Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Okay, I scored five of these oldstyle Ork warbikes for cheap (still on the sprues). I think I know why they were cheap, the front shocks/forks are crooked, all five of them! As if the GW mold is, well, flawed and the tires don't mount right. I tried to gently heat them with a candle but to no avail (at least not without damaging the wheel mounting pegs further). I could just cut and sand the damned things (and that may be the way I have to go even though there is not much wiggle room on the damned things) I'm hoping someone out there knows of this issue and/or a possible solution without converting. I'm pleading to the DakkaDakka nation...

Bent forks make them look more orky, anyway. One of the reasons why I love orks is because you don't have to be so concerned with flaws. It adds character to the models. Even if you have to bend them back and they end up with a few dings it won't hurt the look of the final product.

Heat the forks in boiling water for about 20 secs. Then try and bend them. If its too hard to bed, heat for another 10-15 secs until you cna bend them. Good luck man

artyboy wrote:Bent forks make them look more orky, anyway. One of the reasons why I love orks is because you don't have to be so concerned with flaws. It adds character to the models. Even if you have to bend them back and they end up with a few dings it won't hurt the look of the final product.

The problem is that the model doesn't fit together once I put a wheel in. Even Orky vehicles work.

KingCracker wrote:Heat the forks in boiling water for about 20 secs. Then try and bend them. If its too hard to bed, heat for another 10-15 secs until you cna bend them. Good luck man

Boiling water is a great idea but the forks are the thickest part of the damn bike. The other parts (especially the tiny little track connectors) began to warp before the forks were hot enough to bend. Still, it's the best bet so far (without major surgery) so I'll try to refine the boiling techinique a bit. Thanks for the suggestion.

If anyone else does know of another way, please gimme a shout.

You could try dosing the area with polystyrene cement. If you're careful you will be able to bend just the forks as the plastic softens. However the down side is the effect on the surface of the plastic.

Hot Salt.

A cup or so of table salt in a small saucepan, heated (with lo/med heat, don't go nuts here) on a stove top. Remove the saucepan from the heat and, USING GLOVES plunge the warped part into the salt. It holds the heat and conforms to the shape of the part. After a few seconds in the salt, remove the part and bend back into shape. It takes some trial and error, but I've used the method to great effect in re-positioning the static ork leg poses into straddled, bike riding poses.

Plasticard tubes in place of forks.

sorted!

Teek wrote:Hot Salt.

A cup or so of table salt in a small saucepan, heated (with lo/med heat, don't go nuts here) on a stove top. Remove the saucepan from the heat and, USING GLOVES plunge the warped part into the salt. It holds the heat and conforms to the shape of the part. After a few seconds in the salt, remove the part and bend back into shape. It takes some trial and error, but I've used the method to great effect in re-positioning the static ork leg poses into straddled, bike riding poses.

I will definately give this a try!

WingWong wrote:Plasticard tubes in place of forks.

sorted!

Without major surgery. Besides, I could just clip the mounting tit off of one side and sort of "make it work" hoping no one really notices the missing mount but I'm gonna be converting them for individual customization, I'd rather not do more than I have or need to or have them look any more half-assed then nessessary. Besides, I like the original forks and want to keep them intact.

The heated salt worked like a charm! Much better and safer than boiling water.

If anyone has warped, misshappen styrene out there, or just wants to mold some styrene, take a hint from Teek and go with the salt technique!

I can't wait to try it for trukk tubing!

HELL Ill give the salt a try. Ive used boiling water a few times and can be a pain.