Need info on how to straighten warped wings

I have a Steinel heat gun for work that I also use for model parts that are warped.  It has a digital temperature control on it that I just set for 210 degrees Fahrenheit for styrene.  That's enough to just barely make it pliable enough to straighten it, but not hot enough to do permanent damage.

BrandonK

I've used hot air with good results. You have to be very careful not to overheat the area and you also have to make sure that once it becomes more cooperative you have to find a way to hold the correct position for it to cool down and remain in the proper shape. All of the methods listed here work and you may have to use all of them to get what you want. Remember, patience is key, don't rush it and you will make it work out.

BK

I'll second that-be careful, and patient.

I've used hot water to bend a half a ship's hull back into shape, and that's what it took.  I had to dunk the piece repeatedly and gradually warm it, till it could be bent without snapping.  Then I could glue it and the other parts provided the shape, as the piece cooled and the glue cured.

I've used hot air with good results. You have to be very careful not to overheat the area and you also have to make sure that once it becomes more cooperative you have to find a way to hold the correct position for it to cool down and remain in the proper shape. All of the methods listed here work and you may have to use all of them to get what you want. Remember, patience is key, don't rush it and you will make it work out.

BK

The wings on my B-29, B-24 and B-58 were warped. I am not a fan of using hot water or a hair dryer. I have tried both and had disasterous results. Instead, I use an Architect's scale, clamps and rubberbands to solve the problem.

B-29 wing.

B-24 wing

B-58 wing.

The trick is that you need something that is super stiff and will not bend. The triangular shape of an Architect's scale makes it very stiff. It will break before it bends.  I used Testors liquid plastic cement (red label). First I put the cement on both parts of the wings. Then I let the glue soften the plastic and get gooey. Next I assemble the wing and clamp the scale along the edge of the wing. Sometimes I use rubberbands. The more clamps the better. Let the glue cure overnight. Remove the clamps the next day and the wing should be straight and flat.

With boiling water, I'll typically take it off the heat...dip the part for about 10-15 seconds to start (depending on the thickness of the part)...then use a glove or an oven mitt to press the part against a flat surface (I use a 1/4" glass panel) and keep that pressure on for about 10 seconds till it cools. Repeat as needed.

You can also use a hair dryer, but that becomes sort of a three-handed operation unless you can find a way to make the dryer 'stand' on its own.

The key is to start slow, and go gradually until you get a feel for what the heat is doing.

Also...if just one wing half is warped...I've had good luck just gradually clamping and gluing the curved part against the straight one, until both are straight. You can also 'flex' wide parts like wing halves to simply bend out the warp...then glue up and clamp as soon as possible, so the part doesn't try to return to its warped shape. If possible, don't  just clamp the parts together...but clamp (or rubber-band) against a rigid flat surface like a stiff ruler, etc.

Good luck

[And just as an FYI...as with ANY new or unfamiliar technique...it's ALWAYS best to practice with a sprue or non-critical part first. A whole wing is a pretty important part to 'prang' due to accident or inexperience.]

It's the polar light batplane. Both wings have a serious downward dip/bend that needs to be straightened. The plastic isn't thin to put a spar in.

Start with the least destructive method, like a spar to stiffen the wing, or small cuts here and there.  If you let us know what kit you are working on, or better yet post a photo of the offending part, you will get better answers.