Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Air Models / July 2006

Music wire seems to hold a bend like that better if you purposely bend
it past the yield point, then back a bit to relieve stresses.  Otherwise
your bend tends to creep.

One advantage of that apporach is that if I screw up, I still have the
originals to fall back on.

I have never been very good at bending wire.  Never mastered the skill of
accounting for the bend radius.  I can measure and mark the wire, but the
thicker the wire the more likely I will not get 2 gear with equal length
segements, not to mention the difficulty of bending thick tempered piano
wire.   I don't have a solid work bench to mount a heavy duty vise on, nor
do I have the space for one.

Ed

A long time ago, when I was a youngster back in the days when all you got  
in kits for landing gear was a piece of straight wire.  I was in my  
favorite haunt, Cleveland Model Supply, and I mentioned to the cleark that  
I had problems with getting the left and right wires bent the same, they  
never matched.  At that time there was an old time modeler that happened  
to overhear me and said "I can show you how to do that!"  What he did was  
to use a piece of 2x6 lumber about 24 inches long and drew the outline of  
the gear on the wide side of the wood, making sure that none of the bends  
was near the edge of the board.  Now he used a nail to drill (hand drill)  
to make pilot holes for #6 by 1-1/2" wood screws at each of the bend  
locations and wherever the wire might need support.  The screws were  
fillister head, i.e. they had a round top with a larger diameter base to  
hold the wire better.  One could use a normal round head screw with a flat  
washer but you would need to put a short piece of the same diameter music  
wire on the opposite side of the screw to keep the washer level.  Now  
start with one end fasten the wire down with a support screw (tightened  
securely) and the first bend screw slightly snug and bend till you get the  
wire to match the layout.  add the next bend screw (and support screws if  
necessary) and make the next bend.  Continue until all bends are made.  
Remove the bent wire and using a new wire make a duplicate.  Note that  
this may not be exactly as the plans indicate, one section made be an 1/8"  
longer between bends than the plans indicate, however you will have two  
identical LG wires.  Now the next question, what if I need to make a bend  
in the third dimension?  Fasten the wire down to the board where it will  
remain flat, make a gague block the distance that you need to bend the  
wire and ben it up till it matches the gauge.  If you go to far, simply  
make a new guage for the height and use it for the other side.  Don't  
forget that in most cases the bend for the opposite side will be the  
reverse of the first one, fasten down in the opposite direction.  Some  
hints, keep the wire as long as possible, better leverage.  If you have a  
bend that is close to an end keep it long and cut to length later.  
Remember do not use diagonal cutters, etc to cut music wire, use a small  
triangular file (not a needle file) to file a notch all around the wire  
then snap it off, file off the rough spot left.  Or use a cutoff disc in a  
dremel tool, wear safty googles, those disks have a tendency to fracture.

Roy