do i really need plastic styrene?

[99civichic]

My hometown didn't have any hobby stores that carried anything useful for modelbuilding. I had to order my first styrene off the internet, and it cost a ton in shipping. Now there's a store down the street that carries it, and I love working with it.

It works great for roll cages:


You can bend it by heating it slightly. This is just straight styrene, glued together and then painted.

I also built a cowl hood and parachute mount for this car:


I cut out a peice of styrene that followed the factory lines on the Mustang's hood, bent it to the angle and height I wanted using heat (a candle) cut out side pieces, glued it all together and sanded it out smooth. You just gotta be careful heating it because it will melt and deform.

[lancerevoRS]

so u have to put glue on the surface before you putty over it ?_?

[krebs128]

Originally Posted by lancerevoRS

so u have to put glue on the surface before you putty over it ?_?

No, not necessarily...you'll have glue the strips of styrene together and then glue it to the body. Then, you add the putty directly to the styrene and mold it into the desired shape. Understand what I'm saying?

[willimo]

lancerevoRS, go to this link here (click this underlined text) and read this thread. Unfortunately, Ratdat is no longer around (so please don't top the thread!), but it will give you a good idea on how to use the plastic and putty to make body kits. That guy was amazing, and you will see how a master did it from start to finish. Also, search for his Auster (in the in-progress sub forum, type "Auster" in the search window), it will probably also be great help.

Hope this helps.

[lancerevoRS]

cool! thanks, so glue styrene then putty, okie, tyty

[99civichic]

Think of the styrene as being like the pieces that came with the kit; you gotta glue it on and make it fit with putty. It's the same material.

[lancerevoRS]

ahh ok, hmm i sound stupid, but hey wt the heck, is plastic styrene like really bendy??

[krebs128]

Thin styrene has a little give to it. I would recommmend (VERY CAREFULLY) heating the styrene and slightly bending it into a shape, if needed. But be VERY CAREFUL as not to light yourself on fire or more importantly melt the styrene.

[lancerevoRS]

so those plastic styrene is actually hard? crap

[krebs128]

It's just like the plastic your models come as. Comes as sheets. You cut out shapes and strips, create a frame, glue it all together, putty, sand, and you have a body kit.

[willimo]

Go try it, then come ask more questions. Nothing is gonna be able to explain it better than your own first hand experience.

[Vric]

Originally Posted by willimo

Go try it, then come ask more questions. Nothing is gonna be able to explain it better than your own first hand experience.

[lancerevoRS]

yea, planning on getting some plastic styrene when i have my half term, and am gonna build a bodykit for my old nsx (or try to anyways) thanks for all the replies