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Bell pull ropes

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  • Member since
    May 2004
  • 4,115 posts
Posted by tatans on Sunday, April 16, 2006 4:39 PM
orson: true enough, the actual scale for the bell ropes is pretty small, I would assume extremely fine wire will be more to scale , much like people stringing telephone wires on a model layout, in real scale the wire would be 3 inches thick.
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Elgin, IL
  • 3,677 posts
Posted by orsonroy on Saturday, April 15, 2006 11:35 PM
Dental floss is too thick, as is even 5 pound fishing line.

I disassemble stranded 28 AWG wire for individual strands for my pull chains. So long as you don't touch them, they don't crease.

Ray Breyer

Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,330 posts
Posted by selector on Saturday, April 15, 2006 7:33 PM
Dental floss, painted. Wonderful for sewing repairs on heavy duty items like bakcpacks and leashes.
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Colorado Springs, CO
  • 3,590 posts
Posted by csmith9474 on Saturday, April 15, 2006 6:49 PM
You can also pull thread through bee's wax to get the same effect.
Smitty
  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: St. Louis, MO
  • 941 posts
Posted by river_eagle on Saturday, April 15, 2006 5:47 PM
get the waxed type, or it will be fuzzy,
When in doubt, rule #1 applies  Central Missouri Railroad Association cmrraclub.com
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  • From: Ohio
  • 1,615 posts
Bell pull ropes
Posted by Virginian on Saturday, April 15, 2006 5:34 PM
Some locos, like the P2K 2-8-8-2's especially, have long and visible bell pull ropes. I have used blackened copper wire for years and had to be very careful of kinks, etc., and it was almost impossible to get to hang just right. While looking at TV I had a blinding flash of the obvious - use model ship rigging string for bell pulls. So I did a search. Micro Mark has it, black and natural, enuf to do mucho locos for a little over 2 bucks. Just thought I'd share.
What could have happened.... did.

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