Improvise, adapt, overcome: DIY parts molding on the cheap.

One of the perils of picking up a kit from the past, whether started by yourself or others, is the specter of missing pieces. In this particular case, a 1/72 ERTL rendition of the XB-35. 

This had been begun long ago by one of my boys, abandoned, and stored for the future. As I pulled it from storage and examined it for condition and completeness, it lacked only two parts, a propeller shaft,  easily fabricated, and an engine intake fairing, which was not. 

(missing on left, installed on right)

I have a supply of mold-making materials, however, the 2 part latex material had gone bad ( I wish they sold it in smaller portions, I don't do the volume to use it up before it expires...)

What I did have was a supply of lego bricks, and a candle...

Start by making a mold box from legos. Carefully drip your candle wax to fill the box. I drilled and glued a pin to the back of the piece, both to provide a way to support it while the wax hardened, and a way to remove it without harming the wax. 

It was inserted into the wax just deep enough, and held there by a pair of self-closing tweezers.

Once the wax hardened, use the protruding pin to gently but firmly wiggle the part from the wax. Mold complete! Now you can.pour your resin of choice into the mold and let it harden.

Once solid, disassemble the Legos and split the wax with a knife edge. 

Clean up the part and cut off unwanted resin. You have a perfectly serviceable replacement. 

Of couse, this is only good for a single new part, and not suitable for more complex parts woth a molded "back side", but it can help fill in for a lot of typical missing bits. Missing parts? Don't give up, get casting!

Installed. Smoothing, paint, no one will be the wiser  ;-).