Hi all - like so many other crazy people, I am currently building a UCS MF via Bricklink. As others have found, the mast rigging pieces are proving VERY expensive - At last check, the average BL price is sitting at NZD$177.01 - or USD$150 EACH!
Yikes.
Ive seen other EB members use the black ones, or paint them with varying degrees of success. But I thought Id have a go at using a completely different part altogether - namely part # 6020 (Light Bluish Gray Bar 7 x 3 with Double Clips (Ladder))
This part comes in at an average price of NZD$0.12, and I need 8 of them to complete the look, plus a few small mods to attach them to the rear of the MF. (Total of 96c in NZ, or around 81c US).
What do you think?
Rear view with 4 'ladders' attached.
Slight MOD to the centre clips at the rear - pneumatic T Bars do the trick nicely.
Another MOD at the other end - a jumper plate to shift the clip up a little bit, so the ladder fits in nicely.