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Old fashion materials for interior cockpit


Jack109

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Good day

 

I am starting to do the first steps in sratchbuild parts for cockpits..

 

I am wondering if I do not want to use the dedicate styrene sheets, but plastic I can recycle from household products... what do you suggest?

 

I tried plastic bottles for windscreens, or general plastic thin packaging... and they work all right.

 

I ve also tried sprues but to model it more that flat or stick shape seems hard

 

I did a bit of research on the forum but I could not find a recent topic (I am sure there are some hidden somewhere)

 

So I want to make this cost effective as I am not looking to make any special extra accessory.

 

Thanks a lot!

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Well there are certainly plenty of packaging items which are made of some form of styrene such as yoghurt/desert pots (the white ones) the main issue is finding suitable pieces. You will be hard pressed to find large flat pieces. I think sprue is very hard to work with other than heat stretching it to produce thinner rods. Stretching sprue is a bit of an art form getting the heat right and quickly pulling it out to the desired diameter.

 

The advantage of using sheet, and the multitude of other forms of modelling styrene, is that you can easily map out sizes and shapes you want, there is no cleaning of contamination and you get the thicknesses you need when you need them.

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2 hours ago, Jack109 said:

Good day

 

I am starting to do the first steps in sratchbuild parts for cockpits..

 

I am wondering if I do not want to use the dedicate styrene sheets, but plastic I can recycle from household products... what do you suggest?

 

I tried plastic bottles for windscreens, or general plastic thin packaging... and they work all right.

 

I ve also tried sprues but to model it more that flat or stick shape seems hard

 

I did a bit of research on the forum but I could not find a recent topic (I am sure there are some hidden somewhere)

 

So I want to make this cost effective as I am not looking to make any special extra accessory.

 

Thanks a lot!

 

unless you are really really poor, and have oodles of free time, and a lot of skill, just get a pack or assorted microstrip and assorted rod and tube, as detailed below, as you will spend all your modelling time making the materials, and the packs below will go a long way.

Quote

Posted this before, but if you want to add some detail, the items below will make life a lot easier if you fancy a bit of scratch building.

microstrip ... Slater's do a whole range, but the assorted pack is cheap way to get some very handy scratch building material.

https://slatersplastikard.com/plastikard/microstrip.php

They also do a assorted pack of plastic rod

https://slatersplastikard.com/plastikard/plasticRod.php

the other bargain is Evergreen assorted tube and rod pack, 7 lengths of different types.

Evergreen # 217

AFAIK these are the only mixed packs of these products, which are great, but it can get expensive if you want a mix, but this way for a small outlay you get a lot of different sizes, which make life a lot easier for adding detail.

Sure you can cut strips and stretch sprue but that's hard to do with regularity.

There was a seller on ebay who stocked all 3 which made for one postage charge, still going

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/TRANSPORT-MODELS-OF-PRESTON

ask for the specific items and combined postage charge.

here's the microstrip mix

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Slaters-1001-Assorted-Microstrip-50-Lengths-NEW-/131334949653

while it may seem expensive, but if you try cutting regular strips from plastic sheet you will see what I mean, it curls up and is surprisingly difficult.

 
tube assortment
 
No connection, just one place to buy both together, and ask about the assorted plastic rod too.
 
I recommend these to anyone reading this who ever intends to do some scratch built detailing, as these will last for many models and make life much much easier.

 

 

same for sheet styrene,  it will last for ages for small jobs, and it accurately sized and made for the jib.

One usefull itme I have used is leftover SIM card backing and the cards given out by "The Health Lottery"  as these are useable.

 

Note,  if you are going down  the recycled plastic route, most plastic has a recycling code

Il1NP.png

 

the only really useful ones are 3, 6 and 7, as the others won't take glue.

only 6 will work with plastic cement,  you can get cement that will work for ABS and Polystyrene,  but as for ease of use, just use superglue.

I've never used anything apart from the multipacks from pound shops.

 

Also worth scanning toys in pound shops, as you may find something mostly polystyrene you can use, eg generic Lego

 

HTH

T

 

 

 

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If you’re going to get into scratchbuilding it’ll be worth your while getting some proppa styrene sheet.

It’ll save you a lot of messing about trying to find recyclable materials in (a) the right material (b) the right thickness.

 

Don’t know whereabouts in the smoke you are, but this place is worth a visit.

http://modelshop.co.uk/Shop/Raw-Materials/Plastics/Item/Styrene-sheet-white-0-25mm/ITM2495

4D Model shop. It’s mainly used by architectural students, but has all sorts of raw materials and tools.

Sheet styrene is very cheap and one of their big sheets will last you years!

 

Mart

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I dunno what scale you're considering; I work in 1/72 and 1/48 and often scratch bits of stuff for cockpits and gear bays. I bought some A4 size plastic card sheets from Hannants in each of four sizes ten years ago, and still have most of them left! (And I DO build quite a lot, honest -I just never actually finish anything! :think:)

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Thanks a lot for all the great suggestions 

 

I didnt know of the different kind of plastic.

Thats a Key 

 

I thougt to be a good idea to recycle, my uncle in the 70s used plastic plates ( the cheap White ones). 

 

I do 1:72 ww1-2 aircraft  only and I want to improve my cockpit detailing skills.

 

Some of you mentioned poundland . Do they have plastic sheets?

 

Anyway i know its cheap to get a mixed bag of plastic strips but I recycle and re-use its fun! Boosts the creativity! 

 

Again thanks for all' good hints, I will go for sure to the shop, I thought There were no modelling shops in london... I found none so far. 

 

 

 

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For very thin plastic 'sheet' bits use the vac formed bun trays in packs of buns.

A friend uses the plastic from ice cream tubs [the big 1 or 2 litre sizes] and yogurt tubs

Interesting sections can be had from plastic coffee stiring sticks and disposable picnic cutlery

 

Dissolve sprue in glue to make a plastic 'soup'

Paint it on to a sheet of glass or glazed tile and you can make thin sheets, or even shapes with it

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A quick Google using 'hobby shop london uk' got me a dozen hits. Spoiled for choice, you lot are. :)  And if you can't get to any of them in person, there's quite a number who do mail order, including several owned by BM denizens.

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Thats great thanks, 

 

The sprue soup its the real cheap DIY way but a bit Extreme for my needs. I will try the icecream boxes way.

 

Regarding shops in London, well There are few Yes but, The One I saw are small and not only modelling dedicated. So far the largest model selection   I saw was at raf museum. 

 

Very last question. Ok for plastic I have an idea where ti find It now, what about wiring and control panels?

 

1) any recycling options for wiring and control panel detail ?

2) doing 1:72 which is the size of wire I should consider to use? If I decide to buy a roll for example.

 

 

I ve thought of the metal wire inside electronics or the One used in Little strings used ti close food products.( The One covered in pkastic and flexible) 

 

I am a bit concern how to keep the scale ... 

 

Thanks a lot! 

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1) old telephone cables, usb cables and in general the computer cabling (from a burned-out power supply, beware of the possible remaining charge in the condenser) are your friends.

 

2) always have several sizes. If you're gonna buy stuff, buy the lead wires used for making the fishing flies. Better modelling shops have pre-packaged smaller quantities, fishing shops should get you big rolls of the stuff.

 

Re shops in London, the big H in Colindale? What they don't have they can order from the really big H in Lowestoft.

 

If you can track them, Reheat had a great range of assorted PE bezels and switches, people used to make masters for resin sets with them.

 

Vedran

 

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I think it's great that you want to use recycled materials. Although beware, scratch building is a very virulent disease, which when infected, tends to be incurable. It often takes hold in the cockpit area and then rapidly spreads to other parts of the build. So eventually you might need other materials other than plastic.

For cables, fuse wire (very cheap) is great from wiring and pipework and normal electrical wire is good after stripping the coating off, paper-clips can be useful as well. Recently I've used a take-away foil container and a while ago I had to replace a filter in the dishwasher and the very fine metal mesh I salvaged from the old one has been very useful. I'm not saying demolish your white goods in a search for parts – just keep your eyes and mind open for potential modelling possibilities.

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Thank you.

 

I like that recycle is old fashion and add anche extra challenge, ad well develop my skills. 

 

What about scale? I used Electric wires before but I found It a bit big for 1:72.

 

Which is the right  diameter for internal wires ?

Keep the scale its very important to me... I want to try at least...

 

I ve got anche Electric wires in a spitfire and oh boy looks odd. 

 

Thanks 

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3 hours ago, Jack109 said:

What about scale? I used Electric wires before but I found It a bit big for 1:72.

 

Good point, I do 1/48. Finding finer materials isn't really a problem, it's gluing them into position and painting them.

Although not recycled, you could try the dark invisible thread, which is very cheap.

I no longer have my own supply, but I've heard of modellers using their own hair.

Finally, if you have any ear-bud type earphones for MP3 players that are good for the bin, the wire in those things is about as fine as you are likely to find.

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Thank you thats great to know !

 

What about the right size? 

 

I ve read for rigging ww1 Planes you want 0.07-8

 

What about for internal wires or extra wires for engine/ wheels compartment? (All' for 1:72)

 

 

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A quick update ... I bought some PP rods for 5pounds... Inspected them and returned.

 

I have done a scratchbuild frog swordfish... After an Amazing post here on britmodellers..

My conclusion is that food packaging and sprues ho a very long way.

 

Until I am much better any other material would be a waste.

 

Regarding internal wires i like steples the One you use to close paper together in a Office... They are soft and right size.... Super thin for 1:72

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