Stepped/telescoped antennas

[RedHeadKevin]

I'm trying to build a telescoped antenna for a 1/12 robot kit. I have brass tubing, but the "steps" end up looking too big, due to the thickness of the brass. I'm wondering how people model a telescoping antenna, with very subtle size changes between the telescoped sections. Of course it doesn't really have to telescope, it should just look that way. Any suggestions?  I was thinking painting the thicker parts on with a coat of primer, but is there a better way?

[spejic]

I've done this before with two thickness of styrene rods just butt joined together, and it works, but as you might guess it is really hard to get them aligned.

[trietmcam]

Have you looked into Albion tubes? Not sure what size you're looking for but they have some thin wall brass as well as aluminum. They also got rods that can go down to 0.2mm dia. Maybe a combination of rods and tubes is what you might need.

 

https://spruebrothers.com/albmbt06-albion-alloys-micro-brass-tube-0-6mm-x-0-4mm-od-id-3-pcs-mbt06/

 

https://spruebrothers.com/albmbt04-albion-alloys-micro-brass-tube-0-4mm-x-0-2mm-od-id-3-pcs-mbt04/

 

HTH

triet cam

[Rob de Bie]

On 6/20/2023 at 4:06 AM, trietmcam said:

Have you looked into Albion tubes? Not sure what size you're looking for but they have some thin wall brass as well as aluminum. They also got rods that can go down to 0.2mm dia. Maybe a combination of rods and tubes is what you might need.

 

 Very recommended indeed! Buy the 'slide fit' assortment sets, and you'll be in business.

Rob

[southwestforests]

Go with the slide fit tubes mentioned above. 👍

 

And now a note on the earlier mentioned brass, copper, aluminum, tube stock such as from K&S,

 

On 6/19/2023 at 5:20 PM, RedHeadKevin said:

but the "steps" end up looking too big, due to the thickness of the brass.

 

Looking just now at the currently playing 1982 "Boom Box" by Hitachi, 

 

the antenna sections are rounded over at their tops,

could rounding those too-thick tube ends improve their appearance at least enough?

 

(I expect the internal segment has to be enough smaller to allow it to have a retaining ring, which the rounded over end on the external tube functions to do the retaining of, with some internal tube length left below its retaining ring to give stability when extended)