Model Forum / General / Railroads / July 2005

how timely!

I just got done racing around looking for a former - believe it or not the
perfect diameter former for 4 wheel coach rooves is a 250ml spray can

I managed to successfully curve the styrene initially by rubbing it over the
edge of the table..... now I am going to wrap rubber bands around the can
and then apply a hair dryer to the pieces - once that's done I will leave
them til they cool off and see how well they retain their shape

Thanks

Steve

I've used a variation on this theme in 7mm scale.   I use some 30 thou
sheet for a base and cut deep grooves in it using a skrawker type
tool.  I make the grooves very deep - almost right through to teh
other side.

I then stick the 30 thou onto formers which give the curved shape
required and with the grooves on the outside of the curve - especially
if the curve is quite a small radius.  When everything has set hard,
I sand down the 30 thou to get it as smooth as possible and fill in
the grooves with putty if they have opened up a bit with a sharp
curve.  I then stick 10 thou sheet over the 30 thou to cover up the
grooves.   You have to be careful with this method if you are using
sheet formers at intervals to give the shape since the 30 thou sheet
might dip or hammock between the formers if you are not careful.   I
put in horizontal strips between the formers and flush with their
edges to support the 30 thou between formers and avoid any sagging
problems.

Another method I have read about is to make a solid former for your
shape and then apply layers of thin sheet (5 thou or 10 thou) to build
up a curved sheet.   Obviously the former will have to be X thou
smaller overall depending on how many sheets you are using and of what
thickness.  I think you would have to be careful with this method and
not use too much MEKPAK when sticking sheets together - especially if
you are trying to use the 5 thou sheet.   You could finish up with a
sticky mess which will take years to harden off.

Jim.

  Hi Guys,

 I've found that it is important to cool the hot paltic quickly. I plunge it
into cold water as soon as it comes out of the hot water. I found that if one
lets the polystyrene cool slowly it tends to unravel when removed fom the
former.

 Cheers,
          Roger Gillard

Chris

you really took me back to my childhood then - I used to make aerials,
fencing, handrails, etc from kit sprues (if that's the right term)

flame + stretch to varying lengths and presto!

Thanks

Steve

you know, ever since I was a little tacker I have thought an old Venetian
blind would be perfect for such a thing ..... so, I have asked around since
I bought these 4 wheel coaches 6 months ago and do you think I can find
anyone with one of the buggers??????  It was definitely my first choice!

Thanks

Steve