Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[KenBuc]

I am about to embark on my first model boat build and have seen that many builders use metal blocks in varying sizes to align, weigh down parts for gluing.  Can anyone tell me where in the UK I can obtain there from.

Many thanks
Ken

[alan colson]

I very often use old gel cell batteries for these jobs, go down the local scrap yard and see what you can pick up
Alan

[KenBuc]

Good idea, thanks Alan

[bosun]

Hy Ken
Welcome to the Forum.
I would,nt worry to much about weights, look around for anything you can use for clamps, ie, pegs, elastic bands, G clamps,ect in fact anything that you can use to hold materials together, pound shops are always a constant source of building aids, sometimes you need to think outside the box, but it's all good, as Alan says old batteries are good for weight, check out your local alarm company, sometimes they are only to happy to pass on unwanted batteries, and most times they can be re-charged.
Cheers Bosun

[boatmadman]

Masking tape is very useful for holding bits together while the glue sets.

Ian

[chingdevil]

I cut mine from some scrap material at work, I also use bulldog clips, elastic bands or anything to hold something. I aslo have a flat pieces of metal and some maganets, really handy for holding samll parts while they set

Brian

[Roger in France]

I sometimes buy old weights at car boot sales. The advantage of metric weights is that they usually have flat faces. You can also buy machined squares and blocks from engineering tool sellers which are excellent for ensuring suare/vertical alignment but hey are very expensive and need a slight smear of grease to prevent deterioration.

Roger in France

[bogstandard]

Raid the larder and pinch the tin cans, but have a real good excuse when SWMBO catches you. Nick her clothes pegs as well while your at it.
The cans also work very well for holding things square, lay it on it's side, and the end is perfectly vertical.

Bogs

[JayDee]

Hello,

I use LEGO bricks, all the same sizes, glues don't stick to them too well, click them together and make them the the sizes you need.
The small wheels are very strong, make good pulleys, good gears and worm wheels too.

John. 

[Bunkerbarge]

I always have a few lumps of square metal laying around cut from 20mm x 20mm key steel.  Very handy for holding things square while the glue sets.

I realise that not every one has access to such large section key steel but keep your eyes open at any engineering show where the metal vendors are selling off the off cuts.  There are always one or two handy bits there.

[Bryan Young]

Having square sided blocks is wonderful....but not if you are squaring up a deck that has a camber on it. So any old lump of weight will do if weight is all you need. Modern "adhesives" combined with a multitude of plastic clothes pegs (if you can fit them) is a good combination. BY.

[Jerome Morris]

Some applications have had me tie the entire model to the table with small diameter line, in order that the model not move while the glue is curing. Remember, as Bosun say's think out side the box.