Good evening
I am trying to finish the final corner of my layout and the latest part I'm working on is the bridge.
I've used pins as posts and bought some 0.45mm brass wire for the handrails.
Can anyone advise in the best way to attach the brass wire along this curve?...
Or if there is an alternative approach!
Many thanks!
You could solder them on.
A better way would be to use model ship Stanchions. They will look a lot better.
Alec
I would solder the wire in place.
This will be very vunrable to knocks so a firm fixing is required, also platic would not be a good idea as again they could easily be damaged.
I have some platic bridge railings on Meanderbahn, I have lost count the times these have had to be repaired over the past 40 years!
A couple of thoughts / suggestions from me Peter.
The pins used as stanchions will probably be fairly robust (they should stand a track cleaning hand catching them) especially if you have used some adhesive where they pass through the sleepers (and I assume the point projecting below will be cut off, though it could be bent through 90 degrees and fixed to the underside of the sleepers for added strength).
As Alec suggests the look could be improved by using model ship stanchions as these usually have holes to pass a handrail wire through, and ones with multiple holes are available so you can have more than one wire to make up the 'fence'. As an alternative I've got some 4mm scale queen posts that are essentially a handrail knob (with hole) on a 'post about 1" long (I think they came from Markits via 247 Developments as "M98 Queen Post/ Long handrail knob 24mm x10). I've also used fine brass angle to make stanchions that I've drilled to take the wires.
As to the handrails with your bridge on a curve I'd try something more flexible than 0.45 brass handrail wire. I tend to use 0.3mm (about a scale inch), but forming the harder brass wire to the curve might be difficult. I wonder if stripping some fine copper from an electrical flex (like an old appliance lead - not the 1 mm stuff from 'twin & earth') would give you a nice fine and flexible wire that could be wrapped around the stanchions then soldered in place.
As an alternative to wire nylon filament (fishing line) or one of the elasticated fibers like EZ Line might be easier. This could be tied at one end then attached to subsequent stanchions with a single 'wrap' round and tied to the last post, the knots and wraps fixed with a dab of superglue once the job is done, and if one was careful about the wraps / knots these could be made to look like knobs often seen on stanchions where the rails pass through.
The elastic EZ line might have the advantage that it will stretch rather than break if caught by an errant hand and may be more flexible (easier to wrap round the post) than nylon.
Hope that helps.
Julien
David Burleigh posted on facecloth about some ready-made handrails he bought. 4D Models were the suppliers. They look rather nice
(quoted from David's post : " 4D Models, 120 The Arches, Leman St, London E1 8EU
The overall length is 250mm" )
That's good point about model boat stanchions - thanks Alec. I'm in a similar position to the original poster.
The biggest selection I've seen is from Cornwall Model Boats. I've bought from them for boat related items on occasion.
https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/Model-Boat-Fittings-Rail-Stanchions.html (https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/Model-Boat-Fittings-Rail-Stanchions.html)
As for curving, handrails are mostly in straight sections I think, but it might look odd on a curved bridge, let alone get the bends in the right place. For the actual curving, it will need a little experimentation, but a variation on the inexpensive home-made rail bender I wrote about in the 009 News a while back might do the job. (Essentially three screws in a piece of wood.)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53582705566_cbf73d6fd6_z.jpg)
I suspect even drawing the rod/wire through a cloth held between thumb and two fingers will be enough. If anything it is easier to put an unwanted curve in wire trying to straighten it using this method. To do that I think you need to pull tight and twist.
Many thanks for this feedback! I can see a way forward now and will try and share some photos once completed.
Again, I really appreciate the time given to provide these very helpful and detailed responses.
Peter