One of my projects is to make some loads for my gons and bulkhead flatcars.

I was wondering what you guys use for banding?

A long time ago, I read about taking two X-Acto #11 blades, taping them together, and using them to cut thin strips out of black plastic garbage bags. This is one result:
[attachment=11090]
But black Chartpak tape is probably a better choice.

What size of Chartpak would the be?

I can find Chartpak tape at leading office supply stores?

Maybe 1/32 or whatever the equivalent is.

You can also get black peel and stick pinstriping tape at an auto parts house. They usually start at 1/8 to 3/16ths inch.

Way back before computer drafting, Chartpak and a few others made tape for printed circuit board layout. There might be a bit of that at some drafting supply stores, but what I've got is probably at least 15 years old. Some of what I still have is as thin as .015", or about 1/32". That scales out to about 2.4" in N scale. I've got other sizes as well, .020, .031 and up. For N scale, I'd be just as inclined to use black or brown thread or cord to look like wire banding.

BTW, I've taken some of this tape, painted it white or yellow and used it as road striping.

ezdays Wrote:BTW, I've taken some of this tape, painted it white or yellow and used it as road striping.

I do somethng similar with 1/8th inch masking tape.

ezdays Wrote:Way back before computer drafting, Chartpak and a few others made tape for printed circuit board layout. There might be a bit of that at some drafting supply stores, but what I've got is probably at least 15 years old. Some of what I still have is as thin as .015", or about 1/32". That scales out to about 2.4" in N scale. I've got other sizes as well, .020, .031 and up. For N scale, I'd be just as inclined to use black or brown thread or cord to look like wire banding.

BTW, I've taken some of this tape, painted it white or yellow and used it as road striping.

Don,I should have mention the cars are HO..I won't even attempt adding banding in N not with the limited use of my right hand.

I have picked up necklaces at garage sales for dime or quarter, with fine enough chains that appear to scale out good for HO, possibly even N.

Lynn

That's brilliant Lynn!

How about using black decal stripes, or simply painting some clear decal paper black, then cutting out what you need using a straightedge and sharp blade?

Wayne

Brakie Wrote:Don,I should have mention the cars are HO..I won't even attempt adding banding in N not with the limited use of my right hand.

What prototypical width would the banding be? I may have an extra roll of something you could use. .031 would be about 2.7" in HO, .040 comes in around 3.5".

I remember reading several times in old model railroader magazines from the 50s and early 1960s that people used some kind of foil strip from cigarette packages

Brakie, if you PM me your address I'll put a few chains in an envelope. If they work, fine. If not, nothing lost. Also, if you need more, I got a lot more, depending on the load size.

Lynn

I say check in with Tomustang. He did some banding on a flat car with a steal load on it. I believe he used electrical tape.