Clear plastic forming help needed for BTTF model

[BTTFSpencer]

Hi Guys,

I've been trying numerous times to make a clean vacu-formed cover for my Time Circuit switch that goes to my 1/18 scale DeLorean Time Machine. I've wasted many packs of clear styrene just trying to get it right...

Anyway, I was wondering if any of you had any tips for shaping/bending clear styrene? I need to cut a strip of clear and bend it over the original part as tightly to shape as possible (without it hazing) to get my result. I've tried a heat gun, but no luck on that either.

For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, here's some reference from the movie.

I'd appreciate some advice on this one guys, I'm really struggling with it to be honest. lol

Thanks,

-Spencer

 

[robn1]

Looks like you could just bend it to shape without forming it, wouldn't that work? How thick is the plastic you're using?

If it needs to be formed, try heating with a heat gun while it's on your form. Not enough to melt it, just to make it hold it's shape.

 

[BTTFSpencer]

Whenever I try and bend it to shape it hazes up and wants to break. The plastic is fairly thin, it's evergreen clear styrene and it feels like packaging plastic.

The form is pretty round, as you can see in the pic.

Thanks for your help, I'll try again using the techniques suggested. I'm glad at least 1 person is willing to help.

 

[BTTFSpencer]

Good news, SUCCESS!

It worked perfectly, I just used a sheet of packaging plastic that I found, cut up and formed it over the cast-switch with the heatgun, the trick is getting a plastic that is less rigid, but as thin if not thinner than evergreen.

Thank you very much for your help, this is really going to improve my Sunstar 1/18th scale DeLorean's.

 

[robn1]

Cool, glad it worked! So this is the 1:18 car? I thought it was a full sized piece. I couldn't imagine why the plastic would be so hard to shape on a 1:1 piece.

Instead of styrene, PETG or co-polyester will bend without crazing. Sounds like you got it though.

 

[steveo3002]

any pics of what you are doing ? just intrested

 

[BTTFSpencer]

@Robn1: Thanks for the tip!

@Stevo3002: I'll post pics when I've finished the whole switch.