I've got a Central Valley truss bridge kit, and part of the assembly uses monofilament. I don't think there was any provided with the kit, or maybe it fell out and I lost it. I've sent them an e-mail, but there was no response. (EDIT: They did get back to me in a few days.)
Is this something I can buy somewhere, like a hardware store or fishing supply place? Does it come in various diameters? Or is there a substitute, like stretchy thread?
Thanks.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Misterbeasley:
There is a type of fish line known as monofilament. It comes in various thicknesses denote by breaking strength. Any place selling fishing supplies should be able to help you.
Dave
D'oh! KMart to the rescue. Thanks, Dave.
Hi Mr. B.
Check out EZ Line, it is streachable line you can use for telephone lines, antenaes, etc. would probably work real fine for truss rods as well.
I have a couple of packages here that I use as tie downs on flat cars and bulkheads. I believe I ordered it out of Florida. Let Google be your friend.
Johnboy out.........................
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
My LHS (Local Hardware Store) had it.
Me: Where do you have monofilament fishing line?
Woman at information desk: We don't have that.
Guy who works there: Aisle 10.
MisterBeasley My LHS (Local Hardware Store) had it. Me: Where do you have monofilament fishing line? Woman at information desk: We don't have that. Guy who works there: Aisle 10.
Clueless employees get to staff the information desk and checkout lanes. They learn all they need to know by scanning bar codes...
I use 10# monolfilament fishing line to connect point moving devices (mounted at the aisle edge of the benchwork) to the points of turnouts (which may be quite a distance removed.) Since my system is in tension (free-hanging weights at the far end) I don't have to try to push a rope.
As for your bridge, since the monofilament is undoubtedly used for tension rods I don't think it could be safely replaced by something designed to stretch under tension. Bungee cord telephone pole guy wires, anyone?
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with monofilament)
tomikawaTTAs for your bridge, since the monofilament is undoubtedly used for tension rods I don't think it could be safely replaced by something designed to stretch under tension.
In the case of this bridge kit, the monofilament is not actually supporting any load, so I think EZ Line would work. However, in the case of my bridge, I didn't like the way the line was working, so I replaced the line with some small diameter brass wire. I believe that others here have done the same thing.
Just an FYI for those who aren't familiar, like the OP, there are several types and weights of monofiliment fishing line, and different florescent colors. There are other similar products for fishing, such as braid and floracarbon. The reason I mention this is I think braid makes an excellent substitute for cables because of it's thinner diameter and twist much like a steel cable would have. But braid handles much differently that mono.
jim
maxman tomikawaTT As for your bridge, since the monofilament is undoubtedly used for tension rods I don't think it could be safely replaced by something designed to stretch under tension. In the case of this bridge kit, the monofilament is not actually supporting any load, so I think EZ Line would work. However, in the case of my bridge, I didn't like the way the line was working, so I replaced the line with some small diameter brass wire. I believe that others here have done the same thing.
tomikawaTT As for your bridge, since the monofilament is undoubtedly used for tension rods I don't think it could be safely replaced by something designed to stretch under tension.
The problem with using monofilament on the CV bridge is that it's difficult to get it tight enough to appear straight (like the steel rod which it's supposed to represent), but not so tight that it distorts the plastic bridge members.I used .015" music wire to represent the tension rods, bending the top ends to form a small-footed "L", which was inserted into holes drilled in the sides of the top chord. The bottom ends were trimmed so that they appear to terminate at the base of the vertical members, but they're not attached there at all - this negates the need for trimming them to exact lengths.
Wayne
Guys,I will mention this.
There is two types of monofilament they are memory and low memory.I'm not sure which would be better for truss rods.
Low memory doesn't twist(loop) when it comes off the open face reel after being stored during winter like normal monofilament (supposely) does.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I also used some .015" bronze or music wire as the monofilament is very difficult to look like a straight steel rod. Also much easier to install and paint. I would highly recommend going this route.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
farrellaa I also used some .015" bronze or music wire as the monofilament is very difficult to look like a straight steel rod. Also much easier to install and paint. I would highly recommend going this route. -Bob
That would be my first choice and my second choice would be .015" round ABS plastic.
My vote is for the wire....no need to bend top or bottom, CA in place top and bottom. No need to paint either. Natural dirty steel color, unlike Bronze or Music wire. You want to really go ape...they have scale washers and nuts also. A Campbell bridge I built many moon's ago, was built that way:
Take Care!
Frank
Anyone contemplating building the Central Valley bridge kits, and is confused about such things as the monofiliment and other such matters, simply HAS to obtain somehow the August 2014 issue of the NMRA Magazine. Roger Walker, an MMR, takes 10 and one half full pages (and I do mean full) to go through the entire process, pointing out where the instructions are lacking or inadequate or just plain wrong, and shows how to build the jigs needed to do a first rate job with this kit, or rather these kits since he built both the #1902 and #1906 kits. The article is replete both with meaty text and extremely instructive photos.
Central Valley would be well advised to either purchase reprints of the article or hire Walker to rewrite it to augment their instructions sheets. He is a very clear technical writer and that is a rare gift.
As to the tie rods (monofilament line) he starts out saying "you are going to love this ... You are on your own for finding the appropriate size of line and despite some "Googling" I failed to find any prototype dimensions. I settled for 20-pound monofilament fishing line, which represents a prototype diameter of about 1.5 inches. Threading the line is not well explained in the kit .... Be sure to do this operation with the side truss in its jig .... Each diagonal is about 40 feet long and compromises two tie rods so begin by measuring 160 feet of line. However you'll need extra to work with so cut about 200 feet. Fold the line in half with a tight fold. The kit suggests securing this fold around the bottom lacing of the bottom chord but this does not look prototypical. Instead I taped the line to the underside of the lower chord and threaded it up into the sidetruss assembly. I pulled it tight and temporarily taped the loose end to the top chord. I then packed 5-minute epoxy around both monofiliment lines where they passed through the lower chord, making sure the epoxy covered the lines and was packed against the inside of the box girder." After letting the epoxy cure over night he cut off the excess lines at the base of the lower chord.
That is just the slightest example of the degree of detail he goes into to building these bridges, and again, considerably improving and augmenting the original instructions.
If you are not an NMRA member ask around to see if you can borrow the issue. I don't think MR or RMC would be able to give him the space for this article that the NMRA was able to.
Dave Nelson
Thanks for all the replies. The Central Valley folks did get back to me, and even they recommended using thin brass rod instead of monofiliment.
And yes, I've noticed the deficiencies of the instructions. I've spent a lot of time staring at pictures to see how things fit together to fill in the blanks. But, who doesn't enjoy a challenge every now and then?
MisterBeasleyAnd yes, I've noticed the deficiencies of the instructions. I've spent a lot of time staring at pictures to see how things fit together to fill in the blanks. But, who doesn't enjoy a challenge every now and then?
Indeed..I've also found easier ways then the way the instructions stated just by using old fashion modeling skills.
At times it seems like a lunatic writes the instructions or draws the plans...
ndbprrWell no one has answered what monofilament is. Mono means one and in this case filament means line. Some fishline is braided even very lightweight line. With the advent of nylon and other materials extruding plastic fishline became common.
Spider wire is the worst to work with when modeling since its near unbreakable even though its thin as regular mono.I know its hard to cut.
Seems to be hit or miss with these kits. I have two of them that I'm currently building and both contain a small, separatly bagged spool of black monofilament line. (kits were purchased 5-6 yrs ago and just now getting around to building them).
But rather than using the line included, I'll probably substitute brass wire. Easily painted, easier to work with (for me)
Will second the shout-out to Walker in the NMRA pub "How to". Cleared up a lot of unclear/confusing/non-existent instructions that came with the CV kit and inspired me to pull 'em down off the shelf and get to building them.