I'm about to get some dry transfer flags from Archer. I'm planning to use the flags attached to the radio antenna... Now how can I secure the lead foil (flag) to the wire? I guess the foil would be rather heavy for the thin copper wire and that it would get bent sooner or later...
Any ideas/suggestions?

Mario M.

Use aluminum foil. It's alot less weight. And Archer suggests it as well.

I want to recreate a flag waving in the wind. That is why I wanted to use lead foil... it bends more subtly and not so sharply as the aluminum foil... I guess the waves in the flag caused by the wind (oh my dear English teacher where are you now ) would be more natural if the flag was made of the lead foil... Does that make sense to you?

Mario M.

It makes sense now, unfortunately I have no more ideas for you. I'm sure that somebody out there can help.

Use piano wire.

Steve,
You beat me to it, I was going to suggest piano wire to.
I guess you are talking about the wire you can get from K&S, right. The bad thing is, well it could be a good thing, is that it comes in 36" lengths.Lots of wire for lots of antennas.

Thanks, I'll try that. I just hope my folks wouldn't notice the missing string on our piano..
Another thing is how to secure the wire to the antenna post on the vehicle. Making a rahter deep hole and inserting the string into it? Anything else comes in mind?

Mario M.

I've done a few Archer flags. Woody (the owner of Archer) knows what he is talking about when he gives suggestions on his products. Use the aluminum foil instead of lead...it will look fine. A couple of tiny dabs of super glue along the edge will stick it to any antenna material.

If you use really thin lead foil (like from the top of wine/champagne bottles), the weight may be acceptable, even to stretched sprue...
I'd give that a whirl. If it works : apply your flag transfers to it. It will look more real than alu foil for the reasons you already mentioned, and the weight should be ok.

Jan

Thanks guys, I appreciate the suggestions. I'll give it a try and let you know how did I do...

Mario M.

Yes, Maki. Just take a drill bit the same diameter of the wire and drill into the base of the antenna. Use a drop of superglue and insert the wire. You should have no problem.

Maki,

How to attach the antennae, depends on how real thing was attached. Some antannae have a large spring at the base to allow flexibility. What I do is wrap very thin wire (from a Tamiya tank motor, in my case) around the bottom, to the appropriate length, based on photos, on the guitar string I use for the antennae. I then superglue the spring to the antennae mount. The antennae will then flex realistically, or can be tied down, etc. If do, not too toghtly, the spring can be removed from the spring to allow suprglue to set, then wire reinserted. Also good for traveling with model. NOTE: This may require cuting off the molded on spring on the kits mount. If there is no spring on the mount, as for an aux receiver antennae, for example, I drill a hole in the top of the mount, the same size or slightly larger than the antannae wire and insert the wire. May not even require glue

Hope this is helpful.

Jeff

OK.
I thought it would be a nice idea to put my idea to the test. The thin lead foil from a wine bottle is easily supported by a stretched sprue rod. I tried it. Works fine.
All I have to do now is finish the wine bottle before I go to bed.
I'll stop messing on the PC : there's a dreadful thunderstorm going on and it may be wiser to switch off the PC before lightning strikes it...

Jan