"EZ line rigging bi-planes" Topic

Hello everyone,

My first post since moving from Britain to the USA! I posted to myself here my WW1 air game, using 1/72nd scale models, and I want to revisit it all a bit, and want to try rigging them. I ve read great things about the elastic 'EZ' line, but saw that it comes in various thicknesses. Now, my question is thus, which grade for 1/72 would you recommend? they are not beautiful models in the're own right, nice game pieces is more acuurate, so I don't mind using thicker grade than totally scale, if you see what l mean.

Any advice?

Thanks in advance

John

One of my chums always used fuse wire.

I have no experience with EZ Line. I use "invisible sewing thread" available at any fabric store. It comes in clear and smoky so I use the smoky and run it over the tip of a black felt marker if I want it darker. I think there is only one thickness and comes on spools of 250m in length (lasts a loooong time!) The thread is 100% nylon and hasn't stretched and sagged in 10 years on my static models. Hope this helps.

Pete

Being an IMPS plastic modeler and being in a very active club for many years, just about all of us used cheap nylon house painting brushes (the cheaper the better). The cheap ones have constant thickness "bristles". One could use a cheap foxtail (the little brush that comes with a dustpan).

Cut the bristle to length, then dip each end into white clue and put in place. When the white clue dries it's clear and shrinks pulling it taut.

I brought this method with me when I joined a gaming club and used to rig Age of Sail ships. This had the benefit that, if a ship was dropped and a mast bent, the lines would simply pop loose causing minimum damage.

I use very thin wire. Available at most hardware store. Paint. Cut to size. Superglue on. Touch up & done!
Welcome to the USA, BTW! Sorry about the Election year. You have come at the worst time ever… and I mean ever.
Peter
board2deathterrain.com

That nylon thread from Langton Miniatures is great for rigging planes and ships, it also tensions up I believe. Comes in brown and black and is the right weight for rigging 1/72 too.

I just recently saw a 1/72 scale model on which the builder used the thicker EZ Line. The nice part is that it stretches a very long way. I wouldn't use it for a gaming model though, as it gives no strength at all. On the other hand if you bump it it won't break, just stretch some more.

I've been building airplanes for gaming for forty years, and I always use nylon monofilament (the clear sewing stuff). For display I'll drill all the holes and run it exactly. For game pieces I use one long piece and run it from the fuselage holes, wrapping it around the struts. This works well for standard bipes and also for open-framed pushers.

Ah, thank you Steve, I like the idea of the EZ line, as the planes are gaming pieces, and although they dont usually get handled, just the flying bases, I will probably only rig the upper and lower wings, where the wires are a bit more 'out of the way' So, the thicker line didn't look too thick?, great information, thank you, I may buy a roll, (100ft, should do it!)

John

If I've done it right this link should let you look at his pictures.
link

Thats great, thanks for the link, looks like the EZ heavy gauge it is!

Thanks for the great information fellas.

John