Looking for thin metal bars

[Fat Brian]

I've always hated how hinges made from round rod look but plastic hinges thin enough to be remotely in scale are very fragile. Has anyone seen brass or aluminum bar stock in like .5mm X  .25mm or close to that size? I can find sheets that thin but I don't have a good way to cut straight bars from it.

[LL3 Model Worx]

23 minutes ago, Fat Brian said:

I've always hated how hinges made from round rod look but plastic hinges thin enough to be remotely in scale are very fragile. Has anyone seen brass or aluminum bar stock in like .5mm X  .25mm or close to that size? I can find sheets that thin but I don't have a good way to cut straight bars from it.

I would imagine the folks at K&S would know...

Ask the professionals

https://ksmetals.com/pages/contact

[Bugatti Fan]

Going that thin with brass or aluminium you will be looking at sheet material.

You will have to cut strips from it by scoring it with a craft knife and steel rule on a cutting board.

If you are looking to solder it then brass would be preferable.

[NOBLNG]

I don’t know if this will help you, but here’s my thread on making hinges.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/161632-fabricating-piano-hinges/#comment-2510325

 

[Fat Brian]

1 hour ago, NOBLNG said:

I don’t know if this will help you, but here’s my thread on making hinges.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/161632-fabricating-piano-hinges/#comment-2510325

 

Those are way better than what I'm looking for, I'm currently working on hinging a trunk lid.

[NOBLNG]

1 hour ago, Fat Brian said:

Those are way better than what I'm looking for, I'm currently working on hinging a trunk lid.

What vehicle? Most folks just use paper clips or brass rod. There is a sticky in the Tips section on making hinges.

Edit: Sorry, I just re-read that you don’t like the rod type hinges.

Edited December 3, 2022 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

This might be more like what you want? I made these for my Willys from .025” brass and 1/16” o.d. tubing. FYI, K&S also has 1mm (.039”) and .032” o.d. tubing.

Edited December 3, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Fat Brian]

3 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

This might be more like what you want? I made these for my Willys from .025” brass and 1/16” o.d. tubing. FYI, K&S also has 1mm (.039”) and .032” o.d. tubing.

Yeah, that's more what I was looking to do. The main reason I don't like the round rod hinges is that there's no good way to mount the part to the rods. It just seems like flat stock would look more realistic like a stamped part.

[peteski]

Can you give an example of the specific hinge you are making (or the vehicle that uses it)?  I have a hard time picturing exactly what you want to do.  Will the hinges be functional or just for looks?

Vintage cars with side-opening hoods used long piano-type hinges, and the hinges like used on that Willys kit are either cut from flat sheet stock (or formed from bent wire), not from thin strips.

[espo]

I have seen brass stock at both Hobby Lobby and even the local ACE Hardware store. Maybe there are stores in your area that are similar. Just an idea of where to start looking for your needs. 

[stitchdup]

Do you have a machining shop close to you? the swarf from a lathe might get you what you need if you dont mind a little extra work. Theres a good chance they would just give you some. it will be sharp but no worse than using a coke can for interior panels

[Fat Brian]

5 hours ago, peteski said:

Can you give an example of the specific hinge you are making (or the vehicle that uses it)?  I have a hard time picturing exactly what you want to do.  Will the hinges be functional or just for looks?

Vintage cars with side-opening hoods used long piano-type hinges, and the hinges like used on that Willys kit are either cut from flat sheet stock (or formed from bent wire), not from thin strips.

Here's the hinge I made. I would just prefer flat stock so it has better mounting surfaces for the lid.

[NOBLNG]

4 hours ago, Fat Brian said:

Here's the hinge I made. I would just prefer flat stock so it has better mounting surfaces for the lid.

Do you have a bench vise? You could possibly squash that wire with it, or maybe even flatten it with a small hammer? Alternately you could drill a small chunk of styrene stock to accept the wire and mount it to the trunk lid.

Edited December 7, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Fat Brian]

21 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Do you have a bench vise? You could possibly squash that wire with it, or maybe even flatten it with a small hammer? Alternately you could drill a small chuck of styrene stock to accept the wire and mount it to the trunk lid.

Hammering the end flat is an interesting option. I was going to try to hide it in a piece of styrene that could be bracing for the underside of the trunk lid 

[NOBLNG]

That should work. This is some .048” soft steel wire that I just did a quick test on.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by NOBLNG

[Fat Brian]

15 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

That should work. This is some .048” soft steel wire that I just did a quick test on.

 

 

Wow, that looks much better. I'll have to do that. Thank you for suggesting that.

[espo]

Wound square metal tubing with the center the size of your hinge work? The square tubing would give you more gluing contact area for the trunk lid, and you could still remove the lid if you wished. 

[peteski]

Ok, I understand now.  So you want to make the typical model hinges using  flat, instead of round stock.

Detail Associates (company catering to model railroaders) sells flat brass stock.

2526 Flat Brass Wire .015x.024"
2524 All Scale Flat Brass Wire pkg(4) -- .010 x .030"
2522 Brass Flat Bar .010 X .018

[Jon Haigwood]

Not exactly what you were looking for but may be helpful. I wanted the trunk to open like a Rumble seat and hide the hinge. Used square brass tube and used it for part of the inner trunk support. Used metal wire and inserted the ends into the trunk floor in small round tubes. I took a lot of trial and error to get it to open and close right. The trunk also opens with the bottom going inside of the body. 

[Fat Brian]

20 hours ago, peteski said:

Ok, I understand now.  So you want to make the typical model hinges using  flat, instead of round stock.

Detail Associates (company catering to model railroaders) sells flat brass stock.

2526 Flat Brass Wire .015x.024"
2524 All Scale Flat Brass Wire pkg(4) -- .010 x .030"
2522 Brass Flat Bar .010 X .018

That looks like exactly the size I had in mind, thank you.

[Fat Brian]

2 hours ago, Jon Haigwood said:

Not exactly what you were looking for but may be helpful. I wanted the trunk to open like a Rumble seat and hide the hinge. Used square brass tube and used it for part of the inner trunk support. Used metal wire and inserted the ends into the trunk floor in small round tubes. I took a lot of trial and error to get it to open and close right. The trunk also opens with the bottom going inside of the body. 

I started to hinge it that way because I cut it open without thinking the roadster would have a rumble seat instead of a trunk. I went ahead and did it the normal way just to get on to the next step.