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Cowl bumps

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  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Cowl bumps
Posted by Don Stauffer on Thursday, November 11, 2010 9:06 AM

My latest scratch project is a Stinson Model A (tri-motor).  Each of the cowls has 18 bumps for the rocker boxes on the radial engines.  Don't fancy making all those teardrop shaped bumps.  I was thinking of making a pattern and doing resin castings for the second and third cowl.  Still, don't like the idea of even having to make 18 of those little things.  Each is a little over a quarter inch long by about fifty mils wide.  Any idea of any existing product- like something from a craft store or something- that would eliminate having to make these little suckers?

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Philadelphia PA
Posted by smeagol the vile on Monday, November 15, 2010 1:50 AM

A picture of what you need would help us a bit.  if the bumps are close together you could always make one long piece in that shape and just put an indent between to simulate separate parts

 

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Monday, November 15, 2010 2:48 AM

my suggestion is to get some styrene half rod in the proper size, then cut to length and file to shape.

 

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  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Monday, November 15, 2010 8:45 AM

stikpusher

my suggestion is to get some styrene half rod in the proper size, then cut to length and file to shape.

Yeah, that is my backup procedure.  I was hoping someone else had an easier way to make 18 of these little things (they are small, fifty mil wide).  And, to answer another post, they are bump outs (standing above the rest of the cowl), not depressions.  My plan, if I do make each one from half round, is to keep them solid. I may have to grind the rocker boxes off the engines, but that is okay, they are not visible on a cowled engine anyway.   I had thought to maybe make three or four, then an RTV mold to cast, in several batches, the remaining ones, but that is still a lot of work.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    November 2009
Posted by Styrene Nut on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 1:36 PM

So far, I've only found two ways of doing this,..Evergreen half round rod cut to length, and sanded to shape. Second,..Strut stock, (The kind with tapered airfoil shape), cut and sanded to shape. Good luck!..Its a tedious pain in the you know what! I don't envy you! Dave.

  • Member since
    November 2004
  • From: Still exchanging O2 for CO2
Posted by 1utahman on Tuesday, November 23, 2010 4:34 PM

Carve or sand the shape you need (slightly smaller than actual size) from wood and then heat some styrene sheet (over a candle or using a heat gun) and stretch the heated sheet over the carved shape. Then trim the edges and you'll have a hollowed 'bump' you can glue to the cowl. Repeat as many times as you need.

"Some people are like a Slinky...not really good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see one go tumbling down the stairs."
  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Wednesday, November 24, 2010 9:12 AM

Styrene Nut

So far, I've only found two ways of doing this,..Evergreen half round rod cut to length, and sanded to shape. Second,..Strut stock, (The kind with tapered airfoil shape), cut and sanded to shape. Good luck!..Its a tedious pain in the you know what! I don't envy you! Dave.

Hey, that is a great idea!  Thanks.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Wednesday, November 24, 2010 9:14 AM

1utahman

Carve or sand the shape you need (slightly smaller than actual size) from wood and then heat some styrene sheet (over a candle or using a heat gun) and stretch the heated sheet over the carved shape. Then trim the edges and you'll have a hollowed 'bump' you can glue to the cowl. Repeat as many times as you need.

It'll have to be thin styrene, since the bumps are about fifty mils high, but I do have some ten mil styrene, so I'll give that a try.  Thanks.

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

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