07-20-2010, 06:33 PM
I'm not sure how he's pricing it. If anyone is interested in getting a head section built up, just e-mail me (starshipbuilder at earthlink dot net).
RE: Gluing acrylic, there are some tricks to it, that's for sure. Get yourself plenty of 1/8" square (that's just over 3mm), 1/8" inch round, 1/16" round, and 1/4" square extruded clear plex rod. I go through it by the yard (that's meter for you guys LOL). Can never have too much of the stuff laying around. It's like welding rod for welders.
What you do is, butt your joints up to each other at 90 degrees, then glue the rod to the inside of the joint using water-thin solvent. I don't use the messy tube cement at all. I have the process down where I can get very clean, strong joints using the thin stuff (remember my warnings in the other thread about toxicity -- this is nasty stuff!).
The side of the rod provides face-to-face bonding for the acrylic on each side of the joint. You can get really strong joints that way -- so strong, you have to break the plex before the glue fails.
What you did, slathering the tube cement in there, actually creates a weak bond that is relatively easy to break. That stuff is just acrylic dust dissolved in thin solvent to thicken it up.
I reinforce every single joint with pieces of rod. Just take a hobby saw to it, start cutting about 1/4 the way through (just a deep score really) and then snap it. Wear eye protection as shards of acrylic go flying and can put your eyes out.
For joints that have odd angles, use the round stock instead of the square. You won't get as much bonding area (just a strip really), so you may need more than one rod. You can combine the round rods to get even more strength.
This adds time and weight to the build, but the strength gained is well worth it IMO. . .
RE: Gluing acrylic, there are some tricks to it, that's for sure. Get yourself plenty of 1/8" square (that's just over 3mm), 1/8" inch round, 1/16" round, and 1/4" square extruded clear plex rod. I go through it by the yard (that's meter for you guys LOL). Can never have too much of the stuff laying around. It's like welding rod for welders.
What you do is, butt your joints up to each other at 90 degrees, then glue the rod to the inside of the joint using water-thin solvent. I don't use the messy tube cement at all. I have the process down where I can get very clean, strong joints using the thin stuff (remember my warnings in the other thread about toxicity -- this is nasty stuff!).
The side of the rod provides face-to-face bonding for the acrylic on each side of the joint. You can get really strong joints that way -- so strong, you have to break the plex before the glue fails.
What you did, slathering the tube cement in there, actually creates a weak bond that is relatively easy to break. That stuff is just acrylic dust dissolved in thin solvent to thicken it up.
I reinforce every single joint with pieces of rod. Just take a hobby saw to it, start cutting about 1/4 the way through (just a deep score really) and then snap it. Wear eye protection as shards of acrylic go flying and can put your eyes out.
For joints that have odd angles, use the round stock instead of the square. You won't get as much bonding area (just a strip really), so you may need more than one rod. You can combine the round rods to get even more strength.
This adds time and weight to the build, but the strength gained is well worth it IMO. . .
Charles Adams | www.StarshipBuilder.com | Follow me on Facebook
Author, MODEL DESIGN & BLUEPRINTING HANDBOOK, Volume 1 SECOND EDITION NOW AVAILABLE
Author, MODEL DESIGN & BLUEPRINTING HANDBOOK, Volume 1 SECOND EDITION NOW AVAILABLE