I’m sure this question has been asked many times before, but here we go again…
I have limited experience with vacuform, and my one question is- HOW? I get the cutting out of the parts and sanding them to shape, but then there is so little area for gluing parts together, how do you do it? Do you just have to be careful, or is there some way to beef the joint up a bit?
Thanks!
I use micro crystal clear to attach vacum formed canopies. In real iffy situations (like I don’t feel there is enough surface area) I have used CA on the outside seam,
Note: the canopy needs a clear acrylic sealer so the CA does not fog it - like you don’t know that already :0)
You also need to add reinforcement strips across the joint. Usaually, I cut these out of the scrap, slightly roll them to shape and then glue them across the joint about every 1/2 inch or so, if possible. The strips are about 1/4 by 1/2 inch more or less depending on how much room I have to work with.
Note the tabs
Contary to a lot of peoples views I find that going round the outline with a scriber (from the Dentists) is as good a way as any to cut out pieces and less likely to “slip”. Surprisingly although it is a small area the pieces seem to adhere very well - but the “tabs” are a very good idea. My Javelin on the Vac Form GB page was my first attempt and the need for filling etc. was by no means great.
If you use a desktop hole punch, the office type, and use it on a piece of scrap styrene sheet. you end up with a pile of small circular tabs that are slightly pre-curved. I used them to secure the fuselage of my Dynavector Wyvern, and they worked a treat.
It’s also quicker to make them than other methods, and because as they are short, they’re easy to conform to the trickier compound curves of some fuselages. Just secure them with a dab of liquid glue, allow them to dry overnight, and you’ll have a strong set of tabs to glue the other half of the fuselage to by morning.