"clear plastic propeller disks" Topic

Does anyone have a source of clear plastic disks. I need a bunch for use as spinning props. They will need to be around 2 inches in diameter or so and fairly cheap

While I have not actually used them myself, you might want to investigate home pin-back button making supplies. They use a plastic disc that gets crimped around the button-face, covering whatever artwork you're using on the button.

I use the clear plastic base discs from games workshop flying stands .

Does anyone have a source of clear plastic disks.

1. Buy a piece of thin clear rigid plastic sheet from a hobby shop. OR Watch out for clear plastic packaging and collect some of that (e.g. blister packs that some companies sell figures in)
2. Draw circles on the plastic sheet and cut them out with scissors.

Cost: cheap or virtually nothing depending on your source of clear plastic.

Check out Hurlbat, they do various scale helicopter rotors, also clear plastic round bases.
I'm sure some of the smaller scale helicopter rotors would do for larger scale aircraft props.

link

Here is what you are looking for. Free, download and print to your hearts content. Can be trimmed to various scales.

link

Here is what you are looking for. Free, download and print to your hearts content.

Can you even still get overhead projector acetate plastic? Nobody still uses an overhead projector do they?

Still used for bind-yourself book covers. I think it's still printable.

Heck, plenty of ready-made dinners have PS lids that would work a trick. A simple two-point compass, scribe til cut thought, and Bob's your uncle.

Now, a spinning prop tends to have a bit of prop shadow in it. Has anyone worked on that?

Doug

Edit: Ah, didn't look at Fiddler's Green first. I suppose you could paint in light grey…

Edit, part deux: Or, use a few bottle lids as partial stamps. Even I might manage that.

I make my own from overhead projector film.

Use Hurlbat link above.
D
They custom size anything you want and I also believe they have the rotors showing in the wash. Kind of a blurry effect in the plastic like you see when you look at a rotor. Bad job describing it, but hopefully I conveyed what they look like.
I have a few for my helicopters and they are excellent.

The cost was very reasonable as well.

Go to a scrap book supply store and buy a 2" circle punch then you can use any clear plastic thats big enough. I have all different sizes and for my 1/144 planes I use the plastic from my FoW blisters.

Now that's a goood idea, Razor78. Thank you.

Thanks everyone! The circle punch is a great idea. I have a couple of hundred of these to do, so that would be a trial to do with a scissors.

I printed and my wife and I cut out the wings for 240 flying bugs and it took a weekend.

I was stumped with this same issue several months ago when I was putting together some Wasp gyrocopters for my SPUGs, trimmed down Pringle lids came into use with drawing pin prop shafts. :)

So I think a mix of some of these ideas will work perfectly

The right sized circle punch

The Fiddler's Green graphic printed out on acetate

That should be ideal!

Went to Hobby Lobby today and they are having a 50% off on circle punches! So I bought an assortment of sizes.

Not sure on the overhead projector film issue, but I have a bit of it on hand, fortunately.

The problem with the plastic and punches is that the latter tend to be quickly dulled by it when cutting, if you do more than just a few.

Ah but the cutters include instructions for resharpening!

If you still need them msg me.

Should be able to cut them for you.

Lee

The compass idea is more flexible than a circle punch. You can make any diameter you want, and the technique automatically gives you a hole in the center for mounting. Use the compass' needle point instead of lead, and keep rotating it around until the plastic is cut through. It is easiest to do if you tilt the compass in the direction of rotation.

You can also experiment with propeller shadow effect after making the disk, using sandpaper, etc.

link

Paying for something like this would be ludicrous.

Mark H.

I made circles on a blank sheet in Word. Then I printed it off on an overhead overlay (it's plastic). Instant 1000 propellers of any size!