. You should be left with the woven sheath which can be twisted to make tow cables. Copper will be softer and more malleable than brass. Old coax tv leads are good for heavier cables

USB wire was what I used for a tow cable on a AFV.

For hemp ropes I use ezeline if it needs to be taut or waxed thread if it doesn’t. Wire ropes I use brass picture hanging wire, sometimes just a couple of strands rewound using a bench vice and a pin vice (one to hold and one to twist). Straps I use pewter or heavy foil cut to size with a scalpel.

Strips of masking tape doubled over, sticky to sticky side, can make good straps. Thin wire can be used to make buckles.

All very imaginative suggestions Gents - thanks, it's appreciated. I'll raid my bits tin and see what I've got.


Thanks muchly :thumb2: :thumb2: :thumb2:

[AlanG]

Straps can also be made from lead wire rolled flat. And because it's lead it makes it well easy to mold around things

[A_J_Rimmer]

Straps can also be made from lead wire rolled flat. And because it's lead it makes it well easy to mold around things

Cool idea, I do have some of that.

[rtfoe]

Some good tips from the guys. In the past I used just strips of type writing paper for straps. Now it's either thicker grammage paper or thick foil from the IKEA Salmon paste tube. For rope I use different gauge fuse wire but if you want it to have the twined look then twisted hand phone charging wire works for me.

Cheers,
Wabble

[A_J_Rimmer]

Some good tips from the guys. In the past I used just strips of type writing paper for straps. Now it's either thicker grammage paper or thick foil from the IKEA Salmon paste tube. For rope I use different gauge fuse wire but if you want it to have the twined look then twisted hand phone charging wire works for me.

Cheers,
Wabble

Don't have a lot of Salmon paste tubes, but I do have a lot of saved wine bottle foil - thanks for the tips!

[dave]

For straps I use »lead » foil off the top of wine bottles flattened out and cut. With fusewire to Make fittings.

[A_J_Rimmer]

For straps I use »lead » foil off the top of wine bottles flattened out and cut. With fusewire to Make fittings.

Thanks Dave! AND you get to drink the wine!

[wasdale32]

Another useful material is self adhesive aluminium plumbing tape. It can be easily embossed for webbing and being self adhesive will easily wrap around stowage etc. I even use it to simulate zimmerit as it can easily be removed if the effect isn't what you want and it is much closer to the correct scale thickness. You can also use it for natural metal finishes on aircraft.