EZ Line from Berkshire Junction

[nkalanaga]

Pete:  No, doesn't sound good for utility wires.  Might be useful for wire or rod used as tension braces, as it sounds stronger than actual wires that fine.

I also have no idea where to buy the stuff, as the few online sites I checked from Google didn't actually have it...

[robert3985]

Although it's hard to find, non-sterile braided suture silk, either black or uncolored, is excellent for modeling projects.  One of the things it's required to do is retain knots, and run smoothly through tissue and the eyes of surgical needles, so it's smooth (usually wax-coated), consistent in diameter and it's available in 25 and 100 yard spools.

The sizes I like most are 6/0 or "six-ought" which is generally around .003" in diameter.  I also like 7/0, which is a little over .002", but I ran out of it several years ago.

I bought the stuff because I was building ship models commercially and it is perfect for 1/8" scale sailing vessels, particularly for ratlines and seizing rope ends at deadeyes and blocks...because it holds knots so well, and doesn't fray...and doesn't need that application of beeswax to contain the fuzz as a lot of cotton ship model lines need (I used three-strand twisted cuttyhunk linen line for my rigging which doesn't "fuzz").

Prices vary a bit, from around 19 bucks for the 25 yard spool to app 37 bucks for the 100 yard spool.

I wouldn't use the stuff for rigging power lines because if you snag it, you'll tear out or break a pole.

EZ Line is near perfect for that app.

One thing for certain is that suture silk will last in  model environment a long time, whereas maybe EZ Line will oxidize and get stiff over time (I don't know, but the elastic in my 5 year old cycling socks isn't so elastic any more).

Just sayin'

[ednadolski]

Although it's hard to find, non-sterile braided suture silk, either black or uncolored, is excellent for modeling projects.  One of the things it's required to do is retain knots, and run smoothly through tissue and the eyes of surgical needles, so it's smooth (usually wax-coated), consistent in diameter and it's available in 25 and 100 yard spools.

The sizes I like most are 6/0 or "six-ought" which is generally around .003" in diameter.  I also like 7/0, which is a little over .002", but I ran out of it several years ago.

I bought the stuff because I was building ship models commercially and it is perfect for 1/8" scale sailing vessels, particularly for ratlines and seizing rope ends at deadeyes and blocks...because it holds knots so well, and doesn't fray...and doesn't need that application of beeswax to contain the fuzz as a lot of cotton ship model lines need (I used three-strand twisted cuttyhunk linen line for my rigging which doesn't "fuzz").

Prices vary a bit, from around 19 bucks for the 25 yard spool to app 37 bucks for the 100 yard spool.

I wouldn't use the stuff for rigging power lines because if you snag it, you'll tear out or break a pole.

EZ Line is near perfect for that app.

One thing for certain is that suture silk will last in  model environment a long time, whereas maybe EZ Line will oxidize and get stiff over time (I don't know, but the elastic in my 5 year old cycling socks isn't so elastic any more).

Just sayin'

<old thread bump>

@robert3985  what are the size(s) of the EZ line that you use? 

I've been poking around the internet for elastic thread but haven't found much...

Ed

[mmagliaro]

I use the "fine" EZ Line.  It is great stuff.  My track cleaning hands would have destroyed all my utility poles and lines by now if not for EZ Line's forgiving nature.   I wouldn't worry about it looking too heavy.  In fact, it is easy to miss completely when surrounded by scenery.  This is one of those times where I think being oversized is better.

[MichaelWinicki]

To me EZ Line is one of the great tools we have to create a more realistic scene...

Mine has been installed for over 5 years now and it's still elastic.

[robert3985]

<old thread bump>

@robert3985  what are the size(s) of the EZ line that you use? 

I've been poking around the internet for elastic thread but haven't found much...

Ed

@ednadolski  Ed,  I've been thinking about using the "fine" EZ line from Berkshire Junction for "power" lines, and not using anything at all for the signal lines since they're basically invisible, unless outlined by a evenly overcast sky or bright blue sky from a low angle.

"Fine" EZ Line is .010"...still waaaay oversized for the teeny signal lines used on prototype lineside utility poles, but not too oversized (still oversized) for the power lines that are usually attached to larger insulators on the utility poles in some instances.

Although I agree in principle to the theory that in this case "oversized is better" since prototype line thicknesses would be equivalent to cobwebs, if I were to string them on every insulator on my lineside utility poles, I'd use black to minimize their appearance, even though in actual practice, they'd be brown or green.  I don't want them to show up well at all...I want them to be "intimated" more than blatant....which is why I still lean towards not having them at all.

Now, if Berkshire Junction could get some made that were .005" in diameter...I'd be happy to use that in the proper colors for signal wires. 

Hmmm...maybe a telephone call to them would reveal the possibility of acquiring some in a smaller than .010" diameter?????  Something to think about for sure.

EZ Line in the "heavy" version is .020" just for information's sake.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[ednadolski]

... I agree in principle to the theory that in this case "oversized is better" since prototype line thicknesses would be equivalent to cobwebs

I'm thinking along the opposite line,  that scale (or even undersized) parts can create in small models a sense of size and mass of their representative prototypes... something that I refer to sometimes as "granularity" or "presence".  This extends to the components that surround the models, with cumulative effect.... hence also my interest in scale handrails and code 40 rail

Has anyone considered using fly-tying thread or such?   Looks like that comes in 'aught' or 'denier' sizes, but I haven't seen how that matches up to actual dimensions.

Ed

[wazzou]

Has anyone considered using fly-tying thread or such?   Looks like that comes in 'aught' or 'denier' sizes, but I haven't seen how that matches up to actual dimensions.

Ed

Is that as flexible as the EZ Line? 
That's the benefit of it...the ability to have it not pull poles over or worse when you get tangled up in it.

[wcfn100]

Anyone seen the Woodlands Scenics pre-wired poles?

Jason

[draskouasshat]

@robert3985 i just ordered some 40AWG copper wire. Its .003"(.0799mm) diameter. It should also be drape a bit between the poles instead of being fiddlestring tight.

Drasko

[garethashenden]

@robert3985 i just ordered some 40AWG copper wire. Its .003"(.0799mm) diameter. It should also be drape a bit between the poles instead of being fiddlestring tight.

Drasko

0.003” is about right for prototypical wire, which is about half an inch.

[peteski]

@robert3985 i just ordered some 40AWG copper wire. Its .003"(.0799mm) diameter. It should also be drape a bit between the poles instead of being fiddlestring tight.

Drasko

Robert mentioned suture: "The sizes I like most are 6/0 or "six-ought" which is generally around .003" in diameter.  I also like 7/0, which is a little over .002", but I ran out of it several years ago." Suture might be a bit more robust than thin wire (as far as not snapping under stress).

I'm not sure if the thin wire will have natural sag (or if you will able to make it sag).  It would be nice effect if you could, but either way, this all will be quite delicate (probably won't survive long on a layout regularly used for ops).

I also believe that only power lines will have sag. Telephone and signal lines are usually quite tight and don't readily have much sag.

[draskouasshat]

I also believe that only power lines will have sag. Telephone and signal lines are usually quite tight and don't readily have much sag.

Oh no, they sag. When we were regularly maintaining pole line when i was a signal apprentice, no matter how tight i got my blocks, which pull slack out of a line, they still had sag. You'd be surprised how have a string if #6 cooper or cooper clad is stretched between two poles. yes, they don't sag as much as a power lines, but they do sag a bit.

Drasko

[ednadolski]

I'm not sure if the thin wire will have natural sag (or if you will able to make it sag).  It would be nice effect if you could, but either way, this all will be quite delicate (probably won't survive long on a layout regularly used for ops).

I'd suspect that with a non-elastic wire, the harder part would be to install them uniformly (with or without sag).

Line poles in N-scale are inherently a delicate matter in any case, but yeah probably 3 orders of magnitude more so by adding even elastic lines.

I also believe that only power lines will have sag. Telephone and signal lines are usually quite tight and don't readily have much sag.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catenary

Ed

[peteski]

I'd suspect that with a non-elastic wire, the harder part would be to install them uniformly (with or without sag).

Line poles in N-scale are inherently a delicate matter in any case, but yeah probably 3 orders of magnitude more so by adding even elastic lines.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catenary

Ed

I should have been more specific. From what I remember the signal and telephone wires show very little sag compared to power lines.  But Drasko set me straight - of course they all sag to some extent.

I also agree with you that trying to achieve that in N scale will be difficult. Especially trying to string multiple wires on a a flexible pole with even more flexible cross-arms.