I was reading this Mini-art T-55 build review and the author uses 10 amp fuse wire as a replacement for tie-down handles:
I’m thinking that is 16 gauge wire? Tinned copper? Have others used this and have any recommendations. I wish I had done something similar on my SU-85 build and am now turning my attention to the mini-art T-34 which has some similar handles. Wondering what to use.
Nowadays handles are quite nice, in my opinion, and I hardly replace them. Plastic has a good shape, they are all equal (which often is not seen on wire handles…) and thin enough. When needed, copper or brass works fine, personally I do not care about gauge, if it looks fine it is fine.
For smaller tie-down loops I prefer soldering tin, have a good assortment of thickness from a cheap aliexpress supplier.
I have used tin wire, copper wire and all sorts of metal wire to depict those tie-down loops. The best I have found is the metal you find in electric cables. It is stiff enough to keep the right shape and soft enough so you can squeeze the ends to give them the distinctive round shape.
Olivier
I would use copper wire from some electric cable. I would guess at original sizes around 3/4 inch to half inch for the larger handles/hold-ons. The smaller ones I would guess at slightly less than half-inch. In 1/35 I would go for 0.6 mm down to 0.4 mm for the larger handles and maybe around 0.3 mm for the small ones.
Check walkaround images, there is a good selection at Prime Portal:
Prime Portal armour walkarounds
Screen copy of a small part of one of the images at Prime Portal:
Note that the model builder has been careless when making that smaller tiedown,
the wire doesn’t have the same length on the sides
[quote=“Robin_Nilsson, post:4, topic:3115”]
Note that the model builder has been careless when making that smaller tiedown, the wire doesn’t have the same length on the sides [/quote]
Not going to win a contest, let alone a war with that kind of craftsmanship.
The paint chipping and rust was nicely done though 
The modeler quandary, correct for pre-1946 or today???
Also missing the cable for the light it appears. This modeler is all over the board with the build.
I wonder where the builder got that 1/35-scale tour bus and the van? Could it be some 1/32 die-cast?
Amazing focal depth for a photo of a small model.
Probably HO or smaller items, when looking at the people to get that force perspective. Photography skills are on point.
If I replace, I tend togo with fine brass wire. I’ve found fusewire too malleable/soft and unforgiving of handling.
