Tips on doing certain types of angles

JBDF · Post by **JBDF** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:44 am

I've been scratchbuilding and kitbashing for a while but there's one challenge I have yet to find a solid comfortable way of carrying off.

Does anyone have any tips for making small, triangle shaped tubes or wedges. I've been trying to find an example on the web but having some problems lol. Basically, if you're a mecha fan, occasionally you'll see these mechs with thin legs. the shin will be a wedge shape, thin in front but flares out in back.

I'm trying to figure out way to do these shapes more efficiently. Right now I'm taking something like a solid rectangular tube and shaving it down with a dremel, however, the filing and scraping to get it smooth again is a lot of work. On top of that I find using a dremel for this sort of work to be imprecise.

I've also occasionally used a putty or epoxy to build up the shape but again, on small pieces the work tends to be out of proprotion to the pay off.

TazMan2000 · Post by **TazMan2000** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:37 pm

Does the cross-section have to be equilateral? If not, evergreen sells square tubing. Perhaps you can cut off one side and glue the open ends together? How about a hobby circular saw that you could rip a solid square cross-sectioned piece of styrene at an angle you choose? Evergreen and Plastruct also sells "L" angles. You could glue strip styrene over the open ends.

TazMan2000

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 3:23 pm

Plank on frame? Build a profile of styrene and skin it in thin sheet. Little bit 'o putty and you're good.

Chacal · Post by **Chacal** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:55 pm

Is the section triangular of more trapezoidal?

The leg has a constant section or does it thin down toward the ankle?

Is the 'triangular' (trapezoidal) section self-similar all the way (do the internal angles remain the same throughout)?

JBDF · Post by **JBDF** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 10:22 am

Tazman, Kylwell, good suggestions. Kylwells might be more complex for the size of pieces I've been working on lately but it would definitely work for larger pieces. The key is, I have techniques that work, but the time spent building the parts is often, I feel, too long for the pay off.

For example, using a dremel to shave down a square or round tube to the shape I want works, but, the filing, scraping and fiddling I end up doing after using the dremel makes it harder work than I feel it should be. I could be wrong though, maybe there just isn't a solid answer.

Last night I tried something new. since the pieces I'm working on are fairly flat on each side, I cut thin styrene sheet in the shapes I needed. I then glued them at the angle I need them and then filled them in with putty. that worked ok, but putty curing time means, while the part is done relatively quickly, drying time makes the wait longer. I decided to use that time working on other bits.

Chacal, in this case the parts are self similar, which makes it easier than if they were to taper down to the ankle.

Migmaker · Post by **Migmaker** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:37 am

what putty are you using ?

Will

Rocketeer · Post by **Rocketeer** » Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:43 pm

I would be inclined to start with a rectangular section, cut it down to a triangular section using my bandsaw, then clean up the saw marks using 120-grit sandpaper glued to a big flat board (or maybe 220 grit wet). The bandsaw's a great tool for roughing out shapes.

Migmaker · Post by **Migmaker** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:54 pm

Hmm,
I didn't see this mentioned, could be wrong, but this is what I've done. Get ya some "L" stock and add the final side. The "L" stock comes in different leg lengths...you could even fill the "L" stock with superglue and accelerate it..I would use Zap gap filler if going that route...just some quick thoughts...
Will