Turnbuckles

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Tools
1

I’m trying to locate some turnbuckles in 1/35 or a site with several sizes would be awesome. I can only find some in 1/87 (HO Scale).

Thanks, Terry

2

Have you tried this?

http://www.gaspatchmodels.com/products/metal-turnbuckles-32.html

3

http://www.harbormodels.com/site08/turnbuckles2.htm

Or these. The small one scales about 12" long over the barrel.

4

Thanks for those sites and maybe I’ll be forced to used one, but these are the ones I’ve been looking for.

Terry

5

The turnbuckles pictured above are Grandt Line model railroad details. Go to your local model railroad hobby shop and have them order what you need. Grandt Line also makes Nut/Bolt/Washer details which come in handy in adding/replaceing details and/or scratchbuilding. Good to have several sets in your supply box.

No railroad shop handy – try ordering direct from Grandt Line http://www.grandtline.com/products/mrr/mrr%20details/augmentables.html

or try ordering through the Walther’s catalog https://www.walthers.com/

6

Ed I have these in 1/4, but do they come in anyhing larger? I need something twice that size.

Thanks Terry

7

I ran across a tip for making turnbuckles in 1/32 scale, for Wingnut Wings kits. I haven’t tried it, but I’ll pass it on for what it’s worth.

The components are a couple of pieces of wire and a Q-tip. The Q-tip has to be the kind with the hollow plastic stick. (I found them at Wal-Mart.)

Heat the Q-tip stick over a candle and stretch it, as though you were stretching sprue. When it cools, it will (according to the author of the original tip) still be hollow; you can control the diameter by changing the speed of yanking it.

Cut the tube to the length you need. Bend the wire to form the eyes that go on each end. (On that large a scale you may want to solder the eyes.) Cut off the eyes, superglue them into the tube, and you’ve got your turnbuckle.

Turnbuckles come in lots of shapes and sizes. You may need the type with a small hole for a Tommy bar in the middle, or the kind that’s open on both sides, like the Grandt Line ones. You should be able to drill and/or file the barrel to the necessary shape.

Like I said, I haven’t tried it. But it sounds like it ought to work.

8

Ive been tackling my tiny brain thinking about how to scratch out about a dozen of these things but your suggestion with the Q-Tip may work. Ive actually thought of taking a sprue and a dremel wheel to cut a slat and sand it down to shape, now thats crazy…I’ll try the Q-Tip first. I’m surprised theres not different sizes out there but a sincere thanks for all the suggestions.

Terry

9

Some turnbuckles were round bodied, basically just a threaded (inside) tube. These can be represented by cutting short lengths of small tubing. Many used in aircraft rigging were this style.

10

I make my own by stretching the hollowed plastic Q Tips from the Dollar store. It’s really simple and you can make it in just about any scale.

Here is my 1/48 Eduard Fokker EV with my home made rigging

11

Wow thanks PJ, JTilley wrote about the same thing with the Q-Tips so I picked up a travelpack and they might work. I made my cuts and filled the insides but I’m still working on it. They have to be right because 1/35 will show a lot of detail. For the screws I always use round wound guitar strings, either regular or bass strings depending on the gauge. There is a nice feeling about scratching something out but its so easy to just buy one in the right scale so I could spend time elswhere. Thanks Don I guess thats my Plan B.

What I’m doing is holding tracks together on my 1/35 Morser-Karl while in transport, I’ll post a pic in a minute.

Thanks, Terry

12

Theres are the turnbuckles used during transport.

13

it’s an interesting idea and might be worth trying one day. I’m thinking that rather than form the eye separately and glue it on, it might be possible to feed the wire through the rod, form the eye, then go back into the rod.

i did a pic to show what i mean

14

It might even be possible to make one end long enough to go clear through the tube, form another eye, and double back into the tube. That way the one piece of wire could pick up more of the strain of pulling the line tight without relying on the glue joints as much.