Building scale louvers?

davehal9000 · Post by **davehal9000** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:29 pm

I'm working on a 1/32 scale helo kit, which has a louver on the engine compartment. Anyone have any ideas on how to replicate a metal louver?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:51 pm

There are PE sets one can buy, or if it's coarse enough you can use open stairs from Plastruct.

If that fails....well it's possible, I've seen it done, but painstaking.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:34 am

Is there a gap between the slats of the louver? Or, is it "flattened" such that the slats are touching or nearly touching?

Kenny

Umi_Ryuzuki · Post by **Umi_Ryuzuki** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 2:20 am

I will often use "clapboard siding" from Evergreen plastics
to mock up Louvered vents.

Or Photoetch something.

davehal9000 · Post by **davehal9000** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:55 am

There's a slight gap between the slats.

http://anthonyjhicks.com/ajh/pictures.n ... CT1082.jpg

davehal9000 · Post by **davehal9000** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 8:55 am

That clapboard may be the way to go.

Styrofoam_Guy · Post by **Styrofoam_Guy** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:19 pm

How much patience do you have?

What I have done is set up a chopper to cut even strips of styrene. This will be used for the actual parts. I then use other styrene bits as spacers. Once a bunch of them have been set up you can apply glue to the ends to glue them in place. Be careful you do not accidentally glue the spacers in there also. Remove the spacers and glue the other end

It can be frustrating and time consuming but if done right the results can look good.

HTH

Alex
Styrofoam Guy

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 9:59 pm

Styrofoam_Guy wrote:How much patience do you have?

What I have done is set up a chopper to cut even strips of styrene. This will be used for the actual parts. I then use other styrene bits as spacers. Once a bunch of them have been set up you can apply glue to the ends to glue them in place. Be careful you do not accidentally glue the spacers in there also. Remove the spacers and glue the other end

It can be frustrating and time consuming but if done right the results can look good.

HTH

Alex
Styrofoam Guy

That was my suggestion too. Building a jig as you go, essentially.

Kenny