In trying to find material to make tie down straps for flatcar loads, I found the following works well. I used small flat braided candle wick that i found at Ace Hardware. I thinned acrylic paint and soaked the material in this for the color i wanted
FYI tichy also makes a strap wrench.
https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/c/miscellaneous/p/3082/Default.aspx
I searched around for different materials, and I seen a modeler that uses 1/64" nail art tape. Finger nail artists use it for various designs. It comes in a bunch of colors, but I use black.
Protoloads has different hardware items to go along with the "strapping" or banding.
http://www.protoloads.com/
Mike.
My You Tube
I ordered some 1/64" chart tape off of Ebay. Cheap and cheerful.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
to the MR Forums, stumpy!
I found some material suitable for strapping on-line, at a site for "nail art", but later learned that the same stuff is available at almost any beauty salon at a much lower price.It comes in a wide range of widths and colours, and has an adhesive backing. After wrapping it around the bundles of "lumber" shown below, I terminated the ends on the bottom of each bundle, and added a drop of ca to ensure that the strapping would stay in place even if the adhesive dries-out over time.The strapping only holds the lumber together in the bundles, though. The bundles are held in place on/in the car by wood blocking, stakes, and dunnage...
For this load of plate steel (Plastruct ABS plastic sheet), the shorter pieces are placed on the car first, atop blocking and held in place laterally by stakes (and dunnage if necessary).The longer pieces are placed atop the short ones, with the longest ones on top. A long piece of hardwood (4"x4" or 6"x6") , spanning the width of the car, is then added near the outer ends of each upper piece. A pre-drilled hole, near each end, extends down through each. A length of threaded rod, with a piece of steel welded to its bottom end to ensure that the rod cannot be pulled up through the stake pocket, is then inserted from the bottom of each appropriate stake pocket, with the rods protruding through the drilled holes. A washer and nut is then placed onto each rod, and as the nuts are tightened, the ends of the top plates are drawn downward, securing all of the plates longitudinally.
Different loads require different methods of restraint, and those methods may also vary depending on the timeframe which you're modelling.
Wayne
doctorwayne A length of threaded rod, with a piece of steel welded to its bottom end to ensure that the rod cannot be pulled up through the stake pocket, is then inserted from the bottom of each appropriate stake pocket, with the rods protruding through the drilled holes. A washer and nut is then placed onto each rod, and as the nuts are tightened, the ends of the top plates are drawn downward, securing all of the plates longitudinally.
HO scale threaded rod w/nut and washer? May I ask what you used to make that?
maxmanHO scale threaded rod w/nut and washer? May I ask what you used to make that?
I have used some of the various-sized, Tichy, NBW or Nut-Bolt-Washer details available for "bolting" timbers together or, as Wayne did, glue them to lengths of small diameter styrene to make hold-down rods.
https://www.tichytraingroup.com/Shop/tabid/91/p/8142/Default.aspx
dunnage by Edmund, on Flickr
The load shown in the photo is just resting on the flat car for now. I have more "anchoring" to do.
Good Luck, Ed
I suppose a truly dedicated modeler could use 0000-120 hardware. Diameter is .021", which could pass for a 1 1/2" bolt.
I don't think that's going to be me, though.
Ed
I have used chart tape. Used to be easier to find. My only caution there: Is it current production? In other words, are they still making the stuff, given it's been largely eclipsed by electronic formats aong those who were its previous largest consumers. The stuff I have never was sticky as I'd like and is less so now.
I found something that has some advantages, elastic thread that can be found in the beading section of most arts and crafts stores. I tack down one end with ACC, let dry, stretch it around, put a dab of ACC on the other end and hit it with a spritz of kicker. Let that dry for a few moments, then you'll get a nice taut tiedown that tends to stay looking good because of elastic maintaining the tension.
It isn't quite as flat as chart tape, but my eyes are now where I don't notice that much, but do notice sagging tiedowns. Pick your poison.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
maxman doctorwayne A length of threaded rod, with a piece of steel welded to its bottom end to ensure that the rod cannot be pulled up through the stake pocket, is then inserted from the bottom of each appropriate stake pocket, with the rods protruding through the drilled holes. A washer and nut is then placed onto each rod, and as the nuts are tightened, the ends of the top plates are drawn downward, securing all of the plates longitudinally. HO scale threaded rod w/nut and washer? May I ask what you used to make that?
doctorwayne
riogrande5761I ordered some 1/64" chart tape off of Ebay.
Many, many year's ago I use to frequent Graphic Art Store's ( sometime's they would have "unusual" bit's of stuff that would work for modeling project's .)
That's where I discovered Chart tape. It come's in a variety ov sizes and color's.
I purchased a Lifetime supply.
I used chart tape to represent Metal banding on this load of steel I beam's . I painted the silver on the band's to represent the metal clamp's that are used to tighten the strap's and "lock them in place.
Did the same thing here.... but I made the mistake of weathering the car with a thinned down wash of Black on the deck.... after I had placed the load on it. The thinner "soaked" into the Chart tape and made it sag a bit.
No worrie's .... in real life sometime's the guy doing the banding doesn't know what he's doing, and the band's dont get tight enough. Or he "just don't care" and clamp's it down .... then goes back to "Coffie break" . I have seen string's of flatcar's rolling by.... dragging "finger's " of steel banding down the track's .... it's hard to get "Good Help" these day's.
If you do find some.... BUY IT ALL !!!
Now that computer's have taken over, there just isn't a use for "Old School" paste up and layout artist's anymore.
Rust...... It's a good thing !
Chart tape can be found on eBay:
Joe Staten Island West
For those who are REALLY interested in accurately modeling flatcar loads, Silverlake Images/Ron's Books is offering a limited run reprint of "Railway Prototype Cyclopedia (RP CYC), volume 20. The section titled "Flat Car Loading Practices-AAR Rules, Various Commodities, and Loaded Cars" fills pages 1-85 with loading diagrams for a wide range of items which are taken from AAR loading guides as well as, photographic examples of loaded cars employing these techniques. The diagrams give the dimensions and specifications for materials used in securing the loads to the cars. As was the focus of the RP CYC series of books, the primary period of interest was 1940-1955 which covers the ever popular transition era. The remainder of the 114 soft covered pages in this hard to find issue is devoted to additional coverage of General American Transportation's 2600 cu. ft. railroad-leased Airslide covered hoppers. RP CYC started printing in the mid 1990s providing in depth coverage of prototype subjects with excerpts from car builder's literature, photographs and rosters of mostly freight cars but also passenger equipment, some locomotives and, hardware such as trucks and brake gear. They ceased publication of an excellent resource earlier this year, so, if you are interested in accurate prototype modeling of the transition era, get 'em while you can. The reprint of Vol. 20 lists for $45.00 from Ron's Books as well as some hobby and book dealers.