Studio Scale 89 Batmobile

Neo-uk

Sr Member
I'm hoping some one here can help me.
I've got a large batmobile model to do but the wheels/tyres on it are one piece resin castings and they are terrible. I'm going to try and scratch build some new ones.
The wheels themselves shouldn't be much of a problem as I can make them on a lathe, it's the tread on the tyres I'm stuck with. How is this done or whats the best way to try.
This is what I'm after.
 
My approach would be photo-etching a strip of tread pattern, and laying that in a groove you make with the lathe. You can put the etched brass in directly or first copy the brass strip in rubber (e.g. latex) and use that so you can stretch / queeze to compensate for any deviations in your brass master.
It's either that or milling or 3D-printing and the first is terminally laborious and the second one has resolution issues (and is laborious too).
Third alternative is an alternative in theory only: making a small segment by hand but people will only applaud the end result because they are either 1) blind, 2) polite & dishonest, 3) thinking you are talking about something else or all three.

D.S.
 
Sir, micro-mark sells a rubber tire casting product which should help in producing your project,that is once you get the treads you want for it
 
My method would be almost the same as RKS. The only differences would be, to get a piece of acrylic laser etched, then mold it, cast in urethane, and wrap it around the tire blank you turn, while it's still green.
 
how clean is the pattern on the tires?

I was thinking to roll out some clay (like sculpey or sculpey firm), run the tire over it so you get the tread pattern, bake it so it hardens, clean it up if it's needed and make a casting of that. Wrap the tread around the blank, make a mold of that and cast.

The other way, which will take some work and more $$, take your blanks to someone with a cnc mill or cnc laser engraver with a 4th axis (for rotating) and have them cut the patterns into the blanks.
 
Back
Top