Wire Rope

[David Marks 2Participant @davidmarks2]

[David Marks 2Participant @davidmarks2]

I am currently scratch building a British Waterways pusher tug in 1/12 scale. These tugs are fitted with two winches with wire rope (or hausers). I have been looking around for suitable "wire rope" and have discovered silver coloured elastic cord in my local Hobbycraft store. This apparently is used by people making jewellery – Item No. 561557 – 1mm diameter X 4 metres @ £1:99. I then wanted to form a "loop-end" and discovered this can be achieved by forming the loop and holding this in place by heat shrink tubing as used in wiring. I was surprised this actually worked and was half expecting the lot to melt. I was even more surprised that the material is still elastic after gentle heating from my small heat gun. By using grey coloured heat shrink, the "test-piece" looks very realistic.

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

OR..try fishing tackle shops and get stainless steel conger (or similar) trace cable.

I would hesitate before using elastic as i would not be sure it will last the distance before going manky. A year from now..?

Conger/pike trace will join with heat shrink of course as per your elastic.

Ashley

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi David

The larger B&Q type stores carry a range of ropes and wire traces of varied diameter the smaller ones of which lend themselves very well to model boat requirements especially at 1:12.

For smaller diameters I use picture hanging wire cord.

Hope this helps

Paul

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

David, I have used a similar black elastic sold for jewellery, for rigging on a 1:16 boat. It means that a light knock doesn't destroy the rigging. It has been on for a good number of years now and is still good.

I find heat shrink useful for all sorts of things too- lately I used it to join two lengths of brass rod for a long rudder linkage, which made it easy to adjust the length.

Ian

[Kimosubby ShipyardsParticipant @kimosubbyshipyards]

Hello David,

I also get my wire which I use for shrouds and stays on my thames barges from the site below, Harrissportsmail, an on-line fishing tackle company. They sell 7 and 49 strand wire for traces and it is also coloured, brown, green or the usual grey, The 49 strand wire does not kink, and you can tue knots in it!

here's a link HarrisSportsmail.com which I hope works.

Elastic may well look the part, but when it ages?

Hope this helps, Kimosubby

[shipwrightParticipant @shipwright]

David,

I have used beadalon 7 strand nylon coated stainless steel wire (I also use their very small crimping beads) :

**LINK**

Here is an example of the use of that wire for rigging

Ian

[Author]

Posts