Tuesday, September 25, 2012

How do you make vents ?

Boat VentsNo, not ranting, air vent on the Pilot Boat.

I suppose these are pretty easy in modelling terms - you buy something suitable, drill a hole in the superstructure and glue them in place.

At the front we have mushroom vents and behind, the other sort. According to the model on the stand when I bought the kit, they should face backward. Presumably if forward facing, at speed the air inflow would inflate the cabin !

What I don't understand is how anyone makes a master for these. The stalk is narrower than the gaping mouth. They have to be very hollow too - you can't supply them blind and tell the modeller to drill them out because no known drill could get narrower as the hole turns to head down the shaft.

And before some says "they come out of a mould", yes I know that, but how would you make one by hand ?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

In resin using a split mould.

Phil Parker said...

Yes - but how do you make the master ?

Anonymous said...

Carve an original out of wood. Take 2 pieces glue together as a sandwich with paper in between to allow a clean split.As to the hole - form a plug that can be removed. Layer the resin do not pour. Time consuming, I agree, but perfectly possible. I used the method to form an (then) unavailable tail-light cover (red and transparent) for a car. The mould was formed using DAS clay.

Great blog BTW

Andy from Workshopshed said...

You could use metal pipe and flare it using a pien hammer or flaring tool?