Author Topic: Small Diameter Cordage for Modeling Purposes  (Read 4870 times)

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Small Diameter Cordage for Modeling Purposes
« on: April 26, 2016, 01:11:02 PM »
Found this item while wandering aimlessly down the aisles at the local Michael's franchise in Silverdale, Washington. 

Product is sold in quantities of 10s yard (36.0')/9.1 Metre lengths and is 1.5mm/0.06" in diameter.  It is available in several colors including black (the color I purchased). 

It is small enough in diameter to be useful for hoses, electrical cables or similar in several scales. 

Product number is: 886946854043 (derived from the bar code on back of item). 
Product name/description is:
Creatology
Spikeez Silicone Cord/Cordon En Silicone  0.06 in (1.5mm) diameter / diametre  10 yd (9.1 m)

Of course searching Michael's for the same product to provide a link was pointless as nothing came up.  Google was also a dead end.  Attached image is the best I can do to show what it looks like. 
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Weaver

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Re: Small Diameter Cordage for Modeling Purposes
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2016, 08:09:51 AM »
If you put 'silicon rubber cord' into Ebay's search box, you'll get all sorts of similar products, with diameters going down to 1mm. Apparently they're used for necklaces and the like.
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

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Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Small Diameter Cordage for Modeling Purposes
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2016, 08:29:23 AM »
Quite right Harold, that is the section where I found that product at Michael's.  I have found similar material at the local sporting goods store that comes in strips (ie; multiple cords in a band) that can be pulled apart and it is very flexible and around 1.0mm to 0.05mm in diameter/thickness.  Similar material was offered by Verlinden many years ago in a small card paper box with the usual Verlinden prices.  It has good properties and can be used for hoses or cables for several scales depending on your purpose. 

This Spikeez product was something that caught my eye as it was small enough in diameter and of sufficient length to justify the purchase.  I am hoping to use it for an electrical power cable connected to a generator and a vehicle in 1:48th and 1:35th scale.  Other possible uses are for fuel lines or hoses depending on scale.  The stuff is quite flexible and does not need much convincing to stay in one spot so it can be left as is or some adhesive applied to fix it in place.
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
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Re: Small Diameter Cordage for Modeling Purposes
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2016, 08:38:24 AM »
Because I do 1/72nd, the 1mm is of most interest to me. None of the suppliers seem to be in the UK, but even the postage from Aus isn't extortionate since the product is so small.
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline Weaver

  • Skyhawk stealer and violator of Panthers, with designs on a Cougar and a Tiger too
  • Chaos Engineer & Evangelistic Agnostic
"I have described nothing but what I saw myself, or learned from others" - Thucydides

"I've jazzed mine up a bit" - Spike Milligan

"I'm a general specialist," - Harry Purvis in Tales from the White Hart by Arthur C. Clarke

Twitter: @hws5mp
Minds.com: @HaroldWeaverSmith

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

  • Unaffiliated Independent Subversive...and the last person to go for a trip on a Mexicana dH Comet 4
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Re: Small Diameter Cordage for Modeling Purposes
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2016, 09:28:31 AM »
Apparently it's also used in fishing and can be had in sizes down to 0.5mm:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Two-Packs-Of-Dave-Harrell-Silicone-Rubber-Float-And-Rig-Tube-All-Sizes-/141739994645?var=&hash=item21005cae15:m:mMKNgIx2tHFa5lNKJ3W5xIg

There is a store here in town called Sportsman's Warehouse that stocks a variety of fly tying product of which there is a rubber/silicone strip of many cords that can be pulled apart to make individual cords which are used by the fly makers to imitate insect legs and other body parts.  These are available in a variety of colours and several small sizes.  My only complaint is the length of each band is quite short.  Unlike the Spikeez product that was 9.1 meters in length. 


click on the image to go to the product page at Sportsman's Warehouse

If you can find it cheap, there is a fly fishing line that is a hollow tube of approximately 1.0mm in diameter that floats on the water.  I found some of this many years ago on a close out sale for what I now realize was a darned good price.  It was almost olive-green in color and it is very flexible and with almost no resistance to the soft plastic material that is made from.  I found some similar line at the Sportsman's Warehouse but even the on sale price was too high to justify the purchase.  Maybe you can score some of that from someone you know that is into fly fishing freshwater streams and lakes in your area.
« Last Edit: April 27, 2016, 09:35:51 AM by Jeffry Fontaine »
"Every day we hear about new studies 'revealing' what should have been obvious to sentient beings for generations; 'Research shows wolverines don't like to be teased" -- Jonah Goldberg