Antenna installing

I've never found an out of the box antenna that looks thin enough to fit the scale of a model. I use stretched spruce to make antennas. You can get a lot of antenna out of the left over spruce. To hold the antenna in place I'll use either white glue or Future Floor Polish.

Most fabric stores carry invisible thread in two sizes, buy a roll of each. When you need an antenna draw a length of thread across a black magic marker then apply a small spot of medium superglue with a toothpick to the rudder attachment point. Place the end of the thread into the spot of glue and hit it with a dab of accelerator. Now apply another small dab of superglue to the mast attachment point and gently pull the thread tight across the glue. Hit this with some accelerator while holding the tension. Last step, with a fresh razor blade cut off the excess thread from the mast end. For additional detail you can add small drops of superglue onto the thread, hit them with accelerator and paint them white to act as insulators.
Note the antenna on this model and the white insulators, this is all done with invisible thread and superglue.

I may try that invisible thread, but I made my first anteanne wire from stretched sprue recently and was very impressed with the result.

Hello everyone:
I'm puzzled -- what is meant by "hit it with a dab of accelerator"?

The CA (super glue) reaction can be sped up by using the accelerator.

Glue the antenna in place with CA glue and use the accelerator. Instant drying!

Personally I have found a wonderful material for Antenna Wire, and it's free and never gonna run out, Wife hair!!!! Its long and black.

In terms of fixing then I use the same technique as Swanny

Originally posted by Harrowbeer Personally I have found a wonderful material for Antenna Wire, and it's free and never gonna run out, Wife hair!!!! Its long and black. What if it changes colour or length? Hey, that could be a good excuse if the wife ever catches me with a long haired beauty. "I only want her long hair honey for antenna wire". Somehow I don't think that's going to work very well. Reply Edit Swanny Member since February 2003 From: Sandusky Ohio, USA Posted by Swanny on Thursday, September 1, 2005 5:14 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by rjlovio Hello everyone: I'm puzzled -- what is meant by "hit it with a dab of accelerator"? Accelerator usually comes in a bottle with a plunger type spray head - this is not well suited to our hobby. I remove the top and dip a "0" paint brush into the bottle and then touch the tip of the loaded brush very near to but not directly on the glue I wish to have cured. The accelerator with spread across a surface rapidly then evaporate very quickly. This is what I mean by "hit it with a dab of accelerator" Swanny's Models Reply flaver Member since September 2004 From: ON canada Posted by flaver on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 9:31 AM I have found stretching sprue to be a good way. Lets say for a 1:25 tank as in the picture, the antenna in the box was way too big. I took some sprue, heated it with a lighter and slowly pulled it until one end was the diameter of the installation base and the other about as thin as a hair about 4 - 5 inches long. It took a few tries, but once in place it made a huge differnce. Reply waikong Member since December 2002 From: NYC, USA Posted by waikong on Friday, September 16, 2005 11:28 AM Just a caution regarding using hair, the hair will shrink or relax depending on humidity in the air My website: http://waihobbies.wkhc.net   Reply Anonymous Member since November 2005 Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 16, 2005 12:43 PM QUOTE: Originally posted by waikong Just a caution regarding using hair, the hair will shrink or relax depending on humidity in the air Oh noooo!!! I'm having a bad antenna day!!! Reply Edit waikong Member since December 2002 From: NYC, USA Posted by waikong on Friday, September 16, 2005 3:38 PM LOL! My website: http://waihobbies.wkhc.net   Reply JOIN OUR COMMUNITY! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login Register SEARCH FORUMS FREE NEWSLETTER SIGN UP By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy. FORUMS PRODUCT REVIEWS READER GALLERY HOW TO VIDEOS SHOP ABOUT US FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER SIGN UP By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy. More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy