Starship Modeler Discussion Forums

I installed the upgrade kit from vac-u-form.com, and it does make a tremendous difference! The kit is inexpensive, easy to install ( everything fits) and well thought out. A little snooping turns up that they are manufacturers of vacuform automotive accessories- http://gaugepods.com/ so they know wh...

Upgrade parts and drilled PVC sheets are available from: WWW.VAC-U-FORM.COM I ordered some styrene sheets from http://www.geocities.com/weirdtornadoe/vacuformsheets.html A little more expensive, but they came well recommended. The heater just doesn't put out that much heat- remember it's a kids toy....

I just fired up my example of the much maligned Mattel vacuform machine for the first time, and am pretty happy with the results. I got it on eBay for about $20.00 US delivered, and did some minor tuning as described in various places on the web- some silicone grease on the plunger assembly, scraped...

I really don't like Squadron putty, but it (and most other putties) can be cut/softened with PVC pipe purple primer or lacuer thinner from the hardware store. I'd suggest tossing the Squadron and getting some Bondo spot putty at the auto parts store instead.
Andrew

Another trick to use is to alternate colors of primer or putty to really make the high and low spots stand out.
Andrew

Some old CRT computer monitors have a nice dome (but not quite a hemisphere) built into the base, usually 6 to 10" around. And ABS plastic too!
Andrew

Railroad guys use glycerine and water- here's a link to one recipe:
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/5177/ter_4.htm
Andrew

You should be able to find muriatic acid at the hardware store- it's used for cleaning fireplaces. Strong (30% or so) H2O2 can be found there too as one component of 2-part wood bleach.
Andrew

USSARCADIA wrote:You may want to consider using ABS as more things will glue to it. And paint/primer will stick to it.

And ABS is a little easier to cut as well. I'm pretty fond of ABS pipe for model parts.
Andrew

Stuff the opening with sprue or other scrap styrene that is a little higher than the surounding model, file it to rough shape and finish it off with the putty of your choice. As far as panel lines go, use the existing raised lines as a guide for the back of an x-acto blade to cut new recessed lines....

6oo grit sandpaper works fine for me.
Andrew

Another possibility is to put a PVC pipe cap at each end. Friction alone could hold them in place, or use setscrews or glue. The cap could be cut back if you need to work right up to the end.
Andrew

I've used straight pins for rivets- just drill a #70 or so hole, add a tiny drop of super glue and push in the pin. You can cut the shaft of the pin down if clearance is a problem. Careful shopping at fabric, craft and dolar stores will give you a limited range of pinhead sizes. Grandt Line makes a ...

A very nice job explaining how a 1/48 B-29 was covered with kitchen foil,, and turned out looking great! I'll admit I've avoided silver finishes for decades, but this article makes me think it's possible:
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/
It's in the "What's new" for 3-31-06
Andrew

It does do a grand job at stripping paint! The active principal to look for seems to be butoxyethanol, butyl cellusolve, or butyl ether- all different names for the same thing. Here's a link to a list of products that contain it: http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=chem...

I've seen a few dioramas on-line that used clear candle gel from the craft store- I've never tried it myself, but it looked nice. BUT you have to heat it to pour, which can afffect styrene.
Andrew

Or, just cut a ring from a tube that is a sliding fit over the tube that needs the ring. There must be some tubing or cylinders with a 30mm ID about 2.5 mm thick
Andrew

I used to gouge the plastic templates, but then I switched from the X-Acto to a pin chucked in a pin vise. Works well, and won't gouge. Using the back of the X-Acto blade can help too. Another possibility is to use a gasket punch to press in a circle.
Andrew

My all-time favorite is the old Revell V-2 kit- lots of parts that are hard to recognize in a different context. I've also picked up some super cheap Gundam models. At first I really didn't know what to do with them, since I was so used to looking at tank and aircraft parts, but they are chock full ...

For a plastic universal adhesive, try anything with methylene chloride in the mix. Ambroid Pro Weld is my personal favorite, and made by the oldest name in hobby glue. Plexiglass cement from the plastics store or the web is more-or-less the same thing, and Tenax 7R will evaporate as your mind wander...

On the other hand, silver car paint from the auto parts store is absolutely bulletproof, as long as there is a color you can use. There is no chance at all of finding an exact match for RLM 666, or a realistic bare metal finish. but there are a lot of silver/gunmetal/titaniums available. An auto bod...

For re-shaping the figues, Loctite makes a super glue for polyetheylene, which I haven't tried. Their other specialized super glues ARE considerably better than most. My guess is cut the figures as you normamally would, but be sure to pin the limbs in position. There is also a tool called a "py...

It's not that different- I was just trying to use up what I had, and that matched the scale. The project is the ill-fated XMP-13 from the the thrilling 1959 TV show "Men into Space". It started looking like the hull was 1/48, then 1/60 looked good, and in came the Vikings, who are still th...

Hi folks. A project I've been working on has mutated in scale as more references trickle in... Instead of being 1/60 and crewed by Aurora Vikings, it's actually 1/72 and I'll have to use those nasty polyethylene Airfix Astronauts. How do I trim the flash and make paint stick to them? Looking around ...

You could use a balsa stripper:
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=%22 ... a=N&tab=wf
Andrew

What are the dimensions of a square drive ends? A generic speedometer cable might get you back in business.
Andrew

Here's a thread on someone casting up a bunch of parts:
http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//in ... topic=6743
Lots of pictures, goes step by step, and he's not done yet. Looks helpful to me!
Andrew

I just printed out my first sheet of home-made (actually pirate) decals. I've always liked the cheesy instrument decals in the Revell XSL-01, Moonship, and Space pursuit, and finally had a project that could use some. I printed out a few scans of the decal sheet from Sven Ninfinger's site, cut-and-p...

Get some model railroad scenic dirt- North End Train Center in the basement of American Eagles in Lake City will have it. It's a lot easier than screening your own, and it comes in any color you want.
Andrew

Here's the Delta: http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=BS-100&go=1010264 It's small enough it could go under the bed when not in use. You can get a much smaller saw from Proxxon, but it is also much more expensive. I used the saw last night to cut a 1" section / slice out of a...