Modeling from scratch?

[JohnnySomersett]

Has anyone here done this before?

I'm considering having a go while SWMBO is away for 9 wks this summer. I want a model of my datto but they never made an 'airfix' kit of them so the only way is a home-made jobbie.

I was thinking of using a combination of wire and body filler unless anyone knows of a better way? Also, any points in the right direction for sites about this sorta thing (all i can find is the 'airfix' kit ones) would be great ;D

[deathgaytothemax]

not exactly from scratch but some good pointers.prob been posted on here before coz I'm sure iv seen some of his other stuff here.
www.7tune.com/miniature-madness-gachan-racing-ae86-sprinter-trueno/

[popuptoaster]

probably easiest to stick a pic of your car onto the side of a block of dense foam and carve the shape out, I'm pretty sure i saw an article about making moulds from a foam blank so you could vacumn form models, cant find it now, do some googling on "scratch build" and something may turn up.

[trg1984]

yeah id try and carve it out of something, i was gonna suggest that oasis stuff for sticking flowers in but thats probably not gonna be strong enough to mould from

[JohnnySomersett]

Trouble with foam is getting a smooth finish. I was gonna make the rough shape with bog then carve/sand it down with the dremel

[markbognor]

Some sort of combination of the two is probably the way forward. blow up a side profile and stick it to a sheet of mdf, that with give you a siluette to follow to start filling out the sides with, glue blocks onto the side of that back bone to start making up the basic shape, and filler on top. Identify the key features of the datto's design and concentrate on them, the wheel arch shapes, rear quarter window profile and grill design spring to mind. the rest will just fit around that, and only needs to add to the ilusion.

How about finding something a simmilar shape and covering that with filler and adding actual detail of the datto. Mk1 escort maybe.


What scale are you considering 1/10 tamiya RC car, 1/12 mardave, 1/24 - 25 standard plastic kit size, 1/32 Scalextric, 1/43 minichamps or 1/64ish matchbox size. I think its quite important for the use as well, shelf display High detail or RC body simple easy to identify shape.

[filmidget]

Have you checked Japanese model stockist sites for an actual kit? eg hobby link Japan - Some of the manufacturers make some pretty obscure models you don't see over here.

[Nathan]

Fimo?

[JohnnySomersett]

I'm liking the mdf idea mark...wouldn't have thought of that. Scale-wise, i was thinking maybe 1/12

[trg1984]

filler over foam has gotta be the best way. the stilloutte idea is a cracker, could just jigsaw a rough shape out and go from there

[popuptoaster]

You can use silicone rubber to make moulds as well, so you could carve your car out of whatever you like, I think expanding foam into a car (ish) shaped box and then fillered over the top for final shape and detailing and then make a mould from the silicone rubber to give you a nice light resin body shell which you could mount onto a suitably sized chassis from a toy or RC car or whatever.

[popuptoaster]

How to make moulds

www.b9robotresource.com/molding1.htm

how to cast resin

www.b9robotresource.com/plastic_casting1.htm

[uselessbug]

whats the chassis code for your model datto johnny? f10?

did they ever have your exact model in japan, if they did what was it called?

[JohnnySomersett]

yeh its an f10. Thats also the code they use in japan and the states

[richy246]

I wouldnt use body filler cause its really too hard to shape,try using plaster of paris or good old polyfilla,dead easy to shape with sandpaper and stanley blade and you can get a glass like finish.

[penski]

Milliput is great stuff...

*n

[Paul H]

First thing to do is to sort out a set of accurate drawings. Sometimes brochures have blueprint style views, which are ideal for this.

Next thing to think about is the wheels & tyres - can you make them yourself, or will they be bought in? If the later, what you choose will dictate the scale of the model.

If you can get hold of it, the styling clay used in car design studios is excellent ;D However not easy to acquire

For something as big as 1:12, I'd be tempted to carve it out of blue insulation foam to a few mm undersize and then coat it with fibreglass. Once the outer surface is sorted out, then you can rip out the foam if you want. Not a problem to leave it inside though as it's not heavy.

Will you be at the Ace Cafe classic cars night next week?

[JohnnySomersett]

Well, i've nowhere to work with fibreglass (too messy for the front room) plus its gonna be quite intricate and I'm sure thats not achievable in that media.

doubt i'll be at the ace next week as thats the night before SWMBO goes away for the summer - if you catch my drift

[dave21478]

I recently got a block of modelling clay from an art supplies shop. Its a solid brick maybe 30cm long, by 20 by 15 or so. Easy to carve, easy to smooth and shape details, and you can stick bits back on if you need to make changes.

[79cord]

Now why did it take me so long to put 2 & 2 togeather...
I only bought a Doyusha 1/24 kit of the 1973 Nissan Cherry X1R hatchback last week!
That would give you a big headstart.
It is pretty basic though (intended to be motorised), probably larger than 1/24, inflicted with 'bolt-on' flares and the shape looks like they chopped the roof a bit too far but any way..

www.toms.nl/winkel/artikelen_gevonden.php?pagina=&ppp=50&cid=36&fid=88&mid=17&jid=%&schaal=24&artikelstatus=1&zoekwoord=%
(not from here but a picture I found)
Though I was actually thinking of scratch building an early prelude myself.
Found orthographic views from a factory w/shop manual & made up a folded cardboard one from that (pretty boxy car anyway really. Next I found some really flexible aluminium sheet intended for roof guttering etc which can be massaged & stretched even with a pen & was going to do another simple folded version but with more shape/detail from that...