Just wondering, before I resort to a 90degree pipe fitting (well, more like 120) if anyone has better ideas on how to model weatherheads (the fitting covering the conduit where the outside powerline comes down into a building - see here http://www.gru.com/AboutGRU/NewsReleases/StormCentral/weather_head.jsp
I remember there was a commercial one about, but anyone have any scratchbuilding suggestions?
Don’t know if this will work for you …BUT… First of all please don’t set fire to yourself, the house etc…
First borrow one of those big white suites from the fire department at your nearest airport.
Then…
Try taking a fairly long waste sprue from any plastic rail car kit…
Take it outside… not next to your Propane tank… or the auto/bike/lawnmower/paint pot stack etc…
Set fire to the middle of the sprue (this is why you want a long one)
Pull the ends apart at the same time that you blow out the flame.
This will produce either two seperate bits of sprue with hot black ends or a long stringy bit of (probably black/possibly lumpy) plastic.
When you get the hang of it you should be able to get the thickness you want…
Then you start practicing doubling over the still hot stretched bit to get the curve/angle you want.
It can be done…
REMEMBER!
The stretched bit and the ends WILL BE HOT!
For some time.
You won’t remember this (no-one does).
In the heat of the moment when you make the bit you want.
When you can’t find where it landed and the Mrs/partner/neighbours stop telling you off for your language and/or the kids stop laughing…
You should find that you can do it quicker the second time.
The great thing is that you will probably use so much waste sprue learning the art that you will almost certainly have to go out and get a whole train load more car kits to get enough sprue to do it right (twice)
Remember… Model Railroading is fun… especially when you don’t blow yourself up/burn the house down/get arrested for profanity whilst hopping round your yard clutching burnt fingers and yelling…
Actually, seriously… DO NOT INHALE THE SMOKE THAT WILL BE GIVEN OFF… IT’S TOXIC… [xx(] ANOTHER REASON FOR DOING THIS OUTDOORS.
I used different items for this, including, leftover pikestuff rainspouts, smallbrass tubing, solid plastic rod(evergreen.) With most I heat it gently and bendover over a round piece of tubing, heating the end can give you a look of the weatherhead. I usually drill into the bent over end and insert my wire( green thread) into the hole to give the appearance of the wire entering the head.
I have used some larger drain spouts left over from kits to model this and you might want to try using some copper tube from your hobby store, I haven’t used this but I did make street lights out of this. Good luck!