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Dragon styrene issues

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  • Member since
    December 2017
Dragon styrene issues
Posted by KyleBragger on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 11:25 AM

Wondering if anyone has had experience with DS (dragon styrene) parts hardening - I have a few dragon and cyberhobby kits and the DS parts are hard as a rock, not the normal rubbery consistency they should be. Anyone had luck undoing that and getting them rubbery again? Heat maybe? Hot water?

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Phil_H on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 12:40 PM

If they've hardened, they're toast. There's no way to restore them, you'll have to source some replacement parts.

  • Member since
    December 2017
Posted by KyleBragger on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 12:44 PM

Bummer. Thanks for the reply. I've noticed that they often come bagged in some kind of oily substance, but I guess it must be age or something. (It's one of the older 1/32 Bf 109 kits.)

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 5:58 PM

The oily substance you see is probably the plasticizing agent leaching out - a sign that the part is already no good.  I don't know why kit manufacturers continue using this material (as well as vinyl).  Dragon isn't the only one guilty of this; the "glueable" tracks from other makers tend to crack and disintegrate over time.  And sometimes quicker if enamels are use to weather the tracks.

I have a Takom Mk I tank with vinyl "polycaps", which promptly started to react with the plastic parts in the gun sponsons.  I was able to dig them out and replace them with polyethylene polycaps.

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 8:02 PM

Real G

 I don't know why kit manufacturers continue using this material (as well as vinyl).  Dragon isn't the only one guilty of this; the "glueable" tracks from other makers tend to crack and disintegrate over time.  And sometimes quicker if enamels are use to weather the tracks.

I have had that happen with the “gluable” single length tracks from Tamiya and AFV Club. The older vinyl tracks, while stiff, were far superior for  durability. Nowadays, if I get those tracks in a kit, I replace them before the project is started. 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    December 2017
Posted by KyleBragger on Thursday, May 24, 2018 9:24 AM

Dang. Sounds hopeless. 

 

That being said, anyone know of reasonable-looking resin 1/32 Bf  109 E wheel well aftermarket? Found bunch of F and G series, no E yet. (Or maybe it's all really the same, or close enough?)

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Thursday, May 24, 2018 9:38 AM

Of all the DS and the various companies flexible tracks,I only have had problems with two of the DS that I have applied enamel paint or washes,no problems with ones where I used acrylics

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Thursday, May 24, 2018 10:57 AM

KyleBragger

Dang. Sounds hopeless. 

 

That being said, anyone know of reasonable-looking resin 1/32 Bf  109 E wheel well aftermarket? Found bunch of F and G series, no E yet. (Or maybe it's all really the same, or close enough?)

 

Looks like Aeries, CMK, and Eduard all make E wheels

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    December 2017
Posted by KyleBragger on Thursday, May 24, 2018 11:00 AM

Thanks, I'm looking for wheel bay/well inserts, e.g. https://www.ebay.com/p/Aires-1-32-BF-109-Wheel-Bay-for-Hasegawa-Kits-resin-Detail-Update-2016/1954330581

 

May just see if I can fit something for an F or G.

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