I have the Zvezda T-34/85, but the two towing cables provided with the kit are very bad moulded, so I want to replace them… It’s very difficult for me to buy a photo etched set or something like that, so I need some suggestions about how to scratchbuild them… Thanks in advance.
I’ve posted this before, and it works fairly well.
You need to obtain shipbuilder ropes, available at most hobby/craft stores, and go to an automotive store and get some electrical shrink tubing
cut a length of the shrink tube:
Loop the rope through the tube:
Apply a heat source to the tube to shrink it down, then dip it in a wash solution or paint to desired color:
Finishes like this:
Good luck,
Steve
Taking a few steps off Steve’s great post, you can cut the heads off the existing tow cables just behind the swedging (provided they’re in good shape) and simply super glue the ship rigging thread to the end of the swedging.
You might also want to give consideration to trying picture hanging wire. It’s a 3-strand wire that’s already twisted and looks as good as ship rigging thread, but is more readily available; just check any local craft store.
Gip Winecoff
Those are great tips Steve and Gip! I’ll have to give those a try.
I too just cut the head off the tow cable and use it. But, for the wire I use some spare copper wire put it in a dremel tool or pine vise hold one end with pliers and and twist my own wire rope. Just be careful to hold onto the ends.
Grizz
I completely scratch builded the ones for my Kingtiger using steel wire rope.
First I took some plastic coated steel wire rope we have where I work. I then melted the plastic off and anealed the wire.
Amazingly the diameter of the wire when I had done this was exactly 0.91 mm which is exactly the right diameter for Tiger tow cables.
Then I shaped some of the wire around the handle of a needle file.
( My god my hands look big and dirty seen through a macro lens )
I then took some lead foil I had from old wine bottles. I cut a piece about 2 - 2.5 mm wide and about 18 - 20 mm long. I then shape this into a half pipe shape ( is that the correct word … half pipe ?? )around a piece of 0.8 mm steel rod.
With the aid of a piece of 1 mm Evergreen plastic rod I then shaped the piece of lead foil around the handle of the needle file.
I then leave the piece of lead foil on the handle of the needle file and add some CA glue to it and then attach the piece of steel wire I shaped earlier.
For the swaged sleeve behind the cable eye I use the kit part … the rest of the cable is straight forward, just use a piece of the steel wire rope.
