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Armor/AFV: Axis - WWII
Armor and ground forces of the Axis forces during World War II.
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how to make antena's?
dsteere
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: February 07, 2006
KitMaker: 11 posts
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Posted: Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 09:54 PM UTC
How do you all make antena's for armor pieces?

Sometime the antena's come with the kit and other times they do not.

Also the parts are so thin that they break so easy. Would like to come up with a more stronger material.

How do you all do this? Any pointers?
redneck
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Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: June 06, 2005
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Posted: Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:01 PM UTC
Cut a piece of plastic off the tree about 2inch or so and hold one end over a candle. When the end starts to bend down pull it away from the fire and carefully pull the 2 ends away from each othere stretching the plastic. With a little practice you will be able to get them as long and as thin as you want.
Just cut the piece lose and glue it on.

Sorry but I can’t help you finding something stronger
Erik67
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Buskerud, Norway
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Posted: Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:01 PM UTC
Usually i use streched sprue or guitar string

Erik
Teacher
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England - North West, United Kingdom
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Posted: Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:02 PM UTC
Dave, you'll get loads of different methods here! Everything from Guitar strings to fishing line. I use ordinary stretched sprue. A small (0.3mm) hole drilled into the antennae base and then a thin piece of stretched sprue. It has the advantage of being tapered, and very flexible, although I don't really know if modern AFV ariels are tapered. Wait until you get a few replies and try some different methods out to see which one works best for you!

Vinnie
plastech
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: August 05, 2005
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Posted: Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:13 PM UTC
I use guitar stings. But then again I'm a guitar player so I have a
lot laying around #:-) . One pack of strings will give you a bunch of wire of various sizes that should last you a while. You can buy a cheap set for around 5 bucks. Good luck!!!!
dsteere
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: February 07, 2006
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Posted: Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:14 PM UTC
Thanks everybody!
goatmonkey
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Connecticut, United States
Joined: June 10, 2005
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Posted: Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:44 PM UTC
i'm a firm believer in guitar string. my wife has a tendency to come up to my models and go "twang" to the antenna so i make it a point to make them "twangable". drill a thin hole into wherever the antenna comes out of for a nice firm mount and wrap some thin brass wire around the base to make the spring part.

go to a music store and ask for a steel E-string. you don't need a whole pack, just get the cheapest single-string packet, they go for something like 60 cents.
dsteere
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Rhode Island, United States
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Posted: Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 10:46 PM UTC
I have the same problem. Except it is my grandaughter! Thanks for all the tips everyone!
ws48
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South Carolina, United States
Joined: January 30, 2004
KitMaker: 247 posts
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Posted: Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 12:16 AM UTC
i use music wire, also called piano wire. It is available in a variety of diameters. It is springy and does not bend easily. Most hobby shops that sell R/C airplane parts carry it. R/C aircraft modelers use it for push rods.

Don
goose
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Wales, United Kingdom
Joined: April 09, 2005
KitMaker: 200 posts
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Posted: Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 12:28 AM UTC
Guitar Strings for me to, I discovered it by accident several years ago, they are strong and aren't to bad on the scale front.

My collegue plays the guitar, and changes the strings very regulary, so keeps a constant flow of the used strings to me.
War_Machine
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Washington, United States
Joined: February 11, 2003
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Posted: Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 04:04 AM UTC
I use fine brass wire for antennas. It's pretty cheap, strong, and has enough spring to survive the occasional brush with disaster without getting bent out of shape.
propboy44256
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Ohio, United States
Joined: November 20, 2002
KitMaker: 1,038 posts
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Posted: Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 08:41 PM UTC
Strecthed spues like the othger said, is the easiest and cheapest way..hey what about this EZ Line stuff that railroad guys use for telephone wires?
Sticky
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Vermont, United States
Joined: September 14, 2004
KitMaker: 2,220 posts
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Posted: Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 10:31 PM UTC
I have a unique solutions to antennae. I use 0.014 Nickle Titanium wire. This wire is super elastic, IE it can be bent past 90 degrees, and when the pressure is removed returns to its original configuration. I have yet to break or bend an antenna!
jonnysocko
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Minnesota, United States
Joined: August 15, 2005
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Posted: Sunday, May 21, 2006 - 11:11 PM UTC
Guitar high E string.
BH
18Bravo
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Colorado, United States
Joined: January 20, 2005
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Posted: Monday, May 22, 2006 - 12:17 AM UTC
For 1/72 and smaller vehicles use cat whiskers. They're tapered and hold up extremely well. Wait for them to fall out naturally, otherwise it tends to annoy the cat.
goatmonkey
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Connecticut, United States
Joined: June 10, 2005
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Posted: Monday, May 22, 2006 - 12:54 AM UTC

Quoted Text

For 1/72 and smaller vehicles use cat whiskers. They're tapered and hold up extremely well. Wait for them to fall out naturally, otherwise it tends to annoy the cat.



:-) works great with two cats: they tear each other's out for you.
Grumpyoldman
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KITMAKER NETWORK
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Florida, United States
Joined: October 17, 2003
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Posted: Monday, May 22, 2006 - 05:32 AM UTC
I'm old, and old fashion... I use plain old brass rod.... comes in many sizes, some as fine as human hair.
dsteere
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: February 07, 2006
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Posted: Monday, May 22, 2006 - 05:49 AM UTC
Thanks everyone for all the tips!
Namabiiru
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
#399
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Rhode Island, United States
Joined: March 05, 2014
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Posted: Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - 05:20 PM UTC

Quoted Text

i'm a firm believer in guitar string. my wife has a tendency to come up to my models and go "twang" to the antenna so i make it a point to make them "twangable". drill a thin hole into wherever the antenna comes out of for a nice firm mount and wrap some thin brass wire around the base to make the spring part.

go to a music store and ask for a steel E-string. you don't need a whole pack, just get the cheapest single-string packet, they go for something like 60 cents.



I don't even mess with wrapping wire around the string--I just use strings that are already wire wrapped and strip off all the wrapping except enough turns to leave the size of spring I want. I think I get a more consistent result that way.

cheers!
Biggles2
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Quebec, Canada
Joined: January 01, 2004
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Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2014 - 02:24 AM UTC

Quoted Text

..hey what about this EZ Line stuff that railroad guys use for telephone wires?


EZ-Line is a stretchy thready material on a spool. It's better suited for doing rigging (ships and biplanes), or for telephone, telegraph, electical, etc. cabling. It's so stretchy you can pull it quite taught without bending or distorting slender masts, poles, etc. Also, unlike monofilaments like fishing line, etc., it is flat and ribbon-like, when viewed really close-up. Some modelers don't like it because of that.
tankmodeler
#417
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Ontario, Canada
Joined: March 01, 2004
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Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2014 - 02:31 AM UTC
One thing to consider when picking a method to make your antenna is to look at the real thing as there are differences in shape and diameter over time and country.

Early radio antennas, like the British No 11 set had rod antennas, not whip ones, and the diameter was nearly 1" and didn't taper much, if at all. So a 1/35 antenna for this radio should be made from .030" dia wire. Stretching sprue isn't the way to go here.

American WW II radios had segmented rod antennas in three diameters with diameters ranging from 3/4" at the base segment to 1/2" at top segment plus a ferrule every 36" or so where the segments screwed together. Ideally a machined stepped rod varying from .025 to .015" in dia would be good, but a .020 rod with a little Mr surfacer 500 painted on or a thin band of decal at the ferrule locations does really well if you are making it yourself.

Modern radios tend to have whip antennas and, depending upon the set, can be 1/4" dia or less and the stretched sprue method works well here.

Some modern man-pack radios have the folding flat whip antennas and those can be made from evergreen strip.

And there are more variations besides these.

The point of this rambling is just to say take a close look at the antenna on the vehicle. It isn't a random length and it isn't a random diameter, they don't all taper and they are not all of the same construction.

So one method of making them really isn't going to work all the time.

HTH

Paul
mvaiano
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Sao Paulo, Brazil
Joined: January 24, 2012
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Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2014 - 02:38 AM UTC
Hi!

I use acupuncture needles. They are tough and has many diameters, from 0,3mm.

Cheers!

Marco
didgeboy
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Washington, United States
Joined: September 21, 2010
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Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2014 - 04:06 AM UTC
I have used both stretched sprue and carbon fiber rods. The carbon are my favorite, but they are brittle and do NOT bend well. I have yet to find brass rod that is thin enough and does not permanently bend on you.

I have yet to try guitar strings and or the nickle wire that is mentioned above.

My best advice is try a few and see what works best for each application. Cheers.
ericadeane
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Michigan, United States
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Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2014 - 04:51 AM UTC
Not trying to quash anything but the original question was posed and answered in 2006. @Mark Clayton, perhaps open up new threads if you have new info rather than commenting on long dead threads? Just a suggestion
bill_c
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MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
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New Jersey, United States
Joined: January 09, 2008
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Posted: Thursday, March 20, 2014 - 04:57 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Not trying to quash anything but the original question was posed and answered in 2006.


That's true, Roy, but it has sparked a lively response, so that's a good thing for those lurking. 2006 is a long time ago and there are a lot of new members since then!

I would add one caveat to the suggestions: German AFV antennas were tapered from the base, and unless you're awfully good with stretched sprue, I would suggest one of the many brass ones available by a variety of manufacturers at inexpensive prices.
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