RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Perhaps I’m splitting hairs here, but here it goes.

This is a 3d resin model part of 1/16 scale Abrams M1A2 CROWS. I drilled out the inside of the main camera tube and inside I have a small FPV camera. I wasn’t super careful drilling out the hole that the FPV camera lens pokes out of, and while the lens of the FPV camera is flush with the modeled lens of the camera, the hole is slightly larger than it needs to be, and not completely circular.

After dremeling out everything, the whole tube is pretty thin and not as strong as it was when it was a solid piece of resin. I was wondering if there was a way to put in some kind of putty or something to make the hole completely circular.

I need to be able to remove the camera because I still need to paint the piece, and I was trying to figure out if there is a way to do this. I’ve got Tamiya Basic Putty, Perfect Plastic Putty, and also JB Weld Body Filler. In my mind I thought about painting a little oil on the plastic bit of the camera, then filling in around it with one of the putties, and then maybe the putty wouldn’t stick to the camera body.

Or, do you think this dremeling error is so slight that it’s not really worth trying to do anything about?

I had planned on trying to paint the lens that the camera pokes through a similar color of black.

Let me know your alls thoughts, I have very limited experience with this sort of thing, so any input would be valued.

I would suggest JB Weld Metal epoxy. It is machinable after cured (unlike many two part epoxies). I know this will sound strange but I use chap stick lib balm on parts I want to mold with the epoxy but don't want it to stick. That is what I did here on a modified Tamiya truck axle (one half at a time).



I've not tried JB Weld body filler but have used other body fillers. Just my two cents...

I would make a lens for the front out of some UV resin using a mold like this:

https://www.amazon.com/DD-life-Cabochon ... rce=1&th=1

Then if you want the camera to be able to come out...use something like Blu Tack to keep it in place. They make different colors that aren't blue in the generic versions.

https://www.amazon.com/Elmers-Tac-Stik- ... r=8-9&th=1

If you want to reinforce the tube itself, see if you can find a small brass tube that fits in there and cut it to length.

Ecam wrote: ↑Mon Aug 05, 2024 6:47 am I would suggest JB Weld Metal epoxy. It is machinable after cured (unlike many two part epoxies). I know this will sound strange but I use chap stick lib balm on parts I want to mold with the epoxy but don't want it to stick. That is what I did here on a modified Tamiya truck axle (one half at a time).



I've not tried JB Weld body filler but have used other body fillers. Just my two cents...

You’re supposed to be able to sand and paint the body filler after curing. Maybe I’ll try the chap stick on something else first and see how that works with the body filler.

Thanks!

tankme wrote: ↑Mon Aug 05, 2024 10:28 am I would make a lens for the front out of some UV resin using a mold like this:

https://www.amazon.com/DD-life-Cabochon ... rce=1&th=1

Then if you want the camera to be able to come out...use something like Blu Tack to keep it in place. They make different colors that aren't blue in the generic versions.

https://www.amazon.com/Elmers-Tac-Stik- ... r=8-9&th=1

If you want to reinforce the tube itself, see if you can find a small brass tube that fits in there and cut it to length.

So you would basically create a real lens with this method, and the camera would sit inside the tube. That’s neat, I might have to give that a try. I guess in this case I would have to paint the inside of the tube black since you would be able to see inside it.

Good idea with the brass tube to reinforce, but I didn’t bore with a single big drill, just dremel the inside out carefully with a router, so I don’t think I’d be able to get a brass tube in there as it’s not perfectly round inside.

Thank you for the ideas!

When bedding a rifle action into a stock, I use colourless shoe polish on the action so it won't stick to the bedding material, in my case jb weld. Can't see why Chapstick won't be your friend, but if it isn't try some shoe polish.
You've got a good idea trying a few experiments with it, so you can perfect your technique. Bonne chance as they say at the Paris Olympics!

Mike.

I know Bondo and other brand automotive fillers (just not JB weld's) they work great and can add stiffness. Machine and sand easy, but are somewhat brittle on the sharp edges. The epoxies are much tougher and are harder to machine as they cure a little bit soft and flexible with the exception of the JB Metal Epoxy. Also a layer of aluminum foil on the camera (below the lens barrel) would help insure of not gluing the camera in permanently.

Shoe polish is an interesting idea, though my first thought is how much oil and would it affect the epoxy or body filler?!? Same reason I don't use Vaseline (petroleum Jelly). Lip balm may be in the same camp, but I've had success using it.