Tool for joining sprue

[Kit Basher]

I had seen the "drill and pin" method for making butt joints in styrene rod. I wanted a consistent way to do it. This tool is easy to make if you have a drill press. I used a block of hard wood, and drilled a 3/64" hole all the way thru it.

Flip it over and drill a hole that fits the rod, about halfway thru.

Insert the rod in one side, and drill with a 3/64" bit from the other.

You should have a nicely centered hole in the end of the rod.

Drill both pieces, and insert a piece of 3/64" styrene rod in one of them.

I like to tape everything to a piece of glass, making sure it all lines up properly. Then hit the joint with some liquid cement.

Here is the finished product (the joint is about midway across the top rail):

Hope you folks find this useful.

[vypurr59]

Very helpful, thanks for the post

[southpier]

good trick

[mnwildpunk]

Very nice! Great tip

[Joker]

Great tips(no pun intended) Hugh..thanks for sharing.

[b_lever1]

nice problem solver

[epi4561]

Cool idea... Maybe next you can show us your technique for getting the cross-brace ends to meet up perfectly with the rounded tubing..

[southpier]

anybody got an easy was to sand the fishmouth?

[Kit Basher]

I made this gizmo for making fish mouths a while back:

You stick the rod thru the hole and the run a round file in the groove to make the fishmouth. I cut the block at 90 degrees on one side (above) and 45 degrees on the other, shown here:

Here's the 45 degree joint:

A possible refinement I have not tried would be to drill a hole thru the block for the file to run in, rather than trying to keep it in the groove. I'll have to admit, tho, that it's just about as easy to hold the rod between your thumb and forefinger and let them guide the file.

Edited November 11, 2012 by Kit Basher

[Kit Basher]

anybody got an easy was to sand the fishmouth?

Here's a link to a thread where I asked the same question: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=53726&hl=%2Bbird%26%2339%3Bs+%2Bmouth You'll see that I didn't even know the right name for the joint. You'll also see that the idea for the block I showed in the previous post did not originate with me. There are also some good alternate suggestions for making a fishmouth in that thread. Hope that helps.

[southpier]

i'll give it a try; thanks.

btw - this would be an excellent project for one of the Dremel Gurus to come up with!

[epi4561]

Cool idea... Maybe next you can show us your technique for getting the cross-brace ends to meet up perfectly with the rounded tubing..

Here's a link to a thread where I asked the same question: http://www.modelcars...rd's mouth You'll see that I didn't even know the right name for the joint. You'll also see that the idea for the block I showed in the previous post did not originate with me. There are also some good alternate suggestions for making a fishmouth in that thread. Hope that helps.

As you can see above, I had no idea what they were called either. fishmouth.... Good to know. Oh and very nice and simple tool that seems to make a world of difference.