Fiddlers Green

Here is a question for all those who know how to string rigging on WWI "crates".

I noticed either here on on another forum that some people put glue onto regular thread to stiffen it, then cut the string to fit. What kind of glue do you use? Someone mentioned "superglue" but the only superglue I know of comes in a tiny tube and will instantly stick your fingers together if you arnt careful (like me). Is that it?

I have thread but only regular white glue. Is there any reason why I cant just use that?

Try using broom bristles, they're generally longer than necessary and scale thickness is pretty good. Otherwise use stretched plastic sprue, flexible yet stiff.

Niki

To tell the truth, i'm a little intimidated by all the rigging that goes into the Airco DH2 model. That is going to take a lot of patience.

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I'm not wierd! I'm normality impaired!

This may be obvious but use a needle to poke small holes where the rigging attaches, then cut the stiffened rigging oversize and stick each end into the holes - in some locations no glue is even necessary as once the stiff rigging is in place it can't back out. Wing rigging never attaches to the base of the struts themselves, but into the wing at the base of the struts. That's because on the real airplane the rigging is supporting and bracing the wings, while all the struts are for is to keep the wings apart and to locate them. Landing gear and float rigging is the same - the rigging attaches to the fuselage, spreader and floats at the base of the struts, not to the struts.

The DH2 (and other exposed airframe) types do present an exercise in patience in rigging up the naked fuselage truss - not enough surface to poke a hole into so that has to be glued, brace by brace - but worth the effort it you get through it.

Very fine music wire also works well.

Tim, you can get liquid brush on superglue too. I use it quite a bit. In fact, a lot of the joints I make either wouldn't be possible or would be much more time consuming without it. I definitely wouldn't be without it now!

If you want super glue (cyanoacrylate adhesives) go to a hobby shop. And buy bottles rather than tubes. Seal them tightly and store them in the fridge. One hobby shop I've purchased CA glues from actually kept the unopened bottles in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator! I've also seen bottles in an old-fashioned hardware store.

A hobby shop should have at least 3 varieties: thin, gap filling, and slow setting. For most use, the gap filling is best, based on my experience with paper and plastic models. It's less runny and a little slower setting, so you can twiddle things around a little bit. My wife likes the slow setting gel for some jewelry work.

And take a minute to look at the MicroMark web site or catalog --- their new catalog lists seven different varieties!

I have tried to use the brush on kind, but the brushes tend to turn to a solid black lump! Instead, put a couple of drops in a depression in a piece of aluminum foil and apply it with a toothpick.

These are just my opinions, so feel free to disagree with me!!

Bob

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I'm not an old fool, but I'm taking a correspondence course to become one.

Hey, I just spotted this:

On the FG home page:
Click on Other Pages, then Designers Corner, then Rigging Tips!

Check it out!

Bob

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I'm not an old fool, but I'm taking a correspondence course to become one.

Thanks everybody. I'll definitly have to check out my local hobby shot for the filler kind of super glue. I had no idea there was such a thing!

For today, I'm just using some old wire and white glue. I could have used the plastic bristles from a broom, but I wanted to give this a shot.

Just about done a new Camel.

Look forward to seeing it Tim.