A while back I posted a request for thoughts on the best way to add window “glazing” - glass-to the “observation” end of a brass Milwaukee Road Skytop Lounge. Flat windows areas are not an issue. Clear plastic, acrylic, microscope slide cover glass and etc. The problems develop in the areas with the compound curves. Anybody have any experience adding glazing to these areas? Any ideas? Lots of people looked at my post, but no responses. Must be impossible…
Not impossible, but difficult to be sure. Have you considered heating the glazing in hot water? This can make it possible to bend the glazing into the shape(s) you need.
[:-^]
Well Split Reduction, I would think that you would have to do each window of that curved section as a seperate installation. I know it would be a pain, but I cannot come up with a better thought on the matter.
It is strange that they (Mfg) wouldn’t have made a drop in for it.[?]
Johnboy out…
You didn’t say what scale it was, but if HO or smaller, mabe Micro-Krystal-Clear would do it. You know, the white thick liquid stuff that you apply to the edges of the windows and form a film with. It dries crystal clear, but it does have a distortion somewhat so you can’t quite see clearly through it. I use it all the time for building windows etc. To get the curve, I would just set the car so it sags in the proper direction while drying. If you can add extra material during the initial application, it would sag more.
Maybe .004-.007 Lexan? Curves well, cuts with scissors. Available at most any slot car track. They use it for air control/areodynamics. Also known as wings. It can also be thermo-formed.
Rotor
How about looking at the blister packs that almost everything seems to come in? They come in all sizes, shapes, curves, etc. My[2c]
That also works! And it’s thermo-formable, too. And cheap, too! [:D]
Rotor
Sadly, I realize that each window glass will need to be individually formed in the observation portion of the “Skytop”. To make matters worse, on the prototype car all the window panes in the observation area were actually flat. The brass on the coach is curved so, if one wants to be authentic, it would be necessary to fur out the inside of the brass window openings so that an individual piece of flat “glazing” could be installed in each opening.
Looks like I’ll need to polish up my “patience” skills.
SR, have you thought of making your own vacuum forming table and then forming your windows that way? It’s not too hard. Check this out: http://members.aol.com/GCGassaway/vacuform.htm
(I used to do it for model car windows all the time!)
How about using .005 or thinner clear styrene, bends and glues easily in curves.
here’s a trick I found by accident, but you migh ttry either a grey or black paint wash, or the way I;ve found, paint the windows and then try to get it off the windows with a brush and laquer thinner. sure does a good job of glazing. Course, it works best on the windows you DON’T want covered…
I have two Mattel Vac-U-Forms from the '60’s that I still use for vac-forming small parts and HO slot car bodies.
One day I’d like a table.
As a matter of fact, thanks for mentioning vac-forming. I have a B-mann FT that need windows, and a window set for a mold! [;)]
Rotor