What Plastic are Heng Long Tanks made from?

[Arch1834]

Hi everyone,

I was thinking about scratch making some turret parts for my HL tanks. Would anyone happen to know what plastic material they are made from, so I could possibly order some sheets of it? Alternatively, what would be the best type of plastic to use? (it needs to be quite strong to hold a heavy gun in the turret).

I hope this is the correct forum list, if not do let me know.

Many thanks,

Arch

[Son of a gun-ner]

I believe it is ABS.

Most people use plasticard, which doesn't really glue so well to ABS for structural strength.

Can you not use aluminium or brass with screws for what you have in mind?

And general questions is fine for this sort of question.

Oh, and I acquired an old Heng Long chassis for cutting up to get the same plastic for mods, you can get them at quite a reasonable price.

[Arch1834]

I could well use aluminium sheets, are they easy to shape/cut/work with?

The plan is to make a new Swivel mount for the airsoft gun. I'll be removing the HL one and replacing it with something a little heavier. Hopefully, all going well I'll share my progress on here.

[jarndice]

Micks comment about the less than perfect results of gluing ABS and Plastic is absolutely right which is why I recommend using "PLASTIC WELD" from E.M.A. Model Supplies.
Find them on E-Bay amongst other sources,
Quite expensive but a little goes a very long way, It does not glue the two surfaces together it MELTS one surface into the other.
I recommend you start with two sheets of 1mm plasticard and three sheets of 3mm.

[Son of a gun-ner]

Yes, aluminium is easy to cut and drill, although it's a little soft, threads can be stripped more easily, but that's only if you're really heavy handed. As for bending, it will bend very easily, but depending on its thickness, where and how it was produced, some can on the odd occasion crack along the outside of a sharp bend. Another good reason to get some angle in your bits box.

[Exhibitedbrute]

We like the disaster stories just as much as successful builds. After all it is from the fails that we learn the successes. I could perhaps lay hands on a custom printed recoil unit for it. It won’t be airsoft but perhaps could have a few tweaks done to make it so. It will do the job but won’t be as strong as metal. Let me know and I will ask the designer if he could knock one up if required.

[Son of a gun-ner]

Micks comment about the less than perfect results of gluing ABS and Plastic is absolutely right which is why I recommend using "PLASTIC WELD" from E.M.A. Model Supplies.
Find them on E-Bay amongst other sources,
Quite expensive but a little goes a very long way, It does not glue the two surfaces together it MELTS one surface into the other.
I recommend you start with two sheets of 1mm plasticard and three sheets of 3mm.

Thanks Shaun.
I've been doing a lot of glue investigations lately, getting myself ready for THE builds. And I've found that glues that melt the plastics together don't work so well with dissimilar plastics. I have some plumbing solvent cement for ABS and PVC, it works by melting either of those plastics together, perfect for ABS to ABS, and PVC to PVC, but it won't weld ABS to PVC.

[Exhibitedbrute]

My go to is gorilla glue or locktites gel pen. Not had a problem with either yet. Other than trying to sand of excess when I go wrong

[Jimster]

I would like to try that glue that cures with UV light. Could be a game changer or totally useless. Anybody ever use it?

[Son of a gun-ner]

I would like to try that glue that cures with UV light. Could be a game changer or totally useless. Anybody ever use it?

I read some reviews a while back, once I'd got past all the manufacturers and sponsored reviews.
From what I could find out, the bonds don't always last, and it depends on what materials are bonded.
And, it's not really any better than superglue which is a lot cheaper.
It seems like a gimmick at the moment, for the man that has to have all the DIY tools and gadgets that will sit in a draw for ever more.
But, it's early days, I feel it will improve and be worth getting eventually.