Glazing a brass photo etch canopy

[Harry_the_Spider]

 

 

I’ve posted this elsewhere, but on reflection this is probably the correct location for it.

 

I’ve got a PE set for a Victor which includes a canopy frame.

 

How would I go about glazing it? I’d like to try and heat form a piece of clear plastic to match the inner profile of it without the aid of vac forming. Would it be possible to “melt” the plastic with a hair drier or boiling water to get it malleable enough to follow the profile of the curved frame? If so, what sort of plastic should I consider? I may have a big enough off-cut from a vac formed canopy set, but if I haven’t what would do the job?

 

I don’t want to sand and polish the kit supplied glazing as that is my fall back option in the event of a cock up.

 

 

Thanks in advance…

[Vicarage Vee]

Wild guesswork territory, but the only thing that I can think of that might shrink to something as thin as etched brass is the film for 'home-made double glazing'.  

 

What do the etch instructions suggest?  Or is it supposed to just sit inside the kit part? For heat forming I would have thought that you would need to make a male mould of the glazing shape and work from that rather than the etch.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

54 minutes ago, Vicarage Vee said:

For heat forming I would have thought that you would need to make a male mould of the glazing shape and work from that rather than the etch.

I agree i would use something like balsa/bass wood cut and sanded to shape to fit inside your brass frame. Then you could plunge/vacuform it for use. 

[Harry_the_Spider]

Quote

What do the etch instructions suggest?  Or is it supposed to just sit inside the kit part? For heat forming I would have thought that you would need to make a male mould of the glazing shape and work from that rather than the etc

It sits over the kit part, but you have to remove the detail from the kit part first. Which is dangerous should you screw it up!

 

 

I was wondering if I could shape the PE, then invert it and warm the plastic so that gravity would make it follow the PE's profile.

Edited November 5, 2018 by Harry_the_Spider

[Troy Smith]

Possibly Microscale Kristal Kleer might work?

 

 

there is also this

Glue 'N' Glaze - For Glazing & Bonding Crystal Clear Windows.

 

I believe both are forms of PVA glue

 

Alternately, ask if someone has a spare canopy,  given the kit is a noted filler queen, there are likley to be some that have been shelved, especially with a newer Airfix kit, and then you have a spare.

 

Or make a mould of the kit canopy, and use that as a former...

[Vicarage Vee]

It looks as if there are two frets for the canopy frame. Is it not possible to make a sandwich of those with some thin PET between and then gently curve the lot to shape?

[Harry_the_Spider]

One is drilled for the refuelling probe, the other isn't. However, I have acquired two Victors, so I'll need them both.

 

I've just had a rummage through my lad's pile of Star Wars based crap and discovered a box that he doesn't want that contains an acetate window. I'll have a go with that. It is thin enough to be bent and glued without heat. 

[Vicarage Vee]

There is also the thought that the etch is a perfect template to score out the individual glazing from clear sheet.

That's the long route of course and you'd need to be a bit generous in the bigger panels to get the curve.