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 Posted - October 30 2013 : 6:03:55 PM
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This may be a bit of an obscure question. Hopefully someone here has some ideas. What I'm trying to do is modify a few slotcar bodies to better fit the outer space theme on my layout. I'd like to chop the roofs off a couple of cars and replace them with a bubble canopy (think Jetsons).
Chopping the roof off should be easy...it's the bubble that is stumping me. If I could make the bubble clear that would be ideal. I've seen large scale models built by heating plexi-glass and then pressing it over a shaped mold before it cools. Maybe I could do the same with some thin plastic stock?
My fallback idea was to just make a small sphere out of styrofoam or papermache and then paint it to look like a windshield.
Opinions/suggestions?
This is sort of what I'm trying to do:
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Posted - October 30 2013 : 6:08:35 PM
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| Ford Futura Later to be known as the 1960s Batmobile hehe
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Posted - October 30 2013 : 6:48:31 PM
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My next big plan is to buy the original 60s Batmobile from Rick, and put it in my bedroom...
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Posted - October 30 2013 : 7:08:28 PM
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Ben, yes. That's a 3D model I made in college for a video game we were working on. It is based heavily off the Lincoln Futura, as you can tell.  It was the best photographic example I had of what I'm trying to do.
Walt, that would be one expensive piece of bedroom furniture! 
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steve
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Posted - October 30 2013 : 8:25:21 PM
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what about a piece of blister pack from pills or little part packs?
think it might work?
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Posted - October 30 2013 : 9:36:01 PM
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| I was thinking something like that too, but it's really hard to find pieces the right size and shape. I walked through the dollar store a couple days ago hoping they'd have some little toy that I could hack parts off of, but sadly nothing caught my eye. I'll keep looking.
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Posted - October 30 2013 : 10:07:34 PM
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Hi DaCheez,
How about one of those capsules from a gum/toy machine you see at the entrance to stores. They have some small ones.
Just a thought.
Mytyco
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Posted - October 30 2013 : 10:22:21 PM
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quote:
Walt, that would be one expensive piece of bedroom furniture!
Originally posted by DaCheez - October 30 2013 : 7:08:28 PM
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Speaking of bedroom furniture, I got to sleep in this 62 Cadillac Saturday night. It's in one room of a motel in Florence, Ky. The interior area is now a bed. The large room was of the 1960s theme. A lot of neat old antiques in the room...
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Posted - October 31 2013 : 01:11:01 AM
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What Steve said: "what about a piece of blister pack from pills or little part packs? think it might work?"
You can go to stores and find packages of "whatsitz".
You're not wanting the item packaged... you want the clear plastic.
Go to the dollar store and around most every toy or tool, you've got the clear plastic.
The package of little cars, the size of your normal Hotwheels cars, ALL Bubble-cased items.
Eric, you naturally think outside the box as a model railroader... matter of fact, we all do.
So, think outside the merchandise! The Blister packs Steve mentions.
This is the answer you have waited for.
John
p.s. go to my entry of COTW. Something there for you as well! 
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
Edited by - zebrails on October 31 2013 01:15:42 AM
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Posted - October 31 2013 : 01:23:52 AM
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WELL, my 2 cents worth.....
Eric,
You got some clear plastic sheet? Pretty thin too? less then say, .040 of an inch?
Take it and make a "clay" ball to/around the shape you need the "bubble" to be....."look the part" shall we say, lay a section of that clear plastic over this clay "ball shaped as the INSIDE would look, and take a HEAT GUN, NOT a hair dryer, and on low, add the heat from it to the plastic till it (the plastic) forms around your clay ball......THEN leave the plastic SIT for a while 5 to 10 minutes. To COOL, then remove.....It should at this point be close to the shape you need as you can then fit it into place with a little work a good snug fit....
A bit of work, yes, a good fit, should BE if your clay "ball" was made to the dimensions you needed.....Hope this helps!
P.S. BE SURE, to make that clay ball as close as you can the more time you spend here, the more THAT will show when your all done in the end!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - October 31 2013 : 02:23:20 AM
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Good tip John. Before I read your response I was thinking of those 'Vacuform' toys that Mattel made. I always thought it would be cool to mold custom parts for model cars, but I never got around to trying it. I know they would form thin plastic, but maybe it was a special type of plastic? Here's a picture of one I found just now. Be interesting to investigate what they are capable of bending.
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Posted - October 31 2013 : 07:27:39 AM
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Some of the slot car guys Vac-form their own bodies, I've gotten some in clear and white, they have a mold made, then heat the sheet of plastic up, and suck it down over the mold, I THINK...I've never seen the actual process, just read about it. But it is out there, if you want to invest in vac-form equipment. The plastic is light-weight, not thick as plexiglass, but you have the option to form it to whatever shape you can make a mold for. Might be worth searching on Vac-forming via Internet.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - October 31 2013 : 07:29:19 AM
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Oh, I forgot to mention - Hotwheels has just released the 2014 series, and the Jetsons car is one of them, in green. IT has a bubble canopy, but it's rather overlarge for even 1/64 scale cars. But there ya go....
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - October 31 2013 : 08:32:18 AM
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Would this work?
Mike
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Posted - October 31 2013 : 08:36:12 AM
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Here is the Hotwheels car Jerry was talking about...
Mike
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Posted - October 31 2013 : 8:36:07 PM
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The other day we got an envelope at work with sample pens in it - that had our place of work already stamped on them - anyway, it had a rectangular sheet in it of clear plastic (like blister pack plastic only much thinner) that had like 20-24 half domes formed in it, looked kind of like big bubble wrap only they weren't enclosed. It's still on my desk at work so not sure of the dimensions, but those domes MIGHT be small enough to work....
http://tycodepot.com/
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 Posted - October 31 2013 : 9:41:32 PM
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Wow, I didn't think I'd get this many responses. Thanks guys! This gives me a great starting point. I'll have to do some experimenting now...
Mike, are you a Jetsons fan?
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Posted - October 31 2013 : 10:23:31 PM
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Barry, and others, so you all know.....I've been molding my own parts for years now...... I use a Medical type mold making process that works perfectly, EVERY time, with out the use of heat. BUT I have used Blow molding, and vacuum molding, and spin casting, and some others.....Even die-casting!
Look at my website, under "YTR Detail Part Molding" You'll see some of the parts, I make, and sell!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - November 02 2013 : 11:27:19 AM
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Hey Eric, how is this project coming along? I thought about it yesterday when I opened a new Dremel #530, stainless steel brush. The clear plastic packaging really looked like the shape you need. Look on the 'net for a picture and see what you think.
Randy
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 Posted - November 02 2013 : 3:44:55 PM
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Hehheh, no progress yet. I'm currently working on putting together the station for my N scale layout...a little 4'x2' I started two years ago.  Stuff takes me a while. I need to get the slotcar bodies stripped before I start cutting/fitting bubbles.
I do know the packaging you're talking about...I think I might even have one of those somewhere with it's original package. I'll have to look. Thanks for the idea!
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Posted - November 07 2013 : 02:00:55 AM
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The Vacuform, I had when I was a little kid. It came with a package of plastic sheets when heated, one pushed the vaccum lever until the plastic was sucked down over the mold and then it was left to cool.
Try making a mold out of body puty, put it in the oven at 200of or less and let the clear plastic melt over it. New shirts have clear plastic in the collars, Maybe there is another source for a bigger piece of plastic.
Edited by - AF Kid on November 08 2013 09:43:23 AM
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babuff
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Posted - November 08 2013 : 1:21:46 PM
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Just read this thread after ordering from MICRO-MARK. they have a vacum forming machine ( a bit expensive if your only going to make just a couple of parts ) and they have a video that shows how it works as well.
I am curious what kind of motive power and rolling stock would a space age layout use? got any pics?
leo
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Posted - November 08 2013 : 5:13:17 PM
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quote:| Try making a mold out of body puty, put it in the oven at 200of or less and let the clear plastic melt over it. New shirts have clear plastic in the collars, Maybe there is another source for a bigger piece of plastic. |
That's what I was thinking of trying first as well (the oven). I have a nice selection of clear plastic that I've saved from various packaging that should work nicely for this. I'll post my results once I get around to trying it.
quote:| I am curious what kind of motive power and rolling stock would a space age layout use? got any pics? |
So far it's going to be Tyco's Turbo Trains. I may build something else later on.
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Posted - November 08 2013 : 6:16:12 PM
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I just did some quick tests. As far as making my own bubbles goes, it's not looking good.
I put a piece of plastic in the oven over a rounded object to see what would happen. Rather than softening and taking the form of the mold, the plastic shriveled up like a dry leaf. Maybe it just needs more time at a lower heat.
A heat gun like John suggested might yield better results...unfortunately I don't have one. I tried using a soldering iron to heat the plastic over the mold with no luck.
On the bright side I did buy some super glue yesterday, and the bottom of the package looks like it will make a perfect canopy for my Chaparrals. A pair of bodies are soaking now and I should have a chance to experiment tomorrow.
Stay tuned!
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babuff
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Posted - November 09 2013 : 06:28:27 AM
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awsome turbo. I had a friend who made model airplanes yrs ago, and he used to make his own canopies with something you coated a form with and let dry to get a clear canopy. I dont remember what it was and saddly he passed away several yrs ago. the only thing that comes to mind is KRYSTAL COAT, but then how would you control the thickness evenly?
the other solution could be to make a 2 part mold of rtv rubber and use some sort of resin(clear) maybe EM-1 could help out here with some tips
leo
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