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Can Diecast be "distressed" without cracking/breaking it?


PHPaul

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I have a 1/64th cereal box diecast truck that I want to add to a diorama as part of a junk pile.  It's a 30's Ford.  I'm going to strip it and repaint with a lot of rust but I'd like to add dents and bent-up body work and maybe a few "rust holes".

Can diecast be worked that way without breaking pieces off?  

If so, what's the best way to do it?

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Surfed a little yesterday, didn't really find anything.  One guy has pretty decent luck "straightening" bent parts.

Nothing extreme, but slow, steady pressure seems to work as long as you don't have to move things too far.  

I've experimented a little and been able to put noticeable bends in the fenders.

If successful in achieving my intended result, I'll post pictures here.

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Well the answer is...sorta.

I started with this:

wreck1.jpg

I initially tried the "Purple Pond" but it didn't touch whatever they used for paint so I went to the old standby brake fluid.  Once stripped I went at it with a pair of parallel jaw pliers and a small vise.  I was able to do a fair bit of bending, taking it slow and watching carefully for the beginning of cracks.  I went a little too far with the driver's door and broke it, but some super glue and baking soda and it looks like I did it on purpose:

wreck2.jpg

wreck3.jpg

I used a small drill to make some "bullet holes", super-glued everything together artfully ? and hit it from a distance with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer:

wreck4.jpg

wreck5.jpg

This will get posed on my farm diorama with a tree growing up through the frame.  

 

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Pretty good outcome. Looks good.

I have not tried this but looking at your pic gave me a couple ideas. On the next one, a Dremel type tool using various round bits may get you some dents. Small holes drilled through should give you the rust holes. Filing two or three small holes drilled close together could possibly give you some jagged edges. That would be for where the rust has eaten the part completely away.

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1 hour ago, randyc said:

Dio looks great!   Take it outside for some photos - I'm thinking it will look really real.

I hope to do that when it warms up and the trees leaf out.  Too dang cold and windy right now.

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On 3/17/2020 at 11:39 PM, kilrathy10 said:

That's GOOOOD!!! I really dig it... You've gained a great new skill... 

Thanks.  Limited application for this diorama, maybe I'll do a junk yard...:D

1 hour ago, spencer1984 said:

Nicely done!

Thank you.

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