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Author Topic: Building with plasticard  (Read 11912 times)

jumpin_jack

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Building with plasticard
« on: August 23, 2007, 06:08:09 pm »

      I am just about to embark on a 1/96 semi kit, and I am wondering when building the superstructure,which is the best thickness of plasicard to use? I have used 0.5, 1mm and 1.5 mm in the past but i think that using the thicker grades tends to make the model very heavy and unstable.
     What does everybody else use? I look forward to hearing from you all.
             
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HS93 (RIP)

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2007, 06:34:17 pm »

I have been playing with this stuff for a few tears I started of using it to cover light ply as it paints well and is very very light but am about to re build a superstructure in it using 1/8 x 1/8  plastic or wood  strip for give a bigger area gluing corner joint. the thing about it is that it will not distort when its in the sun or gets warm but will bend when req in fact the thin stuff can be rolled to make funnels and the thiner sheets arrive in a tube it takes paint very well and as the sides of some of the new type of boats have flat panels it will never sag with age you could always use it as well as plsarcard on the higher structures to keep the weight down but its worth a look at one other thing is that because of the thickness it looks scale I use the glue that recommend but have tried super glue and that works well  peter,

http://www.mickreevesmodels.co.uk/   look for Pro skin its at the bottom of accessories

Pro skin on right the other is 1mm plasticard
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Stan

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2007, 07:04:13 pm »

 :)
Hi Guys  Check out Mayhem for aircraft carrier Gambier Bay. Most of the plastic card used on this model is 1mm with 1/8 sq plastic in areas that need extra gluing surfaces.  Most important I found was the correct glue to use.  The stuff that comes in a brown bottle I found to be very strong and too much tends to distort the plastic after a while.  I now use liquid poly from Humbrol, a little bit slower drying but no problems with distortion. The carrier that I am building at present  is 64" in length, 13" across the flight deck and 18" from keel to the top of the mast -  a lot of plastic card used.

Hope this help

Stan :)

.
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Bunkerbarge

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2007, 07:12:06 pm »

      I am just about to embark on a 1/96 semi kit, and I am wondering when building the superstructure,which is the best thickness of plasicard to use? I have used 0.5, 1mm and 1.5 mm in the past but i think that using the thicker grades tends to make the model very heavy and unstable.
     What does everybody else use? I look forward to hearing from you all.
             


I would use a combination of thicknesses.  Load bearing areas of the model such as decking and bulkheads you might want to make with 1.0 or 1.5mm card but non load bearing members such as superstructure you might want to make from 0.5mm.

As always there are no hard and fast rules but I would not get trapped into thinking that a certain model must be made from a certain thickness.  Use what you think is the most appropriate for the situation and don't forget tnhat thinner card can be supported by stiffeners and frames to keep weight down which could then be made from plastic extrusions so it would glue easily and form a very light yet strong structure.
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PSSHIPS

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2007, 07:23:29 pm »

On a 21, I use 40 thou(1mm) base and 30 (.75mm) Thou structure sides and decks above 01 deck all skeletoned with Evergreen strip of different sizes. I'll send you a building guide.
 Paul... ;)
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jumpin_jack

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #5 on: August 23, 2007, 07:32:25 pm »

Thanks Paul,
  That would be a great help.
                 Phil
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Holmsey

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2007, 08:05:23 pm »

      I am just about to embark on a 1/96 semi kit,              

What ship are you building Jack

Holmsey
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PSSHIPS

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2007, 08:10:21 pm »

One of our 21's Dave, he won it half price last weekend. ;D
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jumpin_jack

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2007, 08:50:26 pm »

Holmsey,
   Thought i'd have a go at a 21 after Cardiff. I must admit i've been admiring your model of the Winston chuchill for a while now. So Im now going to get back into locking myself away in the shed. O0

 Phil
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John W E

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2007, 07:21:55 pm »

I must confess, Im not a great lover of Plasticard, Ive never been able to work purely with it.  What I normally do is build a Superstructure, say, a bridge out of 1/64 plywood or balsawood - correct the mis-shapes etc., in the ply, fill it, and then cover it using 0.5mm Plasticard.  I find this a lot easier to do and I manage to get a reasonable result with it.   I normally stick the Plasticard on with Superglue.   I do envy these people who can build complete models out of Plasticard.   Ive seen some beautiful models made with the stuff and Ive also seen many modellers make it look so easy to use - when Ive tried, copy everything they have done - I either put too much glue on, cut it wrong...or just make a pure mess of it.

aye
john e
bluebird
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #10 on: August 25, 2007, 11:07:03 pm »

Must agree with you there John. I don't usually build in plasticard but on the Deans Medea I'm building as q quickie (ha ha!) I keep wanting to substitute thin ply for the plastic. Much easier to work and takes just as good a finish with a bit of sealer on it first. In fact I've substituted a ply deck for the plastic one which only weighs half as much. The 0.5mm ply also makes a great bulwark liner in place of using filler.
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madrob

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2007, 12:21:54 am »

I have trouble with plasticard too, i make a template out of thick card to get the shapes right then transfer them to plasticard, trouble is the card often looks better than the placticard one, think i might try bluebirds idea, balsa skinned with thin placticard
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jumpin_jack

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2007, 09:42:02 am »

I too can find plasicard difficult especially those difficult to cut small shapes, I think I'm going to have to top up on the filler before I attempt the type 21.
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PSSHIPS

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #13 on: August 27, 2007, 12:49:35 am »

Look like I'll have to start a training course eh? O0
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Martin (Admin)

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Re: Building with plasticard - Slipway RTTL kit build anyone?
« Reply #14 on: August 27, 2007, 04:50:36 am »



A master class in Plasticard?  Oh yes please Paul!




BTW:
I have a great plasticard RTTL kit donated by ModelSlipway!

I'll put it up for free as long as you agree to take pictures and do the build here on Mayhem. Contact me by PM with a picture of one of your recent builds..... "Anda I makea you han offera you canna refuse!" (In my worst God father accent!)





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funtimefrankie

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #15 on: August 27, 2007, 09:20:35 am »

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Tug-Kenny RIP

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #16 on: August 27, 2007, 10:48:23 am »



I'll have to let this one go Martin. I'm still practicing .... :)

Thanks for the info, Funtimefrankie. Very interesting.


Cheers...Ken
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Bryan Young

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #17 on: August 27, 2007, 09:23:03 pm »

I must confess, Im not a great lover of Plasticard, Ive never been able to work purely with it.  What I normally do is build a Superstructure, say, a bridge out of 1/64 plywood or balsawood - correct the mis-shapes etc., in the ply, fill it, and then cover it using 0.5mm Plasticard.  I find this a lot easier to do and I manage to get a reasonable result with it.   I normally stick the Plasticard on with Superglue.   I do envy these people who can build complete models out of Plasticard.   Ive seen some beautiful models made with the stuff and Ive also seen many modellers make it look so easy to use - when Ive tried, copy everything they have done - I either put too much glue on, cut it wrong...or just make a pure mess of it.

aye
john e
bluebird

I know I keep banging on about it....but please try a good quality double-sided tape. Not normally thought of as a modelling material, but if the technology is there then why not use it?
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slewis

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #18 on: August 27, 2007, 09:34:55 pm »

Have to agree with Bryan on that suggestion and the best d/sided tape I have found at the moment is called "refix" tape . It used in the car trade for fitting badges/ mouldings and the like so you just know it will stand up to the abuse.
You can get it from any good motor factors like "Brown brothers " I dont think places like Halfords stock it but I may be wrong there  O0

Good call Bryan :)

Shane
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Bluebird v2

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #19 on: September 15, 2007, 06:46:23 pm »

Hi All,

If you want some inspiration in building in Plasticard - have a look at this picture and then the link - this model was built purely from Plasticard.    I built the same model using the original drawings from Vosper, I made the model out of timber.  I can tell you the hull has some very complex and complicated shapes in it and for someone to be able to reproduce these shapes from Plasticard must be one amazing modeller.   It just shows what can be done if you really try.


www.pdbowker55.freeserve.co.uk/HSL2564.htm


aye
john e
bluebird
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Sub driver

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #20 on: September 15, 2007, 08:06:19 pm »

This model looks a lot better in the flesh than the pics and it is double diagonally planked like the real thing, in plasticard and it goes just like the real thing, the builder is a friend of mine and as you quite rightly said he is a good builder.

I model stuff entirely from plasticard and don't have any probs either despite what shapes you need to create.
If you wish to stick plasticard to wood why not try impact adhesive, yep the Evo Stick stuff lightly applied to both parts then place it on and it will never come off just ensure YOU HAVE PLENTY OF VENTILATION or you might just fall over  ;D ;D
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Sub driver

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #21 on: September 15, 2007, 08:18:40 pm »

Hows about this for complex shapes in plasticard  :) :)
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #22 on: September 15, 2007, 08:30:18 pm »

It's very good but I still have a nagging feeling about the longevity of plasticard. OK in the short to medium term but I reckon your work of art will just disintegrate over the longer timescale as the material is basically unstable, being derived from petrochemicals.
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Bluebird v2

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #23 on: September 15, 2007, 08:37:58 pm »

Hi all,

I agree with Colin there mind, I very much doubt the lifespan of Plasticard. I know they are upgrading Plasticard and improving it, but, still the bits that I have managed to glue on previous now older models, I have found very brittle e.g. I built the Bostom Blenheim about 12-15 years ago and the bullwarks on the side were made out of Plasticard and now if I bump the model it cracks, not where the joints are glued, but, 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the joints.

Aye, I still prefer to build in wood.

aye
john e
bluebird
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Building with plasticard
« Reply #24 on: September 15, 2007, 08:46:17 pm »

If you go to the British Museum you will see model boats built in wood by the ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago. You can't beat natural materials! Plasticard is a nice material in many ways but, like John, give me wood every time for building satisfaction.
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