Alternative method for making cable reels with paper.

[sargentx]

On my last couple of builds I've been putzing around with alternative ways of making cable reels. I've never had much fun with the usual methods of wrapping wire or line around a core and was hoping to come up with something that was a little more fun but that had the same look. So for what it's worth, I came up with this alternative. You can make a single reel in minutes with no painting.

In Photoshop, I made an 8.5"x11" sheet of stripes that correspond to the approximate thickness of 1/350 rope. The image was basically a solid color of dingy rope tone overlaid with black stripes. I won't describe how I did this here. I printed off a stack of these which will easily last me the rest of my life.

Now I cut a strip that is exactly as wide as the width between the cable reel frame. It is important that this width be perfect. Not too big, not to small.

One strip will yield many reels.

Next I cut off the end of a regular cocktail stick/toothpick and sand the end flat and perpendicular to the length.

Now I take a blade and make a 1/4" slice approximately down the middle.

This slice now acts as a holder for the paper strip. It makes it very easy roll the paper around the dowel.

After the paper has made one round turn about the dowel, I trim the end and apply a small touch of white glue.

It glues instantaneously once some pressure is applied.

I cut this bit off the dowel.

continued....

[sargentx]

Using tweezers, I flex and shape the dowel to get it round. The cutting process can distort it a bit.

I sand the ends to make things neat and flush.

Next I attach this bit into the frame seam down. Theoretically, you could run a piece of copper wire through the center of the drum where the split in the wood is. Providing the split is dead-center, you'd have yourself a perfect little axle for attaching. The paper seam will never show on the finished model if placed at the bottom of the drum.

The finished reel on the ship

[Cliffy B]

Ingenious!!! Me likey a lot!

[JIM BAUMANN]

Very very innovative

TOP Marks!

I will have an experiment with this as well--though I may use brown fro the longitudinal lines to soften the hardness contrast a bit

Thank you for the detailed tutorial!


Jim Baumann

[sargentx]

I just hate making cable reels lol.
Not sure if this would translate well in smaller scales. Adding the slit to the wooden dowel makes rolling easier, but also bisects the dowel which isn't as nice as if it were a solid cylinder. It's really a basic idea free for expansion and improvement. I've done this as well with just paper and NO dowel. That can work as well. Every method has it's hiccups for sure.