Woodification, making it a woodie

[BigTallDad]

I've borrowed a page from the Chevy book and created a sort-of-Woody. Here’s a Chevy coupe with wood side-trim, and this was my role model. I used 1/32" plywood, available at Michael's.

Next I searched the web and found a wood grain pattern that was pleasing to me. I played with this image in MS Paint before I actually printed it. Since the color on the model was to be dark blue, the decal was printed on white paper, to minimize the paint “bleed through.” Please feel free to copy the image if you desire.

The rear fenders on the Revell kit are separate and not molded into the body (which is correct); before I attached the fenders, I applied some masking tape to the areas where the wood would (is there an echo in here?) be placed. Then, using the flat (not pointed) side of a pencil, I delineated the area to be covered in wood. The tape was then removed and reapplied to a flat sheet of clear acetate (translation: blister pack). The outline was then cut out and, after test fitting, tweaked to the final shape. While most of the wood is straight, the curved portions on the rear-quarter panel needed TLC hence the template.

The fenders were then attached and I applied the welting, along with several coats of Tamiya TS-13 Clear.

After cutting the plywood, I realized that I had no idea how wide to make each piece of wood. Back to the drawing board! After several attempts, I came up with an eye-pleasing dimension; after setting a drafting compass to this dimension, the corresponding edge of each piece could be marked. Each piece was then rough-cut, making sure each was oversized a little bit.

Since the side of the car body is curved, each piece needed a slight curvature to reduce the stress on the glue joint that would ultimately attach the wood to the body. A band saw was used to cut an arc in a scrap 2” x 3” piece of wood. Pieces of wood were then soaked in water for several hours, then placed in the kerf and the two pieces clamped together.

Edited May 15, 2015 by BigTallDad

[BigTallDad]

After drying overnight, the pieces were then treated to several coats of Min Wax polyurethane varnish. Since Min Wax is amber in color, the result was a piece that actually looked like wood and had a slight hint of wood grain.

If you recall, the decal was printed on white decal paper; to prevent the white edge from showing, the decal was cut slightly undersize (the wood will cover the white edge). Because the body area is a compound curve, the decal was also split at the door opening, thus allowing the decal to lay down more easily.

Next comes the challenge of attaching a piece of wood to a plastic body that has several coats of paint as well as a decal. Using an Xacto with a #16 blade, small holes were drilled; I did not go all the way through the plastic, just enough to permit me to place a drop of gel CA (slower cure time, to allow proper alignment) using a fine tip on the CA bottle. I used double-sided masking tape on a coffee stirrer to position and place each piece of wood.

There is a suggested order of installation:

• The top and bottom horizontal pieces go on first
• Vertical pieces, including the curved piece at the front of fender, are next
• The horizontal pieces in the center are last

When all was said and done, the decal portion received a brush coat of Pledge with Future.

During the custom-fitting process, I took extra effort to ensure the nifty welting would be visible even with the wood in place. While this might not be correct technically, I like the end results.

Here's the finished model

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=101729

Edited May 14, 2015 by BigTallDad

[BigTallDad]

Here's another approach to bending wood.

I can't stress enough the need to pre-shape the wood. This will give you an idea of the curves front-to-back:

Even the vertical pieces are curved, owing to the bulging mid-section (sounds like a lot of people I know) on the body.

Just for the heck of it, here's another pattern in a light shade of wood; feel free to copy it for your projects.

[wayne swayze]

I too, like the end results! Well done sir! Thanks for your time to show us the steps on this (and other) tips!

[Sidney Schwartz]

Can I just hire you to build my models?

[southpier]

any real vehicles guilty of using vertical grain? somehow doesn't "go with the flow" to mine eyes.

Q: wood (sic) it be any advantage to use 1/64" plywood? might bend with less fear of springback & no jig needed to bend. Midwest makes it in different size sheets. http://midwestproducts.com/products/1-64-x-6-x-12-ply-wood

1/32 is close to 2 scale inches this (.7938 - http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/fraction.pdf)

[Mike Kucaba]

I bought a pile of "pen maker's" thin veneers. One of these days I'm going to cut it into little pieces...

[BigTallDad]

any real vehicles guilty of using vertical grain? somehow doesn't "go with the flow" to mine eyes.

Q: wood (sic) it be any advantage to use 1/64" plywood? might bend with less fear of springback & no jig needed to bend. Midwest makes it in different size sheets. http://midwestproducts.com/products/1-64-x-6-x-12-ply-wood

1/32 is close to 2 scale inches this (.7938 - http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/fraction.pdf)

I tried 1/64" on my current project, a '48 Sportsman convertible. The 1/64" just wasn't thick enough for my taste, so I've stayed with 1/32".

Maybe I'm a little rusty in the math area, but I would think 1/32" in 1/25 would equate to .75" on a 1:1 which is about right

[southpier]

doggone it; knew i should have had that second cup of coffee. you are correct; 1/32" = .0313 inches (or .7938 millimeters).

young whippersnappers ......

this link might work: http://www.btc-bci.com/~billben/convert.htm

Edited May 15, 2015 by southpier

[misterNNL]

Great tutorial.Thanks for sharing your procedure with us.

[Harry P.]

Hey Ray... you've been a member here for what, a week? And already you're King of the Tutorial!

[BigTallDad]

Thanks Harry. I'd like to clean this one up and submit it to the magazine. How do I do that (the submission, not the clean up).

Do you think it might have a place in the "How To" area?

[Harry P.]

I'll send you a PM with submission info.

[bobthehobbyguy]

Another great tutorial. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing more tutorials.

[BigTallDad]

For those of you who are members of IPMS, you'll be seeing this car in the latest issue.

[rmvw guy]

Yes that turned out pretty awesome! You humbled us all, looks like Harry included. Nice work, thanks for the tutorial.

[BigTallDad]

2 hours ago, rmvw guy said:

Nice work, thanks for the tutorial.

You're more than welcome. Hope this opens some more doors for you.