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Early bath for a Buccaneer ;)


chrisrope

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I was half contemplating cashing in on my Airfix Buccaneer before the Tanmodel arrives. 

Before I did, I went round it with clamps and tape and it actually lines up pretty well, must have a decent one.

 

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My question now I have it taped up where it should all line up, would a dunk in hot water then cold water change the memory of the plastic so it would put up less of a fight when I come to build it. 

Ive decided to keep it so wondering if it's worth a try

Cheers

Chris

 

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On ‎14‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 3:31 PM, chrisrope said:

I was half contemplating cashing in on my Airfix Buccaneer before the Tanmodel arrives. 

Before I did, I went round it with clamps and tape and it actually lines up pretty well, must have a decent one.

 

35730520044_6a7ff5c8f6_b.jpg

 

36565473595_086880f383_b.jpg

 

My question now I have it taped up where it should all line up, would a dunk in hot water then cold water change the memory of the plastic so it would put up less of a fight when I come to build it. 

Ive decided to keep it so wondering if it's worth a try

Cheers

Chris

 

That treatment works for resin, not so sure its a good idea for Polystyrene. May be a plastics scientist around on the site who would know, but I don't think plastic has memory like resin. it would probably just warp or melt with too much heat. Be better to add tabs from plastic card on the joint lines and then once assembled they will add strength to the joints against any strain from the " warp".  You could always add some epoxy on the inside of any visible seams to add a bit more long term strength.

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Give it a go. Some years ago I built a Campini Caproni CC2, an old thing produced by Delta. It was all horribly warped and I tried to get the fuselage sides parts to mate by forcing them into position and holding them together whilst the glue set but it ended up being bent like a banana.

I separated them and taped each to piece of stout metal sheet and soaked them in hot water for a while and then left them to cool. Afterwards I was able to complete the model ( its in RFI somewhere).

Don't use very hot water. I came a cropper when I did it on an earlier model using near boiling water. It went soft and shrank and I ended up with more warps than I started with. I think that it needs a longish soak at moderate heat to allow the plastic to be heated all through. The water should be just too hot to leave your hands in, if I remember correctly. You can always try a higher temperature if it doesn't work.

John

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Would it be worth fitting the bomb bay door before attempting it?

Just thinking it might help things turn out a little more to shape?

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Yeah I've read it can be easier once the cockpit and bomb bay are in. I have an etch set for the cockpit so I'll just put the bomb bay in. 

 

I'll put a load of pegs and cable ties on it and give it a soak.

I'd try it today but I've got ikea drawers to put up :( 

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On 14/08/2017 at 4:31 PM, chrisrope said:

My question now I have it taped up where it should all line up, would a dunk in hot water then cold water change the memory of the plastic so it would put up less of a fight when I come to build it. 

Ive decided to keep it so wondering if it's worth a try

Cheers

Chris

 

 

Hi Chris,

 

The hot water dunk isn't necessary.

Start glueing the fuselage parts at a trailing side, then work your way around the fuselage by glueing inch by inch and letting the glue cure every time.

You should be alright in the end.

 

Cheers,

 

S.

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Polystyrene has a glass transition temperature (the point at which the polymer chains have enough thermal energy to wriggle past each other and realign) of about 107degrees C so hot water won't be quite enough on a quick dunk but there is some time dependancy in that it'll flow below this temperature but quite slowly (see the Aberysthwith or Queensland bitumen drop experiments for examples) 

 

Water at just shy of boiling topped up a few times so it has a long immersion has a good chance of working. I'd suggest clamps or a jig though as the polymer in your tape adhesive will have given up the ghost at that temperature.

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On 27/08/2017 at 10:06 AM, LostCosmonauts said:

Polystyrene has a glass transition temperature (the point at which the polymer chains have enough thermal energy to wriggle past each other and realign) of about 107degrees C so hot water won't be quite enough on a quick dunk but there is some time dependancy in that it'll flow below this temperature but quite slowly (see the Aberysthwith or Queensland bitumen drop experiments for examples) 

 

Water at just shy of boiling topped up a few times so it has a long immersion has a good chance of working. I'd suggest clamps or a jig though as the polymer in your tape adhesive will have given up the ghost at that temperature.

 

Nice info re the temperature.
Off topic, but such things are dealt with at my work for stress relieving carbon steel and alloys of such. Also digging in books at work helped solve a claim of alloy wheels being embrittled through powder coating ovens... I digress, but... I do love to know the science, accurate science, that means things work. :)

 

ps - yes, I have an Airfix Bucc waiting for me to grow the veg to tackle it. ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...
13 hours ago, hairystick said:

Quite honestly I'd not bother with the hot bath. I have mine together now and simply working around the fuselage join an inch at a time then moving along will get a good result. Just take your time. 

 

I think you're right and probably the route I will take. 

It was just a theory that might work for twisted wings but perhaps not in this case.  I will leave it all aligned and taped up till I get round to building it to see if it has any effect ;)

I've just acquired a second Bucc in a favourable trade though I haven't checked the 'fit' on it yet as it's still sealed 

 

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22 hours ago, chrisrope said:

I think you're right and probably the route I will take. 

It was just a theory that might work for twisted wings but perhaps not in this case.  I will leave it all aligned and taped up till I get round to building it to see if it has any effect ;)

I've just acquired a second Bucc in a favourable trade though I haven't checked the 'fit' on it yet as it's still sealed 

 

You have acquired a second Airfix Bucc?:huh:

 

I can give you the name of a very good psychologist...:giggle:

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19 hours ago, hairystick said:

You have acquired a second Airfix Bucc?:huh:

 

I can give you the name of a very good psychologist...:giggle:

Spur of the moment but it did help clear some unwanted kits from the stash. 

Good job the Bucc is in my top 5 faves or I'd be kicking myself. 

Who knows, if the Tanmodel turns out to be a clunker, I'm sitting on a goldmine :D

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