Just wondering where everyone gets wire thin enough to scratchbuild. I’m looking for stuff to do hydraulic lines 1/48 scale. Mylocal hobby store does not carry it and cant really help me. They specialize mainly in RC stuff.
Scott
Craft wire is art supply stroes like Michael’s, and Radio Shack has very thin solder that works well .
Put your head up and put it on a swivel!
Do you have a model railroad shop nearby? Most carry Detail Associates brass wire from 0.006" & up. Or they can order it for you.
Do you have a Bass Pro Shops (or Cabellas, or a fly fishing shop) nearby? Check the fly tying materials for lead wire from 0.010" and up.
Do you have a Radio Shack nearby? Check them for wire-wrap wire, 0.009" (0.020" with insulation).
Do you have a craft store nearby? Check their beading section for wire. 34 gauge wire is 0.007"
That helps! Thanks for the ideas.
Buy some cable to hook up stereo speaker. There is tiny little brands in there.
Hello, dr. soggy—The suggestions you’ve already gotten are all good ones, but if you’re as cheap as I am ( read that FRUGAL ) get plenty of usable wire from an old extention cord, an old ribbon cable from a junked computer, etc. These cables contain stranded wires made from some very small gauged wires. When you find the correct guage for your hydralic lines, you’ll need retaining straps for those lines. Simply take a piece of the same wire and flatten it with a smooth-faced hammer and , voila, hydralic line mounting straps. For scale thicknesses of the straps, you may have to use wire a step or two smaller so it’ll be thin enough after flattening without being too wide. Should you ever need to solder these pieces—use steel or copper wires and NOT aluminum because aluminum doesn’t want to be soldered with regular soldering wire. Computer cabling and the windings from an electronic PC board transformer are good sources for wire for 1/72nd A/C. HAVE FUN!!
Radio shack sells a plastic coated maliable wire, called tie wire, I think. It’s about .020"covered, .012" stripped. Guitar string gets down to .007", anealing will make it flexable.