Fordman95 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'm new on the forum and building a model pickup and I'm attempting to stretch the cab. The back is already cut off by a Dremel tool, and I have a tube of one part Bondo spot and glaze putty, some spreaders, and 400 grit sandpaper. As most people know, you can't just shape Bondo into something without some sort of structure, like spreading it on a surface, but what should I use to give it structure? I plan on making the walls and roof out of it. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 welcome aboard james most people will tell you to buy a second cab and use that to make the stretched version but if you insist on using just the one cab i would suggest sheet styrene, they should sell it at your local hobby shop or you can use the for sale signs you would put on a car as for the bondo, thats the same i use but there are many people who do not like the 1 part because it shrinks and cracks and can ruin the paint job underneath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordman95 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 Alright, that sounds like a good idea. Is styrene flexible enough to fit decently with the body before the filler? The truck is a 1950 F1, and the extension will have to have a bit of a curve to fit right. Meanwhile Hobby Lobby is closed, so I can't get the styrene until tomorrow, and I don't know of any other places in town that'll sell it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 the thinner it is the more flexible, but then its also less strong you can manipulate it with heat though, warm it up over a candle and press it over the existing cab first time might not look too good but keep having at ti and youll get it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffs396 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Welcome James!!! Save yourself a bunch of headaches & just order an extended cab '50 Ford F1 from Matt Conte @ Dencon... Here's his web addy...Dencon scale resin specialties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordman95 Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 Alright, thanks for the ideas! I think I'll at least give the styrene a try before I ever think of buying another cab, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Using styrene and bondo will ramp up your body skills immensely. I'd suggest using .04" thick as that is close to what most kit bodies are. It is also thick enough to give some strength. I'm assuming you cut the body in the middle somewhere. This should give you some basically straight pieces to splice in. You might use some this (.02" or less) "lips" glued to the inside edges to support the new styrene as you splice it all together. Around curved surfaces you can use narrower strips to approximate the curve. The Bondo will smooth and fill everything out. I too would recommend using a 2 part Body Filler to minimize shrinkage (none) and for quicker drying times. Don't try to get the window openings perfect with the styrene added. It's easier to rough it out and go back and cut, file or sand to shape. Even adding thin strips is often needed. This sounds interesting, so be sure to keep us updated. Let us see the in progress photos to see how it all goes. Edited January 23, 2011 by Foxer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordman95 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Using styrene and bondo will ramp up your body skills immensely. I'd suggest using .04" thick as that is close to what most kit bodies are. It is also thick enough to give some strength. I'm assuming you cut the body in the middle somewhere. This should give you some basically straight pieces to splice in. You might use some this (.02" or less) "lips" glued to the inside edges to support the new styrene as you splice it all together. Around curved surfaces you can use narrower strips to approximate the curve. The Bondo will smooth and fill everything out. I too would recommend using a 2 part Body Filler to minimize shrinkage (none) and for quicker drying times. Don't try to get the window openings perfect with the styrene added. It's easier to rough it out and go back and cut, file or sand to shape. Even adding thin strips is often needed. This sounds interesting, so be sure to keep us updated. Let us see the in progress photos to see how it all goes. Thanks for the advice. I'll be sure to post pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordman95 Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Well I went to Hobby Lobby, and the confused looks of two employees as to what syrene, sheet styrene, or polystyrene were, and they both concluded that the store didn't have anything like it. I could order it from the website if I had a credit card, but I'm 15 and my dad doesn't want to order it from the website, and told me I should find something else to use... Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 go over to the wallmart and buy yourself one of those "for sale" signs, you know, the red and orange ones that go on cars its a little thicker then what would be perfect but it will do and is very affordable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordman95 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 go over to the wallmart and buy yourself one of those "for sale" signs, you know, the red and orange ones that go on cars its a little thicker then what would be perfect but it will do and is very affordable Oh, right, you did mention that before. I'll try that tomorrow, thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 (edited) Well I went to Hobby Lobby, and the confused looks of two employees as to what syrene, sheet styrene, or polystyrene were, and they both concluded that the store didn't have anything like it. I could order it from the website if I had a credit card, but I'm 15 and my dad doesn't want to order it from the website, and told me I should find something else to use... Any ideas? That's pretty amazing. I've never been in any hobby store that didn't carry Evergreen or Plasticstrut sheets and shapes. wow It's not just us model car builders using this stuff. Railroaders use it by the car load in addition to many other hobby branches. Edited January 25, 2011 by Foxer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordman95 Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 That's pretty amazing. I've never been in any hobby store that didn't carry Evergreen or Plasticstrut sheets and shapes. wow It's not just us model car builders using this stuff. Railroaders use it by the car load in addition to many other hobby branches. Yeah, it was really disappointing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Anderson Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 That's pretty amazing. I've never been in any hobby store that didn't carry Evergreen or Plasticstrut sheets and shapes. wow It's not just us model car builders using this stuff. Railroaders use it by the car load in addition to many other hobby branches. For starters, Hobby Lobby isn't your average "Local Hobby Shop", but rather they are a big box store catering mostly to crafters and home decor customers. They just happen to have a pretty decent model kit department, but very little in the way of supplies for scratchbuilding. Evergreen and Plastruct are pretty much the venue of hobby shops, of course, but I've never seen the stuff in a Hobby Lobby or Michael's Crafts. Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 For starters, Hobby Lobby isn't your average "Local Hobby Shop", but rather they are a big box store catering mostly to crafters and home decor customers. They just happen to have a pretty decent model kit department, but very little in the way of supplies for scratchbuilding. Evergreen and Plastruct are pretty much the venue of hobby shops, of course, but I've never seen the stuff in a Hobby Lobby or Michael's Crafts. Art Thanks, Art, for that info. We don't have any Hobby Lobby's in this neck of the woods so I've never been in one. I just assumed, with "Hobby" in the name ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordman95 Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 (edited) For starters, Hobby Lobby isn't your average "Local Hobby Shop", but rather they are a big box store catering mostly to crafters and home decor customers. They just happen to have a pretty decent model kit department, but very little in the way of supplies for scratchbuilding. Evergreen and Plastruct are pretty much the venue of hobby shops, of course, but I've never seen the stuff in a Hobby Lobby or Michael's Crafts. Art Well their website has it in an 8"x10" sheet, but the store in town doesn't. I even asked if there was any way for them to order it, but aparently the manager chooses what the particular store carries and they don't think anyone but me will buy the stuff. I did go to Wal Mart and buy a "For Sale" sign, though. It seems thinner and less structural than the model's plastic, but it may work I suppose. Any tips on putting it together? Edited January 26, 2011 by Fordman95 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 i would suggest cutting a thin strip that you glue to the inside of the cab, creating a lip then you place a piece of however much wider you want the cab to be on those lips and your all set you might want to glue in one section at a time, start on one side, let it dry and then move on to the roof . once the roof is dry glue in the other side you can use regular model glue or something more "suitable" like tenax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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