The Ship Model Forum

I am currently working on the 1/350 nimitz. I have run into a problem and I was wondering if anyone had some tips or advice. I am trying to bend the railing for the main radar mast but the corners have to be curved, not squared. Any tips on how to measure and bend the railing?

Try using a dowel rod on a mouse pad rolling the PE railing portion until you have the bend you want. Go slow, bending a little bit at a time. You might also try annealing the PE section before you bend since that takes some of the "spring" out of it. If you aren't familiar with annealing, you heat the PE with flame, some use a candle, I use a butane lighter, until it just begins to glow red. Then remove the heat and let it cool on its own - don't quench it in water. The watchword here is go slow, its easier to bend more than to bend less.

Good luck and I hope this helps some. I'm sure others on this board with more expertise in using PE than I have can give you even more and better advice.

Bob

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Give me a fast ship, for I would like to get out of harm's way!

The back of a mouse mat is what I use as well for all my railing bending. Get a thin, cheap one, rather than a thick, luxurious one. The sort that trade representatives give out as advertising gimmicks are ideal. If you lay the railing on the back of the mat and press down with a straight scalpel blade, as though you were trying to cut it, the railing will bend with a nice sharp angle. If you roll the shank of a drill or a file handle along the railing you will get a curve, or even a perfect circle. The harder you press and the smaller the diameter of the drill, the tighter the curve. Ideal!

Kind regards,

David Griffith

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"For scientific leadership, give me Scott. For swift and efficient travel give me Amundsen. But when you are in a hopeless situation, when you are seeing no way out, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton."