Any tips/techies on how to scratchbuild chains?

you are better off by just going to a cheap jewlery store and purchasing some cheap necklaces of the right size chain. For $10 I got enough to last me ages without any hassel.

Shonen I agree with Mr. Roo, hobby lobby here at the states has tons of them and they run around 1 to 2 dollars for a good size chain. Lot easier than trying to scratch one. I used one on the front of the Su 85 and in the barn in my Brave Souls dio. Paint it and weather it up and looks just like the real thing. Also while your at a crafts store check out the charms for bracelets you can find useful stuff there. They are usually made from lead free metals and have great detail. All kinds of things from crosses, cats, dogs to roosters and many more. Hope you have a look next time you go. Cheers Kevin

ditto - go buy some cheap jewelry. Youll go nuts trying scratch that.

The "slightly" more expensive option is the Railroad section of the hobbyshop!!

I bought some nice chains fake gold chains from the jewelry section our local mall. It only costs around P100 ( around $ 2.00) and I'll be using it for my upcoming Russian tank.

Angela :-)8

Cheap jewelry is even cheaper at yard sales, garage sales, flea markets, etc. You can easily get a necklace (16-18 inches--52 (1/35) scale feet) for a quarter.

If al else fails, modelshipways.com (1 ft. of blue steel chain, $2.49).

Art

I also use the cheap jewellry chains. My wife lets me know when there is a sale and i buy a couple.
I sttep them in diluted caustic soda first to remove the chrome/silver/whatever as its very hard to get paint to stick to them!

Actually, I needed smaller chains for the fuel caps of the Sherman.

Model Shipways:
PH4400 CHAIN: BRASS 42 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.25
PH4401 CHAIN: BRASS 27 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.25
PH4402 CHAIN: BRASS 21 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.25
PH4403 CHAIN: BRASS 17 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.15
PH4404 CHAIN: BRASS 13 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.10
PH4405 CHAIN: BRASS 9 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.00
PH4406 CHAIN: BRASS 7 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.00
PH4410 CHAIN: BLACK 25 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.25
PH4411 CHAIN: BLACK 13 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.10
PH4412 CHAIN: BLACK 9 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.00
PH4413 CHAIN: BLACK 7 LINKS/INCH 12" US$3.00
http://www.hobbyworldinc.com/woodshipfit.html about 1/2 way down the page

I've checked several malls in Italy and France, but I never found a suitable size chain, they were all too big. Has anybody got a pic of the "mall chains" on a 1/35 model so I can see what size are you talking about?
Thanks a lot
Ciao

Fabio, I am emailing a pic to you of my Su85 with a 1.99 chain from hobby lobby. Cheers Kevin

ABER also makes some PE chain, not sure how well it looks or work....but I ordered a fret of it....enough different sizes of chain to last awhile....little more pricey that cheap jewelery chain, as it about $14CDN...still waiting on delivery of it actually.

The problem with the PE chains is that they're absolutely flat. If they are extrremely small they can be ok but going a bit up in size they show their limits...
Ciao

Hi Fabio. The chain on this M32 is cheap jewellry. Maybe a fraction on the big size, but for €0.50 and there are 3 more the the same size leftover, one cant complain.

For something that small, I would go with the model railroad chain. There is some very fine chain available in that hobby genre. Try Walthers at http://www.walthers.com

also be sure to check out the model shipbuilding section of your local hobby stores. i've gotten several sizes of brass chain from there that i use for vehicle chains on 1/35 models.. just requires a little painting. but don't know if you will find stuff small enough for fuel caps.

Good ideas with where to get the chain guys. Also, since it's made of metal...if you want a chain that looks old, but not all rusted up, I use a product called Blacken - It that turns metal into a dark gray or bluish-black color. It works real nicely, especially on brass.

Hi Shonen

If you want real chains, then I'd go with the cheap jewelry advice...

But for fake chains, I certainly wouldn't bother buying photo-etched stuff, because they're so simple to make. I explained the technique HERE.

Hope this helps

Rowan

Shonen, I have had some luck using a technique someone posted on here. I take some extremely fine wire, like out of an old mouse cable. I put two tacks in the edge of wy workbench and secure two pieces of the wire to them. I put the other end in the chuck of my mini-mite Dremel and turn it to low. When the wrappings are about the length I want, I turn it off and cut the ends off, then I use a jeweler's hammer, or other suitable tool to crush the wrapped wires flat. This allows you to make waht appears to be very fine chain, much smaller than model ship chain.

Rob

DOH!! After actually reading the other posts, I see I have just described Merlins technique, so I will just say it really works.

Hi Rob

I'm glad you've found the technique useful, but I doubt I can rightfully call it "mine"! I've used it so long I can't remember where I picked it up, but I expect it was from Military Modelling magazine back in the 1970s. (Of course, there's always the chance I actually "invented" it in a dream... in which case, it's mine, all mine!! )

It was a laugh dredging up the old post - hard to find after over a year... maybe I should just add it as a Tech Tip for easier access.

Cheers

Rowan