Tamiya 12677 - Cable 0.8mm black

Tamiya flexible detail-up cable 0.8 mm, black — engine bay and plumbing detail for car and motorcycle models

Tamiya 12677 is a flexible detail-up cable with an outer diameter of 0.8 mm, intended for reproducing ignition leads, brake lines, cables and engine bay plumbing. The cable has a wire core enclosed in a black vinyl sheath. The pack contains 2 metres of cable.

The metal core is the key advantage over plain hollow vinyl tubing: once bent, the cable holds its shape instead of straightening out, so it can be routed along a planned path and formed into curves or hanging loops. At 0.8 mm this is one of the thicker options in the range — suited to heavier lines and hoses and to larger modelling scales.

What is in the box:

• Flexible detail-up cable, 0.8 mm outer diameter, black
• Cable length: 2 metres

Specifications:

• Product number: 12677
• Manufacturer: Tamiya
• Type: flexible detail-up cable
• Material: wire core in a vinyl sheath
• Outer diameter: 0.8 mm
• Length: 2 m
• Colour: black
• Other diameters in the series: 0.5 / 0.65 / 1.0 mm (sold separately)

Flexible detail-up cable — a wire core that holds its shape

This detail-up cable is a length of wire inside a vinyl sheath. The sheath provides the look and the diameter; the core determines how the cable behaves once bent. That core is what separates it from plain hollow vinyl tubing, which tends to spring back and makes it hard to lay a wiring loom exactly as planned.

Fitting usually calls for drilling holes in the model parts — in a distributor cap, a cylinder head or wherever a line terminates. It helps to match the drill bit to the cable diameter, insert the end into the hole and secure it with a drop of cyanoacrylate glue. The cable can be cut with a hobby knife or sharp cutters and positioned most easily with tweezers. This is a suggested working method — every modeller can adapt it to their own habits.

The right diameter depends on the scale of the model and the type of line being reproduced. Larger scales such as 1:12 and 1:6 suit thicker diameters, while 1:24 usually calls for finer ones. The cable is also offered in this series in 0.5 mm, 0.65 mm and 1.0 mm, sold separately.

About the application — engine bay plumbing on car and motorcycle models

On real cars and motorcycles the space around the engine is filled with a network of lines: ignition leads running to the plugs, brake lines, cables and wiring looms. On a model these are either absent or only hinted at in the mouldings — yet they are exactly what gives an engine bay depth and makes it read as working machinery rather than a group of solid shapes.

Adding cabling is one of the simplest ways to raise the level of detail on a car or motorcycle model, especially in kits with an exposed engine or an opening engine cover. The same cable is equally useful on motorcycle models with a visible frame, where cables and brake lines are on show from every angle.

About the manufacturer — Tamiya:

Tamiya is a Japanese company based in Shizuoka, founded in 1946 and originally a timber business; it started producing plastic model kits in 1960. Its catalogue today covers 1:35 military models, aircraft, ships, cars and motorcycles, radio-controlled models, as well as paints, tools and model accessories. The company is known for well-engineered moulds, clear instructions and consistent parts fit. The Tamiya accessory range also includes items for detailing models — flexible cable, papercraft sheets and decal sheets.