Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => Detail Work, Rigging, Fittings, Figures Etc. => Topic started by: sailorboy61 on July 17, 2012, 08:26:10 pm

Title: Brass Work - Ladders
Post by: sailorboy61 on July 17, 2012, 08:26:10 pm
, So, after months of getting the stuff together, reading all about it, checking out several tutorials (thanks Umi!), I decided I couldnt put it off any longer, and got all the stuff laid out.

Nice simple start, flight of ladders, 10 steps, see how it goes. The sides are cut and stuck down to the board and template, open shiney new BIG tim of flux, get the iron heating up and go get the tiny rungs cut.

So nobody mentioned this, mine are about 4mm long, I can just see them with me extra eyes on, but how the hell do you cut 10, (will need a couple of hundred by the end!) all the same size? I guess there is some need of a jig of some description, but I can't see myself sawing off each piece when a snip would do it, but ho do you get the pliers close enough to any jig set up??

Obviously there is going to be some simple way to do this this that only a blind fool can't see - so what is it, how do you get to consistantly cut a large number of small pieces with precision and speed?


Thanks.. :o
Title: Re: Brass Work - Ladders
Post by: Umi_Ryuzuki on July 18, 2012, 08:30:44 am
Build a wood jig.

Maybe something like this,...
It will get your parts to very close to the same size every time, and
dull every Xacto blade you currently own. Just roll the brass bar under
the edge of the blade, with a little help twisting with your left hand.
Once the bar is scored you will be able to bend and break it away.
A bit of filing will flatten the break if you feel up to it.

 :-)
Title: Re: Brass Work - Ladders
Post by: tonyH on July 18, 2012, 08:21:48 pm
Or, take piece of 4mm ply (or similar). Drill, say, a dozen holes to suit wire straight through and clamp wood to flat surface. Poke wire into hole till it touches bottom and use side cutters to snip off flush with top surface. Run file over top surface to flatten off. Remove pieces from holes and repeat Ad Nauseam.

Tony
Title: Re: Brass Work - Ladders
Post by: sailorboy61 on July 18, 2012, 08:53:53 pm
Or, take piece of 4mm ply (or similar). Drill, say, a dozen holes to suit wire straight through and clamp wood to flat surface. Poke wire into hole till it touches bottom and use side cutters to snip off flush with top surface. Run file over top surface to flatten off. Remove pieces from holes and repeat Ad Nauseam.

Tony

That would seem to resolve the end tidying up too! I'm struggling to hold and file a 4mm rung in my 12mm fingers  :D  :D  :D