Hi all. Was wondering if anyone has a template that they could post for making 1/35 USA jerry can holders. The ones that come with most kits are one piece and have molded on straps. Looks a bit fake. Any ideas would be great, thanks and cheers eh.
Hightower:
There was somewhere in the back issues of FSM (sorry it’s not at hand right now) a template to do this. However, to make your own is actually quite easy.
Take a kit supplied jerry can holder and grind out the jerry can to the level of the holder. Now you can either this the sides of what remains or you can use this as a template to draw your own out on sheet styrene. Drawn out on styrene is easier. Use thin (10 thousand) styrene sheet and measure the shape of the holder with a ruler and transfer the dimensions to the sheet. To get the "circum"length right use a tailor’s tape measure (cloth type) and start at the back centre of the holder and work around until the two ends meet. Draw this measurement on to your sheet. Now measure the height of the rear. Transfer to your sheet. Now measure the front transfer this to your sheet. Now comes the only tricky part. Once you have sketched all this out. Take a sharp blade and score the sheet and snap the rectangle of styrene from the sheet. Trim off the excess until you are left with the shape of the holder. Next find a strip of hardwood or metal that is the same rectangular shape as the bottom of the jerry can. Wrap the styrene around it and secure it with a rubber band. Put a pot of water on to boil and immerse your shape into the boiling water and hold it there for a minute or so. Remove the shape from the water and let it cool. When you remove the rubber band you should have a formed jerry can holder. Secure the shape to a piece of styrene to form the base.
Now that you have the holder you need a securing strap. You can use masking tape, foil, or thin styrene. Either works well, but the first two are the easiest to work with. I use foil myself. So cut a strip to reach from the rear of the jerry can, thread it under the handle and down to the front lip of the holder. To make the buckle and excess strap that looks “tightened” take a thin piece of wire or solder and wrap it around a square piece (I square off sprue with a file) this will give you the buckle. Secure it to the first strap with a little superglue and you’re done.
Hope this helps
Cheers;
Gregory
Gburdon, thanks for the info. Sounds kinda complex. Hope someone can remember the issue or link to that template, that would probably be easier. I don’t have a roto tool so all that cutting would be cumbersome. Anyway thanks again for the response.
Cheers eh ?