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Forums - Modelling / Construction |
The construction forum is for the discussion of techniques on the construction phase of AFV modelling and the tools and materials used. |
| Topics | 1857 |
| Messages | 8588 |
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| Subject: | Re: making headlights |  |
| Date: | Mar 31, 2003 |
| From: | Michael | |
Dear John,
there are a number get around your problem. The easiest is to go out and buy the excellent replacement lensses by greif. I think these are made of a clear epoxy. These lensses come in different sizes and colours. If you don't fancy buying then you could make your lensses out of clear sprue in the correct diameter.
To make your lense make sure your sprue has a nice clean straight cut on one or prefferably both sides. Now carefully heat up the end of your piece of sprue (over a candle) and wait until the plastic start tot bell out. Let cool and cut off. Now for another tricky bit. You will have to sand down (and maybe polish) the lense. Some practice wil be needed and honestley I have not tried this myself.
You mention white clue. This has the disadvantage off shrinking during drying and this does not produce a convex shape you need for al lense. The samen goes if you use a product like humbrol clearfix. Airplane modellers user this to glaze windows. The viscous nature off this stuff allows you to fill a porthole or some other openingh that needs to be glazed. But again this not produce a convex shape.
May last trick that can offer you is making you lensses out off clear expoxy resin. Spread out a piece off baking paper and put drops off the expy resin onto this making sure you produce an convex shape. Let dry, peel off and stick in place. To get true round lensses i suppose you could fisrt cut small lenghts off some kind off thin walled tubing that you put on the baking paper. You would then put put the drops off expy resin in this rings. Let dry peel off, cut the rings off and admire your handywork.
Hope any off this is usefull,
Mike |
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