Working with styrene

[ModelMonkey]

How to work with styrene, shaping styrene the way it needs to be done. What would be the best kind of material to use to build the funnels for the destroyer.

Styrene is a forgiving material that is relatively easy to cut and shape, inexpensive, and widely available. It is perfectly suitable for funnels. Other materials certainly work well too such as brass. I think the decision as to which material to use depends upon the skill and preference of the individual modeler.

My styrene skill are better than my metal skills. A company called Evergreen produces an amazing variety of styrene strips, rods, tubes and special shapes such as v-groove sheet, I-beams, H-beams, C-channels, etc. and this variety makes working with styrene easier for me.

There are several techniques for shaping styrene sheet into curved pieces. Keep in mind the thinner the sheet the easier it is to curve. The most common thicknesses of styrene sheet I prefer are .010", .020" and .040".

For my larger scale Fletcher scratch-build project, I chose to use .020" thick sheet for splinter shields and decks. It is reasonably stiff yet flexible enough to curve. It should work well to form funnels. For large structural parts such as bulkheads and other flat areas that must remain flat or for parts that will carry a heavy load, I prefer .040" thick sheet which resists warping and waviness.

Most of the time, simply forming the sheet into the desired shape with my fingers or pulling a strip across a file works perfectly.

Evergreen sheet out of the bag is smoother on one side than the other. If the original structure I am trying to replicate with styrene was made of smooth steel, I assemble the pieces so that the smoother side is visible.

To cut round portholes I use a Waldron punch and die set. They are expensive but last for years. The set I have is nearly 20 years old and still works well.

[reigels]

Technique would probably depend on the scale and shape the funnel is and how complex the cap is. The last few funnels I have scratchbuilt have been simple ovals with open tops in 1/700. Method I used for these was to make a core out of basswood and cover with .010 or .015 sheet styrene.

In a nut shell:
1. Select or cut a basswood stick an inch or two longer than the funnel (or multiple funnels) you'll need.
2. Sand to correct profile with files, sanding stick, sand paper, etc. Shaping a longer blank than you'll need betters your chances that the center portion will be correct and makes it easy to later cut identical pieces from the blank.
3. Use a razor saw (and a small mitre box if you have one) to cut the individual sections a about a 1/2 inch longer than needed. (The extra 1/2 inch is a good handle sticking out the bottom of the funnel until you're finished.)
4. Cut a square of .010 styrene the height of the funnel.
5. Pre-bend the styrene with a file handle or what have you to roll it round and take some of the "spring" out.
6. Carefully line up the styrene on the blank and tack one edge with CA, being careful not to use too much glue, or else you'll get bumps under styrene.
7. Let the glue dry. (7a: let the glue dry longer)
8. Roll the styrene around the funnel and precisely trim so you get a close butt joint with the glued edge.
9. Secure the rest of the styrene wrap with CA and let dry.
10. Touch up the joint as you please with filler and lightly sand with wet/dry.
11. Trim off the extra 1/2 inch handle.

For the open top funnels I have been doing I have let the styrene wrap extend a 1/32 inch above the core to give the appearance of a thin walled funnel.

Funnel caps, etc are up to you.

Hope this helps.

[reigels]

Finished product is here:



Actually I made resin copies of these so I never needed to cut off the bottoms.

Black lines on the blank on the left are permanent marker. I colored the wood stock before I started sanding so it would be easier to see if I was taking it off evenly.

[nick]

I would like to ask this q..

where can sheet styrene be found?

It's not available in a hobby shop or the hardware
Nick

[Charlestonguy]

Evergreen should have what you would need.

http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/

[les]

I've found that using a coffee cup warmer for softening styrene works well. To make splinter shields I've wrapped a piece of styrene around a mechanics socket with a samll part of the socket proturding out one end and clamped it. Set the whole works on the cup warmer with the socket touching plate. Let it set until it becomes warm to the touch and remove and let it cool. When you unclamp it the plastic will hold the shape. Always use a socket that's smaller than the desired size as the styrene will spring back some.

I've also put the styrene directly on the plate to make ajustments, but don't let the styprene set on it. Keep the plastic contact moving.

[commodore4]

Hello nick You should be able to get EVERGREEN directly. I would see if an architect in the area where you are uses the stuff. If not ,Do you get any model magazines?? They should have an ad in FINE SCALE MODELER or SCALE AUTO MAGAZINE. I don,t know if I can post the address here. Anyway you should be able to get it in a craft store somewhere.If you can,t get EVERGREEN, try PLASTRUCT. They now make a pretty complete line of styrene products. commodore4

[nick]

Hello nick You should be able to get EVERGREEN directly. I would see if an architect in the area where you are uses the stuff. If not ,Do you get any model magazines?? They should have an ad in FINE SCALE MODELER or SCALE AUTO MAGAZINE. I don,t know if I can post the address here. Anyway you should be able to get it in a craft store somewhere.If you can,t get EVERGREEN, try PLASTRUCT. They now make a pretty complete line of styrene products. commodore4

Evergreen should have what you would need.

http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/

Thanks for the help guys,

I don't think I'm ever gonna order online:D (I'm still 15 ). And rarely do I see modelling-related magazines here.

I've always wanted to try styrene!

Nick

[commodore4]

NICK; If you like, contact me at gjgeracci@satx.rr.com. I would be willing to send you a mixed pack of styrene to mess around with ,this would also include the company,s mailing address .You may e-mail me and we can get this underway commodore4

[jcmackay]

Nick - Try http://www.hobbylinc.com - I think you'll find that their prices are much better than buying directly from Evergreen.

[Niall]

On heat forming polystyrene. To make 1 plane curves I wrap the plasticard around a former and carefully pour boiling water over the former. For a former I either carve it from wood or use a suitable diameter drill bit. The latter is especially useful when making hand wheels and DF loops.

To make wheels tape a length of plastic rod to a drill bit towards the top and rap it tightly around the shaft in a coil. Tape off the end and pour boiling water over the coil of plastic rod(Do hold the drill bit in an oven glove or similar). Remove the tape and slide of the spring like coil of plastic rod. This can easily be cut into split rings which can be glued to scratch built spokes.

The attached photo shows one of the minesweeping gear davits for my Revell Flower Class Corvette. The wheel is about 6mm diameter.

[rsetiawan]

Evergreen should have what you would need.

http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/

what about TAMIYA's pla plate ? are they similar thing ?
which is beter for scratchbuildign ?

[Niall]

I find Evergreen and Tamiya to be expensive for sheet.
I have bought polystyrene sheet from the following retailers -
http://www.ema-models.co.uk/
http://www.slatersplastikard.com/

Of these 2 companies, EMA is an American company, the link I posted is their UK agents, there are similar agents in other countries.