"Scratchbuilt Sprue Stuff " Topic

Hello again all,
See what you can do with plastic sprue. One does tend to collect a lot of it. It would be a pity to throw it away.

castrarunis.blogspot.com.mt/2016/10/scratchbuilt-sprue-stuff.html

Z

Cool.

nice looking robots

Way back in the days of Airfix alone I remember using sprues to make vehicle antennae, flag poles, tank / artillery gun barrels, and even bazooka/panzerfaust.

I can still remember dissolving it to make a paste for filling in holes, spreading over forms to make cloth bundles, even zimmerit. I think that's how I lost my sense of smell.

Thanks mwind & redroom. Plastic sprue has always been my favourite material, easily cut & shaped & most importantly glue. No pinning or superglue like metal.

Narratio, been there done it :):):) & I know what you mean. You can even mould it.
Unfortunately the best solvent I found for Polystyrene is Acetone, which should always be handled with extreme care because it is highly flammable & irritant especially to the eyes.Much better to use it in well ventilated areas or outside.

I use a small glass bottle ( small so that you have as little as chemical as possible therefore less possible harm ).
I then drop a small bunch of chopped up sprue in it.Close the bottle. Swirl it for around a minute & then scoop it up with a large paperclip bent into a hook. You can then shape it, pieces will stick to themselves nicely , no need for glue.

Z

Good stuff -well done!

Thanks lonkka
Btw a minute might be too long depending on the thickness of the sprue. Just keep an eye on it. It will turn to goo if left too long. Though the goo has other uses like lava, mud etc. Remember it will melt plastic bases & resin easily also
Z

…which should always be handled with extreme care because it is highly flammable & irritant especially to the eyes…

Also, can be absorbed through skin, though effects are debated, and is slow to metabolize, so can build up if you work with it over a few days.

Very useful, more than a bit dangerous; I tend to stay away.

I saved way more sprue than I could every actually use, though there was a company for awhile that took it back for recycling. Let's not dwell on the other issues.

Doug

Hi Doug,
You are right Acetone does have that property also however I beg to defer. If used wisely & correctly Acetone is like any other tool. I've had loads of incidents with hobby knives & Superglue & up to now never with Acetone. In fact it is very good for dissolving superglued together fingers ( just dip a cotton bud in acetone & slowly & carefully dissolve the glue with no ripped off skin.
Our hobby is like any other one, common sense ,experience & enjoyment are used to make one's creations come to life & remain sound of limb & sane. :):):)

Atb
Z

Hello again all,
Here are pics of the finished & painted compound .
I have included a command post ( card etc. with removable roof & automated sentry gun turrets ( plaster of Paris ,card & PVC ) .

Will make a nice centre piece if I may say so. Quite happy with it.
castrarunis.blogspot.com.mt/2016/10/scratchbuilt-sprue-stuff.html

Enjoy
Z

Here is another project I did , next to a Khurasan 15mm robot & a GZG 15mm armed citizen.
A robot called Spencer & a light Mecha.

castrarunis.blogspot.com.mt/2016/10/scratchbuilt-sprue-stuff.html

( After I finished the robot ,my respect for the sculptor of the Khurasan robot went up by 100 % . Working on sprue at that size is fiddly to say the least )

This basic robot design can be used for Starport Loader/Unloader , Muscle , Military etc just by changing the head & adding addon pods. The mecha is quite a straight forward design

Enjoy
Z

Very cool!

I literally have buckets of sprue I've been saving…

I was just going to use them for rubble, but I have to try making some robots now.

Awesome!