Solder Headers - Kitbash

let me start by saying i am not very fond of kit headers, i dont think they look right in most cases.

so i make my own from solder

starting with this big block


i grab a piece of wood and make by exhaust port template by drilling holes in the wood with the same spacing as the engines exhaust ports


2mm solder is just about right for the diameter of headers in scale


i cut 8 pieces of solder about 1.5 inches long


to get them straight, i roll them under a block of wood


and here is what i am left with


now i insert my "header tubes" into my wood template


using a small pair of long tipped needle nose pliers, i start the bending process


i get them bent in the shape i want them


now, leaving them in the template, i cut them to length with a dremel and cut off wheel. i do this slowly so they dont heat up too much


now i flowed a bit of super glue in between the tubes to hold them in place, once they set i pulled the header out of the template


now i repeat for the other side




once both sides are cut to length, i grab some shrink tubing ( normally used in electronic connections )


i cut a piece a bit longer then needed and slide it over the end of the headers


once you heat up the shrink tubing it starts to ....shrink ( imagine that ) stop heating the upper portion just before it starts getting tight on the headers. you can heat the lower bit a bit more as this will form your collector


i push in on the sides of the collectors ( the area where we stopped just short of it being tight ) and use a small drop of super glue to hold it in place.

time for a test fit on the block


added a bit of steel paint to the collectors


that works for me

Thanks Wayne, this will help in a couple of stalled projects.