How to replace / simulate chrome trim

[lacquer-lover]

Hi all,  I am very new to model car building.  I have a MPC Dodge Coronet Super Bee. It looks like a great kit; however, I have noticed on the body that the chrome trim around the wheel wells and roof/windows could use some work.

Does anyone have suggestions on how to replace this kind of detail with , oh i don't know, solder? plastic strip (half round , flat?).  

Thanks for any suggestions you can provide.

LL

[swede70]

You'll likely be off to the hobby shop to gather some Plastruct half-round rod material or some such, while heating strips of the same in hot water to ensure that such is pliable prior to adding the same around each respective wheelhouse would be a good idea.  I've not had much success with Plastruct glue per se, hence maybe reach for Tamiya cement (liquid in a small Octagon-shaped glass bottle with an orange cap).  Discreet sanding stick work will likely clean up what you've added to suit.  If you have a spare body (given you'll be new to all this), practice on it first given things will likely go amiss the first time out.  Even if everything goes bogus, do not lose hope for only by taking measured chances do we improve our respective skill sets.  Greetings from nearby Fraser, MI. 

Mike K./Swede 70

[TomZ]

I agree with swede70, Plastruct is great stuff. While half-round is very likely a much better choice, round stock is very easy to curl by just running it against the back side of a hobby knife or even your thumb nail.

Being new to the hobby, you may not be skilled at using glue on tiny parts without making a mess of the parts. I've been building for years and lord knows I still struggle with this. My method would be to shape the trim part first, then attach it with narrow pieces of tape at the ends or in the middle, whichever seems to give a better fit. Then apply a TINY drop of Tamiya ultra-thin (green bottle) cement to the join as far from the tape as you can manage. That stuff will wick around a joint (and under the tape) like you wouldn't believe. After it dries remove the tape and add another tiny drop of glue as far from the first joint as you can manage, because you don't want to dissolve the first joint.  The glue should be tacky enough after just a couple of minutes to keep the part in place, and it will soften the strip also. If you taped the ends, I'd leave one end taped until the other end was solidly glued in place.

Possibly others have suggestions, and I am looking forward to seeing them! This is IMO not a trivial task you are looking at, at least not for me. Please let us know how it goes!

[lacquer-lover]

On 1/10/2019 at 8:38 PM, TomZ said:

I agree with swede70, Plastruct is great stuff. While half-round is very likely a much better choice, round stock is very easy to curl by just running it against the back side of a hobby knife or even your thumb nail.

Being new to the hobby, you may not be skilled at using glue on tiny parts without making a mess of the parts. I've been building for years and lord knows I still struggle with this. My method would be to shape the trim part first, then attach it with narrow pieces of tape at the ends or in the middle, whichever seems to give a better fit. Then apply a TINY drop of Tamiya ultra-thin (green bottle) cement to the join as far from the tape as you can manage. That stuff will wick around a joint (and under the tape) like you wouldn't believe. After it dries remove the tape and add another tiny drop of glue as far from the first joint as you can manage, because you don't want to dissolve the first joint.  The glue should be tacky enough after just a couple of minutes to keep the part in place, and it will soften the strip also. If you taped the ends, I'd leave one end taped until the other end was solidly glued in place.

Possibly others have suggestions, and I am looking forward to seeing them! This is IMO not a trivial task you are looking at, at least not for me. Please let us know how it goes!

Ok, thanks for the info TomZ and Swede