JeffreyK Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Hi, I'm currently working on a canopy part that I intend to produce by vacu forming. I don't have any real experience with this other than the odd smash-mould of simple parts. My question is, when making a male master (so the clear plastic will be formed over the outside), how thick does the framing have to be so it will show through the finished clear part? I don't know yet what strength of PET-G material will be used - as thin as possible of course, but the canopy is relatively large so it can't be too thin or it will become too flexible and floppy to work with. Cheers Jeffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 I have used Tamiya tape as framing and it showed up as a raised line on the outside. On canopies for 1/72 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffreyK Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 Really? That thin? Sounds promising. What was the thickness of the clear material (PET-G I assume?) you used? Cheers Jeffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Really? That thin? Sounds promising. What was the thickness of the clear material (PET-G I assume?) you used? Cheers Jeffrey Ah, that I cannot say for certain. I use pieces cut from packaging. It is PETG though I suppose it might be about 20 thou thick. But I was making canopies for single seater fighter types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 (edited) TBH I don't really see the advantage of having moulded framing: it's only there to give people lines to mask and/or paint to, and it will inevitably be more soft-edged than it really ought to be. In a large scale, better to do two vac-forms* and cut one up to make the framing that goes on the see-though one. In a small scale I'd just mask and paint, or more likely use painted decal strip. *Or more precisely three. Do one to use as glazing, do another and leave it on on the mould, and do one over the top of that to be used for exterior framing - it will be just slightly larger. Edited July 3, 2015 by Work In Progress 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 I used insulation tape when I did vacforming of a Stirling canopy, and that showed through just fine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffreyK Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 Many thanks guys! I will err on the thin side then, but will use plastic strips. Just painting the frames won't do, there is some large detail on there like hatches etc. that has to be structurally present. Cheers Jeffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biersquirrel Posted July 25, 2016 Share Posted July 25, 2016 This guy actually sands off the canopy framing from kit canopies for somewhat convincing reasons I thought. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azureglo Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 This guy actually sands off the canopy framing from kit canopies for somewhat convincing reasons I thought. That's no mere "guy" that there is the legendary Paul Budzik. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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