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- From: obrien@netcom.com (No parking EXCEPT FOR BOB)
- Subject: Re: ballast - what to use?
- Message-ID: <1993Jan10.010737.19629@netcom.com>
- Summary: modeling clay problems
- Organization: Netcom Online Communications Services (408-241-9760 login: guest)
- References: <DPALACE.93Jan8071716@sunland.gsfc.nasa.gov> <1993Jan8.162306.26127@wuecl.wustl.edu> <1993Jan8.194953.19631@rambo.atlanta.dg.com>
- Distribution: na
- Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 01:07:37 GMT
- Lines: 26
-
- After several years, the oil in many types of commercially available modeling
- clay begins to separate. The remaining solid gets harder, crumbly, and
- lighter. What's worse, the leaking oil can really damage a finish.
-
- Sort of like recent publicity around certain surgical implants, it's like a
- time bomb that may or may not go off and you've no idea when or if.
-
- I find electronic solder (types with no built-in flux) and the lead foil
- from wine bottles to be the best I've used. Fine solder can be coiled or
- wadded and there's little need to melt it, just a few dabs of superglue
- or even good white glue should hold it. Lead foil can be formed to shape,
- glued, and layered. The hard-to-use top parts of the bottle seals go
- well here, too.
-
- The idea of forming foil into the cavity, supporting the shape outside of
- the model, then melting in solder sounds pretty good, but if you really
- need that density of weight, there's probably someplace else you could
- put it that you're overlooking, like engine nacelles maybe. Sure, leverage
- counts for a lot, but if we're dealing with a tricycle A/C, (and most
- weight problems are) then anything forward of the main gear will help.
- If the nosewheel tire is molded in halves, fill it with a coil of solder.
- Maybe there's room in the wingroots or fillets. Try taking weight OFF
- of the back, too by thinning non-structural stuff.
-
-
- Bob "don't usually have to weight ARMOR models" O'Brien
-