5' Falcon base hull building

[TDahl]

Any suggestions on bending plastic tube without kinks?

I have a set of small-diameter tube benders similar to this from Micromark which are tightly coiled wire formed into hollow tubes that are 5 ro 6 inches long, with one flared end (to allow easy insertion of the tube material ti be bent). The idea is that the tube to be bent is inserted into the coiled form and then bent. The coils surrounding the tube to be bent prevent the tube from expanding at a kink point. I have not tried them on plastic, but they might work if the plastic has been pre-warmed on hot water.

 

[Treadwell]

I think I've read that if you put something inside, like a bendable soft metal rod or wire, it helps prevent that. And it can then be removed.

 

[RealDaveWinter]

I think I've read that if you put something inside, like a bendable soft metal rod or wire, it helps prevent that. And it can then be removed.

Yes, I've already tried that.

 

[TazMan2000]

I managed to make larger diameter bends on my 1/16 Y-wing ( Large scale Y-Wing ) by using a little of what joberg suggested and what Treadwell suggested. You're not going to get a 1D bend without problems, as you know the tubing will crunch up in the inside and stretch on the outside. But you can make a series of relief cuts so the outside will fan-out and the inside will seal up with 'pie" cuts. Use filler to fill in the gaps and sand.

Model kit sprue which comes in different diameters depending on the model size is a great way to get different diameters of sprue, sometimes with the proper diameter bend already formed, and those bend easily with a little heat from a candle. I've also used Evergreen tubing with a diameter of brass rod equal to the internal diameter of the tubing and I slowly bent it to shape.

Plastruct.com has butyrate tubings and fittings for larger diameter piping, which is what I used on the Death Star trench display base. Catalog

TazMan2000

 

[Treadwell]

Can you use styrene rod instead of tubing? I've had some success that way.

 

[RealDaveWinter]

Finally completed my first mechanical pit last night. Bottom Starboard. It was fun because there are not many kits required, and I had all of them on hand. I could just pull them off the shelf and not have to wait a month for something to show up in the post. The photo above is from the Chronicles book, and so I do not know why that Pay Hauler frame is on its side in the photo. Other references show it upright as I have it.

Bending rod is far easier to bending tube, so where required, I've just stuffed tube with ever smaller tube and rod until I get a solid rod the diameter I need.

This is probably not 100% perfect, I'm sure things are off by a mm or two here and there, but I think I got it really close.

The Chronicles photo and built up Bandai kit parts are shown as reference.

 

[Media Man]

Looks stunning, great work!

 

[joberg]

Looking sharp for sure

 

[manugu]

Perfect, great job!

(Here for completeness a link where the payhauler beam is also discussed by 3Dsf in his superb collection of notes)