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GRAB HANDLE TOOL

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  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Adelaide, Australia
GRAB HANDLE TOOL
Posted by zapme on Sunday, August 7, 2011 6:58 AM

Hi all,

What tools do you guys use to make grab handles from wire? Do you make your own by hand with pliers or do you use a specific built for purpose tool. for the later which type, brand do you use and where can I get one.

Cheers

Leo

 

 

My Blog - leoslatestbuilds.blogspot.com

On the workbench: 1/72 Airfix De Havilland DH88 Comet , 1/35 Trumpeter M1A1, 1/35 Tamiya Tyrannosaurus Rex, 1/8 (?) vinyl C3PO brand unknown

 

  • Member since
    October 2005
  • From: Maryland
Posted by usmc1371 on Sunday, August 7, 2011 8:25 AM

I use a pair of needle nose plies, the kind with teeth.  The teeth help hold the wire straight in regards to the jaw.  The teeth also help when I want to make more than one grab handle and have them all the same size.  

-Jesse

  • Member since
    February 2011
  • From: San Antonio
Posted by MAJ Mike on Sunday, August 7, 2011 8:34 AM

I keep a Gerber Multi-tool with the needle-nose pliers jaws hand at my desk.  It also opens stubborn paint jars.

 

 

 "I'd "I'd rather be historically accurate than politically correct."

"Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc!"

  • Member since
    May 2009
  • From: Poland
Posted by Pawel on Sunday, August 7, 2011 8:46 AM

Hello!

I also use pliers, that have serrated jaws gradually geting more narrow towards the tip for the handles.

But many companies try to sell you a special tool for that. Usualy it's a tool used to bend the leads of older type of electronic components - so try electronics supply stores.

But you can also try to make this tool yourself - just take a wedge of some material you can work and cut grooves in it.

Then you just take a piece of wire, insert in in a groove of apropriate length and bend the ends down - ready! Hope this helps, have a nice day

Paweł

All comments and critique welcomed. Thanks for your honest opinions!

www.vietnam.net.pl

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Adelaide, Australia
Posted by zapme on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 4:15 AM

Hi guys,

 

I never thought to make my own, andf i like the plier style. Thanks for all the great advise

Cheers

Leo

 

My Blog - leoslatestbuilds.blogspot.com

On the workbench: 1/72 Airfix De Havilland DH88 Comet , 1/35 Trumpeter M1A1, 1/35 Tamiya Tyrannosaurus Rex, 1/8 (?) vinyl C3PO brand unknown

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 9:01 AM

Depends on the scale, but in most cases it is various pliers.  For smaller scales I use small nose pliers and just put two right angle bends in. In very large scales I like a bit of a radius on the bends, so I use the needle nose pliers.  This is a little more challenging, since the spacing is harder and I have to check to get the bends 90 degrees. 

Sometimes if I need to make a bunch of identical ones, I use a piece of wood of the proper thickness to get the width uniform.  In this case I use a softer wire, and bend around the wood with my fingers.  Lots of thicknesses of basswood at hobby shop. I put the wire across the edge of the wood, and bend down on both sides with fingers, then cut to length.  Also with pliers I bend with lots of extra wire on ends, then clip ends to length.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    January 2010
Posted by CrashTestDummy on Wednesday, August 10, 2011 1:39 PM

I have a set of round-nosed pliers that I use.  The plier's 'noses' are tapered and round with no teeth.  I can use them to make several different radius bends, depending on scale of the item I'm bending.  I find that the teeth on a lot of needle-nosed pliers sometimes cut into the wire, which is noticeable after they are painted. These may dent brass wire a bit on the inside radius, but there are no tooth-marks.

 

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

 

 

 

G. Beaird,

Pearland, Texas

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