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Author Topic: Brass Rod  (Read 2833 times)

Offline Orctrader

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Brass Rod
« on: July 02, 2018, 07:52:23 PM »
Brass rod.  What diameter for replacing Front Rank pikes and spears?  (I don’t have access to a micrometer.)

Oh, and a good online stockist – UK based?

Thanks.



Offline Daeothar

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2018, 07:19:50 AM »
I've known about those wire spears for many years, but never had a use for them, so I never took a good look at them. But looking at them now, I can only imagine that these would make tabletop wargaming an actual bloody affair!

Those things look wickedly sharp and just aching to stab careless fingers and hands. Mind; I've drawn blood several times just from plastic spear tips, and I shudder at the thought of what sharpened steel could do... lol
Miniatures you say? Well I too, like to live dangerously...
Find a Way, or make one!

Offline SteveBurt

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2018, 03:05:00 PM »
I use 1.2mm diameter (3/64" in old money) for spears and lances, and 0.8mm for javelins.
Flatten one end by putting in pliers and hitting the pliers with a hammer.
Two strokes of the file to make a point. Done.

Offline Orctrader

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #3 on: July 03, 2018, 05:18:42 PM »
Is there a reason why you don't want to buy some ready made wire spears?

Too thin.

I actually use these a lot for some figures but for Front Rank and most Fantasy miniatures etc, they are too thin.



See the officer here, open handed so the wire spear is fine but compare the thickness with the cast in spear of the sergeant.

Offline 6milPhil

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #4 on: July 05, 2018, 08:42:58 AM »
Consider using guitar strings, free if you've got a guitarist chum of course. Smooth wound bass strings should be big enough.

Online OSHIROmodels

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #5 on: July 05, 2018, 09:02:09 AM »
You’re probably looking at 1.6mm rod. If 1.6mm is too thick then the next option would be 1.2mm.

I tend to get a lot of my supplies from EMA. 1.6mm is linked below. Be aware that they have a minimum order of £12 (I think it’s £12 anyway).

http://www.ema-models.co.uk/index.php/materials/metal/ks-brass-rod/solid-brass-rod-5526.html
cheers

James

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Offline Skyven

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #6 on: July 05, 2018, 11:37:27 AM »
Arcane Scenery and Models sell Albion Alloys brass rods, and they are post free in UK. Well worth a look.

Offline Orctrader

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #7 on: July 05, 2018, 07:38:01 PM »
Thanks chaps.   :)

1.6 sounds right somehow.

Arcane Scenery - of course, I buy from them.  Either forgot or didn't notice the brass rod.   ::)  They do 1.5 so I've bought that.  (Along with some other stuff.  You know how it is when you start looking.   :)  )

Offline SteveBurt

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #8 on: July 06, 2018, 09:59:05 AM »
Consider using guitar strings, free if you've got a guitarist chum of course. Smooth wound bass strings should be big enough.

Guitar strings are too thin, and not stiff enough, and the bass strings are wound, which will look odd.
Every time I change the strings on my guitar I think I ought to be able to use the old strings for something, but they are not that useful for modelling.

Offline Gailbraithe

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2018, 11:22:12 PM »
Guitar strings are too thin, and not stiff enough, and the bass strings are wound, which will look odd.
Every time I change the strings on my guitar I think I ought to be able to use the old strings for something, but they are not that useful for modelling.

Guitar string is great for cabling.  For example, this steam-powered zombie thing for WarMachine has four cables running from his steampack to his fists:



The original model came with white lead cables, so naturally they snapped in half while I was putting the model together.  So I replaced them with e-strings, IIRC, and they look great and will never break again.  If you're doing steampunk or dieselpunk stuff keeping hold of your broken guitar strings is definitely worthwhile.

But I wouldn't use guitar wire for spears, and definitely not for pikes.  That would make for a pike line that looked a bit...erm...limp.

Offline Mindenbrush

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2018, 11:40:56 PM »
Piano wire would be better as you can flatten that and shape it .
Wargamers do it on a table.
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Offline Mick_in_Switzerland

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #11 on: July 08, 2018, 10:26:41 AM »
Brass rod is best because it is easy to cut, hammer and file or sand.
I use it for pikes and spears.
Piano wire and steel wire are much harder.

North Star make packs of steel spears and pikes.
http://www.northstarfigures.com/list.php?man=62&page=1

Offline SteveBurt

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #12 on: July 09, 2018, 10:46:48 AM »
Piano wire is not good as it is *very* hard.
Cutting it requires a lot of force and usually the cut bit pings off at high speed and cannot be found until you impale your foot on it weeks later.
 :-X

Offline Gailbraithe

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #13 on: July 11, 2018, 07:46:42 PM »
Piano wire is not good as it is *very* hard.
Cutting it requires a lot of force and usually the cut bit pings off at high speed and cannot be found until you impale your foot on it weeks later.
 :-X

The cure for pinging wire is to hold one end and stick the other end into a chunk of styrofoam or a ball of clay, putty, etc.  and then cut the wire.  That way when it pings off, it doesn't go very far and doesn't get lost.  Since I usually buy green stuff in the big tubes and have huge blocks of it sitting around, I just stick my wires into that.  A wire stuck into a ounce+ block of the yellow part of green stuff ain't going anywhere after you snip it.

Offline Mindenbrush

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Re: Brass Rod
« Reply #14 on: July 11, 2018, 08:17:04 PM »
Gailbraite's idea is a good one though I have not lost too many "pinging" away as I have top quality pair of cutters - they are 50 years old now and still do the business without a lot of effort.

I used the piano wire for many years as it is robust for gaming, if you are not using your figures for gaming the brass is an easier option.