1:48 Structure with Lean-To

[gin sot]

What is "Lanaquarelle"?

It's a higher-end watercolor paper, you can get it at the art supply store.  Watercolor paper comes in a wide variety of weights and surface textures.  The Arches brand is my favorite for watercolor painting, but I haven't ever used it for modeling.

[finescalerr]

A word about cardstock and modeling: If you use it as a structural material you need something like 4- or 5-ply Strathmore Bristol Plate (available from art stores but not Michaels). If you use paper as a veneer, the only things you need to consider are texture and durability.

When I built my boxcar, the card veneer I used was pretty durable and I protected it further with an application of Grumbacher varnish -- the stuff they use for protecting a painting. I also shot it with Dullcote. But the card I used was too smooth for the artwork I printed on it. At certain angles, light reflects off the scribed, smooth sides even after I applied a flat finish. It somewhat spoils the effect of the distressed paint artwork.

Other papers might have too coarse a texture or might be too soft and delicate to work with. Matte finish photo inkjet papers, for example, are much too delicate to use for modeling. And most matte papers, including Strathmore Bristol Plate, have too much reflectivity for any but a reasonably well kept finish.

The Lanaquarrelle cold press stuff I discovered has an ideal texture for weathered wood, brick, and similar materials. It is a little on the soft side but still pretty durable. It takes scribing well. And it is the best semi-soft paper for running through an inkjet printer; I have tried about a dozen others. It would have been preferable for my boxcar project and for some other things I have built. But you must use it as a veneer. It is not a good structural material.

The final thing I have learned about all this is about the 3-D aspect of a veneer. The texture of any scribed card, just as scribed sheet wood or styrene, is often too "perfect". Individual boards generally create a nicer texture because some stand slightly above (or below) the surface. It's just like with stripwood.

Bottom line: The main advantage of card is the ability to print artwork on it. (Or maybe you can get a better stained or painted finish on it than you can on some other material but that's not why I use it.) For me, the printed results seem to surpass what I have done with paint and they are infinitely repeatable -- no hit and miss. That's a big deal to some of us and something that makes others of us turn up our nose.

Since I want to achieve contest quality with a minimum of work and since I tend to throw out a lot of what I do and start over, printed paper works for me. My mental skills are better than my manual skills and I can photograph better than I can paint.

Before some of you seize upon the term "contest quality" and dismiss my efforts as beneath that standard, let me caution you. My models won't win. I'll never beat some of you guys for a ribbon. But my models will be competitive. The differences between your finish and mine won't be immediately obvious and the finish of my models will surpass the majority of what appears in many contest rooms.

I'll be in the running...and that is my goal. I can achieve it in much less time now that I have refined my Photoshop artwork and have a good photo printer.

Russ

[JohnP]

Thank you Russ for your answers and comments. It will be nice simply to tray another material beyond styrene and wood.

May I ask what you use to bond laminated layers? A spray adhesive?

Thanks, John

[finescalerr]

I mostly use 3M Super 77 adhesive spray. It's excellent and should last decades.

After reading about Troels Kirk's models I bought some 3M two sided indoor carpet tape. Presumably it will outlast me ... but who knows? It's pretty handy to use and grabs right NOW, so it's unforgiving -- more so than the 3M peel-and-stick Crystal River uses. On the other hand, it lets me do some stuff with trim and custom shapes that would be more awkward with glue.

For those of you who think I'm nuts for working with paper, the carpet tape and Super 77 spray still might be good for your arsenals.

Russ

[artizen]

Troels gave up using the double sided carpet tape because it let go after a while. I used it myself (May 2009) after reading his thread and so far most of it is still holding on firm. Where it has let go, it appears to be either damaged or has been repositioned during construction, thereby reducing the stickability of the tape due to dust or fingerprints. I agree, it is sometimes much better to use industrial strength adhesive tape than glue as the two parts are instantly bonded, dry and ready for you to move on. I absolutely detest CA for example and I have a love/hate relationship with it, constantly counting my fingers to see if any are stuck together etc. I have a real respect for it after suffering badly from the fumes one night after a long and frustrating session building something in styrene and using CA. I now much prefer PVA for card (or tape) and UHU Super for styrene as that is a gel and dries much more slowly. Even a child's glue stick is surprisingly good if used in huge quantities! and rollered down flat. Much like carpet tape, which needs to be very well burnished before applying the second piece of cardboard (ie before removing the backing tape) glue stick works well if you burnish heavily (in my case to remove the lumps).

[finescalerr]

Regarding carpet tape vs. industrial grade: If the industrial grade film that 3M sells kit manufacturers for peel-and-stick construction were available in sizes and quantities I could use, I'd buy it in a split second. Does anybody know if it is available and where? Two inch wide rolls would be about right for our use. -- Russ

[artizen]

I purchased my carpet tape from a trade supply industrial warehouse specialising in glues and adhesives to the building trade. Because I am a registered business here in Brisbane, I was allowed to purchase small quantities. I could never find the product in the usual places which is why I was trying the trade supply places. The tape came with a guarantee that it would never let go if applied correctly and that appears to be the case. The brand name was unknown to me - it appeared to be a Chinese import - certainly not 3M or anything recognisable.

I kept the label in case I needed more (and if if worked!). The brand name is Stylus Tapes International 722 flooring tape. For fixing lino, carpet, underlay and felt to a hard surface. The size was 50mm wide x 50m length. The label has an Australian address on it but almost certainly sourced from China.

[DaKra]

I got my roll of 3m transfer tape here

http://store.foslimited.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=3M465

I mostly use this for non-model things like fixing name plates to bases, generally not a fan of peel and stick parts. 

Dave

[finescalerr]

Thanks, Ian and Dave.

From the website description I can't really tell whether the FOS tape is what we want. Do you happen to know any more about it, Dave?

Some people object to peel-and-stick but I find that it is very useful for certain applications. What I like about the stuff Crystal River uses is that I can very gently tack down one corner and, if necessary, reposition that before I get an exact fit and press everything in place. I can't do that with carpet tape. Also, Tom at Crystal River swears his 3M stuff is permanent but says some peel-and-stick adhesives other guys use eventually let go. The problem is that Tom's stuff appears to be unavailable in the sizes and quantities hobbyists need.

Russ

[JohnP]

I have been using Super 77 at work and play for years. It is a might sticky stuff. My familiarity with it will be helpful.

I guess I have to just obtain the materials and give it a whirl. Something like the farm scene below might be a nice effort once I get used to paper.

Thanks to all,

John

[eTraxx]

Many of the experts at bonding layers of paper/cardstock over at Papermodelers.com use 3M Super 77. These guys/gals live and breath paper modeling. To my mind this backs up John's suggestion for Super 77.

Take some time to read through their 'Tips and Tricks' section on Adhesives. Lots of good info there.
http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/tips-tricks/1417-what-adhesives-do-you-use.html

[gin sot]

I have used Super 77 to make self-adhesive foil following a technique I read about in Finescale Modeler.  It worked fairly well, provided no dust got on the sticky side while it was drying, but I later moved on to the Microscale foil adhesive since it was simpler and less messy.

[finescalerr]

I have been stealing a few minutes here and there for modeling. Over the past four days I finally found a little time to work on the main structure the lean-to abuts. Here is the plan. -- Russ

[finescalerr]

I built the walls board by board from Lanaquarelle cold press on 4 ply Strathmore Bristol Plate subwalls, braced everything with wood and styrene (plastic works better), and then set to work on the front wall. In case you have forgotten or perhaps I never mentioned, this structure is a "flat", only about three inches deep. -- Russ

[finescalerr]

So that is the back and sides. And here is the right side (with a cutaway opening for a covered porch) viewed from the rear and the components (side, back, and ceiling) for what will assemble into the recessed front wall. Again, construction of each component is board by board -- simple planks, nothing fancy. I'm thinking that this thing might be a structure where they build or repair small boats. It will sit on or next to a pier. -- Russ