Hi,
Heres is one for those that think beyond the box ! How best can I bend a row of fine wires, they are spaced 0.3mm apart, they run straight down a cockpit wall then make a lazy very shallow, and I do mean very shallow...S bend over a distance of 1cm before continuing straight. Their diameter is 0.3mm. I shall probably use fusewire. I need to transfer them from the bending surface to the cockpit keeping the shape and spacing.
Its no good bending them all the same shape as obviously those on the inner bend have a slightly tighter radius. Imagine a running track at the corner. The bend is a large radius, no tight stuff. they form a row of 6 pipes 3.5mm wide including the gaps and the bend takes their line of travel to their right by 3.5mm.

Perhaps some means of holding the wires together but allowing them to slide as they bend. With them held this way, then apply the bend ?...but what means ?

DBenz

Wow! You have what appears to be a pretty difficult challenge- creating a "parallel- S-curve"- where each outside wire has two curves of differing radii!

But I might be able to suggest a few things to try:

Assuming that the wires lie on a flat surface... the opposing curves lie in the same plane, and each wire may be viewed sort of like a zig-zag road.

One way to create the set of parallel "lanes" (wires) is to take a piece of wood and carve a form into the face of the piece as a flat-bottomed trough of the right shape and size (a shallow zig-zag trough 2 or 3 or 4 -however many - wires wide)- and then press the set of wires down into the trough, forming them into the curves in parallel just as they are in your planned location.

IF you need to attach some sort of retaining bracket or clip that would hold these pipes in place on the real vehicle, these clips may be glued on with CA while the set of wires is still in the form.

I know this sounds pretty laborious... , but it's actually pretty easy if you have a small micro-chisel and a piece of finer-grained wood on hand. Balsa or pine or boxwood work fine. What you are doing is carving a mold- doesn't need to be clean or fancy- just of the right bends and length and pretty flat on the bottom. Keep it shallow- one wire deep is enough.

Another way to do this, if your "drawing skills" are pretty good, is to take a ball-point pen ( an old Bic would be fine) and draw the curves onto a piece of wood. Draw as many closely-parallel lines as you have wires to form in the set. Then press down firmly and "redraw" the lines a few times to make a set of parallel grooves. Then press your wires down into these molds one at a time. IF the grooves are pretty close together, you will get the right changes in curve radius for each wire and bend. When you pluck the bent wires out, lay them out side-by-side on a work-surface or piece of paper and correct the bends as needed to get your desired appearance. Glue some retaining clips on and transfer the set to your model.

Now... IF the placement on the model does NOT have any clips (the wires simply glue into points at their ends), you can still transfer the whole set intact by using a piece of tape as a temperary frame to transfer them to their resting places and getting the ends glued down. After glue is dry, peel the tape off.

Another approach is to form the wires onto a piece of tape- hand-form the first wire and stick it down onto some tape. Follow-up with lining the next wire(s) up along-side the first - formed wire and push them up snugly against the first. Each wire will assume the right curves. Once all are formed, again... glue on some clips to make a transferable bundle, or pull them off one at a time and place them sequentially into your model as desired.

Anyway, these are just suggestions from the "old school"- I have done all of these techniques and they do work. The obvious alternative is forming each wire individually by "trial and error" and fitting it. That works, too.

Hope this helps. Any route will get you something you'll like, I think!

Bob,

Do you happen to have a picture of what you are trying to make (the real thing)?
I think I almost have what you're describing, but not quite...

Got a pic of the interior and what your trying to create?
As far as bending them all the same, try clamping them together, or glueing them together on some added length, and use your fingers to pull the lazy bend in them all at the same time....ever try and straighten out a coat hanger or other piece of wire?...same thing I'm guessing for your needs, at least till I can see a pic. If all else fails find some things around the house that have alittle less radius than required to bend the wires around...candles, salt shakers, batteries...anything...

Jeff;

I would LOVE to post you a pic- if I had any ready!

Even as I read your oh-so-logical request, my boss arrived and told me to go pack my bags pronto and I'm off to fight the Gulf oil-battles. Argh!

I MIGHT be able to put a display piece together and photo it and post it tonite, but, I regret, no promises!

Bob

Hi, Many thanks for the head scratching.
I think the biro into wood may be best, but I have also had it suggested I lay down the same wires in the gaps between, so 11 wires not 6, and then form the lazy S bend, then hold together with tape and remove the spacer wires. and affix to cockpit wall.

No means of posting a pic just now, but its the port cockpit wall beside the radios in a Ju88, Aerodetail book #20 has the photo.

I shall try the 11 wires method first.

DBenz

Am I the odd man out and this is a "Bob" only post?

Otherwise, this could get confusing real fast.

ok - out of the box - here is one concept to play with

tape down the wire and use a combe device. Create one with pins stuck in block of wood, maybe a wire brush. Then combe the bends in . You could make two combes and use one to hold the lines and the other to shift the wires in unison. Tape down the next section and do it again the other direction.

well, you and scott can chime in I guess....Bob #?

Well my first name is Robert - aka Bob so I guess I can post in this thread

Well then, your in like flint!
Bob{origonal posting one!} try afew different ways and see what works best for you.