Walthers Cinder Conveyor & Ash Pit - Help, please

[jcopilot]

Walthers supplies a length of ordinary black cotton thread to use for hauling the cinder car up to the chute and to raise and lower the chute.  The thread isn't very stiff and hangs unnaturally.

What was used on the real Fairbanks Morse cinder conveyors?  Chain?  Twisted steel cable?  If it was chain, I can get some scale chain.  But what can be used for twisted steel cable?  Is there some way to stiffen the cotton thread?

I have a similar problem with some car pullers - what to use for the cable?  I tried rubbing some white glue into the thread, but that didn't work.

What was used on the real FM conveyors and, if it was cable, what can be used to simulate it?

Thanks,

Jeff

[gmpullman]

Take a look at braided PE fishing line. It is smooth with no fuzzies and is very strong.

https://tinyurl.com/y5vnce6a

I bought a silver-gray color in two sizes, .165mm and .148mm.

https://tinyurl.com/y5lvpyb7

 

Good Luck, Ed

[mobilman44]

I used "thick" black thread, stretched it out and coated with a clear laquer (Dull Cote I think).........It held its shape nicely and is now several years on the layout.  

[doctorwayne]

jcopilot

....What was used on the real Fairbanks Morse cinder conveyors? Chain? Twisted steel cable? If it was chain, I can get some scale chain. But what can be used for twisted steel cable? Is there some way to stiffen the cotton thread?.....

It was some time ago that I built that model for a friend, and since it's meant to be a static model, the bucket is cemented in whatever position the builder chooses. 
For the chute support cable, I think that I used some fine wire, and you could also use it for the skip-bucket, too, although I'm pretty sure that I used the thread, then cemented the bucket in place, half-way up, to keep the thread taut.

Even 40-links-to-the-inch chain is too coarse for this application (and most other places where we use it anyway).  It scales-out to about 5 or 6 links per foot in HO.

Wayne

 

[PC101]

Would it help if the thread was pulled through Bee's wax?

Look up ''Vintage Reproductions, The Emporium Model and Diorama Supplies" Scale cable #310, 8' of 0.012 Dia. 7 Strand Stainless Steel. On April 4th, 1998 it cost $1.89.

[jcopilot]

I don't know about the bee's wax, don't have any to try.  I did apply some Dull Cote to a piece and it got stiffer, but still wouldn't hang straight as if there was something heavy on the end.  Now I'm waiting on an order from Amazon - braided fishing line.  I'll see how that works.

I wonder if waxy Chap Stik would be the same as bee's wax?

Thanks to everyone for your help.  Thanks Bob.

Jeff

[gmpullman]

jcopilot

Now I'm waiting on an order from Amazon - braided fishing line.

I hope it works out well for you, Jeff. I noticed that Artitec uses the same braided line for rigging on their fine models.

Big-Lift2 by Edmund, on Flickr

Big-Lift by Edmund, on Flickr

Good Luck, Ed

[PC101]

The braided fishing line looks like a good catch to me. The SS #310 line could be trouble when going 360° around a pully.

[doctorwayne]

PC101

Would it help if the thread was pulled through Bee's wax?...

Pulling thread through wax (it doesn't have to be bee's wax) is a model shipbuilder's trick to keep the rigging on sailing vessels from becoming fuzzy and collecting dust.  It won't keep the thread stiff or in a formed sag.

You might try tensioning a length of thread vertically, then applying ca to it.

Wayne

 

[CV-SE]

jcopilot

What was used on the real FM conveyors and, if it was cable, what can be used to simulate it? Thanks, Jeff

Jeff, 

The prototype would have used steel cable. 

Next time you're near a craft store (Michael's, etc...) take a look in the jewelry making section for something called "braided bead wire" - in HO you'll want to find somthing around .015" or .020" diameter - the thinnest they'll likely have. I think you'll find it looks exactly like steel "rope" - 

Hope this helps, 

 

Marty 

[chutton01]

CV-SE

Next time you're near a craft store (Michael's, etc...) take a look in the jewelry making section for something called "braided bead wire" - in HO you'll want to find somthing around .015" or .020" diameter - the thinnest they'll likely have. I think you'll find it looks exactly like steel "rope"

Bit of a caveat here - at least in my experience with my local Michaels the available selections of bead wire are invariably coated in nylon. While a transparent coating, it is visible and (IMO) somewhat spoils the illusion of steel cable.
I tried burning the coating off (outdoors, and with a respirator mask on - I didn't want to breath in the fumes) to mixed results (in some cases the wire unraveled, other cases I got a soot effect which I did not want, and some cases the result looked decent enough).
The nylon coating is fine for people who use the wire for it's intended purpose (for making jewerly and decorations), but for hobby usage...

[RR_Mel]

For what it’s worth I use .015” piano wire for wires and cables that need to look real.  I put a sag in the wire to make it look like the real thing.

 

I put a sharp bend at each end of the wire/cable and drop it into a .015 hole.  I try not to use any glue as Old Clumsy Mel will ding it when working in the vicinity.  I make everything easily removable so I can work in the area without dinging something.

 

The .015” wire looks very good for power lines between poles and power drops to structures.  It’s also easy to clean, dust just wipes off with a ¼” craft paint brush.

 

I went with .015” brass wire for the power drop to my turntable and use it for the power to one rail on the bridge and the drive shaft for the other rail.  I used a K&S brass tube for the power pole.

 

 

 

The soft brass rod is easier to make sharp bends without breaking.

 

 

 

Mel

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[PC101]

chutton01

 

CV-SE

Next time you're near a craft store (Michael's, etc...) take a look in the jewelry making section for something called "braided bead wire" - in HO you'll want to find somthing around .015" or .020" diameter - the thinnest they'll likely have. I think you'll find it looks exactly like steel "rope"

 

 

Bit of a caveat here - at least in my experience with my local Michaels the available selections of bead wire are invariably coated in nylon. While a transparent coating, it is visible and (IMO) somewhat spoils the illusion of steel cable.
I tried burning the coating off (outdoors, and with a respirator mask on - I didn't want to breath in the fumes) to mixed results (in some cases the wire unraveled, other cases I got a soot effect which I did not want, and some cases the result looked decent enough).
The nylon coating is fine for people who use the wire for it's intended purpose (for making jewerly and decorations), but for hobby usage...

 

 

Yes the nylon coating is the drawback with the beading wire. But look at this one,

Soft Touch by Soft Flex Co. Premium Flex Wire, Satin Silver Color, 50% softer and more flexible, knot tying stainless steel nylon coated, test strength 10lbs. diameter .014'', 21 strands, 30' on a spool. it's still nylon coated but you can feel the strands as you pull it through your fingers. For the awful price of $13.99 at Hobby Lobby, don't forget your coupon if you go for some. I think the "cable'' with the most strands (21) looks the best, in HO.

And many steel cables are mostly greasy, dirty and rusty on the drums and rigging. So would you see the strands anyway?

Would .014'' come to appox. slightly less then 1-1/4'' HO?