[:D]new to the forum so I’ll say G"day and ask a question that a search of the forums couldn’t answer.
I’m scratchbuilding a set of cars with sidefluting which extends the length of the cars, as shown on the pic of the prototype below. Evergreen siding is perfect but it’s 1mm thick which when overlayed on the model I have is too thick and would make the model oversized in all directions.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to reproducing the fluting in HO scale.
My head is toying with copper strip, brass strip, styrene strip all which has to be handplaced.
OK, your terms are confusing me. You say that you’re scratchbuilding the car, in which case the thickness of the siding shouldn’t matter, just allow for it in the framing. But then you say you’re overlaying it on a model. That’s kitbashing.
Ahhh should have explained myslef a little maore clearly…[:I]
The body cross section is made up entirely of a compound curve. With little in the way of straight lines, so being difficult to get right as far as curving styrene is concerned, I spent some time on a CAD program and had myself made two models with no detailing via STL Rapid Prototyping (3D Printing), this resulted in basic “naked bodies” with basic window and door cut-outs… so to speak. My plan was then to overlay the detailing.
But alas the styrene is too thick to be true-to-scale… so I’m in search of other options.
I guess I could, but the rapid prototyping costs around $US500 per peice. So I really don’t want to go down that track again. I’d rather work witrh what I’ve got now, even if that means taking more time to do it.
In hindsight I should have allowed for the styrene… but hindsight’s a wonderful thing.
If the Evergreen siding is perfect could you not use this to stamp the impression into very thin brass sheeting? If the evergreen is too soft to stamp the brass use it to make a mold in a harder material. Failing this you could stratchbuild a stamp from steel sheets and strips.
The benefit of this (if it works or is feasable) is that once stamped the brass fluting sheets will be easy to cut to shape on the car sides, will curve easily around the contours of the carbody, and wont increase the dimensions of the car drastically.
I dont have any experience of doing this but the theory works in my head and if it were me I would give it a try. Dont forget to post pics as you progress so we can all admire your work.
Hope this helps or sets you off in another direction to a solution.
What about burnishing aluminium over the evergreen siding I have done this with an Alominium drink can which I polished with soapy steel pad for building siding and it worked a treat . A friend has since made me a roller to do it
Regards Les
My line of thinking exactly Les, glad to see I wasnt completely off the rails and someone has used this method successfully in the past. Although I kinda figured it wasnt an innovative idea and I was reinventing someone elses wheel.
Hey, thanks guys… directions I’ve never considered. [:)]
Which is the point of ‘forums’ I guess - to get idea’s from the experiences of others.
David thanks for the link… [;)] The O scale corrugated aluminium might work even though it’s O scale. It seems to work out at 1 corrugation per millimeter looking at the photo with the measurements (in inches of course [V]) which is extremely close to what I’m after.
Karl & Les - I’ll try the aluminium can over the Evergreen sheet and see what result that brings about.
I’ll end up going with whatever looks the part. I’ll definitely post a pic or two of the progress… Once again thanks guys!
