Been making my own tow cables this way for a while.
Rather than use the molded tow cables supplied in kits, I’ve always used my own made from twisted wire. The crimp or clamp that holds the loop in shape can be made by stripping the coating off of a coated paper clip. Cut it to the desired length like you would if you were stripping wire. Slide it off the paper clip and onto your length of twisted wire. Fold your end back to make the loop and tuck the end into the length of coating. Put a drop of super glue on it and add a rivet or bolt head on the “calmp”. It paints up fine and is the right scale. Takes about 2 minutes to do and is made with things at hand.
For larger scale or diameters just use the large coated jumbo clips.
Good idea, never tried it that way. Usually when I need something like that I use a piece of insulation off a wire. It’s a bit thicker than the coating on paper clips though.
hmm, good idea. I should try it out. I used the insulation off of electrical wire before, but as MusicCity pointed out, it’s a bit thicker, not as easy to work with I assume.
One other thing that works really well is rigging line from wooden ship kits. Model Expo sells the stuff in several different diameters. Cut the the loop end from the kit and superglue the rigging line to it and Voila! I did this on my Merkava II, and it turned out perfectly.
I make mine in 1/35th scale by using 7 strand brass picture hanging wire. I cut a strip of foil (an old tube of the wife’s hand cream, off the top of a wine bottle, etc) about 11mm long and 3/4 the width of the wire. I glue the strip to the wire with epoxy.
and when dry curve it round a nail. Clamping the end with tweesers will give you the right shape.
Using a longer, wider length of foil, I wrap this around a drill bit the same diameter as double the width of the cable (for the part where the cable loops back). Slide it up the wire and clamp the foil around the cable, including crimping the end closed around the wire, and drop some cyano down inside to hold it all together.
Then using an old paint brush handle, just burnish the edges of the foil in the eye loop over the wire just like the real thing. For the other end make sure you slide the drill bit tube of foil onto the wire before starting the loop process!
These pics were of a rush job to use for this thread. Usually I twist the wire more to make sure the strands do not come apart at the bend, and they look more like the original.
