PE headlight grills for '53 Corvette

[TomZ]

I'm building the AMT '53 Corvette, and I'd like to install Model Car Garage's PE headlight grills. I am not a stranger to working with PE, but I'm not sure how to proceed because the grills need to be an elongated bowl-shape and the PE parts are of course dead flat. These parts are the silver-colored PE variety.

Has anyone ever managed to put a compound curve in a PE part? Any hints or tips would be very greatly appreciated!

thanks

TomZ

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Has anyone ever managed to put a compound curve in a PE part? Any hints or tips would be very greatly appreciated!

 

Looks like you're not getting much help with this.

I've never done the Corvette headlight grilles, but I HAVE done a couple of other grilles that required compound curves. They weren't as severe as what I imagine your Corvette parts to require, far as bending goes, but I DID manage to work very even and acceptable compound curves simply by very carefully "kneading" the parts with my fingertips. Slow, careful bending is all I can tell you. 

If you can't get the amount of curve you need, the only real other option is to make a punch-die...a pair of matched male and female tools of hardwood that have the correct curves. You place the part in between the die halves and press or hammer them together to "stamp" your metal part into shape.

Edited April 18, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[mike 51]

I thought one of the AMT 53-55 Corvettes had solid headlight covers for a race version...if you could find those, they might provide a form for the PE pieces?

Good luck...it's an important detail usually missing.  

[astroracer]

Forming the PE parts will depend on what they are made from. I usually used 1/2 hard stainless for most of my product line and that stuff will not bend smoothly in a compound application. If it is nickel/silver you may have a chance but I don't know what you have. Trying to form those small "wires" that make up the grille will probably just buckle them as there is no place for them to "shrink" or "stretch" to as you are forming them.

The other issue is, if the parts were not "designed" to be formed, you may have parts that are to small or just don't look right after they are formed. Not knowing how they were designed I am only mentioning this so you are aware of the issue.

Mark

[TomZ]

Thanks for the ideas, guys. I'll try the gentle bending. And I'll certainly look at the size issue also!

I think that MCG uses nickel-silver? Would it help to heat them like you might do to anneal brass PE?

Heh. Not much to lose if I ruin them.

Thanks again.

 

 

[astroracer]

 I would be hesitant to put any heat to them if they are N/S. If they are they already fairly "soft". Good luck with the project. Shoot some pics, before and after, just to document the knowledge gained.

Mark

[JollySipper]

You may could go to your nearest pipe and cigar shop and get some mesh screens..... They're woven, not fixed, so they would shape easier than PE.....

[TomZ]

I have figured out how to curve the Model car Garage '53 Corvette headlight screens.

It was impossible to bend the screens over the kit headlight covers, they were just too small to work with. I hunted around and found a couple of metal tool handles that had rounded butts of about the right radius. Having a larger handle made it a lot easier to bend the screens with my fingers around the handle butts. But bending the screens in two dimensions results in creases, and wrinkling around the edges.

So next I used the handles to smash the screens vigorously down against a hard flat desktop, rolling the tool as I pressed down. This smoothed out the creases and wrinkles very nicely. Rinse and repeat about a hundred times.

With repetition, the center stretched and the edges shrank and I can control it. Seems to be working somewhat like an English wheel. I'm mostly done and I am very pleased with the shape I am getting. However, it is a slow process. I've got over an hour in them and have a ways to go yet before they are perfect.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I have figured out how to curve the Model car Garage '53 Corvette headlight screens.

It was impossible to bend the screens over the kit headlight covers, they were just too small to work with. I hunted around and found a couple of metal tool handles that had rounded butts of about the right radius. Having a larger handle made it a lot easier to bend the screens with my fingers around the handle butts. But bending the screens in two dimensions results in creases, and wrinkling around the edges.

So next I used the handles to smash the screens vigorously down against a hard flat desktop, rolling the tool as I pressed down. This smoothed out the creases and wrinkles very nicely. Rinse and repeat about a hundred times.

With repetition, the center stretched and the edges shrank and I can control it. Seems to be working somewhat like an English wheel. I'm mostly done and I am very pleased with the shape I am getting. However, it is a slow process. I've got over an hour in them and have a ways to go yet before they are perfect.

EXCELLENT !    

Trial-and-error, care and patience usually comes through in the end. Sounds like you about have it beat. Looking forward to seeing the final results.

[TimKustom]

Sorry to be late, but here's another way for future builders. First, the MCG headlight screens are made to fit the 1/24th scale Monogram kit. I found that out while trying to make them fit the AMT kit, they are just too big for it IMO.

If you are trying to apply them to the Monogram kit, try to use the method MCG recommends for forming the compound bend in their Track Nose kit. It works like a charm. You form a tool out of brass rod and put it in a pin vise. Then work the tool over the PE part on a piece of dense rubber (like a mouse pad). Here are the illustrations associated with it. Contact MCG and Bob would probably send you the complete instructions. Works like a charm when I did the track grille and the smaller version headlight screens I custom made for my 1/25 scale Vette.

[crazyjim]

I was going to suggest rolling the screen over a marble to try and get the shape you want.

Edited May 1, 2017 by crazyjim