Little Invention - Prototype of Scratch-Built Railing Device

[AC Studio]

As I am making my 1/500 IJN Zuikakau aircraft-carrier (thread in work in progress), I am at the same time thinking of scratch-building railings out of plastic runner instead of using PE. Scratch-building railing is a very difficult task (Burning the plastic runner and stretch it in opposite direction) because it takes a long time to do, and always not accurate > for example it is hard to create consistent distance between each post. Also there are lots of PE railing products available in the market, so who would spend time to built one from scratch? Unfortunlately PE does not improve our modelling skill.

I have been thinking hard how to create a scratch-built railing, not just accurately but in an easy way. After reviewing my past experience with stretched runner, an idea to came to my mind. I instantly created a device as shown in the photos below. It is a device that can help you to accurately create a railing in an easy way (of cos the scratch-built railing is never perfect compared to PE but I guess it can be very close) . This is only a prototype at the moment and I am still investigating and improving this device. It is designed for 1/500 scale (so I can see if I can use it in my Zuikaku).

1). This device allows you to locate the posts & handrails without measuring each one of them.
2). This device elimate the hassles with the gluing progress > For example when you put the glue to join the post and the handrails, the glue brush may move and dislocate the post. Also the glue may stuck to the table or underlay.

Maybe one day it could become a product, but I am in doubt... there is no market for this as PE is so common these days. Anyway, it is worth to have a try..... please let me know what you think of this device.

Overall view of the device, note the recessed trench in the middle.

One end can move left or right, depends the length of the railing you like to create. However, I abandoned this idea because it is hard to deal with runner longer than 6cm.

I tested it once and realise that runner requires support in the middle, otherwise the handrails (top, mid, bottom rail) will be uneven. So I added a middle guide. That means I cannot use the retractable end anymore.

[AC Studio]

Putting the posts into the slots, so no need to measure it everytime when I have to do a new one again.

Glue handrails & posts together, note the recessed trench design that prevent glue to stick to the underlay or cutting mat. Also easy to install the post into the slots with the tweezers.

Push out the retractable end so I can able to put one end of the half-finished railing out with a tweezers.

[AC Studio]

Put the half finished railing out carefully.

Cut the excess runner around the railing

Finished > comparsion to the PE, but I still need to reduce the size of the railing. Otherwise the device & the design principles works, but need to refine it still...

[Timmy C]

Very nice! I've moved this to Tips and Tricks

[JWintjes]

Extremely impressive!

Mmh, that may be the solution to the hunt for off-scale railings.

Jorit

[JIM BAUMANN]

very interesting and impressive methodolgy.

Well known miniature( scratch) builder of small models Bob Wilson
( some of whose mighty impressive fleet can be seen here at MW.com)

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=38508

makes his rails on a frame, using thin metal wire that is lightly soldered

I quote below ( from modelshipworld.com)

The rails are 38 swg tinned copper wire. I wind it on a frame and then solder all the cross-overs. It doesn't take long and is quite a simple job. Then they are spray painted white. The difficult part is sticking them on the model!
Here is an enlargement of the rails after they have been soldered
Bob



here is an image of said railing... pretty neat stuff!

[JIM BAUMANN]

I was mailing Bob Wilson....

He kindly sent me a better and more explanatory picture and these words.

Hopefully this will of assistance and interest also....

Best Wishes

JIM B
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Bob says:

Here is another picture of the rail frame that should make it clearer. The spacing is achieved by threaded rod glued along all four side of frame. The things sticking out, are old radio terminals to terminate the wire as required. It is unusal to get a complete frame of perfact rails and in this one, you can see the horizontals are a bit out on the top two. These were discarded after soldering. I spray paint them with white matt primer (Halfords).

I get the tinned copper wire from http://www.wires.co.uk, you can get it as fine as you want. The soldering iron is an Antex 25 Watt from Maplin. The only solder that will work is the old "toxic" type, 60/40 tin-lead alloy. Available on http://www.ebay.co.uk. The soldering flux is Baker's Soldering Fluid, that has the consistency of water and is available from plumbers supplies. It may take about 15 minutes to produce a set of rails like this, less when you get the hang of it.

Best wishes
Bob