by MatthewB » Thu Mar 31, 2016 9:56 am
I have used Tungsten wire, as well as Copper and Nickel (or Chrome-molly) for doing WWI Model Airplanes.
It can be tricky to work with because it is so tough, and elastic (returns to prior shape).
The sag you have above looks pretty good.
But if you are looking to straighten it even more, then stretching it out on an armature or frame, and then re-tempering, and then re-annealing will get it to be STRAIGHT.
We had to do this for 1/144 WWI aircraft.
I found copper wire to be better than Tungsten, as the copper wire tended to behave better (kept the shape). It is more "Malleable" than is Tungsten.
Tungsten is GREAT for strength, and for durability. But it is not very good for malleability, and it needs to be originally shaped for an application (prior to tempering, shaped exactly), because it is very difficult to un-do a Tungsten object after tempering (even with annealing). So, if you have the time and patience to work the thread into the right consistency, before shaping it, then Tungsten is a good choice.
Otherwise, I would go with copper.
I have not yet started rigging ships, but I do plan to with my USN DDs (1/700), and then with the remaining ships I do afterwards. But I will be using Copper.
There is a chance that I might have an opportunity to pick up some carbon-fiber, though, so I might try that out. But unless it is free, I wouldn't bother with it (It is freakishly expensive).
MB
I have used Tungsten wire, as well as Copper and Nickel (or Chrome-molly) for doing WWI Model Airplanes.
It can be tricky to work with because it is so tough, and elastic (returns to prior shape).
The sag you have above looks pretty good.
But if you are looking to straighten it even more, then stretching it out on an armature or frame, and then re-tempering, and then re-annealing will get it to be [i]STRAIGHT[/i].
We had to do this for 1/144 WWI aircraft.
I found copper wire to be better than Tungsten, as the copper wire tended to behave better (kept the shape). It is more "Malleable" than is Tungsten.
Tungsten is GREAT for strength, and for durability. But it is not very good for malleability, and it needs to be originally shaped for an application (prior to tempering, shaped exactly), because it is very difficult to un-do a Tungsten object after tempering (even with annealing). So, if you have the time and patience to work the thread into the right consistency, before shaping it, then Tungsten is a good choice.
Otherwise, I would go with copper.
I have not yet started rigging ships, but I do plan to with my USN DDs (1/700), and then with the remaining ships I do afterwards. But I will be using Copper.
There is a chance that I might have an opportunity to pick up some carbon-fiber, though, so I might try that out. But unless it is free, I wouldn't bother with it (It is freakishly expensive).
MB