Making canopies using clear nail varnish

[DOD]

I was looking through the copy of How to Go Plastic Modelling, Chris Ellis, 1968, which I have had since a bairn. All the basics are there but techniques have progressed considerably since them. 

However, one thing caught my eye and that was making canopies using clear nail varnish, a technique favoured by the author. 

Having carved your canopy shape from balsa and sanded smooth, smear it with margarine or lard(!) rubbing it well in (no comment). Paint over a layer of nail varnish,  let set and then repeat at least 15 times. When finished remove and trim.

He says the technique can also be used for radomes, fairings, etc and has used, for example, a drop tank that matched the required canopy shape, as a mould (not forgetting the marge or lard).

It's not something I have actually come across in practice and wondered if anyone has tried or uses it.

Does it work? 

Cheers

David

[Troy Smith]

15 minutes ago, DOD said:

It's not something I have actually come across in practice and wondered if anyone has tried or uses it.

Does it work? 

probably, but I can't see the point,  if you have made a mould, then you smash mould or vacform in plastic sheet.  Would give a better result faster.

 

16 minutes ago, DOD said:

How to Go Plastic Modelling, Chris Ellis, 1968, which I have had since a bairn. All the basics are there but techniques have progressed considerably since them. 

Indeed.  As have standards.   Not meaning to put the book down, I remember it well, it was in the library and I think have an incomplete copy.

The photos are tiny, if you had that exact model today, taken on a digital camera, it would look , basic. 

 

THE book for scratchbuilding is this one

 

"My main aim is to liberate the plastic modeller from the kit, to show him what can be done and to assure him that the satisfaction he may get from his kit model is nothing compared to that he would experience from 'free' modelling."

 

https://rclibrary.co.uk/title_details.asp?ID=1216

 

pdf here

https://rclibrary.co.uk/files_titles/1216/ScaleModelAircraft_Woodman.pdf

 

I was given a copy,  it's even now, very impressive for the techniques listed, I've seen decent photos of his work, and it's still high quality.  

I picked up a 1976 Scale Models, and he's there talking about making his own photo etch,  including a template sheet.  

 

A real pioneer.

 

HTH

 

[Alex Gordon]

I like the idea.I've a 1/144 Hurricane canopy that I'd like to do something about and this method might just do it.

[DOD]

11 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

probably, but I can't see the point,  if you have made a mould, then you smash mould or vacform in plastic sheet.  

 

This technique is also mentioned and it is the one that I was familiar with. 

I don't have an immediate need for doing this,though. Was really just interested if anyone had used it as I had not come across it being used.

 

Thanks for the reference to the book. It looks interesting. I had not come across it before.

Cheers

David