[(-D] hello folks… just need some help here… aside frm heating with a lit candle, are there other ways on how to bend rotor blade on helicopter models to let them look like droopped… want to learn more… thanks and happy modelling everyone…[dinner]
Good question as I have several to build myself. I’m thinking that a candle might be a bit harsh and I considered making a curved form to attach them to and then a dip in hot water? Hopefully a pro will jump in and set us both straight!
Open flames and plastic DO NOT MIX! Unless you are wanting to melt it.
To induce rotor droop you will want to boil up some water in one of your largest pans. Dip the part into the water then set it into a jig that will hold the part without damage and induce the sag. I use a setup of Lego blocks that I can slip in the mast end of the blade into a slot in the jig then pin the tip under a weight or another jig to hold the tip down.
Experiment with a piece of sprue. Don’t go for the whole effect in one step…you may have to repeat this several times to get the perfect droop. Study photos of the real deal. You might even have to cut yourself a curved jig out of wood using a band or sabre saw. Again you heat up the part in water then by using clamps or rubber bands you hold the blade to the jig to induce the curve desired. Essentially the same techinque woodcrafters use to bend wood, steam then clamp to a jig.
i remember reading once about bending a hacksaw blade to the proper configuration by tying a string or wire through the holes at the end and then attaching the rotor blade to the bent hacksaw blade and applying heat.
thanks a lot for sharing your expertise sir… can’t wait to sit on my bench here and rebuild my 1/35th Blackhawk… built years ago… [(-D]
hello folks, finallyb i’ve tried one of your suggested techniques in bending rotor blades. i’ve used the one where i tied the rotor to a bent hacksaw blade ang dipping it in boiling water for at least 15 seconds and got it just right. … thanks for the help guys…
I have not tried it but another method is to lay it on a dinner plate and nuke it in the microwave. Do this in short 5-6 second bursts. The blades will soften and the hub will be pulled down to the plate thus curving the blades.
Hold hub end of blade in left hand between thumb and forefinger, with top surface of blade on bottom. Place thumb and forefinger of right hand near blade root. Now slide fingers of right hand slowly from hub end to tip of blade, exerting gentle pressure downward with right thumb and upward pressure with right forefinger while exerting gentle upward pressure with the left hand. Repeat as necessary until desired droop results. (If you are left-handed, hold blade in right hand and deform it with left hand). The heat generated by friction, accompanied by gentle pressure, is enough to impart a permanent bend to the blade.
No open candles, microwave, or hot water necessary.
This technique is actually easier to do than it is to describe, but you might practice first on a strip of styrene of approximately the same dimensions as the kit blade.
A hack saw blade or wooden form works well for me. I have a few blades with different twists in them and I just bend in the droop that I want, tie the blade to the blade and hit it with my heat gun at a medium setting.