Warped Base


D

Dougget

Member
Hi,
I bought a new old stock building kit and when I opened it to take a look at the parts found that the plastic base was warped. I tried to rubber band it to a dowel to flex it back into shape, but it didn't work.

Thinking about putting it on a flat piece of steel and in the oven for a few minutes on very low heat. Anyone tried that? Recommended temp and time?

Other ideas?

Thanks,
Doug
 
I'd recommend getting a piece of masonite or a thick piece of styrene and using it as the base for the building. Most building bases are not great to begin with, even when they're not warped. Use contact cement to attach it to the new base and you're good to go.

I wouldn't put plastic in the oven. The fumes from it are not the nicest, and chances are the styrene will actually shrink from the heat. Remember the old Shrinky Dinks toys from the 1980s? Same concept...heat will cause styrene and some other plastics to shrink.

timothy dineen
 
How thin is it? Maybe put it in a phone book or a large encyclopedia (for those of us who still have them) and leave it in there for a while. For faster results, put the book on a chair and SIT on it.

This is how I fix warped/bent Athearn BB weights :D
 
You might want to try hot water; get one of the wife's baking dishes (large enough for the base to sit in), place the base in the dish, add hot tap water, then after 30 seconds or so, place something heavy on the base to hold it flat against the bottom of the dish. Let the water cool, then remove the weight and check the base to see if it's flat. Repeat if necessary.

Oh, and before you use the wife's baking dish -- check with her first, or you could find out first hand about hot water!! :D

Regards,
Tom Stockton
 
The hot water is a good idea. So is a carefully run heat gun.
Once something bends, it needs to bend beyond straight, the opposite way to correct. So once released it is normal. This also could also get you to end up warped other way.
You could lay it on a plate of metal that was prewarmed lightly, or if your in a warm area, place in a warm vehicle maybe in sunlight some and check often.
 
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