Hi there!
Jim, sorry if this is not the correct forum for thies post, if not feel free to movie it :-)
I saw the ropes Gunnie used on his M24 Chafee (see Photo gallery for details) and I was wondering what he used for make that rope so real...
Cheers!

Paulo, I use thread from an embroidery store. When I go home tonight, I'll grab it and tell you precisely what it is. It does not "fry" - meaning no little hairs that pop up when handled.

I take lengths of this thread - about 24", and roll it up between my fingers. I push the thread into a bottle that has a solution of ivory black oil paint and Turpenoid (80% Turpenoid) and swish it all around. When I take the thread out, it is stained in random spots, like a used length of rope.

With a pair of tweezers, and a clothes pin, I spread the prongs of the tweezers apart 24 scale inches, and clip them open with the clothes pin. I take the thread and holding one end with a finger, I begin to wrap it between each prong of the tweezers in a figure-8 fashion - just like you would a real rope bundle around your biceps and palm of your hand. I make four or five figure-8 loops, then begin winding the thread around the core of the bundle - passing the thread around the center of the figure-8 loops between the prongs of the tweezers. I tie one end off, and I tuck the end I started the rope bundle with back into the center, and I'm done.

It's really easier than I made it sound perhaps...

Gunnie

Thx Jim,
I´ll wait for your further information and I´ll give it a try!
Cheers!

I think I'll try Jim's suggestion about using BBCode and taking a couple of digital photos of what I'm talking about and put them in the message tonight too...

Hopefully I won't muck it up!

Gunnie

Thanks, Gunnie. I'll give this a try next time I need ropes !

Jan



Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder !

Embroidery thread, that sounds like an interesting idea, Gunnie. I typically use model ship rigging thread for scale rope but it can be expensive and hard to find. My mom is recently retired from the retail fabric business, I'm sure she could hook me up with an infinite supply of embroidery thread. She's got one of those new computer-controlled embroidery machines* that uses the same thread you see in shoulder patches, etc. I seem to recall it's very "low-frizz." I wonder if it's the same stuff.

I have got some coat maker's thread that is heavy and dense enough to simulate tow cable (I originally bought it for shoe/boot repair).

-Neil

*The contraption actually uses flash ROM cards and can be controlled through a serial interface from a computer. It can be programmed down to the level of individual stiches. It's like CNC sewing!

Okay, here goes Paulo! Forgive me Jim if I don't do this correctly...

Paulo, here's a series of images to try and illustrate what I wrote you this afternoon. The embroidery thread I like to use is made by Gutermann #CA02776. It's 100% cotton, but doesn't breed little hairs when I done with it. Of course, you can use any thickness of thread that you like to replicate different kinds of rope - the technique is the same.

The images are from beginning, to wrapping the thread around the prongs of the tweezers, to coiling the thread around the center of the first loops, and eventually one last loop with the end of the thread passing through to tie it all off.

I am left-handed, but have learned to do many things right-handed over the years - including this technique. So, I know anyone can do it. Use your fingers to keep the thread tight, and you can whip one of these rope bundles out in less than five minutes.

Also, this is the first time I tried to photograph a technique in progress - I did that with my left hand! :-)

Gunnie

Whoa - that bbcode WORKED! :-)

Gunnie

thanks Gunnie;
was a great job indeed!
Cheers!

Aw shucks - glad you found it useful

Gunnie

Last weekend, I discovered a wide choice of "ropes" at the local DIY store. They sell special ropes and thread for a variety of purposes, such as tile setting, maconry, etc... Some of those make excellent scale rope !

Jan

Yes, I too go looking for different thicknesses of nylon string that I can use as rope in 1/35 scale - as the real thing comes in varying thicknesses too.

Gunnie

I dont know if this is important or not but. To all those modelling modern U.S. Armor and you want a rope in/on it. The standard (was a year ago when I was an Infantry NCO) U.S. military rope length is exactly 165 feet long and olive drab in color. So if accuracy is the goal you now have one half of the equation.

Gunnie,
Great post. I hope you don't have to worry about bandwidth with your host!

If we can assemble even more info about 1/35 rope techniques it would make a good article.

Jim

So far, no problems, I've been with Earthlink ever since they came up - maybe there's a benefit to being an old-timer in places...

Gunnie