Press or wet-forming features out of card?

[dhanners]

In the down-time between builds, I’m wanting to make some improvements/revisions/corrections to the X-15s I’ve built. A feature that has vexed me (and YukonJohn, too) is the “bug-eye” camera housings carried on most of the flights. Usually, there were four — two behind the cockpit and two on the underside.

YukonJohn and I have tried various shapes and despite my efforts with ball-shaped tools and a mousepad, I’ve not yet been able to get them to a convincing shape. (I’d try designing one on the computer, but I have zero design skills.)

I’m wondering if there is some technique for making a carved male (and female?) mold that could be used to mold moistened paper to the proper shape. Once trimmed up, I’d glue them on the model.

Anyone familiar with a technique like that?

Here are some photos of the real thing:

[twg48]

Well you can certainly try using tisue paper glued to a form. Layer them in small bits ( think making a puppet head on a ballon when you were in grade school...lol
You'll be amazed at just how strong they are when dry too! The thiner the paper glued up in layers works best over curved objects

A couple of caveats though which are important. 1. Coat the Mold with a release agent, I use Vaseline, but even this is not 100% sometimes. 2. I've found that Franklin Titebond Glue works really well. It is designed to glue up wood but then again what is paper but a form of wood. Let the item dry overnight. But just remember the most IMPORTANT STEP.....use release agent or you won;t be able to remove the glued up paper from the mold. The best mold to use in the end is one of silicon rubber. However, I've had good luck forming over many types of plastic and ceramic objects too, basically anyhting that is non pourous. Just remember the RELEASE AGENT...LOL

[mbauer]

Originally Posted by dhanners

In the down-time between builds, I’m wanting to make some improvements/revisions/corrections to the X-15s I’ve built. A feature that has vexed me (and YukonJohn, too) is the “bug-eye” camera housings carried on most of the flights. Usually, there were four — two behind the cockpit and two on the underside.

YukonJohn and I have tried various shapes and despite my efforts with ball-shaped tools and a mousepad, I’ve not yet been able to get them to a convincing shape. (I’d try designing one on the computer, but I have zero design skills.)

I’m wondering if there is some technique for making a carved male (and female?) mold that could be used to mold moistened paper to the proper shape. Once trimmed up, I’d glue them on the model.

Anyone familiar with a technique like that?

Here are some photos of the real thing:

Try steaming the paper first. Steam has helped with a feed issue I had years ago when trying to print heavy cardstock on a printer that couldn't handle that thick of paper.

Steam Ironing and then rolling it into a tube while it cooled worked great.

Mike

[dhanners]

Thanks. I’ll give the methods a try. Ordinarily, if I could come up with a workable 2D design for such a part, I’d do it. But I need several of them, so I’m hoping to find some way to make repetitive parts.

On the other side of the coin, I’ve found that three of the X-15s I built with bug-eye housings didn’t actually have them on the flights I modeled. So I have to remove them….

[Miles Linnabery]

Use thick card stock cut to rough shape glue up then soak in thin super glue then sand to shape and paint. the cat may destroy the rest of the model but that part will survive .

[dhanners]

Originally Posted by Miles Linnabery

Use thick card stock cut to rough shape glue up then soak in thin super glue then sand to shape and paint. the cat may destroy the rest of the model but that part will survive .

Thanks. Interesting technique. One concern: To revise my current builds and have parts for projected builds, I need roughly 28 identical bug-eye housings.

[Siwi]

For similar 'balloon' features I have used a similar method to Miles above, using mount board but sometimes omitting the glue soak. This worked very well for example to make the wing bulges above the cannon on Spitfires, and is what I do for prop spinners.



Another cruder method might be to compact some thin paper like loo roll (Americans: toilet roll) or kitchen towel to the right shape soaked in PVA, then when acceptably dry add multiple layers of paint and varnish to hide the cracks and get a smooth surface.

[rbakerj]

Loo rolls is NOT an American singer!