Search found 291 matches

by Chacal
Wed Mar 22, 2023 5:23 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: How Do You Start?
Replies: 24
Views: 96962

Re: How Do You Start?

I have a somewhat convoluted work process. I do have training in design, so sketching should be easy for me, but I prefer to daydream my shapes—I can kinda get a feel for the spatial relations, the different aspects of as model better than sketching a few views. Then I translate the ideas to a 3D pr...
by Chacal
Wed Mar 22, 2023 5:05 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Source for large cylinders with round ends?
Replies: 10
Views: 32978

Re: Source for large cylinders with round ends?

If I was building, I'd go with plastic christmas tree ornaments (down in my neck of the woods they come in metric sizes, all the way up to 200 and some millimeters—metallized, varnish-coated, polypropylene blow-molded spheres—the coatings come off easily). in the US(?) there's bound to be those in i...
by Chacal
Wed Mar 22, 2023 1:15 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Looking for BLACK Styrene Rods
Replies: 3
Views: 6261

Re: Looking for BLACK Styrene Rods

For all that's holy, don't google it.
by Chacal
Wed May 27, 2015 4:29 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Creating an angled curve, like a partial cone
Replies: 14
Views: 31046

Thanks everyone, they were are all helpful but I thnk the rocketry one looks to be the easiest with the ability to generate the template Although I did happen to come across this http://jm.davalan.org/calc/cone/index-en.html which gave me different value than what I got here for the same inputs htt...
by Chacal
Thu Sep 11, 2014 10:44 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Using frozen dinner packages............
Replies: 16
Views: 32891

If you have to mix epoxy adhesives, PE containers are your friends.
by Chacal
Sun Sep 30, 2012 5:58 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Problem with brass to brass joint
Replies: 7
Views: 12223

You might not even need a mini butane torch: an ol' cigarette lighter oughta do it.
by Chacal
Sat Mar 31, 2012 1:01 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Magnet Question
Replies: 8
Views: 9961

And if you are going to use them to hold two parts together, make sure their polarities align properly, or better, use one magnet in one part and a steel plate, rod, pin or whatever in the other part, this way you don't have to worry about polarity.
by Chacal
Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:56 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Magnet Question
Replies: 8
Views: 9961

Neodymium magnet tips: #1 - keep your fingers clear of big Nd magnets. They pinch and it hurts like a mother. #2 - don't let them hit one another strongly because it can nick the chrome layer covering them and they may oxidize (turning into a crumbly, weak gray dust). #3 - glue them with epoxy, and ...
by Chacal
Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:34 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Is it possible to make a casting of a balloon?
Replies: 6
Views: 12835

I think you may get good results with minimal fuss by using plaster strips (you know, the plaster-suffused gauze strips used by doctors to make a plaster cast for a broken leg or whatever). Resin is likely to degrade the ballon's latex, any pourable mold making medium will just make the balloon floa...
by Chacal
Fri Mar 09, 2012 8:51 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Places to buy large tubing in metric sizes
Replies: 8
Views: 13037

Re: Places to buy large tubing in metric sizes

tetsujin wrote:Places to buy large tubing in metric sizes
Hmmm… Europe?

Did I get it right? ;)
by Chacal
Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:47 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Balsa wood for a master
Replies: 8
Views: 13079

I have had wonderful results by coating balsa with resin. Just apply thin resin over the wood and it'll wick it up. Wait, reapply. Wait repeat for as long as you need (basically when the resin does not penetrate anymore). Sand. Reapply resin. Sand with finer grit. Prime. Once it is done, it is just ...
by Chacal
Wed Feb 08, 2012 6:50 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Who collects stuff for scratch building?
Replies: 400
Views: 928977

Hah! Just found this story about a fellow countryman who does indeed collect stuff for scratchbuilding. Enterprise@MakeBlog
by Chacal
Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:56 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: How to model sand in 1:8?
Replies: 10
Views: 19912

One thing I might do if I ever find myself in your situation would be to try sculpting the sand with clay, adding footprints and whatever needs to be there, then applying a thin layer of glue and sprinkling a mix of different color plastic sanded leftovers (I don't think there's a word for it: you s...
by Chacal
Sat Jan 28, 2012 7:28 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: How to model sand in 1:8?
Replies: 10
Views: 19912

Micro balloons are tiny glass "bubbles" which are used to add volume to resin, without adding weight. You can find them pretty much anywhere that sells resin/fiberglass supplies.
by Chacal
Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:54 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: How to recreate a "takeoff" jet blast ?
Replies: 25
Views: 47082

Yes, Naoto! That's exactly it. I mentioned the "mulher gorila" bit because Arthur is from Rio and there was this particular 'woman into a gorilla' sideshow act in an amusement park in here. He'd probably know that.
by Chacal
Mon Jan 23, 2012 6:48 am
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: TOS bridge overhead light pattern
Replies: 12
Views: 17630

Try a bottle of brush-on Dullcote. Put a layer on a piece of clear sheet, let it start to dry. Before it's fully dry but not while fully wet - somewhere in that "gel" range - lightly touch a sponge to it to create an "orange peel" texture. With luck, it should look the way you n...
by Chacal
Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:13 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: How to recreate a "takeoff" jet blast ?
Replies: 25
Views: 47082

Four words for you: "Konga, a Mulher-Gorila". Do you know this carnival side-show illusion? The woman who turns into a gorilla? It's done with mirrors. If you angle it correctly, you can have the F-14 in one "box" and the "flame" in another, with a black background, lit...
by Chacal
Fri Jan 06, 2012 7:50 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Solar Panels
Replies: 7
Views: 8734

CD-RW and DVD-RW discs. When they poop out—and they will—it is possible to peel the shiny stuff from the plastic disc. You need a pretty strong adhesive tape to pull it away and an X-Acto knife to start the peeling, but it is a thing of beauty! It may come off in smallish bits, but we are scale mode...
by Chacal
Sun Oct 02, 2011 2:50 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Solid Styrene spheres?
Replies: 8
Views: 8066

Re: Solid Styrene spheres?

grabula wrote:I'm trying to locate a place to purchase smallish plastic/styrene spheres. I'm looking for smaller sizes, 2-30mm in size, anyone know something like this?
is it 2mm to 30mm, 2mm to 3mm or 20mm to 30mm?
by Chacal
Sat Jun 25, 2011 8:28 am
Forum: Construction
Topic: Foam?
Replies: 36
Views: 69798

I've been rereading the posts in here, and I want to add: If you can't get a piece of insulation foam, or you don't want to buy a whole 8'x4' slab of it because you only need a tiny piece, the canned foam thing is the way to go: pour a bit of the foam inside a container (old tupperware, cardboard bo...
by Chacal
Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:20 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Who collects stuff for scratch building?
Replies: 400
Views: 928977

AbsoluteSciFi wrote:Just checking in to see how this thread has grown... and it occurred to me that ANY scratchbuilder of spaceships collects something! It happens to be a prerequisite of being that kind of modeler...

What do you mean by "that kind of modeler"? :)
by Chacal
Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:22 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Who collects stuff for scratch building?
Replies: 400
Views: 928977

Chacal wrote:I have just taken the Phillips screwdriver to an old cheapie 35mm camera we had lying about -- we haven't used it since at least 2003. Gears! Lenses! Itty-bitty electric motors! Greeblies galore! Huzzah!

Found an old, non-functioning 1990 JVC VHS-C Camcorder. I'll let you guys know...
by Chacal
Wed Mar 02, 2011 7:05 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Question about a battery powered turntable
Replies: 4
Views: 4326

Have you taken the turntable apart? Does it have gears, belts?
by Chacal
Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:35 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Who collects stuff for scratch building?
Replies: 400
Views: 928977

I have just taken the Phillips screwdriver to an old cheapie 35mm camera we had lying about -- we haven't used it since at least 2003. Gears! Lenses! Itty-bitty electric motors! Greeblies galore! Huzzah!
by Chacal
Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:53 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: I Hate F*&%!# Super Glue!!!!
Replies: 33
Views: 45404

Stu Pidasso wrote:
Airdave wrote:I Hate F*&%!# Super Glue!!!!
So stop F*&%!#ing it!
Once you start, it's difficult to get away from.
by Chacal
Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:51 pm
Forum: Construction
Topic: Foam?
Replies: 36
Views: 69798

bluesman wrote:The beauty of the blue and pink foam is that it is light, cheap and easily carvable or sculptable.
No. The true beauty of pink and blue foam is that you know, at a glance, if it is a boy's foam or a girl's foam.
by Chacal
Wed Feb 02, 2011 6:44 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Who collects stuff for scratch building?
Replies: 400
Views: 928977

Recently I had to rummage through some of my "stuff boxes" and it hit me: why don't I take a photo of the contents of each of my boxes and store the pics on my computer, so I can do 'virtual rummaging'. It seems obvious now, but when some of those boxes were packed digital cameras were a d...
by Chacal
Tue Jan 18, 2011 3:40 pm
Forum: Lighting & Electronics
Topic: Concealing portable power supplies in small spaces
Replies: 9
Views: 10859

You could try to sneak the CR2032 into the base, or rather make it the base using two support pins for the model — one comes from the top [+] the other around the rim [-].
by Chacal
Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:23 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Cheap Plastic globes
Replies: 9
Views: 13639

Kylwell wrote:It's also the time of year to by Christmas ornaments on sale. Generally speaking, anything label 'outdoors' or 'unbreakable' are styrene.
Though, in my experience, styrene and 'unbreakable' ain't synonyms.
by Chacal
Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:21 pm
Forum: Scratchbuilding
Topic: Greebilizing...
Replies: 47
Views: 113111

I'm sure it's the engineer in me, but when scratchbuilding S.F. subjects I always (I mean always) try to think through what it is that the "greeblie" is supposed to do and how it is supposed to work. If it doesn't have a purpose, it doesn't get added... Biiig can of worms there, buddy. Ma...