Taillights
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Skid's :: General :: I Need some help.
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Taillights
I've nearly got the Testor's Camaro done, the lack of tail lights are the obstacle. I junked the horrid kit ones.
Now I'm trying some to make some.
The lights are a wrap around style, and the corner is not vertical. Since the I'm happy with the paint job ( rare!) I'd like to
make a template & then cut the clear to shape.
In my attempts to make the wretched kit lights work, I cut out much of the bodywork behind the lights.
Typing this makes me wonder, could I cut all the body work away, fill the area with whatever, paint it red, amber & white then
back fill the area with clear?
Any suggestions are welcome.
I'd rather not cut any more bodywork away, the dremel vibrations have cracked a glued & filled & painted
seam
Cheers,
Chris
Now I'm trying some to make some.
The lights are a wrap around style, and the corner is not vertical. Since the I'm happy with the paint job ( rare!) I'd like to
make a template & then cut the clear to shape.
In my attempts to make the wretched kit lights work, I cut out much of the bodywork behind the lights.
Typing this makes me wonder, could I cut all the body work away, fill the area with whatever, paint it red, amber & white then
back fill the area with clear?
Any suggestions are welcome.
I'd rather not cut any more bodywork away, the dremel vibrations have cracked a glued & filled & painted
seam
Cheers,
Chris
webby- Moderator
- Posts : 2194
Join date : 2013-02-27
Age : 64
Location : Strathpine Australia. Built over WW2 airstrip
Re: Taillights
Chris, don't know if I have any suggestions, but I went and looked at your build page and didn't see any pics of what the rear of your Camaro now looks like. If I could see the rear something might pop into my brain.
Funny thing is the taillights look pretty much like the actual tail lights to me.
Funny thing is the taillights look pretty much like the actual tail lights to me.
Dave from Pleasanton- New Member
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Join date : 2014-07-20
webby- Moderator
- Posts : 2194
Join date : 2013-02-27
Age : 64
Location : Strathpine Australia. Built over WW2 airstrip
Re: Taillights
Make a template from thin plastic card against the body, then cut it out of clear. Apparently you can hear up sytrene with a candle to make the bends (never tried it myself) then I would do it again and glue the pieces together to build it up so you could use a needle file to rub out the details on the lights and paint..
That's where I would start but I'm new to modeling and someone may have a better idea?
That's where I would start but I'm new to modeling and someone may have a better idea?
A5h- Resident member
- Posts : 1529
Join date : 2014-08-11
Age : 44
Location : Sheffield UK
Re: Taillights
I just made a front air dam that has a very similar curve to it. You have the angle of the back of the car and then it wraps around the car so you need to go around a 90 degree corner but on an angle which drops.
Find something with the same radius as the side tail light where it wraps around. That's step one. If you have some styrene you should be able to cold bend it with out heat (depending how thick it is.) just over bend it a bit until it stays at the angle you need.
Make sure you leave extra length and width on all sides of the styrene.
Once happy you nailed the radius simply start trimming. Start with the hardest side first, get that corner fitting nice. As you go along take your piece and trace it on a piece of paper. This way if things go bad you can easily get back to where you were. You might not get it perfect the first time. I did three air dams on the car above before I got it to my satisfaction. Not only did I have to get the angles right I needed to get the width dead on. So I had double trouble to deal with.
Once you have something you are happy with you can play with different materials (because you have a pattern).
Just looking at it again....Because of the shape of the side of the light you might be very close just doing a 90 degree bend. You probably wont need a lot of extra material around the edges.
Find something with the same radius as the side tail light where it wraps around. That's step one. If you have some styrene you should be able to cold bend it with out heat (depending how thick it is.) just over bend it a bit until it stays at the angle you need.
Make sure you leave extra length and width on all sides of the styrene.
Once happy you nailed the radius simply start trimming. Start with the hardest side first, get that corner fitting nice. As you go along take your piece and trace it on a piece of paper. This way if things go bad you can easily get back to where you were. You might not get it perfect the first time. I did three air dams on the car above before I got it to my satisfaction. Not only did I have to get the angles right I needed to get the width dead on. So I had double trouble to deal with.
Once you have something you are happy with you can play with different materials (because you have a pattern).
Just looking at it again....Because of the shape of the side of the light you might be very close just doing a 90 degree bend. You probably wont need a lot of extra material around the edges.
BrentH- New Member
- Posts : 236
Join date : 2013-05-21
Re: Taillights
Hopefully this help... Here is a roughed out air dam that I chucked because I wasn't happy with the way it was turning out. See the angle is very similar to what you are doing. Notice it is over sized all around.
Here is the same part flattened out. See how it kicks up on the ends. This is because we are going around a 90 degree corner but on an angle so the tips need a kick on them.
Hope this helps.
Here is the same part flattened out. See how it kicks up on the ends. This is because we are going around a 90 degree corner but on an angle so the tips need a kick on them.
Hope this helps.
BrentH- New Member
- Posts : 236
Join date : 2013-05-21
Re: Taillights
The more I look at those tail lights the more I think you will get away with a simple 90 degree corner and wont need the kick to it. I think you will need to trim more material down going the opposite way.
BrentH- New Member
- Posts : 236
Join date : 2013-05-21
Re: Taillights
Chris, I would suggest other things but they would damage your paint. My best idea is to use masking tape to fit to the curve and then use a sharpie pen to outline the edge of the taillights. Apply the tape to some sheet plastic and cut it out and then do filing to make it actually fit. Once fitted then you could bend it to shape. If you can get the shape down then I would apply epoxy, body filler or some other item to on the back so that you get a buck to form the final pieces using heat to bend the part. Don't know if it would work but it's the best I've got.
If you are using clear plastic I have had it fog when cold bending it.
If you are using clear plastic I have had it fog when cold bending it.
Dave from Pleasanton- New Member
- Posts : 237
Join date : 2014-07-20
Re: Taillights
Thanks gents, some valuable tips there, I'll give them a shot.
Cheers,
Chris
Cheers,
Chris
webby- Moderator
- Posts : 2194
Join date : 2013-02-27
Age : 64
Location : Strathpine Australia. Built over WW2 airstrip
Skid's :: General :: I Need some help.
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