Is there a tutorial anywhere that explains how to make antennas out of stretched sprue, I think I have an idea of how it works, i just dont want to screw it up too terribly.
Better yet, use a wound guitar string–unwind the winding from a 4th string, like about a .22 gauge string, or even a 5th string. Leave about a 4mm remnant of the winding at the bottom of it–it looks like the spring at the base. It looks far better than stretched sprue.
I 2nd Doogs suggestion. I used to use stretched sprue, but got sick of them curling on me. So I started using the leftover guitar strings whenever I swapped a new set into my guitar. Now if you don’t play guitar, you can head to the local music store and pick up a set of cheap strings that will last awhile. No need to get all fancy with them for model building, as the different winds and whatnot are just for sound. Might lok into the different guage sets though.
It’s not hard… Heat a piece of sprue over a candle-flame until it’s softened and bends easily (Don’t set it on fire, though), then pull the ends apart. You can control the thickness by waitng various amounts of time to begin stretching and with paractice, you can stretch it to plastic rod or all the way down to finer-than-hair… Cut it to the length you need and super-glue it into place. The sag will come out if you take a soldering iron, cigarette, or any heat source like that and hold it close (NOT ON!) to the stretched sprue. When it reaches the right temp, it’ll suddenly snap taught. Of course, that’s the method for aircraft… For armor, I just use the sprue but I keep the sprue loose for a couple three seconds and then stretch it… This method allows the sprue to taper like the the real whips… If you want, you can use fine wire to wrap around the base of the antenna for the spring where it attaches to the matching unit…
Another plus to using sprue is you can dig around for the right color so you won’t have to paint it…
Don’t worry about screwing it up… Sprue’s free…
Yep. Works for me and is free. Practice with some scrap sprue and you’ll the hang of it.
[:)]
Well, if you play guitar (as I do), then the guitar string is basicly “free” [:-^] When you change strings, you get the extra bit (on SOME guitars, others you need every mm), AND a whole string from the “used” set. Now if I’d just kept all those strings I’ve thrown out over the last 20 years, I could send ALL of you a lifetime supply of antenna material!
Oh, well, live and learn I guess.
Michael
I play as well, but you can also go to most guitar stores, and go to the shop area, and most of them if they have any will be glad to pull some “used” strings off the top of the bin, and give them to you. Just walk in and ask. Don’t ask them to save them, really, just ask if they have some. They may even tell you when to come back later in the day or something. The absolute worst they can say is no.
Hi,
This thread caught my eye and I had an idea for an alternative to stretched sprue along the lines of guitar strings. I’ve been a professional drummer as well as a modeller for 43 years and I realized that I had a great resource for making antennae. I use the strands from the wire brushes that I use to play drums. I would recommend making friends with a drummer(one that uses wire brushes like old guys and jazz drummers) and see if you can get one or a pair of worn out brushes from them. A pair would last a lifetime of antenna making with a lot left over. You could also visit your local music store and buy a pair of the cheapest bruhes you can get. Just a thought…
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If you can find this set, it would be very useful for the antenna bases for German applications.
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Well you get the idea, I guess…
Hope this helps .
Al