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03-28-2011, 11:49 AM | #21 |
Cobra Soldier
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: New Milford, CT
Posts: 32
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Looking good. I keep trying to talk myself into taking the plunge into diorama/vehicle making.
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03-28-2011, 12:00 PM | #22 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 5,841
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I wish you had started this thread about three weeks ago, when I started my first styrene experiment.
Luckily, I stumbled into getting pretty much all the right tools and glues, but it has been a learning experience. I can't wait to see what all I've done wrong ;) |
03-28-2011, 12:21 PM | #23 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: RI
Posts: 485
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Great thread! Just let me throw in a quick warning:
MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) is HIGHLY toxic. The body develops a severe reaction to it pretty quickly. As solvents go, it's a nasty one. Just to give one example: MEK Birth Defects Handle, if at all, with extreme caution and with full protective measures.
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03-28-2011, 12:27 PM | #24 |
Solo Operative
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 2,137
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Good thread. I learned by trial and error when I started. One of the best things I learned was to use the backside of the Xacto knife blade when scoring instead of the sharp edge. It makes a deeper score.
One way to get circles is by using a hole saw bit on a drill. You have to go slow or the styrene heats up and melts back to itself. And remember, sandpaper is your friend.
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Looking for at reasonable prices: 25th Defense of Cobra Island 7-pack, PoC City Strike Destro Loyal Subjects Major Bludd, Baroness, Cobra Sniper Have loose Loyal Subjects Cobra Officer for trade or sell. Freedom's B/S/T: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-jo...ml#post1477352 Freedom's Feedback: http://www.hisstank.com/forum/buy-se...1-freedom.html |
03-28-2011, 12:32 PM | #25 |
Banned
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: In a van, down by the river
Posts: 0
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I know this might be a stupid question, but the cheap plastic signs at walmart, how dio those compare to styrene?
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Darkseid83 |
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03-28-2011, 12:43 PM | #26 |
Cobra Viper
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: RI
Posts: 485
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Quote:
A number of scratchbuilders I know also go this route. It really is pretty cost-effective compared to the markup at regular hobby stores.
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03-29-2011, 10:17 PM | #27 |
COBRA NAVAL AVIATION
Join Date: May 2010
Location: COBRA Aircraft Carrier "Tyranny Rising"
Posts: 1,207
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Thanks all for the comments!
Kolschey: Thanks for the heads up on the MEK. If I do use it it will be with a needle applicator, hopefully that will keep exposure to near zero. Darkseid83: As Kolschey said those signs are styrene, just thin, but certainly usable. I've never priced them, but they have to be cheaper than hobby store prices... Beginning the build From the moment Unclassified let me know he wanted to see a How-to on a Dreadnok Fanboat, I knew I wanted it to be as realistic as possible. I did a lot of image searching on Yahoo! that night and selected the "Air Ranger" as my real world subject/model. I was able to find many great ref pics, most of which I will end up posting as the build progresses. These ref pics are key as they give you an exact idea of what it is you want to build. After that you just have to establish scale. For this fanboat I wanted it to be as large as depicted in the photos, just maybe a bit thinner and more aggressive looking. Some Air Rangers are equipped with a prow extension which looks really cool, so I have decided to add that. I decided initially on 15" in length (" = inches, ' = feet). I have a piece of .030 (1/32") styrene sheet I ordered from Plastruct last summer. The part number for this sheet is SSS-10336, 12" X 36". They have smaller sheets as well. I used a triangle to give me a right angle and began to draw in my 5" X 15" sheet. I then used a cheap Walmart razor knife to make the two cuts. Too bad the knife wobble at the end of the cut for the back end of the sheet. Things like that happen, fatigue, dull blade, so I decided to shorten it down to 14". Thank God life goes on...just wish I hadn't of gotten so pissed when it happened... NOTE: I went thin on the plastic on purpose; I want realism. There is also a secondary reason which I will cover next... |
03-29-2011, 10:32 PM | #28 |
COBRA NAVAL AVIATION
Join Date: May 2010
Location: COBRA Aircraft Carrier "Tyranny Rising"
Posts: 1,207
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Necessity is the Mother of Invention
The next few steps are optional, you can skip this and still build the boat. I decided to add this so you can see the development of a process to add ribs to the length of the boat. Many times you have to make up a process to get an effect with the plastic. Be innovative. The Air Ranger is essentially just a big "john boat" with a big fan on the back. So job one in this build is to build a big john boat. Now that we have the sheet cut that will be the bottom of the hull it's time to add the ribs. Last year I found out while working on a front engine dragster build that I could shape sheet plastic the way sheet metal guys shape metal. Difference was i was using extremely thin plastic and the butt-end of a paintbrush over some corrugated cardboard. When it came to some relatively thicker 1/32" sheet, the paintbrush wasn't going to make it. First I marked the spacing for the three ribs I wanted to add. You need a piece of corrugated cardboard to act as a cushion for the plastic sheet. Mark off a section as long as your sheet that is one continuous run between a pair of ribs in the cardboard. This will allow that section to crush down if necessary when you begin to apply pressure to the plastic. |
03-29-2011, 10:39 PM | #29 |
COBRA NAVAL AVIATION
Join Date: May 2010
Location: COBRA Aircraft Carrier "Tyranny Rising"
Posts: 1,207
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I began my experiment with a paintbrush and a straight edge.
I ran the butt-end of the brush down the pencil line I had drawn in representing the center rib exerting pressure as I went, embossing the sheet. This didn't put as deep a dent in it as I wanted, but it gave me a solid start, burned the paint off the tip of the brush. I needed another tool, so I got a screen tool from the garage... The results were pretty decent... |
03-29-2011, 10:50 PM | #30 |
COBRA NAVAL AVIATION
Join Date: May 2010
Location: COBRA Aircraft Carrier "Tyranny Rising"
Posts: 1,207
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Continuing to develop my experimental technique, I used the screen tool over the edge of the cardboard to straighten the sheet out around both sides of the rib, so the sheet would be a "V" shape (though it would probably be good for building a V-hulled boat).
Lastly I got a piece of Evergreen 3/32" tube and laid it down on the bench and placed the rib directly over it. I then rolled out the rib on both sides with the screen tool with the tube supporting the rib from beneath. This gave excellent results. Next I needed to add the curve to the bow of the boat. This is the same process as when you want to add a curve to some paper or cardboard. Just use the edge of the table, then your hands to shape the curve. Again, you don't have to do the ribs to build the boat, you can leave it flat plastic and it will work just fine. I just wanted to show how processes can be worked out to get desired effects. |
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