Bendy muskets and swords.

[Bluebottle]

I'm new to resin etc coming from the old world of white metal.

some of the kits I've got have separate muskets or swords, spears etc. They are mostly all like fragile bendy boomerangs . I can't think of any way to straighten them . Most are too thin to insert a steel wire rod and anyway doing that would be almost impossible.
Im sure this must be a wide spread problem with resin plastic and wonder if there's some industry standard to remedy it ? One US civil war sword I have is almost a circle and very thin. I can only think of sculpting a replacement ....not fond of that idea. I would have thought manufacturers would have used white metal for these things ?

 

[Michael Parkinson]

You need to heat the resin up to bend it into shape. I dunk in boiled water then get it straight, then dunk in cold water to set it. Some use a hot hairdryer. Just don't use any flames ok

 

[Bluebottle]

Thank Michael P. Is this the standard method ? Does the resin keep it shape after ? One problem I have is that spears etc can be bent in different shapes and places making straight ing very difficult. But I'll give this a try and report back.

 

[svt]

Thank Michael P. Is this the standard method ? Does the resin keep it shape after ? One problem I have is that spears etc can be bent in different shapes and places making straight ing very difficult. But I'll give this a try and report back.

I can't straighten resin parts using heat - they either break or bend again over time. Therefore, I replace such parts with ones turned from metal. The simplest thing with spear shafts is just a wire selected according to the diameter or a steel knitting needle.

 

[Nap]

Hi Bluebottle

Wise words from others

This might be of interest

https://www.planetfigure.com/threads/bent-resin-parts.381202/





Nap

 

[Bluebottle]

Evt and nap thanks so much for the link and your time ....I'm giving this a go tomorrow ..I just hope....as mentioned.....the parts don't miss shape again. Then what ? Well, I'll see what happens and worry about that if it happens .
oh..I did think of replacing shafts with wire steel etc I suppose on certain muskets etc the barrel could be dremeld off and replaced with tiny tube or wire ? Again I'll report back. thanks again to all.

 

[Blind Pew]

I've used hot water with success. Also, often I replace thin resin with metal for spear shafts and suchlike - resin just don't cut it. It's too fragile.

 

[svt]

oh..I did think of replacing shafts with wire steel etc I suppose on certain muskets etc the barrel could be dremeld off and replaced with tiny tube or wire ? Again I'll report back. thanks again to all.

As for replacing the barrels of weapons (muskets, rifles, pistols, etc.) - this is not entirely simple for most collectors who only deal with painting figures. The reason is that it will take precise tools and precision hand movements to efficiently remove the barrel from the weapon model without damaging everything else, and so that the subsequent replacement looks like a single whole, but not a foreign inclusion. Sometimes it’s a little easier to change the entire weapon when not only the barrel is replaced. But here you need to have modeling skills from plastic, epoxy putty, wood or other materials from which you can make a gun stock, butt, handles and other elements of the weapon. And regarding the use of tubes for barrels - most ancient weapons have a conical barrel on the outside, also with a thickening in the breech, often faceted, which in some cases does not allow the use of cylindrical tubes to imitate them. Making a conical narrowing of the barrel model, if necessary, will be somewhat more complicated than simply taking a straight piece of wire or tube.

It's not impossible of course, but it does require time, skill and patience.

 

[DaddyO]

Hi BB
I never bother even trying to save bendy weapons since I'm likely to break them off during the build process anyway

Swords are simple enough to sort out using brass strip or even hammered pins dressed to shape with a needle file. It just takes a bit of time and they are much more durable. The hilt of the sword is usually okay so it's just a question of drilling and fitting the new blade with araldite or similar (Make a tang or extend the blade length so that you have some to fit into a hole rather than rely on a but join)

Plenty of micro brass tube available so you should be able to locate something of the exact size for a replacement barrel; for instance I picked up a packet of micro brass tubes at the last show in Romsey for about £5 which has a few of each 0.5, 0.6, 0.8 & 1.0 mm tubes (There was a packet containing larger sizes also available) Self adhesive foil, putty and some paint and you'll have something which will keep its shape and look better. As mentioned previously it just takes a bit of patience and time.

Here are a few I've done previously for inspiration -
The butterfly swordsman needed the hilts making from brass wire as well. The Apache's carbine was scratchbuilt around the butt which had trigger details etc. added as well (The broken standard is a kebab skewer and the pennant from putty)