How to dent a car model?

[greasyspoon]

I picked up a couple of models on clearance called Modified Stockers. They are normal model car with Roll bars and guards of various types. Here is a write I did for one of them http://www.happinessismandatory.com/mis ... Impala.htm
I haven’t gotten to do the cobra yet.

But I want to make them post-apocalyptic, and they really need dents and so forth. I though about heating with a candle but the would make smooth sags. I might could heat it and use a ruler to make a “sharp” bend, but that would crumple up like a fender. Any ideas on now to damage and dent a car model?

Thanks

[Johnnycrash]

Any ideas on now to damage and dent a car model?

Let a woman drive it!!

What??

Different needs for different dents. Best to do a google image search for car dents. Nothing like reference material.

Smooth dents are made too, for those softer bump-intos. But heating it for the more significant panel deformation is a good way to go. Low heat is important, styrene burns very well!! Once it's deformed, you can shape the plastic by sanding, or even adding putty and sculpting that to get the more sharper edges of some dents. Could even drag a wire brush across a panel to get that glancing blow rub.

Hope that helps.

[Stu Pidasso]

A car guy I know did dents the same way you mention:(That's not his car though, just an example.) hold the part/car over a hotplate or heat source, and he used various methods for dents: pliers for crumpling up bumpers (Like a demolition derby car) for an impact dent (like in a car door from a shopping cart) he actually used a pencil and pushed in the "impact spot" to make the dent cone-shaped like this , then a putty knife for the "seam" (like this pic). Hope this helps!

[puddingwrestler]

Somewhere out there in the wrecks contest, you'll find my post apocalyptic Chevy with mangled boot. This was done by cutting the panel from the car, and then molding fairly thick aluminium foil over it. This was then bent and dented and super glued into place. The foil used came from the bottom of a disposable foil roasting tray I got from the super market. Foil of this thickness behaves very much like sheet metal in scale; thinner alfoil (the type on a roll) would crumple to much and be too flimsy.

[en'til Zog]

Did you check out this forum?

viewforum.php?f=76&sid=4ad4117b97e51d4aaab81c3baa36283a

Post apocalyptic road ralley thread, with many examples?

[greasyspoon]

Thanks for all the links. I am a regular read of the post apocalyptic section. Them and the Mad Max car I purchased a while back spured me in to buying the modifiled stockers. I will try te candel method, I was just afraid it would me "smooth" dents but I just have to heat it enough to be plyable but not melt.

I think this will be a fun project.

Thanks for the advice and pictures.

[Tony Agustin]

Somewhere out there in the wrecks contest, you'll find my post apocalyptic Chevy with mangled boot. This was done by cutting the panel from the car, and then molding fairly thick aluminium foil over it. This was then bent and dented and super glued into place. The foil used came from the bottom of a disposable foil roasting tray I got from the super market. Foil of this thickness behaves very much like sheet metal in scale; thinner alfoil (the type on a roll) would crumple to much and be too flimsy.

Thanks for that tip! I have a Dale Earnhardt car model project I've been wanting to mangle in the most displeasing sort of way. I was originally going to sculpt in damage with epoxy putty but the foil technique sounds great!

[MillenniumFalsehood]

Nothing really beats the real thing. Get the aluminum that PR described and use it. It'll be more realistic and easier to do than sculpting it yourself.

[dizzyfugu]

I made good experience with partial hot water baths for large area dents and deformations on thinner plastics. I used it on a NASCAR model a couple of years ago.
Take the piece (in my case the car body), hold it in boiling water (ideally just the area that is supposed to be formed) and quickly "dent" it while warm. You just have seconds per attempt, but it is safer than open fire which easily warps or even damages the plastic.

[AbsoluteSciFi]

I'd use tin foil- glue it into place, or plaster the back and then use that to vacu-form styrene... but foil make the best dents, even if it takes a little practice, but look at it this way- one sheet goes a long way!
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