OK it happened. There are pictures.
Very cool. Which craft cutter are you using. I just bought the Cricut Explore Air. I told my wife it was for her and that I might use it once in awhile, then I took it downstairs into the man cave. I don’t think she is buying the story that it is hers.
Matt Kirichok said:
Next step is to make myself some tie wraps like Devon did for his MIK Build Challenge.
I might want to advise against the music wire. I just bought some .047 music wire for threading and it seems a bit stiff. If you can get it permanently bent to shape it should be OK but if its springy it could be a bear to get it all threaded together. Where as soft brass wire would hold its shape and the wire I used already was coiled so it liked being around a cylinder. But I have not played with the music wire yet. If it can be bent to shape easy enough then it should work great.
Don’t know if they still do but Micro Mark was having a sale on 00-9 dies.
Also for your 00-9 nuts and other tiny hardware check out scalehardware.com thats where I got mine. Strike that. That is not where I got mine. They have great rivets. But now I can’t remember where I got mu 00-9 nuts and bolts. I think it was Micro Mark
I got mine from micro fasteners.
I use copper wire…left over from wiring the house. with the right size thread, the wire is easy to thread with a sharp (new) die with an old dull die it isn’t so easy, the wire twists as you try to cut threads. brass would be easier as it is stiffer but still cuts reasonably well. steelwire works OK but is a little harder to thread.
if you use wire, it is usually coiled or bent but can be straightened by giving it a good solid pull…stretch it a little. I clamp one end in a good solid vise, clamp the other end in visegrips and pull on it. if that isnt enough, give the vise grips a couple of hits with a hammer in the direction of the pull while holding the wire as tight as you can.
Nice fabrication of the silo top Matt!
Thanks for the tips and tricks. I've already purchased the materials - music wire. I'm just going to have to deal with what I got, based on the tips that you all have provided, it should turn out OK
@Devon, the cutter I used was a bosskut gazelle, but it was only to draw the pattern on the tin plate. I used scissors to cut it out. I might have been able to use the cutter, but didn't want to ruin this cutter for my wife. I'll have to do more research before I trust myself cutting the metal with the cutter. I couldn't believe my wife when she said I should have used a laser cutter to cut the tin. I would have liked that, but have no room to set it up or store it. Maybe someday in the future.
David Maynard said:
I got mine from micro fasteners.
Thats where I got them from thanks David. I bookmarked the site this time.
With much patience and perseverance, I was finally able to thread the music wire I got. I used a bender to bend the wire into shape. That part was the easy part (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif).
This is how it came out:
I’m very pleased. Now, am I done with this? I don’t know. What do you all think?
I think I can be, but not sure if I should build a latter going to the top, or a door on the bottom or an enclosed latter up the side.
EDIT: Thank you Devon for posting how you did your wire wrap on your water tower. I really like this method than what I used - just gluing wire around mine. I might even consider doing it this way when the tower weathers enough and the wraps fall off.
Looks good now stick it outside and let mother nature do her work!
Those wire wraps look great. Glad I could help. Your exrcution is great. How did you bend the music wire? I might need a little metal roller.
I used one of these ‘do-hingy’ things to bend the music wire. It was very easy.
That’s a cute bender. Where did you get that? It would be great for making all sorts of stuff.
I got it from my father when he passed away (with all the other train stuff and tools I have). I have no idea where he got it. I’ve seen it for sale somewhere, but I can’t remember from where.
A buck sixteen at micro mark … er $115.95
I wouldn’t mind having a few tools micro mark sells and that would be one to add to the list.
I went with Ship Model Building tools in my search. I have seen simpler benders for wood planking many years ago … I stopped when I found the above, but remember the other hobby as a source.
I think … uh oh … if you made the center roller the powered one you could skip the gears if home made …
John
if you power the middle one, you have to raise or lower the motor as well, when finetuning.
Korm, it’s a handle you turn, No motor I see.
He said “if”. If you power it. But I think, for the lengths that would be bent in it, hand cranking would give you more control.
Devon Sinsley said:
I wouldn’t mind having a few tools micro mark sells and that would be one to add to the list.
Devon said: having a few tools
