Here are the first Pre-Production models of my turnbuckles. I'm going blind......



They are about 5mm long from eye to end of plastic sleeve.
Cable is .23mm thick.
They are only slightly longer than the Part PE equivilant.

The Q-tip sleeves have been pulled as much as they are gonna go. They ain't gonna get no smaller.

Comments?? Suggestions??

Regards
Steve

Steve , the Q-tip can be pulled smaller then that . I use that method for 48 and 72 scale . Just have to play with the heat and speed you are pulling with . It takes me a few tries to get the right size of tubing .

Other then that , yours are just the right side for 32 scale . Not all PE parts are going to be the correct size . As you found out with the framing and other fit issue .

How about small heatshrink tubing used for covering joined electrical wire.

It could be slipped onto the wire turnbuckle and then hit with a hair dryer or, if you don't have easy access to such a feminine thing, you could try the more masculine boiling water, just mind your fingers.

Looking good Steve!

Now, one question,... How are you going to attach the rigging line to these?

Cheers,

Hugh

AH HA..................somebody asked the RIGHT question.............Hugh...........

THAT has been bugging me. A lot!!!!!!!! I've lost sleep over this very question.

First. I have a plan. Can't do this crazy thing without a plan.

Second. I'm going to attach the Part PE bracket (when there is one). Then I will attach one monofilament Line to that bracket. thread both turnbuckles onto the line, attach the line to the upper bracket. Then just CA the turnbuckles onto the line. They are already threaded onto it through each eye. It does not LOOK like the monofilament will be seen once it is painted the same colors as the turnbuckle.

Third. If no bracket, then that turnbuckle gets CAed into a drilled hole.

I've fitted with a few clumsey thumbs.........a turnbuckle into place and they LOOK about right for size.



Notice that each turnbuckle has 2 eyes and the tail is kept in case it has to be burried into a drilled hole.

Production has begun.

Suggestions welcome.

Regards
Steve

Richard........

That is a fantastic idea but do they make something that small? I've used that in the past on real wiring but never saw anything this small. These guys are tiny!!

Regards
Steve

OK.
Here is how I would be doing it.

Take the tubing off of your wire loops.

Fit the (shortened) wire loops directly into your pre drilled holes so that the ring of the loop is sitting flush with the surface of the wing.

Thread a tube onto a bit of mono filament, then thread the mono filament through the ring of the wire loop and back through the tube.

Shift the tube down so that it is adjacent with the loop and apply a small amount of CA.

This makes the rigging line flexible in that it can move around the loop and get itself in a position to best fit your rigging line.

Repeat at the other end of the line. Hold tension on the free end of your monofilament so that the tension is maintained while you fix the tubing at that end... Keep that tension while you apply CA.

Some sagging may result during the rigging process. If it is too extreme, just cut the line at the loop and do it again. If is only minor, heat applied by means of a soldering iron in close proximity to the monofilament will cause it to shrink a teeeeeeeny bit (don't touch the monofilament with the soldering iron!)...

Does this make sense?

Cheers,

Hugh

I was messing with the turnbuckles and stumbled onto a website that showed me that the upper center wing is a metal fuel tank........didn't know that. Along with turnbuckle production, gonna clean the upper wing and plant some plumbing, see what grows. Never gonna get that lower wing attached. Finding all kinds of excuses.

Regards
Steve

Hugh,

No it doesn't make sense....yet. Let me read it a bit. The written word isn't always the best. Let me re-read a few times and try to follow it. I think we are kinda talking the same thing..............only different. I'll get back to you.

Steve

Picture worth a 1000 words. But then the picture might be worthless also.



The bracket method will be the biggest unknown. I feel good with the anchored method. This is bad only if your an IPMS Judge with a magnifying glass.

Steve

What I am talking about is dispensing with the Part Brackets and Turnbuckles all together.

Use the Wire loops as the anchor points.



After trying LOTS AND LOTS of different methods, this is by far my favourite.
(tell the judges to go hang)

Cheers,

Hugh

Just get the smallest and shrink it. It'll fit, it shrinks down a lot.

Also, one thing to bear in mind is that the SE.5a doesn't use a lot of conventional turnbuckles. They're mostly the short threaded bracket type for the RAF flat wires.

Richard,

You are so very correct on those darn flat wires. At first i thought that those flat wires were a Modern upgrade. I will rethink slightly my turnbuckle plan. But then I've come to kinda like them after getting bloody with those wires. A new revised plan would fit Hugh's "Plan" with a shortened "Sleeve".

Always new "Stuff" to ponder.

Regards
Steve

Hugh,

Your drawing is much better than mine............ But now I understand. Your plan does dovetail with Richard pointing out the different TB scheme on the SE5a.

I would think that with these new developements that the Part PE brackets could be used where practical and just use your loop method and where no bracket, then your full method.

The problem is.................that it won't look "right" to turnbuckle fans. Like I said, I have blood invested in mine so far. I now certainly NOTICE turnbuckles on kits.

I'm work'in on the upper fuel tank today, so I'm not up against a deadline for a decision yet.

Regards
An always learning Steve

I understand completely Steve.
That is the one downfall of my method.
In fact, all allied aircraft after around mid 1917 had these damned RAF wires... making my method only really useful for earlier Allied machines and German Machines.

Stephen thinks he may have solved the poblem of RAF wires, but he is not letting on just how he has managed this...

Cheers,

Hugh

Hugh,

I think with the RAF wires, the bracket is more important than ever. Fitting a looped monofilament or steel wire with the short sleeve on it would replicate the RAF wires well...........IMHO. Even at 1/32 it's so small that one isn't going to see much.

I'm back to thinking.......and problem solving. Don't take that as a negative Terri. Research and learning is almost more fun than building the thing. I'd like to be "close" to correct...........but then at least to KNOW why I'm deviating. Who knows, my machine might have been restrung in the field with what was at hand. "OK, who wants to go test her?"
Right!.....

Regards
Steve

Took a break from the mind boggling Turnbuckles and flying wires to the more mudane plumbing of the Upper Wing fuel tank. I'm sure I'll scrape it all off later in the build.....while dry fitting something.



And you were correct Terri.....One CAN stretch those Q-tips a lot more than I had. I got em so small I can't even see em, much less use them.

Regards
Steve

Still making Turnbuckles. Each TB gets better, so the early ones relegated to testing and fitting.

Big issue today, attached the lower wing. TAKE NOTE The Part PE framework is either EXACTLY the correct width (or maybe a tad too wide), AND the builder needs to ensure that he or she allows that framework to get NO wider when gluing. When i do my second SE5a, I will make mine just a TAD smaller (narrower.......height seems to be good and adjustable).

But the wing is on. A few adjustments will be necessary but nothing that affects the rest of the structure. Whew

Lower wing/fuselage fillets need to be problem solved. CA as gapfiller. Tight corner to work with.

Upper cockpit area to be worked on, Instrument panel, inside half of the Vickers....... Yes the gun got cut in half. There is no realistic way around that one. You look at the setup....

When I get all THAT done, then it's off to repair all the small fiddlies and painted areas. At least now i can see generally what the human eye won't ever see.

The vertical fin just does NOT want to become straightened out. probably warped in shipment.

I'm looking forward to getting back to the engine. LOTS of detail work waiting on that.

Well, back to watching CA dry.

Regards
Steve

Hmmm... maybe there is... I would be giving serious consideration to leaving the gun in one piece and scratch building a hinged cover from our good friends Litho Plate, Lead Foil and Styrene...

Or maybe that is being just too pedantic...

Cheers,

Hugh

Actually i considered that option. Beer can slightly bent might have worked. I did not want to tear so far into it that i grew disheartened. I've done that before. Thats a pretty good access cover that gives you a peek at the ammo cans. Too much to peek at behind there.

Regards
Steve

Sanding and Polishing today ..............And haven't even gotten to the wing root fillet.

Regards
Steve

Hey You give Alcoholproblems a brand new field, I´m glad that the wineproducers stopped there use off leadfoilwrappings around the bottles years ago, I remember in the nintees when the figuremodelling was a fashion this nice leadfoil was supperb to make belt´s and starps from
-"Honey I´ll need some more beers for the weekend, my Se5(%)a still needs some work"
( wife say) -"yep, you and santa, He will be drinking all weekend again"...


What brand is the best in your opinion?

Just love the work with all turnbuckles, using the same tecnique myself, timeconsuming but easy

Larsa

Lars

Interesting question about brand of beer can. Gonna sound funny, but I was trying to use Coors Silver can..........it did not "work" like real aluminum. What I have been using is a Diet Coke can. I can "work" that better. Not as much fun to "empty".

Yes, i kinda like my new turnbuckles.........but Richard (cohiba) threw a monkey wrench into my assemblyline..............no classic turnbuckles on the SE5a. Bummer....... I'm still working that issue in my "brainhousing group". May use them anyway.

Give us a photo of your turnbuckles......please.

Regards
Steve

I will, just need to take some new pics hey

Larsa