Hello everyone,

I figured that I would ask the experts here a quick and simple question.

I am building the Tamiya T34/76 and I need to bend the tow cables. Which technique does everyone think is the best for bending and shaping the kit supplied tow cables. I have used the heat from a candle before but I wasn't too thrilled with that. Is there a better way?

Thanks everyone, HARV

I make replacement cables from thin wire. Thin lead wire used to tie trout flies works best but steel wire used to string beads can also be used. Cut the wire about 1 1/2 times the desired finished length. Usually 3 or 4 strands will do it. Twist the ends together and lightly clamp in forceps or small vise grips. Pull the strands through your fingers to get them all the same length. Twist the ends together and clamp in a pin vise. Now hold the first end and twirl the pin vise until the desired look is achieved. Make sure to keep light tension so the wire twists together evenly.

Clip the cable ends from the supplied plastic cable, drill out the ends to the diameter of the wire cable and glue with CA.

With this method it is easy to shape the cable on the vehicle.

Don

Hi Harv,

Picture hanging wire is quite effective and is what a lot of AM producers supply at least for their Shermans.

If you have a plastic wire part you could heat it in some hot water and gently bend it into the shape you want. (takes a few goes to get the shape you want). The trouble with using a naked flame is that the plastic either catches fire or softens too much. :-) :-)

You can use different thicknesses of string and coat them with PVA (White) glue to stiffen them up and then paint them. If you wet the string at any time it will become flexible again and you can shape your cable accordingly.

When you have the size and length you want cut off and drill out the ends of the fittings and glue the lot together.

I've tried various methods with varing degrees of success and failure. A bit of experimentation will reveal the method you prefer most.

Hope this gives you a few ideas.

Cheers

Al

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help. I will have to just try them all and see what works the best for me. If I can be of any help to you just let me know.

Thanks again, HARV

Trimming the ends of the kit ones and placing on the picture wire is what i do. easier than when i used to twist my own :-)

redleg

I prefer copper wire strands pulled from a lamp cord (or if I need smaller, speaker wire) then twisted with a pinvise on one end and a cordless drill on the other. Much faster than twisting it by hand.

Dave S.

Thanks again everyone for the help. That is why I really like this site. Everyone is always ready and willing to help each other out. Thanks again and please don't hesitate to contact me if I can help you out with anything.

Take care, HARV

I pretty much use the same technique for making cables of any kind by twisting two-three thin strands together. If I want it thicker, I take the twists and twist these together. I basically make cables the same way they are made in life. Instead of vises, I just tape one side down, twist using a push-to-release pair of tweezers, cutting both ends off to make an even cut.

I've heard that using a cordless drill works too, albeit much quicker.

Jeff

Gotta say the picture frame wire is the way to go... Save that, then the pin vise and drill is also effective...
The only hassle is that now I have to buy plenty of AM sets to obtain the wire I need to hang my picture frames...

Has anyone tried bicycle brake or gear shift cable?
They are readily available at WalMart or K-mart.
The brake cable is usually thicker and could be used for larger scales.
Both seam a little hard to bend, but no worse than picture hanging wire.

i believe that the bike wire would be WAY out of scale size. for 35th...but i guess for larger scales...

I've heard or placing three strands of wire in the tip of a drill (while the other end is mounted in a vise or something that won't let it go)and turning it on slowly and letting it twist the wire. Three strands does best..

Personally I like the braided lead-line used by fly-fishers...it comes in an assortment of gauges and is easy to shape and then stiffen with glues...** remember, the scale is small and it will have the effect of braided wire if painted and weathered good. Also ** , having something alittle larger than the scale not only directs your attention but gives more importance to that object, thereby rendering it more noticable to detail and giving an overall better effect.

IMHO of course...

goodluck...

glack

That's an idea worth checking out


That said, I reckon the picture frame wire is rigid, but has enough give to accurately represent the minimal sag of a tow cable...

This is of an early M4A1 I built a while back, and as you can see it can still be bedded down a little more, but for something that doesn't need painting...