How to bend a blade tip

[zkalos]

Hi Folks !

How can I bend the wrong "straight" Revell NH-90NFH blade tips to the correct downward shape ?

I saw several pictures from the corrected and finished kit with bended tips, but not mentioned the maker, how did it finally.

I dip it warm water, or I use hairdryer ? Can I bend the original plastic blades, or I must make a resin copy from a blade, than this resin blade I can bend in hot water and casting all blades from resin?

I need to make a bend-template/form for this work ?

Unfortunately no on has to produce correction set for this type (correct overhead and pedestal panel, blade and so on. Only Kuivalainen color etched set for the TTH version.

Kálmán

Edited November 5, 2016 by zkalos

[zaktwist]

I would try making a template as you said or use something with a substantial curve to it then gently heat up the blades over a pan of boiling water ( wear gloves!). then bend the blade over the curved object. this worked for me

[salvador001]

What i do is put a profile photo of the real thing in the computer, then i grab the blade and put it directly in front of the screen and i slowly start bending the blade with my fingers until the desired bend is created. It has worked for me. I have never tried to bend a blade with hot water.

 

Hope it helps.

 

Rod.

Edited November 3, 2016 by salvador001

[Tailspin Turtle]

For the shape: http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-note-on-rotor-blade-droop.html

[11bee]

2 hours ago, Tailspin Turtle said:

For the shape: http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-note-on-rotor-blade-droop.html

Good info.  What's the deal with that SH-3A in your article?  Interesting pod and window layout.  

[CharlieUH-1H]

What I do is put the blades on the stove like one feet above the flames and then blend them 

[Tank]

10 hours ago, 11bee said:

Good info.  What's the deal with that SH-3A in your article?  Interesting pod and window layout.  

 

It's a Emerson TAT-102C (M134 in a pod). They tried to carry two, one on each side where the torpedo was loaded.

 

http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=2661

http://usafhpa.org/21stsos/tat.html

[Tailspin Turtle]

14 hours ago, 11bee said:

Good info.  What's the deal with that SH-3A in your article?  Interesting pod and window layout.  

 

It was a (the?) prototype for the HH-3A combat-rescue variant. Note the "armor" protecting the engine. See Tank's identification of the pod above and his links. The aft windows were from the RH-3A mine-sweeping configuration.

Edited November 4, 2016 by Tailspin Turtle

[zkalos]

Thank for the hints. This is the blade tip, what I must bend. Only the blade tip need to bend, not the whole blade.

Edited November 5, 2016 by zkalos

[Silenoz]

aren't these slightly bent in the kit? You can try to force the plastic by hand (if it doensn't give easily, you can make some cuts on both sides, not completely through, and when they are in the wanted position then filling and sanding, or by heating it, but I think you better mark the places to bend so that these are uniform...

[zkalos]

No, they are unbent, straight blades .Thanks

 

[salvador001]

Oh, only the blade tip. Easy, get some tweezers and bend slightly.

 

Rod.

[ice225]

I use very hot water in a cup. Just dip the blades in long enough and when they softened up, you bend them with the fingers or a template. Good thing here: You can heat up only the tip.

[Rotorman]

one question if I may. Are the blade tips shaped the right way before you use hot/cold  method? 

[papamoomin]

For my NH90 I shaped a piece of wood (old clothespin) to the correct shape. Then I taped the kit blade to the wood and heated the plastic very carefully over a 60W light bulb to soften it before using gloved finger to press the blade to shape.

 

The jig was used to get consistent shape to all the blades.

[zkalos]

Thank You for the tips Folks !

[scotthldr]

Just so happens that I'm going to be drooping the blades on my current AH-64 build, however that will be the entire length of the blade and not just the tip like the NH90

 

My method will be to build up the basic rotor head and blades, then sit the blades on insulated supports over a boiling pan approx 6" in diameter.  A weight will be placed on the rotorhead, which should then push down once the styrene softens resulting in a nice uniform bend of all the blades(hopefully).