Vacuum Form Canopy Replacements

[Duymon]

Has anyone tried to make Vaccumform Canopy Replacements for 1/72 Hase VF-1 kits?

Reason i ask is I'm looking at making a lot of open-canopy vf's and the current canopy seems a lil on the thick side

[007-vf1]

I assume that you know the process involved on making them...

There are a few guys here who know how to do them but do not not mass produce them. I am sure there's people here who would like access to them at some point or another since it might be a better choice than sand the suckers for a half hour nonstop..

Also there might be an interest on making replacements for the current Club-M figthers and some others of the VF's..

[Valkyrie]

Hmm, that's an interesting idea. I'll have to remember to vacuform a few next time I'm doing canopies.

I'm not sure how well they'll come out though. About all I can do is form them over the stock canopy, and I'm thinking the tiny panel lines will barely show up at all in the copies...

[Valk009]

I believe the panel lines will still show up on the vacuumed formed canopy and the result should even be better than Hasegawa's thick lines.

The only thing I am worried about is the size; the vacuumed formed one will ever be slightly bigger than the original one making it difficult to set in place when closed. But since you want to display the valk in open canopy position, I guess it does not really matter

[Valkyrie]

I believe the panel lines will still show up on the vacuumed formed canopy and the result should even be better than Hasegawa's thick lines.

The only thing I am worried about is the size; the vacuumed formed one will ever be slightly bigger than the original one making it difficult to set in place when closed. But since you want to display the valk in open canopy position, I guess it does not really matter

Yea, that's what I was thinking. A vacuform copy would definitely look better than the stock canopy (though you'd have to build the frame inside it to make it look its best.) And like you said, you won't notice that it's ever so slightly larger if it's built open. You just won't be able to have it hinged, or build it closed.

And actually, I've had an idea for negating the size difference floating around in my head for a while now.

The basis is that if you take a piece, make a mold of it, then cast it in resin, the resin copy will be slightly smaller than the original, due to material shrinkage. So if I could use that method to take a styrene (or resin) canopy, get it to shrink 0.02", then a copy vacuformed with 0.01" plastic from that resin copy should be exactly the same outside dimensions as the original. In theory, anyway.

The big factor is controling the shrinkage...

[jardann]

Controlling shrinkage is very important.

Especially when skinny dipping with a lady!

[David Hingtgen]

There's always the thermoform method. It's basically a sheet of clear plastic that responds to heat better/more uniformly than most. You heat it up over a candle, and when it's soft, you drape it over the original canopy and pull it down. It'll take the shape and set up in a few seconds. Basically vac-forming without the vacuum. Never actually tried it myself, but the stuff is available here: http://www.squadron.com/ItemDetails.asp?item=SQ9003

[Dax415]

If anyone does this I need one for a hasegawa vf-1s valkyrie fighter. Please let me know, thanks!

[TSP]

While having a better look at that part I wrecked my canopy this morning. I tried to thinning the borders with a hobbyknife. Gave to much pressure on it while holding the part. And crack!!! Just great! Now it's my problem too. I would love to give my Hase Valk a new cockpit hatch but...

The only problems are: A vacuum formed canopy wont have the sharp edges like a injection molded part. The same goes to fine carved details. Those have to be scribbed on .Or else you would see the differences between injection kit and self made parts.

On the other hand I wouldn't say that the clear parts are too thick. Don't forget that Valkyries are also for space used. The Cockpit hatch has to be a bit thicker than conventional canopies.

@David Hingtgen : I tried the same method with similar material few years ago for the M-Club Valkyries. And its not recommended for canopies with stick out borders like the Valyrie hatches. That's why I vacuum formed those.

[Dax415]

TSP, that sucks! That's practically the same reason I had to scrounge the canopy from my vf-1s for my low vis strike. Too bad it wasn't just easy to order a bunch of small replacement parts from hlj. .....so does this mean replacement canopies might be in the works

[TSP]

Still got too much to do so don't expect to start with it this year. My Hasegawa Valkyrie is waiting since 2003 to get finisched so maybe I sculp the canopy moulds in January. I will give you a short notice when it's done.