Roll Bars/ Cages

[Avenger]

1. get a peice of unused unessialy plastic

2. cut off with scissors

3 sand down with emory board or sand paper glue together

4 let it dry for a 25min or so

5. Paint

6. test fit

7 glue it in of whatever car u want

here is a picture

[VictorSmalls]

Here is my botched second attempt at a hand build cage. One of the "secrets" that I use is a bent #11 blade. I heated one up red hot on the stove and bent it in a right curve. This allows me to cut notches in styrene for tight joints.

I really think that a nice hand built cage can add a lot to a model car when compared to some of the cookie cutter pieces that come in some of the kits.

Edited October 30, 2008 by VictorSmalls

[Avenger]

Here is my botched second attempt at a hand build cage. One of the "secrets" that I use is a bent #11 blade. I heated one up red hot on the stove and bent it in a right curve. This allows me to cut notches in styrene for tight joints.

I really think that a nice hand built cage can add a lot to a model car when compared to some of the cookie cutter pieces that come in some of the kits.

Yeah Tell me about it the are custom some model kits dont even have them

[conor1148]

victor- i know you never said you heated up any plastic but as kind of a warning to anyone: if you ever heat up the plastic with a match or lighter (how i did it before i got a heat gun) make sure not to breath in the fumes. it could do all sorts of bad things to your body/lungs/ brain

happy modeling!

[VictorSmalls]

victor- i know you never said you heated up any plastic but as kind of a warning to anyone: if you ever heat up the plastic with a match or lighter (how i did it before i got a heat gun) make sure not to breath in the fumes. it could do all sorts of bad things to your body/lungs/ brain

happy modeling!

I only heat up the #11 blade to bend it. I only head styrene with hot water to help with bends. Thans for the heads up though... better safe than sorry.

[bobss396]

I use a lot of Evergreen .093 tubing and .080 rod. The tubing is great because it can be "pinned" together to make strong joints. Pick up some floral wire (dirt cheap) and use that inside the bends so they retain their shape.

I have to try the xacto blade bending trick or maybe I can make up a radius chopping tool... hmmm. I have to work on that. But usually small round files are good to "fish mouth" the tubing or rod.

Bob

[VictorSmalls]

Great information on the files. I will have to get some sometime soon.

Great looking cages as well

[bobss396]

Nice cage work y'all. I agree with the Tenax. I don't deburr the filed ends, the extra plastic makes the joint stronger. I have to make up a few simple tools to help me fish mount the ends and drill holes in them.

Bob

[Robert]

1. get a peice of unused unessialy plastic

2. cut off with scissors

3 sand down with emory board or sand paper glue together

4 let it dry for a 25min or so

5. Paint

6. test fit

7 glue it in of whatever car u want

here is a picture

Not bad. This is always a good start on roll bars, depending on how far one wants to go with them. I can remember the ones we used for our real cars years ago, they looked much like yours; quickly welded together with the welds not ground down. Reminds me of my days (and nights) at Ona Speed Way and Riverside Drag Strip years ago. Trust me, yours looks better than some we hurriedly put together. Remember, practice makes perfect. Keep at it.

[Avenger]

Thanks guys for showing me those! Some times i get some sawder to make on whole peice just a roll bar nothen else

[ddonaca351]

Here's one that I'm working on, in a GTX:

It's done now (the cage) but I don't have any new pics yet... it's just .080 rod, hand bent.

(it's a little large to be correct, scales out at 2"... but it's close, and the GTX is a "big" car, so it looks right)

*make sure you cut all the "bars" long by 1/2 the thickness of the material (on EACH end), that way after you notch it to fit, it is still the right length*

Edited December 4, 2008 by ddonaca351