Looking for roll bar padding ideas

[Twowheelsrule]

I am working on a 1/24 430 Challenge car and I am trying to make roll bar padding for it. I have tried some light weight heat shrink tubing but, it doesn't seem thick enough. Also, the tubing doesn't seem to have the right texture like real padding does.

Please throw out some ideas for me,
Thanks,
Mark

[ScratchBuilt]

Hi Mark,

If we're talking 1/24 scale then I guess you need something between 2mm and 3mm diameter. How about stripping the protective sheathing from some bellwire or similar and using that? I've got some black 24/0.2 wire here that I bought in a local Maplins shop here in the UK - the outer sheath is 2mm diameter. There's also some 16/0.2 too, but that's only 1.5mm. The texture is certainly different to heat-shrink, and maybe with some very light drybrushing you could bring it out even more. Worth a look...

SB

[Twowheelsrule]

Thanks for the idea! I will take a look at some of the wire I have and see if I can find something usable.


Mark

[nomad_fsoak]

I used the wire insulation in my Lancer (the difference is i had used smaller diameter than rollcage, so you can see cuts when body is taken off) and if you will find right diameter it will look similar to orginal pads.






Other method is to wrap tamiya masking tape in many layers, and then paint it but it's more work and still similar effect.

[rallymaster]

The best solution I see and probably the simplest one is to buy hollow evergreen plastic tubes, cutting them in half and assemble them upon the roll cage sections.

[Twowheelsrule]

Thanks Nomad fsoak and Rallymaster for your great ideas. I am still looking for some wire insulation that will fit my cage properly but, I will consider tape or styrene tubing also.

Thank you for the help,
Mark

[star21]

Originally Posted by Twowheelsrule

Thanks Nomad fsoak and Rallymaster for your great ideas. I am still looking for some wire insulation that will fit my cage properly but, I will consider tape or styrene tubing also.

Thank you for the help,
Mark

I'd say the tape idea may be worth your time as the Tamiya tape tends to add a bit more of that textured effect that roll bar padding foam has.