It is used to insulate electrical wire splices.
That is sweet! I was wondering about Ship Rope stuff from Michales. Now I know 
Hmm I didn’t think Michaels would have that stuff. i will have to check out my local one and see.
Great tip!
GreatModels has rigging in stock in .021mm,.028 mm and .040mm diameters (10 yds. for $2.50) Does anyone have any idea which size most closely matches 1/35 tow cables?
Instead of trying to calculate, just do what I did, bring in a plastic kit tow cable in 1/35th to the LHS and just go through the rope until you find a diameter that’s close.
Great idea Crockett!!!
From one “worthless nut” to another, thanks a lot!!!
I just went to the LHS where I used to pick up that kind of supplies and it is closing, so I will have to head out of the cornfields and into a City somewhere… I ain’t skeered. I’ll do anything to make a better model!!!
That’s a great idea, thanks!!
Great tip Steve. Can’t wait to try it out. I just happen to have all the materials you identified for construction, this is one of the best things I’ve seen for making cables.
You certainly deserve full credit for this idea. I wouldn’t have thought of it in a million years, even with all the materials staring me in the face![X-)] Thanks again for helping the rest of us become smarter modellers. Semper Fi, mike
My pleasure boys, I hope we see a lot more tow cables on the forum!
Regards to all,
Steve
Holy mackerel!(I am not a worshipper of fish!)
that is soooooo cool!
Great tip Crockett! I was thinking along those same lines just the other day. Glad to see someone tried it with success! Now to go to Michael’s in search of string…[:)]
Dennis
WOOHOO! saves my money, and they look better than the plastic ones in some kits. Thanks!
I tried this on the 1/35 Tamiya KT and the main tow cable would have been 52mm, when in reality it was 32mm. In the end I went for the Karaya 0,9 and 0,4mm cables which are correct http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=35957
I think it just depends on what level of accuracy you want to achieve
Wow, a great tip. I never would have thought of the heat-shrink tubing. Thanks for sharing!
Brian,
I suppose you are technically correct, but just doing a little math in my head, you’re talking about a difference of less than 3/4" at 1/35th scale. Now that’s really counting rivets. This post was intended to help those who need it, not to profess miniscule accuracy for those who prefer it. Thank you for your astute observations.
Steve
My apologies, I wasn’t trying to be pedantic. I should have explained that after I built the new cables, although it sounds like a small difference, the actual effect on the eye is quite marked, with the plastic cable ‘seeming’ to be almost twice the diameter of the metal
Outstanding! I am working on the Tamiya M4A3-105 and I need to make cables for it. I will use this recipe. Great job and thanks for sharing the info and pictures.
Bruce
Ship rigging can be gotten from greatmodels.com and modelexpo.com. There are several other online shops that cater to model ship builders. The rigging also comes in black.
Cool tip, Crocket. Thanks a bunch. I wonder if the shrink wrap would work (and how it would look) over the molded cable ends some of the manufacturers are putting in their kits now. May have to give that a try, too.
I’ve just got the shrink tube. I make my cables out of thin wire that I brade to the size that “looks” right to me. I’m always trying to reuse or find cable ends. Finding the right size and type of end was a problem. This really solves that problem!
Great tip.[bow]
Very ingenious method, cheap and easy, just the way we like it! [:D] Thanks for sharing the tip crocket!