Component hunt, can you help?

I've searched through alot of places because I'm excited for this, although this is a really tough and specific search.

Could you just paint the rings?

Paint......yes, of course they will be painted at some point. I just need the rings themselves to form the basic frame of the model.

So you need physically raised rings on a flat surface then?
How deep?

Ok, just thinking

putting a blade of required width on a compass and scribing round and round on a sheet of plastic?

Tengu wrote:

Ok, just thinking

putting a blade of required width on a compass and scribing round and round on a sheet of plastic?

This'll sound stupid but, what type of compass does that?

He means a pair of compasses. Like the kind pirates use for walking across maps pretending to navigate, or stabbing your mate in the leg in maths class.

Thor665 wrote:

So you need physically raised rings on a flat surface then?
How deep?

No, sorry, I think maybe I explained it wrong.
SEPERATE rings, a collection, each smaller than the last.

For example:

(Unfortunately THESE ones are too small for my purposes.....

Tengu wrote:

Ok, just thinking

putting a blade of required width on a compass and scribing round and round on a sheet of plastic?

I've tried this actually, and the problem I had was accuracy. Comapsses don't seem to like knives very much.
I figured it I could find existing rings, it would be easier.

Try a picture framers.

Most will have a mount cutter that allows (normally mount board) to be pinned down and a very accurate reproducible circle (with bevel) to be cut out.

They might be amenable to cutting plasticard if you also cover the cost of their blunted blades which are no more expensive than regular modelling blades (if they say otherwise they are lying!)

My first thought would be to search out someone locally with access to a laser cutter. There are a number of companies in London, not sure about Hampshire, but bound to be some around. I wouldn't have expected it to cost ever-so much for something that straightforward.

can you cut them individualy?

There is a wide variety of seals and gaskets available with huuuge array of dimensions. You should be able to find some plastic or other hard material easily. Just google "plastic gasket".

Another solution may be the plastic jugs or even rims from yoghurt. All these things come in many dimensions and are round enough. Conical plastic vase which will give you all dimensions you need if you cut it.

And lastly a wire can easily be bent into any shape. It will just take a bit of trial and error in shaping - finding the right diameter to wrap the wire around to get the desired size as the wire will spring back a little always.

Hmmm... thats about all I can think of. :-D

EDIT: wait... rings for hanging curtains...

/couldn't resist... sorry