54mm Rope? (1 Viewer)

[bearybones]

Hi all,

Any suggestions to simulate rope for our 54mm dioramas? It should be brownish/tan in color and have a braided effect to it. The closest thing I can find is nylon twine, which is white, but it just doesn't look convincing enough, even when painted tan. There must be something that some of you use all the time.

Any suggestions will be appreciated,

George

 

[4th Hussar]

Look for small gauge braided wire and then paint it. You will likely have to strip off the insulation

 

[Obee]

George,

Try some thin string, they you may not have to paint that. It could be sealed using clear finish, and that will also hold it together

If you are wanting metal instead of 'real' , I'd use fine wire, woven or platted then paint it to look right.

John

 

[Mitch]

This may sound a faff but, it works a treat. I use a few pieces of normal sewing thread any colour as you can paint it or, if you prefer just get the colour nearest to what you want and, hold each end in a different hand preferably with thumb and finger and twist until tight. What this does is bind the thread toghether and give the knotted effect of real rope but at the scale and size you want.

When rolled I use glue or paint which binds it and allow to dry. Then you have your own rolled rope.

It does sound complicated but, once you crack it you will have all the rope you want
Mitch

 

[soldier01]

guys,

Look for rope made for model ships. Get some beeswax and run the rope/string through the wax to keep the "fuzz" down, this will also make the rope more manageable.
This technique has been used for years and years to simulate scale rope on all kinds of models.

Chris
American Model Dockyard

 

[theBaron]

I'll second Chris' suggestion about thread made for model ships. I still have a couple spools around somewhere from Revell kits I built as a kid. I've never looked for it at my local hobby shop, but I know some catalog/online sellers like MicroMark carry it in their catalogs. Or try a sewing supply place.

For your white twine, try using cotton instead of nylon, and try soaking it in coffee or tea, instead of painting it.

Hope that helps, prost!
Brad

 

[thebritfarmer]

You could also try embroidery floss.

 

[bearybones]

Brad, I googled MicroMark and all kinds of options popped up. Can you give me more information on MicroMark please, so that I can pull up the correct site.

Thanks,

George

 

[bearybones]

Thank you very much to everyone who responded to my question. I never thought I'd get so much good advice on this question. You've all given me so many creative possibilities. Now I'll try to find excuses to have more reasons to put rope into my diorama.

Thanks so much to all of you!

George

 

[mikemiller1955]

George...

I don't know if this will work for you...but here is a picture of some I made...

took a ball of brown twine...

unraveled the three threads of twine...

took one...

burned off protruding fibers with a lighter...

rolled a loop around my finger...glued with 50% water...50% glue mix...then repainted...

pretty stiff and stable...

 

[theBaron]

Brad, I googled MicroMark and all kinds of options popped up. Can you give me more information on MicroMark please, so that I can pull up the correct site.

Thanks,

George

Sure thing, George, MicroMark's website is http://www.micromark.com/.

On the main page, in the menu tree at the left, you'll see a choice for Ships and Accessories. If you choose that, you'll get to a list of items for ship modelers. I'm in there now, and here's the URL for the black rigging thread:

http://www.micromark.com/BLACK-MODEL-SHIP-RIGGING-THREAD-105-FEET,7926.html

and here's the natural color thread:

http://www.micromark.com/NATURAL-MODEL-SHIP-RIGGING-THREAD-105-FEET,7927.html

Hope that helps, prosit!
Brad

 

[Fraxinus]

Try a craft store like AC Moore or Michaels, especially around the jewelry section for some reason. Next to the jewelry findings. There should be alot of good choices there including manila twines. Actually, I was looking at that section this week and found excellent choices for both 54 MM rope and chains. Jewelry Findings can prove useful for providing iron work pieces for many dioramas.

 

[fishead19690]

I would suggest very fine wire strands and get about 2 or 3 lengths of it about the size of the rope you want and twist them together with a drill. This will give them a rope like look and then you can shape the wire into what ever postion you like and then just paint it when your done.
I,ve done a couple of conversions like this and I think it looks pretty good. I only twisted together 2 wires for this conversion but you could twist more for heavier rope or a bit different look. The great thing about the wire is it holds it shape.

 

[Obee]

I would suggest very fine wire strands and get about 2 or 3 lengths of it about the size of the rope you want and twist them together with a drill. This will give them a rope like look and then you can shape the wire into what ever postion you like and then just paint it when your done.

Tim,

I've done exactly the same technique, and having a power drill on a slow speed, you can easily control the rope making to a produce realistic looking rope.

I have also uses very fine wire to make some shoulder aguilettes ? that French Napoleonic figures used and it sure works

John

 

[fishead19690]

Tim,

I've done exactly the same technique, and having a power drill on a slow speed, you can easily control the rope making to a produce realistic looking rope.

I have also uses very fine wire to make some shoulder aguilettes ? that French Napoleonic figures used and it sure works

John

Yes its a very good little trick! I,ve seen guys use it to do barbed wire also.
I use it as chord also on my napoleonic figures, I,ve used it a few times to hold drinking gourds to my figures(see photo) and attach tied on things like the fire wood this figure is holding on his back.

 

[Guy]

Thank you very much to everyone who responded to my question. I never thought I'd get so much good advice on this question. You've all given me so many creative possibilities. Now I'll try to find excuses to have more reasons to put rope into my diorama.

Thanks so much to all of you!

George

George,
In the 'Billing boats' catalogue you will find the rope you are looking for
Guy

 

[theBaron]

Another source occurred to me just now, as I had a cup of tea--if you drink tea, you can scavenge the string that holds the tag on the bag. That can be dyed and formed into a little coil, too.

Prost!
Brad

 

[thebritfarmer]

Another source occurred to me just now, as I had a cup of tea--if you drink tea, you can scavenge the string that holds the tag on the bag. That can be dyed and formed into a little coil, too.

Prost!
Brad

Scandalous !!!!!! Teabags on a string !!!

 

[theBaron]

Scandalous !!!!!! Teabags on a string !!!

Not always practical to have loose tea and a tea ball around.

Plus, I have a tea ball whose plating has been eaten away after some 20 years of use, the whole inside is down to the copper core. It gave me an idea of what it's doing to my insides

Prost!
Brad