Advice re: barrel seams

Not really...although kits have gotten better in terms of providing one-piece barrels that have very minor seams instead of the older two-half style that always caused grief.

All of the usual suggestions . Make sure your seams ooze melted plastic when clamped tightly after applying liquid cement and use c.a. if there are any gaps in the seams after sanding .

I echo my friends comments. There is no quick fix,,,,   but the seam issue is not a big mountain,,,  a bit of patience and practice will do the trick. Even though the metal barrels are wonderful..... a little work can produce a two piece that is non discernable from a one piece.

 

Best of luck

I agree that they take a lot of work and putty to make right. I have no real problem dropping a few bucks on an AM barrel, if it makes a difference. Fortunately, Dragon and others now include some sort of one-piece barrel, whether plastic or aluminum.

I believe Manny had a nasty seam on his aluminum barrel awhile back.  Not sure if he ever recovered from that.

One thing that will help align the halves is to remove the "alignment" pegs. These are usually the main cause of halves not fitting together evenly.

I echo BaBill212.  Not really much of an issue in most cases.  Newer kits with one-piece barrels are generally pretty nice.  The cases which I think really call for metal barrels are those with exceptionally-detailed muzzlebrakes, and the very slim barrels of tiny guns like 2cm flak... those thin barrels cannot take a lot of sanding and its easy to gouge and deform one.

Metal barrels are not always the panacea they appear to be...  Case in point:  I put one on my Trumpeter E-10 and won several prizes at various IPMS shows... And then one day, my run came crashingly to an end!  I was shattered!  Turned out, when I asked a judge if he might tell me how I could better things - you know "hey, so what did I miss on this beast?" -  he pointed to that metal barrel and bluntly told me I needed really to clean up the SEAM running along the top of same!  What had happened was that I had apparently scraped that barrel along something and removed a nice, straight, thin strip of camo paint (acryl), leaving behind the black enamel primer!  Sure looked like a seam!  Argh! 

Bob

 

ps1scw

I believe Manny had a nasty seam on his aluminum barrel awhile back.  Not sure if he ever recovered from that.

No...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2utNL_YaLIw

I like to apply Mr Surfacer 500 and sand

Manstein's revenge

ps1scw:

I believe Manny had a nasty seam on his aluminum barrel awhile back.  Not sure if he ever recovered from that.

No...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=2utNL_YaLIw

Poor Vance;ordered to deliver the bad news..

I've had two piece barrels that did not match up even after removing the alignment pins.

No aftermarket available.

i actually used round, tapered plastic paint brush handles trimmed to the proper length and thickness

 

There's a tool called a Flex-I-File, basically a strip of sandpaper (in various grits) set up like a coping saw. It works wonders on curved seams like gun tubes.

http://www.flex-i-file.com/flex-i-file.php

Rob Gronovius

There's a tool called a Flex-I-File, basically a strip of sandpaper (in various grits) set up like a coping saw. It works wonders on curved seams like gun tubes.

http://www.flex-i-file.com/flex-i-file.php

 

That's what I've been using for years. It does work but you have to keep it moving, if just sanding in one spot you will cut down the barrel like using a flat file.

somerimes i start with scrapping with an xacto being careful not to flaten it. i then paint with testors silver paint to see problems. other times and i think i got this from the magazine a few years back, i glue together, run tape very close to each side of seam and "pack" with putty. i use red 3m bondo from the auto parts store. after filling both sides, pull the tapr off leaving a thin ridge. knock that down some with acetone or nail polish remover and let dry. start sanding. after painting sand some more but remove paint before applying more putty. i have found the silver paint may show it is fine but gray primer will still pick up some small goofs. or hide it with a camo net like this.

I totally agree with this post here.

What I do is glue the barrel halves together with Ambroid Pro Weld getting a little "ooze" from the seams. When throughly dry I chuck the barrel in a drill and at low speed slowly sand it down. When I get to finer grits (600+) I use Testors spray buffing aluminum to show imperfections and keep sanding till smooth enough.If there is a little gap instead of ooze, then I fill with putty and sand down.

Works great !

I made up the plastic barrel for a 1/35 Tamiya Tiger and then got the Gordio Rubio metal one, I used the plastic one in the end.