Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Fortescue-Smythe on June 12, 2008, 02:38:23 PM
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Hi all,
looks like I might actually get back to my 1/300 Sky Galleons project this summer, which brings me to my question:
Does anybody know if there is a place that sells those vacuforemd styrene sails (the ones you get in plastic modelling kits) singly?
Or, if such a thing does not exist: any ideas on how to manufacture picturesquely billowing canvas pinions for those scourges of the Martian Celestial Main? In a light-weigth manner, so as not to compromise my antenna flight stands?
Regards,
Claes
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Have you looked into plug forming? It's incredibly easy to do. I've made aircraft canopies that way.
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Uhm, no, never heard of it, and my google fu is weak. :)
Could you please expound?
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It's just vacuum forming, but without the vacuum part.
The styrene goes in a frame or support, just like VF.
The styrene gets gently heated up, just like VF.
The difference is that instead of the whole thing being on a vac table, you just press it down over the form. Boom! You're done. For most small projects it's just dandy.
I had another thought: You could use a replacement slat from vinyl window blinds! It's already curved as if filled by wind. All you'd have to do is cut out the sail. That's even easier than forming!
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I had another thought: You could use a replacement slat from vinyl window blinds! It's already curved as if filled by wind. All you'd have to do is cut out the sail. That's even easier than forming!
That's pure genius!
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It's just vacuum forming, but without the vacuum part.
The styrene goes in a frame or support, just like VF.
The styrene gets gently heated up, just like VF.
Sounds easy, up to the heating part. What sort of temperatures would I need, and what would I use for heating? Are we talking blowtorch rather than hairdryer here?
I had another thought: You could use a replacement slat from vinyl window blinds! It's already curved as if filled by wind. All you'd have to do is cut out the sail. That's even easier than forming!
I tip my hat to you, sir, that's a splendid idea. Those are only curved on one axis, but at the scale I'm shooting for, that will probably not be noticable at all. Now to explain to my wife why we won't need those blinds in the basement anymore... :D
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Sounds easy, up to the heating part. What sort of temperatures would I need, and what would I use for heating? Are we talking blowtorch rather than hairdryer here?
I used the kitchen stove (which also has convenient work surfaces nearby). Styrene gets soft at surprisingly low heats.
I tip my head to you, sir, that's a splendid idea. Those are only curved on one axis, but at the scale I'm shooting for, that will probably not be noticable at all. Now to explain to my wife why we won't need those blinds in the basement anymore... :D
Blame the cat. Cats and miniblinds are natural enemies.
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Sounds easy, up to the heating part. What sort of temperatures would I need, and what would I use for heating? Are we talking blowtorch rather than hairdryer here?
I used the kitchen stove (which also has convenient work surfaces nearby). Styrene gets soft at surprisingly low heats.
I tip my head to you, sir, that's a splendid idea. Those are only curved on one axis, but at the scale I'm shooting for, that will probably not be noticable at all. Now to explain to my wife why we won't need those blinds in the basement anymore... :D
Blame the cat. Cats and miniblinds are natural enemies.
I declare! That Pete Murray is a right renaissance man, he is. Naturalist, inventor, artist, theologian, square dance caller...
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Sounds easy, up to the heating part. What sort of temperatures would I need, and what would I use for heating? Are we talking blowtorch rather than hairdryer here?
I used the kitchen stove (which also has convenient work surfaces nearby). Styrene gets soft at surprisingly low heats.
I tip my head to you, sir, that's a splendid idea. Those are only curved on one axis, but at the scale I'm shooting for, that will probably not be noticable at all. Now to explain to my wife why we won't need those blinds in the basement anymore... :D
Blame the cat. Cats and miniblinds are natural enemies.
I declare! That Pete Murray is a right renaissance man, he is. Naturalist, inventor, artist, theologian, square dance caller...
Author, painter, parapsychologist, re-imaginator. . . . . . lol
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That cat ploy, alas, is not feasible, as I suffer from an allergy to animal fur. Which leaves me regretably de-felidaeted, regretably so, as I am quite the cat-fancier (and I just hope that does not sound like some sort of sexual innuendo). ???
Anyways, I digress: thanks muchly for the tips Pete, I'll include slats on my next trip to the DIY's list.