attaching models to ceiling?

You might try using a small "cup hanger"--like for inside the cupboard--actually screwed into the ceiling instead of tape. I would think that tape will eventually let go and down comes the plane for a dead-stick landing.

Cup hook with fishing line in a continuous loop. Slip one end of the loop around the nose, the other around the tail, pull the free end up and hook it to the cup hook. Looks great and the fishing line pretty much disappears.

I use small cup hooks and invisible thread for most of my hanging models. For the few that really have some mass to them I'll use fishing line. Problem with tape is that it will eventually lose its adhesion and then you will have to deal with crash landings. I generally use a three point suspension; 1st point at the tail or tail wheel, 2nd point on the fuselage or an outboard engine for multi engine aircraft, 3rd point on a pitot tube or opposite outboard engine. I'll adjust the length of all three points to achieve the angle of attack that I like then tie off the three strings twice to form a loop to insert the cup hook.

WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO SWANNY'S AIRSHOW LOL

My way is a bit low-tech, but all I do it wrap and tie fishing wire around thumb tacks(so the plastic part prevents the string from falling off [duh]) and attach 3 or 4 poits....and voila!!

Looks good Swanny. Don't hang mine up anymore. Dust doesn't do models any good.

With me it depends on the size of the model. For small planes (1/72 fighters) I use fishing line and a thumbtack, for something a little larger, say a 1/72 B-29, I use the cup hook and a little larger size fishing line. For something monstrous, the 1/48 B-29 comes to mind here, I used a plant hook with the toggle bolt. This involved drilling a hole to fit the toggle through, but it was worth it. I lost a 1/72 B-52D a few years ago because a cup hook pulled loose.

Oh, I forgot to mantion I'm building mainly 1/72nd scales... It depends - those models with the gear down I put mostly on my sheves, these that are "fyling-alike" built, I attach to the ceileing.





As u can see, I stick the threads for a very long range, so there's a very tiny possibility of falling them planes down.

But thanks for the tips!


Cheers,
Pisis

I still wouldn't trust them to tape. I would go with the cup hook. The tape will eventually pull loose.

They might have wings, but model's glide angles suck! Cup hooks or even a couple of tacks would be better than tape. It looks like you have a textured ceiling, so the adhesion is lessened by the texture. Tape WILL yellow and lose adhesion. That's a fact!

Models, when they hit the ground, will break at the weakest points, which is usually NOT the original glue seam. Save yourself some misery and get some tacks or cup hooks!

okey dokey, I'll give on your advices, seems like 99% of you use the "cup nail" method....... cuz yeha, my ceiling is textured............

cheers,
pisis

I tie a fisherman's loop in the end of fine nylon monofilament thread, and tie the other end to a thumbtack. I use three of these per model. I put the loop around each wing, and hang the tail on the other one. You can use white thumbtacks to blend in with the ceiling, and the plane's attitude can be adjusted by moving the thumbtacks to raise a wing or the tail. I'll post a pic later. I've never had a plane crash due to the way they're hung. You do have to take them down every now and then to get the dust off.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Swanny I use small cup hooks and invisible thread for most of my hanging models. For the few that really have some mass to them I'll use fishing line. Problem with tape is that it will eventually lose its adhesion and then you will have to deal with crash landings. I generally use a three point suspension; 1st point at the tail or tail wheel, 2nd point on the fuselage or an outboard engine for multi engine aircraft, 3rd point on a pitot tube or opposite outboard engine. I'll adjust the length of all three points to achieve the angle of attack that I like then tie off the three strings twice to form a loop to insert the cup hook.

side note here guys even if you use a cup hook you may still have those come loose ond eventually come off. Try a coat hook with a longer shaft and alot of thread to it and try to find out where the ceiling joists are and insert the hook into those to provide better support especially if you are going to hang monsters like the B-52 or the B-36 even the B-29 since those are heavier than regular 1/72 and 1/48 scale aircraft and try to stay away from cotton thread since it cannot hold a heavy aircraft like the B-29 for long try Monofilament fishing line with a 20# to 100# test strength. and since Ceiling joists are usually 24 inches on center you can hang a B-29 on the same two hooks with only four loops of line since the weight will be held by the front and rear lines you can use 2 cup hooks one over each wing to support the wings. just insert those the same way you usually do into the drywall.

I always used 4 lb test fishing line and small nails. I used 3 nails into the ceiling so the models wouldn't twist when the a/c or heater was running. for larger models I used hooks with molly bolts or anchors in the ceiling so they would not pull down. As a kid I used to have them enganged in combat scenes, even with aa missles tied to 2 lb test fishing line running between the planes. A little paint on the fishing line behind the missle and some cotton provided exhaust.
Steve

Here's a pic of my DO-17 hanging from the ceiling using the technique I described earlier.



The plane is hanging in the loops of nylon by the wings and by the tail. It's hard to make out the thread, but you can see the three thumbtacks. If I want to change the position of the plane, all I need to do is relocate the thumbtacks. On this model, there are some radio cables running from the tops of the two fins, so I had to put the loop around the tail before I added the thread. When I have to take the model down, I just pull out the tail thread thumbtack, and put it in fresh ceiling when I put it back up.



Here are several models hanging using the nylon and tack method. Geez, I need to do some dusting!!!

Hey Swanny,how do you deal with the accumulation of dust on your hanging models?Do you have to take them down every few months for cleaning?Or is the room so climate controlled that dust is not an issue?Please Advise.

Don't know what conditions are like in Sandusky, but here in the deep south, we have days in the Spring when the pollen count is over 2500. Now keep in mind that the scale they use on the local news says that anything over 60 or so is "Bad..." So I guess that makes 2500 "Ridiculously bad!!" Anyway, dust is always an issue. I have to take them all down and brush/spray the dust off (of the top anyway) on a regular basis. That's why one of my upcoming projects is a glass enclosed display cabinet.

some fine examples there

My method is I have a staple gun thats used for stapling telephone or thermostat wire (cost about $20 bucks) and a box of staple will last a life time. The staples are a U shape .You hold a fishining line to the end of the staple gun Pull the trigger and then tie the line a few loops around the staple. The are practical invisible and I have hung 1/48 B29 SR71 and never had one fall down. On the aircraft I tie like a sling around one wing accross the fuselage around the other wing and end up on top of the fuselage With this method you can then tilt the aircraft in any postion up, down side ways. I also found sometimes on a big model they will turn around with air flow which looks kind of neat if you dont care that run another piece of line to the tail and achor it in postion. PS I just sold my place and packed up the aircraft and removed the staples and line and no one has even noticed any holes I didnt have to go around pluging them up

I use the push-pin/fishing line method. if you are willing to put small holes in your models, I remember my dad used to take a sewing needle, heat it up and poke small holes in the tips of the wings and tail. Tie fishing lines to the holes, then wrap the line around the push-pin in the ceiling... be aware though, if you dont get the push-pin in tight around the fishing line, it will just unravel... also, if you constantly take the push pin in and out, it wont hold.

QUOTE: Originally posted by Pisis Hi, I was wondering what's the best way to attach a model to the ceiling - and how. I use classic cotton - I tie it generally to the tail wheel and by the nose whilst the run of the cottons determines how the aircraft will be drooped... I attach it to the ceiling with a classic transparent sticky tape... I saw some of you use fishline and/or tie it around the whole aircraft body... Any other reasonable ways of emplacing my models?

I use a variation on the cup hook and fish line method. I tie a number of fish line loops at once by tying a bunch of loops of line around something of close to the circumfrence I'm looking for. When I want to hang a model, I grab a pair of the loops I've tied and hang them over a cuphook in the ceiling, then loop one around the tail and the other around the nose. It makes it easy to take down the models for dusting or showing off.

Bill

So, the cup hooks method is wasted, since my dad didn't allow me to pierce the ceiling up...

QUOTE: Originally posted by jamesrgorey My method is I have a staple gun thats used for stapling telephone or thermostat wire (cost about $20 bucks) and a box of staple will last a life time. The staples are a U shape .You hold a fishining line to the end of the staple gun Pull the trigger and then tie the line a few loops around the staple. The are practical invisible and I have hung 1/48 B29 SR71 and never had one fall down. On the aircraft I tie like a sling around one wing accross the fuselage around the other wing and end up on top of the fuselage With this method you can then tilt the aircraft in any postion up, down side ways. I also found sometimes on a big model they will turn around with air flow which looks kind of neat if you dont care that run another piece of line to the tail and achor it in postion. PS I just sold my place and packed up the aircraft and removed the staples and line and no one has even noticed any holes I didnt have to go around pluging them up

Sounds interesting... do you think these staples?

BTW, what's the type of your ceiling?


Thanks,
Pisis

Is ceiling used with movable scale models? From Google images I found only trains, which are going on walls and ceiling. Aircrafts are put up immovably with strings. If rails are mounted on the ceiling, aircrafts and other models could operate like trains. With modern technology that might be possible even without rails.

If a light car had a rotor on the top, it could drive along walls and ceiling. Although it is more a toy than a scale model.