what is flat wire

as i look at the plans from GR it calls for flat wire what is it and where and what size trunbuckels do i need

Hi jmozz
Don’t know about the turnbuckles.
But if you go too your hobby shop and pulling a set of dimentions out of thin air ask for 3mmX1mm brass strip if I have the right translation of the US term it is a flat narrow and thin strip of metal.
In the context of the GR plans Brass strips are the thing to use if the part is reiforcing straps or some structural piece if however it is just a flat detail piece unlikely ti be broken because of its location then plasticard could be used as once painted it will look just as good.
regards John

Hi jmozz,
Not knowing where the flat wire is needed on the plans makes it difficult . My interpretation is that if it is for electrical use then it would be the product that I have seen and is a flat plastic strip with a number of flat wires embeded in it .
Hope this may help.
Graham L

jmozz,

Flat wire is just what it sounds like, instead of being round it has a rectangular shape. Detail Associates makes the stuff I use, a list of some of the brass wire is here
http://www.internettrains.com/n-scale-detail-associates-modeling-supplies--brass-wire--screws--washers----etc--.html

BTW one of the German modelers has used small brass tubing that he flattened. He referred to it as “hammered flat”!
I’ve just run a quicky test: started out with .060" round tubing, squeezed it in the vise ( mine is 4" with smooth jaws) and voilà I have flat wire that measures .082" by .026". That’s for you “inch” addicts![;)][:o)]

In real measurements the “flat wire” is 2.06mm by 0.8mm. The big difference between this and the drawn, flat wire is there are no sharp edges on the flattend tube type.

Have fun…, eh!

thanksHJ,GRAham andjohn but where to i get turnbuckles maybe Marc can tell me jmozz

thanksHJ,GRAham andjohn but where to i get turnbuckles maybe Marc can tell me jmozz

Well I know about two different kinds of flat wire. one is solid and is used in winding transformers etc and it comes in different dimensions, from square right through to quite thin and wide. The other kind is a multi core stuff and quite often comes in the form of a braid, quite like and earth strap on your car. Hope this helps.

Ian Kawana Island.

jmozz,

Check this URL for turnbuckles
http://www.im-manu.com/search_results.asp?txtsearchParamTxt=&txtsearchParamCat=7&txtsearchParamType=ALL&txtsearchParamMan=ALL&txtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch

By the sounds of it you need the slotted type.

Simpson had turnbuckles in both styrene and brass listed in the Walther’s catalogue.

Hope that helps, eh!