Rope Coils

In the past, I have made them look heavy and natural looking by soaking the coil in a white glue solution and then molding them by hand into the desired shape. There are probably better techniques, but that is the only one I have utilized, it worked for me.

It depends on the scale. For my 1/700 ships, I use 24-, 26-, or 30-gauge copper or stainless steen wire. It's a pain, because you usually have to take a match to it to burn off the varnish coating, then lightly sand it to have a prayer of the paint sticking, then do touch-ups after you get it bent the way you want it - but it's the only thing I've found that looks remotely "right" in 1/700.

Take a paintbrush handle that is about the right diameter ( I find a varnished handle works better than natural wood). Wrap the line around a couple of times and then soak with diluted white glue. When it has dried enough to become tacky slide it of the brush handle and do the final molding and then press it flat (I use a plastic cutting mat for this). Works like a dream.

Julian

For coils on the deck, I think it was KP80 who mentioned he coiled thread on the sticky part of a  Post-It  note. Then, I don't recall for sure, but maybe coat it with dilute white glue?

I have to agree with subfixer, soaking the "rope" in a white glue solution, and then laying down the coil, while a bit tedious, makes a fine looking coil of line. Winding the "rope" about a form, can produce a coil that is too perfect. In reality, these coils were hand laid, and not always by the same person.