Built-up plating tricks?

PATMAT · Post by **PATMAT** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:39 am

I've got a big 1:24 tug that needs the steel plating strakes built up... the 1/2" plates will be about 0.020" thick, more than I'd want to do with masking tape and paint.

Any favorite tricks? There are enough turns and curves in the hull where I'm sure that plastic sheet will not sit flush to the hull.
I'm thinking about building them up with "planks" of 1/64" wood and sealing that...

Oh, and it's R/C, so it will get wet!

Pat M

Post by **HMAS** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:46 pm

Hot air gun (paint stripping gun) to soften & form the plastic?
off the model of course!
Tony

Gerarddm · Post by **Gerarddm** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:59 pm

In many of the sail model how-to books there are practicums for applying copper sheathing, I would imagine similar would work for your tug?

Ron Smith · Post by **Ron Smith** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 2:08 am

Simple stupid trick time..........first draw the plates on the hull with a black technical pen that uses india ink, sharpies aren't dark enough. Next lay a single layer of thin, flexible tape over each plate, one plate at a a time, trace the outline of the inked on plate on the tape, remove tape, lay flat on .020" thick styrene stock..............bet the lines are no longer perfectly straight............cut plate from stock, hold on hull, if it looks right, glue it down, repeat until done.

Your other choice is track down a shell expansion drawings and cut plates from that.