need a scratchbuilder for some help

The ID of the aluminum tube is where you need a match. My calculations come up with 5.7 mm in 1/35 scale. Find a tube and build up the thickness with putty filler.

Mount in a variable speed drill and turn @ 30-60 RPM. A sanding stick will take down the putty. If the end wobbles try mounting the drill on a table and letting the 'muzzle' end turn around something low friction or preferable a bearing.

Your scale drawing can be used to compare the profile. Prime and correct flaws, this may take a few steps yet the results will be more satisfying than 'contracting out' the job.

i cant use tube, the walls are too thin. i have looked and looked but cant find tube with walls thuck enough to actually represent the proper looking wall thickness of the end of the barrel. i tried the method you described already and the putty i have doesent dry if its over 1mm thick, so im kinda sunk there because im not gonna take one day for every layer i add to dry (can you tell i hate putty at this point? lol) i had a barrel pretty close to what i needed and then i dropped it, the tube flexed, and the putty cracked and fell off the barrel. to say i was angry was an under statement. ive had the tanks on backorder for two weeks and they shipped yesterday. ive been trying to nake a barrel for this project for 3 weeks, and have spent over $40 in aluminum tube that is now more or less useless now (either bent, broken, or cut.) i've never gotten this frustrated with a project before.

Did you think of using plastic tubing inside the metal and drilling it out. A gun like that would probably be a smooth bore so no rifling is needed. Just do the math.

thats a good idea but at the moment the taper on the outside is a bigger problem than the bore. i did plan on it bein a smoothbore.

I don't see why you need any taper. Modern guns do not have that. They have  long barrel and a fume extractor somewhere in the middle. So a taper is not necessary. If you want to do a little for aesthetic purposes then make the barrel like I recommend and add on another piece of tubing over and use a drill as a lathe and sand it down slowly until it has a taper. A lot more work then just getting a solid plastic rod and drilling it out. The hole does not have to go all the way through just a few inches. Using a solid plastic rod also allows you to sand it on the home made lathe of some kind. For that matter you might also use a wood dowel too. Once it's sealed and painted it doesn't matter what you use but weight might be an issue with such a thick barrel.

                                 Ok, heres a longshot. What about a section of a fishing rod. There is a nice taper and the end could be plugged and drilled to the correct inside dia..If need be. I think almost all fishing rods have a gentle taper and a broken fishing rod should yield several barrels if you know what I mean..Also would be a tremendous wieght savings as compared to a machined aluminum one.Hope this helps you to consider alternatives.Check out the rods at your local sporting goods store.

                                                            Greg"Detailfreak"Rowley

If you can draw the part to scale in CAD, why not just have it 3D printed? Have a look at Shapeways.com. You can upload your .STL file and have them print it in 3D. Check out the materials link. They offer metals as well as other materials. I've used them before to make my resin casting masters, the quality is excellent.

In Shep Paine's book, Modeling Tanks and Military Vehicles, he shows step-by-step how to build the French 105mm gun used on his Israeli "Isherman" conversion that's featured in his diorama, "The Road to Damascus"... It's built from telescoping pieces of brass tubing, then puttied & sanded smooth...

I know that it doesn't help you right off, but the book is definitely worth having in your library, and you can probably get a copy of it (used) at Amazon for about 15.00-18.00 bucks.. Even for an experienced armor modeler, that book is a must-have, IMHO...

The ID of the aluminum tube is where you need a match. My calculations come up with 5.7 mm in 1/35 scale. Find a tube and build up the thickness with putty filler.

I'd just fill the last half-inch or so of the ID with sprue and drill it out, m'self..

If you don't need the taper. I would recomend buying serval pieces of brass tubing.  Find the one with the correct inside diameter to match your bore size.  The layer the tubes together and solder.  I use this method to build shaft tubing for my  RC Naval combat ship.  If you are worried about weight just build up the last 2 inches of your barrel.  If you need taper you could chuch it into a drill and use a file to get the taper that you need.

Kim

detailfreak

                                 Ok, heres a longshot. What about a section of a fishing rod. There is a nice taper and the end could be plugged and drilled to the correct inside dia..If need be. I think almost all fishing rods have a gentle taper and a broken fishing rod should yield several barrels if you know what I mean..Also would be a tremendous wieght savings as compared to a machined aluminum one.Hope this helps you to consider alternatives.Check out the rods at your local sporting goods store.

 

                                                            Greg"Detailfreak"Rowley

thats actually a pretty good idea. and i have an ancient pole with a broken tip that may work. will try fiddling with it and let you know how it turn out!