Styrene Question

[Integra14]

Im starting a new project (supra) and im buildin a body kit for it... im wondering if u can Burn/Melt styrene, so taht it bends, because i have an area on the front bumper, that need to be flush with the bumper....

also, to glue the styrene onto the stock bumper, should i Use PUtty, or Superglue??


Putty:

Tamiya kinds: I will have to order, or buy off someone.... apx. 3wks to receive

or

Squadron: can get tmw...


What should i do?

[Jay!]

Originally posted by Integra14
Im starting a new project (supra) and im buildin a body kit for it... im wondering if u can Burn/Melt styrene, so taht it bends, because i have an area on the front bumper, that need to be flush with the bumper....

Can you explain this more?

You may want a different solution other than 'burning/melting.' I think you'll find when you melt the plastic, it becomes a liquid (duh!), and will be very hard to control where it goes without some very specialized tools...

[clatescivicr]

Integra, I will have an extra Polyester Putty and Epoxy Smooth both made by Tamiya in the next week or 2. If you want them let me know.

I would think superglue, unless it needs to be molded in for a flush look.

Originally posted by Integra14
Im starting a new project (supra) and im buildin a body kit for it... im wondering if u can Burn/Melt styrene, so taht it bends, because i have an area on the front bumper, that need to be flush with the bumper....

also, to glue the styrene onto the stock bumper, should i Use PUtty, or Superglue??


Putty:

Tamiya kinds: I will have to order, or buy off someone.... apx. 3wks to receive

or

Squadron: can get tmw...


What should i do?

[Integra14]

Here, im going to go TAKe some pictures..... and ill try to explain what im trying to do..

[God|Zilla168]

To bend styrene all you need is a little heat on the area you want to burn. I use a cigar lighter which is almost like a tiny torch to just heat the styrene enough so that is not melted but soft enough to bend. as to glueing it use the model cement to glue onto the bare part of the plastic and then sand. I hope this help.

[Integra14]

Heres the pic of the front bumper.... ps: 2nd custom job start!





Im trying to get the styrene, to Bend, and Stay in place... just like the front bumper

[God|Zilla168]

Hmm I see what you are trying to do.

That is a rather big bend to make. I am not sure if the styrene once bend will stay at that curve. My suggestion is for the end curve part just cut it off and start with a small piece of styrene but cut shaped into the curve you want then glue it back to the end of the straight piece.

[JDM Evo7]

You can bend to that angle with no problem. Use a sheet longer than you need for better leverage, then cut off the excess. Soak the Styrene in very hot water, around 150-160 degrees and that will releax it enough to bend easily. Use model glue to bond the styrene to the model.

[flyonthewall]

Cool! Someone is finally getting the idea about using styrene

First of all, if your glueing styrene to styrene then use the appropriate adhesive. Polystyrene cement will give a much better bond than superglue coz it will weld the join together.

To acheive what your tryingto do, i would suggest two ways to go about it. Perhaps the easiest option is to build up a sandwich of severl layers of styrene to form a solid piece. The best way to go about this is have a template, made from card, of that single bottom piece and work from that. Cut it out several times from a thicker sheet of styrene then you'll have identical pieces to keep things symetrical.



Secondly, you could glue a piece from thin sheet - .010 - to the face of the bumper, then glue piece from thicker plastic that has been cut to fit, in from behind. You could repeat this a couple of times so its solid, maybe add a little putty to fill small gaps then sand the face of the bumper so its flush as you required... Is this making sense?



Does this help you at all?

BTW- forgive the crude drawings

[Jay!]

I'd also recommend you put a few vertical ribs behind that area to support and shape the plastic, and make sure it only bends along the planes you want it to...

[Integra14]

Thanks Chris.... i am going to try the Stacking Technique, so i do't have buy more styrene... thanks a lot, and does anyone have any suggestoins what i should do for the GAPING whole in the middle?

[chaos]

Originally posted by flyonthewall
[b]Cool! Someone is finally getting the idea about using styrene

First of all, if your glueing styrene to styrene then use the appropriate adhesive. Polystyrene cement will give a much better bond than superglue coz it will weld the join together.

To acheive what your tryingto do, i would suggest two ways to go about it. Perhaps the easiest option is to build up a sandwich of severl layers of styrene to form a solid piece. The best way to go about this is have a template, made from card, of that single bottom piece and work from that. Cut it out several times from a thicker sheet of styrene then you'll have identical pieces to keep things symetrical.

[

Chris, when you say sandwich - I assume you mean building horizontally - the different colours in your illustration are meant to be the layers?

[flyonthewall]

Originally posted by chaos


Chris, when you say sandwich - I assume you mean building horizontally - the different colours in your illustration are meant to be the layers?

U got it!

[chaos]

Originally posted by flyonthewall


U got it!

Cool! What thickness of styrene do you suggest? Also, I am also assuming (too many assumptions! ) that after building it up, it needs to be smoothened (sp) with putty - to prevent the ridges from the layers showing?

[flyonthewall]

Originally posted by chaos


Cool! What thickness of styrene do you suggest? Also, I am also assuming (too many assumptions! ) that after building it up, it needs to be smoothened (sp) with putty - to prevent the ridges from the layers showing?

Exactly! The thicknesses i use are .010, .020 and .030 along with any other strips and shapes that could be useful such as channels, 'L' shaped strips, rob, tube and square shape strips. An assortment of thin strips is very useful for detailing and saves the troble of cutting them from the sheets.