This is not necessarily a full article so much as a little bit of a tip for getting more fun out of building our kits. The technique of using electrical solder for detailing models is not my invention and it is certainly not the only way to create the details illustrated here. It is an easy and inexpensive way to enhance our kits as well as any modeling subject. The real tool we show here is the pasta machine or pasta maker. It's certainly not required for flattening solder but it makes short work of the process and it has other uses I'll describe in other articles. Here are some uses to get you thinking: Of course, the solder right off the spool is perfect for replicating everything from tube railing to wrought iron scrolls to small scale hoses and wiring. Coiled phone cords and telephone wires with a natural drape are very easy to achieve. The smallest bits of solder are the best solution for adding spigots to our fountain kits. All you need to "drill" out the very end of the spigot is a couple of turns of an x-acto tip. The pliable solder can very easily "kink" and bend as soon as it comes off the spool. You can very quickly get straight lengths by rolling back and forth over it on your desktop with something flat like a metal scale. Experiment a little bit with some short pieces and you'll see how easy it is to work with. "LE COWBOY" shows solder being used as cut and dangling phone lines and as flattened and shaped brackets for the damaged rain gutter.

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