Small scale hydro construction question

[Jason Colean]

Hi, I am building 2 very small hydros; 1/43 and 1/25 scale. Does anybody out there have any ideas for building late Budweiser style exhaust pipes? I want very true looking pipes with polygonal angles. I have tried scoring pop can aluminum, and that works okay, but it is hard to get it round. It also breaks easily. (on a thicker piece, it would work well for 1/8th scale) Any ideas?

 

[Hydro Junkie]

What about making a wood "plug", like what is used for making a mold and forming the aluminum around it? You could then solder the pipe together as needed before taking it off the plug

 

[Jason Colean]

do you think wood would hold sharp enough edges? My best attempt so far was to make a half pipe from scored aluminum, back fill that with resin, and use that as a vacuum mold to make 2 plastic halves. That was okay, but I had a hard time keeping it round. and consistency in scoring pressure became an issue in the definition of the polygonal edges. Your on the right track though. I just need to figure out how to make a really good plug. In that scale, detail work becomes extremely tedious.

we are talking hydros of 7 and 15 inches in length

 

[Walt Barney]

do you think wood would hold sharp enough edges? My best attempt so far was to make a half pipe from scored aluminum, back fill that with resin, and use that as a vacuum mold to make 2 plastic halves. That was okay, but I had a hard time keeping it round. and consistency in scoring pressure became an issue in the definition of the polygonal edges. Your on the right track though. I just need to figure out how to make a really good plug. In that scale, detail work becomes extremely tedious.

we are talking hydros of 7 and 15 inches in length

Have you thought about the vaccum route? Several people on here do have the knowledge to help you, maybe Terry Keeley??

Walt Barney

 

[Mike Cathey]

I always made my tubine tubes from wood and then used chrome or aluminum Monokote.