Source for solid styrene rod

[nachoman]

I'm looking for some solid styrene rod about 1/4 to 3/8" diameter. I will use it to turn some steam locomotive domes. I know I can get Plastruct rods at the LHS, but was wondering if there was something that I could pick up at the dollar store (or free) that would work. It doesn't have to be styrene, but I need to be able to glue it to styrene. I thought about a plastic coat hanger, but it seems they are made out of the wrong kind of plastic. Anyone know of a common household item that I could use?

[Charlie B]

Get out those sprues you have been saving and chuck one in a drill and make your turnings.
Charlie

[nachoman]

Get out those sprues you have been saving and chuck one in a drill and make your turnings.
Charlie

Typically, this is what I do. But I don't have any sprues of that large diameter I do have a bucket of "household junk", maybe I should dump it out and have a look. I'd rather find something for free, because the project I am working on I want to use as many junk/spare parts as possible. I was thinking about the handle to a large plastic spoon, but I don't know what kind of plastic that is made from.

[teejay]

I got sheet ends from a small local plastics shop/factory ( free ) ....maybe look into a similar company in your area for rod ......or they would know someone .

T

[lajry]

For plastic rods look at both Evergreen & Plastruct. Just Google those names. Saw that Evergreen even makes rods that fit in their tubes. Other hobby companies make metal ones.

[Sumpter250]

Evergreen Scale Models, produces styrene sheet, rod, tube,strips,"T" section, right angle.
They have a tube, 1/4" ( or possibly the exact diameter you need for your project ). You could then add the "dome top", built up from various thickness of sheet stock, filed/sanded to shape. The dome lid "fabrication" could be turned, after it is joined to the body ( tube) with sanding blocks, or jeweler's files.
The domes on this project:
   
were built up with several diameters of Evergreen tubing, and several thicknesses of Evergreen sheet.
The tubing has walls that are 1/32" thick, and the different sizes, are such that they can be one size inside the next.
The domes on this loco used two different sizes. If memory serves me correctly....the boiler is PVC pipe. Evergreen tubing was also used for the cylinders.

[Mr Fixit]

Kevin, you could remelt those old sprues you have into a mold a little bit larger than the diameter you require along with a waste bit to hold it while you turn it.

This method eliminates the worries about incompatible plastics.

Mark