<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">Hi Mike, <div><br></div><div>The side grabs and the platform car body end grabs are all formed from .015” brass wire. Brass is easy to form and a bit more forgiving to re-bending the ends (if the first try is a bit off). I’ve had no problems with deforming with handling - the location and support makes it robust. The softness makes it easy to flatten for the supports you were asking about. Phosphor Bronze could work well, with a bit less forgiveness with multiple adjustments of the leg that goes into the car body. <div><br></div><div>The roof grabs came from Details Associates kit was #550. That wire is .0125” and is either a nickel silver or possibly stainless. That particular kit doesn’t appear to be available anymore, so you may have to bend from scratch. </div><div><br></div><div>The end sill railings I formed by straitening unneeded grabs in the Details West kit. That took a lot of time and was a pain - do yourself a favor and simply bend them from straight wire! Since they came from the kit, they are also .125”. </div><div><br></div><div>Lastly, the corner posts are .032”. Since they doubled as downspouts don’t forget to extend the “tail” below the end sill. This is not illustrated in the AMB instructions. </div><div><br></div><div>I have a pair of flat nosed jewelers pliers that work perfectly for flattening. They were given to me as a gift - a similar looking, though slightly bigger, tool is <a href="https://www.jewelrysupply.com/Wubbers-Flat-Nose-Pliers-wWide-Jaws-6-12_p_12031.html">here</a>.</div><div><br></div><div>Matt</div><div><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>On Nov 16, 2024, at 7:35 AM, NW Modeling List via NW-Modeling-List <nw-modeling-list@nwhs.org> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div><div><div class="yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Thank you, Matt. Very helpful. What sort of wire material and diameter? Were you able to flatten it with pliers or a hammer?</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">It's funny...I had never noticed the support in the side curved grabirons. So glad I asked.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Mike Shockley</div></div></div>________________________________________<br>NW-Modeling-List@nwhs.org<br>To change your subscription go to<br>http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-modeling-list<br>Browse the NW-Modeling-List archives at<br>http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-modeling-list/<br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div></body></html>