Detailing tips?

I like the wine foil tip. I'm soon to be 50, but it's as good an excuse as any to pick a nice Rose. I gotta try the lead foil too. I strapped 4 packs on to an M1 this afternoon using 1MM medical tape. It's thin, strong and CA sticks well but doesn't really soak through if you fold it over (sticky side in). Your exacto didn't even get messy nor did

You can also use lead foil for the straps. There are several (including Verlinden) aftermarket companies that have them. Do a search on lead foil at greatmodels.com and you'll see a bunch. Unfortunately, all are out of stock at present, but it will give you some ideas of what to look for.

Bill

Sounds like a lot of good advice for attaching equipment. I use both Cyanoacrylic (CA) glue and regular liquid plastic glue depending on what te packs are made of and where they're going, like Sherm said.
I use the thick foil from a good wine (bottle) for straps. it can be impressed with a fabric pattern or left plain for leather. AND you get a lot of straps out of one bottle, I mean foil.... IF you're too young to drink, don't go and get any wine, okay? Tell an adult what you need and why... I'd imagine you'll be able to find somebody who will sacrifice a little time and effort to get a bottle and remove the foil for you

Ron.

Thanks guys. Sherman... was answering me while I was commenting. I really want the stowage to look like it's threaded into the wire cages and wrapped around chains, etc.

I built a M-113 Hammerhead (can't remember the correct ID on the vehicle) with the tow package based on actual photos from Desert Storm. A good friend of mine commanded one in DS. I then gave it to him for Xmas a few years age. He was pretty thrilled. Being the amatuer I am, I tied all the packs on to a piece of scale chain with wire strands. Which reminds me, I sure wish I would have known of the aftermarket track kits. The kit came with individual track links sooo, I drilled the hinges on each link and assembled them with pins made of wire strands. NEVER AGAIN!
Sure wish I would have taken pictures. It looked exactly like his vehicle. He made the comment "It's perfect, everything is there except the ID markings on the sides." Then I lifted up the chains attached to the lifting hooks, the markings were there. My bud then wiped a little tear from his eye, that made it all worth it.

QUOTE: Originally posted by pathfinder What methods work well for attaching packs and soft equipment to armor? I need your input. I just can't put glob of glue on the back of a pack and stick on a flat surface.

Remember when choosing a location for the rucksacks pick an area of the vehicle where there will be existing protrusions that someone could tie the straps to. Also remember that a soldier's personal gear like change of clothing, toiletries, wet/cold weather gear would be in these bags. They would secure them so that the bags would not get ripped off as the tank tore through trees and underbrush.

Small slices of tape, tin foil, etc. can replicate the straps. Loop this material through the obect you want to secure the pack to, then use the "glob of glue" method to attach the pack to the vehicle.

I've also used Christmas tinsel for straps in the past. Some of it is just the right size.

I've used foil, paper, post-it-notes, & medical tape all to some degree of success

There are some PE sets that contain tie-downs straps. (Royal Models comes to mind)

If you're going to hammer copper wire flat, I would suggest trying solid core solder instead. Much easier to work with.

Has anyone found a suitable strap material for hanging packs? I think I'l try to fold up some aluminum foil or hammer copper wire flat and try it out.

There may be photo etched straps out there but I haven't seen or heard of any yet.

More importantly ..... ask yourself how would a real pack be attached to the real vehicle. I some cases the straps were just threaded through the handles / or tiedown locations. These straps can be made with something as simple as paper. Or if you have a vehicle where the stowage is just piled up on the rear deck, remember something had to hold it in place. Rope, tarps, camo nets ... something. Tarps are easily replicated using tissue paper soaked in a 50 / 50 mixture of white glue and water. Camo nets can be made with cheese cloth spoaked in the same. Paint for effect.

Hope this helps a bit.

pathfinder,

Well depending on where it's going to be placed, I do just that. Not in gobs but, if it's going on a certain section, I will do a test fit, to see where the best places are to apply the glue (or super glue) I will then apply it to either the equiptment or the model itself.

If I think its going to show through the section where it will be placed, I will use white glue as it dries pretty clear.

I use CA glue to attach stuff on my kits pathfinder. You don't have to remove the paint unless you want to and it dries after holding the piece there for a couple seconds.

Eric