moulding

[paddy]

has anyone tried to work styrene sheet or the plastic people like Plastuct use ? i have tried to get it to bend and stay where i want it but it ends to go back to where it was over time. I am wondering about making Mudguards in 1/12 ?

 

[moon puppy]

Heat should do it. Alex builds his motobikes with that stuff. I asked him once how he gets the shapes and all I got back was "by hand.".

 

[Sharkmouth]

@paddy as @moon puppy stated, use heat. Pipe benders keep tubes from kinking. Thermal forming includes squash and vacuum forming. Both need a male mold while the vacuum also can use a female mold to shape parts. If using this technique, take into account that the plastic thins as it stretches over the mold's shape.

 

[RichB]

Thin pieces can be formed by cold rolling and just the heat from your fingers. Thicker pieces can be softened in near boiling water and /or a heat gun or hair dryer. Holding the piece in place around a curved mould that matches your required radius with an elastic band or small clips and dipping in ice water can help retain the shape.

Scoring or kerfing (like curving wood strips) the inner surface can help the bend. Cut about half way thru with the spacing between cuts close enough to minimize flat spots. Running some liquid glue along the kerfs should hold the curve. A little sanding will likely be needed to smooth the inner and outer surfaces.

Cheers,
RichB

 

[Sharkmouth]

Running some liquid glue along the kerfs should hold the curve. A little sanding will likely be needed to smooth the inner and outer surfaces.

From experience, thin solvent glues can break up the part along the kerfs if scored too deeply. So, I use super thin CA with baking powder. Instantly hard, no blue pills needed, and you should start sanding/filing immediately.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

I did a mod on my Ju88 build the last time I worked on it. Vertical Stab. No time now to go into it. So this is a reminder post.

 

[paddy]

Thanks for your thoughts chaps. I am thinking of using Italeri' s Mephistopheles aero engined car as a base for a "what if" road car. It will need a change of shape, wheels ,additional parts like lights and fenders and so on so its all in the mind at the moment. it could be a fun project although a little out of place here in Tank World

Maybe I have been watching to much Ian Roussel on Netflix

 

[RichB]

All the tanks need targets.

Reminds me of a British TV show we had on here years ago, Scrapheap Challenge. Teams would be tasked to build something like a hovercraft from what they could find in the junkyard.

Cheers,
RichB

 

[paddy]

It always made me smile when they found just what they were looking for....British scrap yards are not renowned for their hovercraft parts

Actually i was thinking more ....Johnny Cash, one piece at a time.

 

[RichB]

The car inspired by the song. Built by the owner of a Nashville auto parts and salvage yard.

Cheers,
RichB