Replicating Bead Rolling

[STYRENE-SURFER]

I am trying to add some detail to a mostly scratch built chassis, just to make it more visually interesting. 

Putting some bead rolling on the firewall and underside.

Did some testing on scrap styrene ( .010 x .020 strip glued w/ thin cement).

I then laid 1 layer of masking tape around the glued strips and sanded till they where even w/tape.

This left a square top edge so I scrubbed the whole thing w/cleanser as an aggressive pollishing agent.

At this point I was fairly happy w/how things looked. 

However under scrutiny, there are irregularities caused by the solvent based cement that show through.

Perhaps I am going about this all wrong.

Any help or ideas would be appreciated.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Great idea! It looks like you're almost there to me. At this point, I'd try cleaning up anything you don't like with riffler files, the edges of sanding sticks (cut to shape to ease getting into corners), or the corners of folded-over sandpaper.

Real bead-rolling is difficult to do with sharp corners because of the way the sheetmetal has to be turned in the dies during rolling, so it might be wise to try to round them somewhat during application of the stock.

It might also ease your work if you started with half-round stock, but I see the wisdom of sanding the top straight after forming the bead, as you did here, too.

What you have looks very good, just needs a little fine tuning to be great. 

[STYRENE-SURFER]

Ace... Thanx, I think it looks just OK, but like you say it needs fine tuning.

I ordered some Plastruct half round .030 to try. 

My biggest problem is glueing such small pieces without the solvent glue damaging the surface of where it is attached.

Is there some other type of glue that might work better?

[bobthehobbyguy]

You might try bondic. There is a thread for uses. Since it uses light to cure you make be able to remove the excess before curing it.

[Foxer]

I've been working on installing chrome trim on a promo that was lacking it using the .03 round. First, I would say that what you have looks really good! When you paint it will smooth everything out a touch so I would leave it as is. At most maybe just sanding with fingers over the whole piece will round out the top corners a bit.

The half rounds are tougher to get smooth that rectangular because the thin edges react to the solvent more. I'm a bit sloppy and go back and smooth everything out the way Ace suggests. I've been using old brushes the find one that puts the minimum glue down trying to minimize the plastic squish out the sides as the solvent really melts these thin pieces. I have gotten aggressive with the glue since the 60 year old plastic doesn't melt as well as the newer stuff, so it has gotten messy but still working, just more cleanup. On the curves I have to brush over the length of the half rounds and it softens and bends to the radius very well if you do it while it's flat to the body surface.

And Bondic won't work well for this. The light can't penetrate the solid plastic to cure the material directly under the piece and will only stick as the Bondic squished out cures ... as you don't want.

 

Edited March 16, 2016 by Foxer

[Misha]

Interesting topic! I would also try using half round stock and then proceed with the sanding. For gluing with little mess and for quickness I usually use Tenax 7 R, a great glue that cements plastic nearly instanously. Over the years it's been difficult to find, yet Hobby Depot in Tempe stocks it and I usually keep a couple of bottles on my bench.

Cheers Misha

[Foxer]

Interesting topic! I would also try using half round stock and then proceed with the sanding. For gluing with little mess and for quickness I usually use Tenax 7 R, a great glue that cements plastic nearly instanously. Over the years it's been difficult to find, yet Hobby Depot in Tempe stocks it and I usually keep a couple of bottles on my bench.

Cheers Misha

Yes, Tenax is what I use, it's even quicker than super glue and accelerator ... apply, hold10 seconds and done and fixed in place.

My LHS stocks it in the mountains here.   just had to go for more ,cause I forget to put cap on and it evaporates.

[Art Anderson]

Yes, Tenax is what I use, it's even quicker than super glue and accelerator ... apply, hold10 seconds and done and fixed in place.

My LHS stocks it in the mountains here.   just had to go for more ,cause I forget to put cap on and it evaporates.

There are a number of fast-drying liquid cements out there that are similar, if not exactly the same as Tenax 7R--currently I find Flexi-File's liquid cement at Hobby Lobby.  For long "runs" of joints, such as making these bead-rolled or stamped ribbing details, I have used what's called a "Liner" paintbrush.  Those are brushes with very long bristles, and come in sizes down to 10/0, again at places such as Hobby Lobby & Michaels.  I simply hold the strip of styrene (preferably half-round stock) in position, and very quickly brush a "streak" of this type of liquid cement right along the joint, first on one edge,then on the other edge of the strip.  This lets the liquid cement flow quickly into the joint (it's so very thin in consistency that it penetrates most any joint between two pieces of Evergreen or Plastruct).  Within a few minutes, the strip stock is very strongly attached, and with practice (experience) almost never a trace of anything from the liquid, nor any blobs of melted styrene along the joint.

Art

[Ace-Garageguy]

Speaking of Flex-i-File, their pipette-style applicator works well for very precise application of liquid glue too.

[Art Anderson]

Speaking of Flex-i-File, their pipette-style applicator works well for very precise application of liquid glue too.

Bill, yes it does, and I both use, and guard mine jealously.  However, for adding fairly long strips of styrene to a relatively flat surface (such as making bead rolled or pressed reinforcing ribs, I found, years ago, that the "liner" paintbush method I described still works better than the very nice and precise pipette from Flexi-File, in that no "puddles" of liquid cement tend to happen with the brush.

Art

[Foxer]

I'm definitely going to try those liner brushes

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm definitely going to try those liner brushes

Me too. 

[STYRENE-SURFER]

I got my order from Tower w/.030 half round and did some experimenting. 

It looks quite convincing especially if the ends are carefully sanded to a radius.

This works fine for straight bead rolls, but for making rounded corners it is difficult.

By the way that "W" pattern I am trying to replicate is found on a 1940 ford fire wall

sort of a inverted double "W".

With rectangular stock you can bend it easily, w/half round not so much.

 I did find out one real problem I was having with the .010x.020 Evergreen strips.

Under a loupe I can see that one side is very rough from apparently however they cut them.

Good luck sanding these little things.:(

The liner brush idea I will have to look into, but even w/a regular Tamiya bottle brush the

results are looking better w/practice. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

 

By the way that "W" pattern I am trying to replicate is found on a 1940 ford fire wall

sort of a inverted double "W".

 Yes, and that would have been stamped using matched-metal dies on the original car, not bead-rolled.

I'm really looking forward to seeing your progress using this technique. Sounds like you're coming along nicely. 

Next trick is making the recessed look for the other side.  

[Mike Kucaba]

Saw where someone put thick foil down on a flexible surface and went over the design/layout with a ball point pen.

Takes some practice and a template of the pattern helps.  You cut out this foil and apply it to where you want the look of bead rolled aluminum.  

[astroracer]

 Mike is close. Pick up some of those cheap foil baking pans at the dollar store. Look for ones that  have minimal "designs" in the bottom. Cut them up into usable sizes. I made aluminum door panels for my Pro-Street Buick out of that stuff in 1989. Used a ball point pen to "roll" the beads. I can get pics if you want.

Mark

[STYRENE-SURFER]

 Yes, and that would have been stamped using matched-metal dies on the original car, not bead-rolled.

I'm really looking forward to seeing your progress using this technique. Sounds like you're coming along nicely. 

Next trick is making the recessed look for the other side.  

Bill, thanks for correcting my terminology. I often get names, places and things mixed up.

And now after rereading my own post, I can add letters of the alphabet!

"Inverted W" DOH!

Michael and Mark, that sounds a lot easier than what I have been attempting.

What would be a good adhesive for aluminum foil?

I do have a stack of foil liners for the drip pan on my grill that should work.

[sjordan2]

I can see what you're doing, but what exactly is bead rolling? Never heard the term.

[Ace-Garageguy]

... what exactly is bead rolling? Never heard the term.

                          

                                                                

 

[astroracer]

Kurt, it does work very well. I make patterns out of thin card stock. To attach the panels use any good 2 part epoxy. Don't use superglue as it will tend to fog the aluminum panels.

If you want to give the panels a nicer finish just scrub them with a piece of ScotchBrite and a bit of WD40. The WD40 is a good lubricant. Scrub only in one direction to achieve a nice even brushed surface. Polished is a bit more work but do-able.

Mark