Body mods/custom panels

[Dys]

I'm newer to creating body mods. Does anyone have any tips for splicing fenders or front clips from one body to another? Ideally I'm looking for how to's, but also need to know how to go about ensuring structural strength by ensuring I have a good joint.

[Guest]

I always glue them together with Tenax7 liquid glue. It literally melts the plastic together and dries in seconds. If there happens to be any gaps in the joint, I fill them with super glue. As an added precaution,I also glue a strip of .010 styrene on the inside of the joint. Works very well for me.

[RobRus]

I have used regular model glue and Testors Plastic Cement which like Tenax7 is mainly acetate and has no fillers. Both are solvents which melt the plastic and chemically welds the joint. I have found that joints usually bleed through after priming and painting because the solvents become part of the joint. Even after a week or 2 of drying under a lamp I have seen joints pop after priming or painting (leave raised marks right where the joint is).

Any time I do a body mod that requires welding the 2 pieces back together I prefer welding with a soldering iron. It takes practice (and a variable temp pencil tip soldering iron) not to warp the parts but the advantage is that you do not have any drying time and you can sand and fill the parts immediately after welding. You also don't have any solvents to bleed through so you don't have seams popping up after you apply paint.

I will put a heat welded joint up against any glued joint as far as strength and durability any day.

I actually wrote a short tutorial on how I do it and your question sparked me to post it in the Tips section here:

http://www.modelcars...showtopic=58043

I have also heard of some guys using 2 part epoxy with good results also but I enjoy welding because it is more like what you would do on a real car and it is very strong.

Just my 2c

Bob

Edited May 7, 2012 by RobRus