Styrene tube size?

[hondaaccordboy21]

If im wanting to make a roll cage,what size of styrene tube would i want to get?

[Kasso]

from what i've heard from other members, styrene isnt the best way to make a roll cage. people use metal rods that are bendable. i also have a theory that u can use thick soilder (sp?). and for sizes, get the width of a real roll cage bar and divide by 24 if model is 1/24 and 25 if its 1/25.

[KhmerBoi]

for my roll cages i use the tree that comes wit kit

[willimo]

I use plastic sheathed wire from Plastruct. That way I can the nice rigidity of the wire and still be able to use plastic cement to attach less essential roll cage components.

Either way, you'd want to use styrene rod not tube. The tube will kink, while the rod will bend.

[slimsi99]

If you are wanting simulate steel with out the painting, you might want to try heating up hollow aluminum tubing to the right bend that you are looking for. It bends rather easy, I did it a couple of times to make exhaust!

[Honoturtle]

To prevent kinking in hollow tubes, techniques like filling it up with table salt, or sand then taping the ends work well.

[slimsi99]

That's a good tip with that salt and tape. I will have to try that next time, it has always taken me forever to make exhaust with a lighter and the tube, I didn't want to over heat it you know. Thanks!

[weaponCIVIC]

where do you get aluminum tubing?

[ProSStreet]

hardware stores probably.

[slimsi99]

You should beable to get them at your local hobby shop. It comes in about a 12" length. They come in all sorts of sizes and you can get them hollow or solid. The hollow ones are better because they don't weigh as much plus they are easier to bend, try the tip that Honoturtle said with the salt and tape thing. It sounds like it would help prevent kinking or an irregular bend. Remember be careful not to over heat the tube it is only aluminum, you could completly disort the roundness of the tube and make it oval.

[ShOrtyOC714]

This is what i have made today out of parts tree's, i have found out that if you bend at any spots other sprues have been it will break very easy, because where the other ones combine they are hollow and weak.