Les I'd really like to oblige you and get started on some mock ribs and wing sections, I'm convinced that it can't be that hard to simulate or reproduce a cable TE. Unfortunately its hard to do when the modeler and his workshop are in different countries (ireland vs. germany), considering it will be months before I go back it's hard not to get impatient.

Don, could you please elaborate a little on that thin ply and balsa TE method? I'm not absolutely dead-set on using e.g. wire, any other nice technique will be a welcome inspiration. The solder solution you mentioned also sounds interesting, is that silver solder or the standard stuff?? I'd say the latter is probably too soft to maintain its shape.