Since I have started the Abrams, I have found myself scratchbuilding more and more stuff, and, as a result, I have needed to make more complicated angles in my styrene to form parts of the hull with complex angles. I came up with this idea for doing them with the tools I have on hand, and I would like your guys' input on it to see if it could be improved on. I will make a flat base of a 1/4 inch (.5cm) sheet of aluminum about 8"X10" (20 X 30 cm), on top of which will be another sheet of aluminum about 8"X5" (20 X 15 cm) so that the left half is completely covered. Then I will take a block of hardwood and cut it to the exact angle I need with a protractor and my table saw. I will glue or staple some sand paper to the angled face. I will take the styrene I need to form and place it on the top plate of aluminum and hang it of the edge by about an 1/8" (2 mm), then use the angled sanding block to form the angle I need in the styrene. The upper plate supports the styrene and allows it to hang in the air so that it will only contact the angled block at the perfect angle to be formed. Does this sound like genius or just the ravings of a man in the grips of an advanced case of AMS? Can you improve on the idea?

Rob

.......Spoken like a person suffering from AMS!!!!!

But it sounds like a great idea!!!!

I'm not totally sure I can invisio what you are trying to create here... could you perhaps draw a simple "napkin" diagram and upload it so we could view the concept?

Rob - before you get too heavily into the fabrication - I believe the angle sander you're designing has been done in several variants available through Micromark. They're not expensive, and there are a variety of products for different applications that you might find expedient.

Just one scratchbuilder to another...

Gunnie

While you are at it, why not get a third peice of aluminum, drill some clearance holes in it and tap some corresponding holes holes in the second plate. Then you could clamp the plastic between the plates and not have to worry about holding it with one hand while you sand with the other.

Shaun

I am sorry I couldn't describe it better and I am not able to do a drawing just yet, but I think the others have an idea. My purpose in asking is to try and save money, as a student whose wife is a teacher we have little of it to go around. The stuff I mentioned is readily available to me so I am thinking I can do this. Give me a while and I will post someting on it.

Rob

I think this is something like Brother A is talking about. The third strip I was talking about is on top of the plastic strip.
Am I close?
Shaun

Yes, but I was thinking of puttng the clamping plate farther back, then reversing the block so that it protrudes at the top and overhangs the piece of styrene. The aluminum would be good for sliding the wood on and providing a stable surface that is perfectly flat. The sandpaper couldn't extend to the bottom of the block or it would tear up the aluminim, which is why it would be glued on. Is that drywall Shaun? :-) It exactly what I was thinking though.

Rob

Nope, that ain't drywall, that is tool grade aluminum plate. (Dead on .250 inches thick, plus or minus .003 inches) I have to step over the stuff when I get to work. Couple of thoughts: You are right, you don't want the sandpaper on the bottom of the block, you will abraid the aluminum plate and ruin it. As far as the "overhang" idea goes, if you make your blocks of wood with a .250 step and sand from the bottom, instead of overhanging them, I think it would be much easier to see what you are doing. I don't scratchbuild for my models much but I fabricate stuff all the time at work, drill fixtures, machining fixtures, etc. I think it is a really cool idea. I hope this helped, just a little. I may have to put one together just to see how it works. I may take some better pics of my "bottom up" idea tommorow from the foundry.

Shaun

It's a good thing we have a machinest on staff here. I read Brother's thread three times, and all I really understood was block of hardwood. If anybody needs any paramedic advice, I'll be over here, out of the way.

Patrick

HEHEHEHEHE! I intentionally made it hard to understand just to get a chuckle. Sorry Patrick. Shaun, the .250 step in the block idea might be good, but it would actually have to be a smaller step as you want the styrene to have full contact with sandpaper and if it started at the same level, then there would form a lip at the bottom of the styrene. Maybe .18 or .19 would work. Thanks for the help.

Rob

TELL him the real deal GUNTRUCK,

Hey BRO check out Micromark