Resin cast to stiffen hull?
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- Lance Corporal
- Posts: 169
- Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:32 am
Resin cast to stiffen hull?
Hi,
Has anyone ever tried to pour resin into the lower hull in order to stiffen it after removing the battery box? I've never tried anything with resin so I'm really not sure which type of resin would best fit this purpose. I'm guessing that it needs to be of a high hardness type as anything flexible would defeat its purpose - Any keywords I should be looking out for? As for the hardening agent, is there a rule on what ratios to mix the two? And is there a danger of resin damaging the plastic?
Thanks
Has anyone ever tried to pour resin into the lower hull in order to stiffen it after removing the battery box? I've never tried anything with resin so I'm really not sure which type of resin would best fit this purpose. I'm guessing that it needs to be of a high hardness type as anything flexible would defeat its purpose - Any keywords I should be looking out for? As for the hardening agent, is there a rule on what ratios to mix the two? And is there a danger of resin damaging the plastic?
Thanks
- 43rdRecceReg
- Major
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- Location: North West Highlands, Scotland
Re: Resin cast to stiffen hull?
That could make for a messy interior. Bonding in a sheet of aluminium alloy, with epoxy, would make it easier to use the space to add a larger MFU, or speaker...and so on. Here's Tamiya's 'mechanism deck. It has the effect of adding torsional rigidity to the chassis, but also serves as the space where the MFU (DMD) or Electronic controller is attached.
Other than that, flats of 2 or 3 mm styrene could be bonded in, along with right angle bracing struts/ bulkheads. Again, supportive structural styrene (Right angle, Cubed, Tubular etc..) is readily available on the Net. Here's just one outlet, for example: http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/aca ... icard.html
You'll find many examples of structural reinforcement posted in the Archives here.
What type of tank is it for anyway? Some have more rigid shells than others...
Sheets of alloy for modelling, in a variety of sizes, are readily available from model shops online. Epoxy or nuts and screws will make for a solid attachment.Other than that, flats of 2 or 3 mm styrene could be bonded in, along with right angle bracing struts/ bulkheads. Again, supportive structural styrene (Right angle, Cubed, Tubular etc..) is readily available on the Net. Here's just one outlet, for example: http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/aca ... icard.html
You'll find many examples of structural reinforcement posted in the Archives here.
What type of tank is it for anyway? Some have more rigid shells than others...
"Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please"- Mark Twain.
Re: Resin cast to stiffen hull?
On the HL Sherman I found that putting a good bulkhead in behind the motors really stiffened up the hull after removing the battery box. On the T34 I'm thinking I'll need a strip across the front too.
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- Staff Sergeant
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Re: Resin cast to stiffen hull?
its about 6mm stuck the floor down with a product called sticks like sh$t, ( that's its proper name) and araldited and
screwed the bulkhead behind the motors, its very strong
regards john.
- Afrikakorps
- Corporal
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- Location: Australia
Re: Resin cast to stiffen hull?
On the panzer iv hull I used 2mm styrene epoxied to the hull floor and side wall, and 5mm as a brace between the side walls. Its good and solid now !
Cheers
AK
Cheers
AK
Panzer III G
Sherman M4A3 (105)
T-34/76 (1942)
Panzer IV Wirbelwind
Sturmtiger
KV-2
M26 Pershing
T-34/76 (1943)
KV-1
M3 Lee
Ferdinand / Elephant
M16 Half-track
Panther G
M4a1 (75mm)
M41 Walker Bulldog
JS-2
M4a3e8 (76mm)
Japanese Type94
FT-17
Tiger 1
Sherman M4A3 (105)
T-34/76 (1942)
Panzer IV Wirbelwind
Sturmtiger
KV-2
M26 Pershing
T-34/76 (1943)
KV-1
M3 Lee
Ferdinand / Elephant
M16 Half-track
Panther G
M4a1 (75mm)
M41 Walker Bulldog
JS-2
M4a3e8 (76mm)
Japanese Type94
FT-17
Tiger 1
Re: Resin cast to stiffen hull?
Your idea would work however..... should for any reason the hull not be perfectly squared and level or if the heat of the curing process cause the resin or hull to twist then you will be in a very bad way.
All the ideas others have shown are a MUCH better solutions!
Below is the link to my Abrams build and somewhere around page 5 or 6 begins the process of strengthening the hull. It is basically what others have shown, floor doublers and bulkheads. It is solid and has very little flex regardless of the added lead weight.
Barry
viewtopic.php?f=201&t=18880
All the ideas others have shown are a MUCH better solutions!
Below is the link to my Abrams build and somewhere around page 5 or 6 begins the process of strengthening the hull. It is basically what others have shown, floor doublers and bulkheads. It is solid and has very little flex regardless of the added lead weight.
Barry
viewtopic.php?f=201&t=18880
"Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail."
Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo Da Vinci
- dgsselkirk
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
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Re: Resin cast to stiffen hull?
My 2 cents....
Been using resin in all my lower hulls for 5 years no issues. It's all I use if doing an HL lower. With the bulkheads it totally eliminates any hull flex.
I gut the battery box out and do a fill about 1/4" to 3/8" depending on the tank. I still also put a bulkhead behind the motors and usually one at the back somewhere on top of the resin. I like 1 to 1 resins. You can find lots of different ones at an art store they usually carry them. I buy like a litre and it is good for about 4 tanks. I also, depending on the tank, will put metal weights in the resin to balance out the gearboxes and motors (I usually upgrade to heavier). I find this really helps with the jerk starts and just the overall ride of the tank.
I use wheel balancing leads from my mechanic by the bucket and use the stove to melt them down. (Don't tell my wife)
Been using resin in all my lower hulls for 5 years no issues. It's all I use if doing an HL lower. With the bulkheads it totally eliminates any hull flex.
I gut the battery box out and do a fill about 1/4" to 3/8" depending on the tank. I still also put a bulkhead behind the motors and usually one at the back somewhere on top of the resin. I like 1 to 1 resins. You can find lots of different ones at an art store they usually carry them. I buy like a litre and it is good for about 4 tanks. I also, depending on the tank, will put metal weights in the resin to balance out the gearboxes and motors (I usually upgrade to heavier). I find this really helps with the jerk starts and just the overall ride of the tank.
I use wheel balancing leads from my mechanic by the bucket and use the stove to melt them down. (Don't tell my wife)
"There are things in Russia which are not as they seem..."
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov
Re: Resin cast to stiffen hull?
The voice of far more experience than I have!dgsselkirk wrote:My 2 cents....
Been using resin in all my lower hulls for 5 years no issues. It's all I use if doing an HL lower. With the bulkheads it totally eliminates any hull flex.
I gut the battery box out and do a fill about 1/4" to 3/8" depending on the tank. I still also put a bulkhead behind the motors and usually one at the back somewhere on top of the resin. I like 1 to 1 resins. You can find lots of different ones at an art store they usually carry them. I buy like a litre and it is good for about 4 tanks. I also, depending on the tank, will put metal weights in the resin to balance out the gearboxes and motors (I usually upgrade to heavier). I find this really helps with the jerk starts and just the overall ride of the tank.
I use wheel balancing leads from my mechanic by the bucket and use the stove to melt them down. (Don't tell my wife)
Barry
"Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail."
Leonardo Da Vinci
Leonardo Da Vinci
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- Lance Corporal
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- Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:32 am
Re: Resin cast to stiffen hull?
How do you decide the depth of resin based on tank? How deep of a resin would you recommend on a Pershing? Also, the bulkheads at the front and back of the resin cast have to be waterproof, right? Any trick you use to seal up the two bulkheads?dgsselkirk wrote:My 2 cents....
Been using resin in all my lower hulls for 5 years no issues. It's all I use if doing an HL lower. With the bulkheads it totally eliminates any hull flex.
I gut the battery box out and do a fill about 1/4" to 3/8" depending on the tank. I still also put a bulkhead behind the motors and usually one at the back somewhere on top of the resin. I like 1 to 1 resins. You can find lots of different ones at an art store they usually carry them. I buy like a litre and it is good for about 4 tanks. I also, depending on the tank, will put metal weights in the resin to balance out the gearboxes and motors (I usually upgrade to heavier). I find this really helps with the jerk starts and just the overall ride of the tank.
I use wheel balancing leads from my mechanic by the bucket and use the stove to melt them down. (Don't tell my wife)
Would those silicone sealants be a good shout?
- dgsselkirk
- Warrant Officer 2nd Class
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Re: Resin cast to stiffen hull?
I actually just finished up a Pershing for the club draw. I would go 3/8" since the Pershing is a fairly wide tank. For the bulkheads I glue them in position using crazy glue and then 2 part epoxy on the bottom edges to give them strength and seal them to the resin. I get the 2 part epoxy at my local dollar store and it works great. Now, I did not set out to make it waterproof at all so I would have to look at it a little closer with some suggestions if that is what you are after. I will take some pics tonight if you like....
"There are things in Russia which are not as they seem..."
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov
Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov