Monday, October 22, 2007

Beading


jinty beading
Originally uploaded by Phil_Parker.
I um’ed and ah’ed about the beading on the Jinty for quite a white. It’s really tiny and yet if you get it wrong the error will stand out a mile. In this case leaving it off might have been the better option.

The kit provides some etched stuff to do the job but it looked hopelessly over scale. Instead I decided to jump in and have a go with fusewire.

Fusewire is an old fashioned material. I doubt there are many houses where a blown fuse is cause for extracting something Bakelite from the electric cupboard and winding new wire around pins to restore power. Fortunately my local hardware shop still stocks it on cards containing 3 thicknesses. For 3mm I use the thinnest.

For this purpose it is ideal. Copper wire tinned evenly with solder, it could have been designed for the job. Simply clean all the brass and then attach one end of the wire to the start of the run. Pull the rest tight to straighten it and run an iron along the join. Plenty of flux and not too much solder makes for a neat job.

Finally clean up with a fibreglass pencil and needle files. Even in cruel close-up I don’t think it looks bad.

Which reminds me, I need to stock up in for the future.

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