Great little trick! I used it on my 39" Submarine Seaview from " Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" for the search light lenses in the bow after I got too much glue on the originals and wrecked them. This is even better than the original parts because you can leave some of the sprue intact for a bit of stem. It helps to focus the light as well as give you a gluing surface that prevents doing what I did to necessitate making new lenses. Just what I was looking for! Thanks!
I tried the staple idea on lenses for my 1/10 crawler, and they turned out awesome. Heated some random clear packaging sheet and stamped it with the staples glued to a block of wood, had 4 perfect lenses in 2 minutes.
Wow! I sitting on my bed with a clear curtain rod, Clear spues and a Carbonite block I was trying to figure out light piping for. Then I stumbled across this video. I have all the ingredients! Serendipitous.
Great video and handy tip. Might I add that you could also put a circle template, available for a few bucks from a cheap store stationary section, over the staples and press the molten sprue through a hole the same size as the light. Only push down enough to fill the circle and avoid bulging out onto the surrounds of the template. This keeps it mainly to the size required speeding clean up and producing a more uniform shape. The hole template is also very handy for painting tyres on wheels.
Great tip. Too often are we given an opaque plastic part for these lense. But since we take the trouble of weathering, those military vehicles to make them look dirty, beaten up, rusty etc. why should we make the head light lense sparkling clean and scratch free? I could write the same about canopes.
I can kind of see why canopies are kept clean, if my survival depended on me spotting an enemy fighter as early as possible I would want a clean, dirt free canopy. But headlights, I totaly agree with you Papaben. Cheers, Dave
Well, depends if you are modeling an airplane that flew through flak, and I am pretty sure that canopies weren't immediately scrapped for a few scratches, as well as there might not have been time to fix up scratches. Depends on the story you're trying to tell I suppose. Not sure how they did it back then, but if flight sims are anything to go by, they weren't necessarily pristine. On the subject of headlights, a little bit of grime on the outside of a headlight of course goes a long way, it would take a bit before you'd actually have your headlights flooded with grime themselves. More importantly, depending on where certain vehicles were used, they'd often have some kind of blackout blinds attached to them: m3a1.co.uk/tag/m3a1-scout-car/
Nice idea! The only suggestion I would make is to not use the CA glue, since it is notorious for making clear parts go cloudy. I would use either "canopy glue" or its cheaper cousin, PVA.
I bought a Chevrolet Camaro 82 1/24 and the hedlight on the right came without any relief details inside the clear square, while the other headlight has all the details... I like your trick of using staples to make lines, but I wonder how could I impress those lines inside the tiny clear square. It looks a very complicated thing to do.
I loved that! More power to you for involving your girl in you're obsession. So many people use their pass time to cut themselves off from society. I'm glad to see you're not one of those.
It doesn't matter what anyone else calls it, anything that has you interacting with your girl is nothing but positive. Mine are beyond my influence now but I'm pleased to say they've grown with an abundant sense of curiosity that's very gratifying. My own was engendered by my father.
great tip. sorry.....I had to laugh when you flushed one away.....that's like something I would do! the toothpaste tip.....might be better on greaseproof paper rather than toilet paper????? Thanx for sharing.
I know. Straight down the plughole...not my smartest moment. I will try greaseproof paper next time, although I also found just toothpaste between my fingertips worked too. Cheers Stevie, Dave
Brilliant idea.......I think you would have better results if you put some future clear on the lens instead of trying to polish it with toothpaste. you have some very helpful videos. Thanks
Well I never..... I need headlight lenses and youve got the solution! Saved me a pretty penny on aftermarket too. Worth a subscription.
Great little trick! I used it on my 39" Submarine Seaview from " Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" for the search light lenses in the bow after I got too much glue on the originals and wrecked them. This is even better than the original parts because you can leave some of the sprue intact for a bit of stem. It helps to focus the light as well as give you a gluing surface that prevents doing what I did to necessitate making new lenses. Just what I was looking for! Thanks!
I tried the staple idea on lenses for my 1/10 crawler, and they turned out awesome. Heated some random clear packaging sheet and stamped it with the staples glued to a block of wood, had 4 perfect lenses in 2 minutes.
Wow! I sitting on my bed with a clear curtain rod, Clear spues and a Carbonite block I was trying to figure out light piping for. Then I stumbled across this video. I have all the ingredients! Serendipitous.
Excellent! Did it work out?
Great video and handy tip. Might I add that you could also put a circle template, available for a few bucks from a cheap store stationary section, over the staples and press the molten sprue through a hole the same size as the light. Only push down enough to fill the circle and avoid bulging out onto the surrounds of the template. This keeps it mainly to the size required speeding clean up and producing a more uniform shape. The hole template is also very handy for painting tyres on wheels.
That's a great idea Kelly! I really like it, I'm going to keep an eye out for one of these. Thanks very much, Dave
Sorry meant to hit the like button
Hi Dave well just wanted to say thanks of this tip worked a treat and l am just about try you tip for gunmetal will let you know how it goes 👍
Cheers Barry!
An alternative method is to hollow out the headlight shell and fill it with 5 minute epoxy araldite.
Araldite, imho, won't dry as clear.
@@VC27 Still looks effective. Most headlights are slightly fuzzy especially on older vehicles.
thanks, I've been looking for head light lenses for a project I'm working on and this is a great idea.
Cool! I'll try this on my panzer II head lights. Thanks!
Super tip. Never seen it before.
Wow great idea !👍
GOOD LORD.....this is fabbo....and one down the drain adds to your pro. presentation.....good onya, mate !
I'd love to say I had scripted that for extra drama... but no. Purely just a lack of co-ordination! ;)
Thats a really cool idea which ive done before.Nice job! Something Ive do when I didnt have any was to fill the headlight bucket with CLEAR Mod Pog
Good idea. Mod Pog is a little hard to get here in Australia, but I have heard it is very useful stuff.
@@DavesModelWorkshop I might be able to send you some if you would like?
@@davidjohnson8474 That's very kind, but I'm okay. Thanks for the offer though! :)
@@DavesModelWorkshop ok no problem. Just wanting to help one Dave to another. Lol 😆
Great tip. Too often are we given an opaque plastic part for these lense. But since we take the trouble of weathering, those military vehicles to make them look dirty, beaten up, rusty etc. why should we make the head light lense sparkling clean and scratch free? I could write the same about canopes.
I can kind of see why canopies are kept clean, if my survival depended on me spotting an enemy fighter as early as possible I would want a clean, dirt free canopy. But headlights, I totaly agree with you Papaben. Cheers, Dave
Well, depends if you are modeling an airplane that flew through flak, and I am pretty sure that canopies weren't immediately scrapped for a few scratches, as well as there might not have been time to fix up scratches. Depends on the story you're trying to tell I suppose. Not sure how they did it back then, but if flight sims are anything to go by, they weren't necessarily pristine.
On the subject of headlights, a little bit of grime on the outside of a headlight of course goes a long way, it would take a bit before you'd actually have your headlights flooded with grime themselves.
More importantly, depending on where certain vehicles were used, they'd often have some kind of blackout blinds attached to them: m3a1.co.uk/tag/m3a1-scout-car/
Trying this in T34. Works great ,thanks.
Excellent! Glad it was of use for you Eric :)
Exelente idea muchas gracias
Nice idea! The only suggestion I would make is to not use the CA glue, since it is notorious for making clear parts go cloudy. I would use either "canopy glue" or its cheaper cousin, PVA.
Good suggestion - thank you.
Ca is for gluing wounds, surgical glue...
Great idea thanks man, Looks excellent!
Not excellent ! Lenses are too big in shape - doesn't look rather realistic ... lenses have to fit inside not like a cover ......
I bought a Chevrolet Camaro 82 1/24 and the hedlight on the right came without any relief details inside the clear square, while the other headlight has all the details... I like your trick of using staples to make lines, but I wonder how could I impress those lines inside the tiny clear square. It looks a very complicated thing to do.
Have you tried heating the staples.
Rather than the plastic, you mean? I haven't tried that, but it could work?
Bloody brilliant!
Thanks!
I loved that! More power to you for involving your girl in you're obsession. So many people use their pass time to cut themselves off from society. I'm glad to see you're not one of those.
Thanks Roland! Yeah, I'm trying to give her a love of non-screen hobbies. Some might call it brainwashing ;) Cheers, Dave
It doesn't matter what anyone else calls it, anything that has you interacting with your girl is nothing but positive. Mine are beyond my influence now but I'm pleased to say they've grown with an abundant sense of curiosity that's very gratifying. My own was engendered by my father.
Very good info!👍🏿
Jman👀
Thanks Jman! Glad you liked it :) Cheers, Dave
Great tip and vid, especially for a newbie like me!
Thanks Ron, glad you found it useful :)
Just caught up with this one - brilliant! Thanks Dave (yes pun intended, sorry).
Heh heh, never apologise for that weirdo sense of humour David!
It is a great tip though Dave.
Love the VTs not bad for a Aus👍😂🇬🇧
Hi George, Thanks mate. Us colonials are all kinds of interesting ;) Cheers, Dave
Tnx man you saved my ass!
Best intro music ever :D
Kokosový ořech heh heh, thanks! ;)
great tip
Thanks Brian :) Dave
nice tip a plastic wow...tank you...
great tip. sorry.....I had to laugh when you flushed one away.....that's like something I would do! the toothpaste tip.....might be better on greaseproof paper rather than toilet paper????? Thanx for sharing.
I know. Straight down the plughole...not my smartest moment. I will try greaseproof paper next time, although I also found just toothpaste between my fingertips worked too. Cheers Stevie, Dave
Brilliant idea.......I think you would have better results if you put some future clear on the lens instead of trying to polish it with toothpaste. you have some very helpful videos.
Thanks
Hi Benny, that's a good idea actually. A bit of Future would really make it clearer. Thanks for the suggestion! Dave
Future would act as the glue too
Old school, nothing new!