For those of our membership who have never tried using cardboard to make structures, herewith a few notes I made, taken from another thread in this forum ('Woodshed made from cereal box').
(I don't think I've hijacked anyone elses comments while doing this - my apologies if I have it is unintentional. I have copied and pasted the original postings I made, and edited and added a few things here and there to give continuity to this post).
So, please read on. . .
I'm sure that we've all said 'I've never tried building with cardboard' and 'cardboard, yuck - old fashioned, lets buy plastic instead - far simpler' . Been there, done that.
And, if we ever do get interested in this strange material (which is SO terribly old-fashioned - and SO, SO common), I'm sure that we've asked the usual questions:' Will it it warp or twist at all when its being glued, or painted? Can you airbrush it or can it be brushpainted?'
IMHO you've definitely missed out on something by NOT using cardboard as a building material - it's a lot easier to use than styrene and is surprisingly strong. I've used it for years on my various layouts and find that it has a lot going for it.
Cardboard as a medium, doesn't usually warp, though very high humidity can sometimes cause this to happen, (though only unpainted areas of the card seem to be inclined to distort) and painting is very easy if you use acrylics - 2 coats and it's done. Brush seems to be better than airbrush at least in my experience. The paint also seems to give additional strength to the card.
The Basic Material - Matte Board (Support your local Picture Framer)
For those who have read this far, and are still interested, I'd suggest that you get some Matte Board (or whatever this material is known as in Canada, the US, the UK or Europe, homes to most of our membership). This material is used by Picture Framers as a background when framing Photos and Paintings etc, and for the 'framer, is just so much junk and waste cardboard. Usually they are quite happily given to any modeller who wants them, on a 'free to a good home' basis (it's less junk to have lying aound in the shop)
Those who have up until now used cereal packets and the like to do their modelling (as we all have - got to start somewhere . . ) will probably find that Matte Board is a vast improvement over what has gone before. I personally believe that for the sort of modelling we do it is the ideal medium, and the material you should use if at all possible. As noted before, it is usually easy to obtain, (as in 'Free'!!) and not as 'slippery' as cereal boxes etc, which makes painting a lot easier as well - you don't have to sandpaper prior to painting - just slap the paint on . . .( )
Materials (Weapons of Mass Construction . . .)
Knives:
Make sure you use a VERY SHARP blade when cutting this stuff, (those 'el cheapo' knives with disposable/break-off blades are as good as any) as this is the secret to doing good work in this medium. Surprisingly, paper/card can dull a blade very quickly. a dull blade tears the card, rather than cutting it cleanly, and at the worst, will slip and cut any fingers in the vicinity).
You will tend to go through a large quantity os these blades, especially when Scribing (q.v) as the blade-point wears extremely quickly.
(An aside: you should also have lots of band-aids around (though the cutting fingers stage DOES pass - eventually . . . . It takes about 30 years )
Ruler:
A straight ruler is an essential (with a steel one by preference - plastic and wood can be cut into by the blade which distorts your lines, while they will also slip quite easily - ouch. . ). Try to get one which has a rubber strip on teh underside. This will grip the card and tend to stop teh card from sliding as you are cutting/scribing (qv) it
Glues for 'card:
As far as gluing everything is concerned, PVA (by whatever Brand Name) has to be the best. CA, while not useless, doesn't seem to work as well, and while card will glue with almost any glue except Styrene and Balsa cements these should really be avoided. PVA is infinitely superior to all the rest.
Bracing:
I find that the Matte Board doesn't need bracing on the corners - certainly I have never done so. If you butt the ends of the board together this gives sufficient strength and bonding area.
I DO find though, that it is essential that the walls should be glued so that the longest is inside the smallest - like the letter L, with the vertical 'stroke' of 'board having its edge 'inside' the 'horizontal' board (the 'cross-peice' of the L. (Bad description I'm sorry) as this gives greater strength.
BUT what it can frequently need is cross-bracing within the interior of a building as the card can tend to bow inwards if you are using it in any length over about 6" (actual).
However, as I delibrately don't put my buildings on a base before installing it, I am probably the author of my own misfortune.
Laminating of Card:
Matte Board also doesn't usually need laminating as it has enough inherent strength to stand by itself. Cereal boxes, business cards etc will need this however because of their relative lightness and flexibility.
Scribing:
For those who may not know, Scribing is basically scoring lines on either card or styrene to simulate weatherboards (clapboard) on a house, or when simulating Bricks or Blocks on structures.
It's easy to do, but can be very time-consuming.
As far as scribing Weatherboards (Clapboard) etc is concerned, this is easy to do BUT use a new blade and a ruler that doesn't 'skid/slip' at crucial moments. At best you will skew your line, at worst, you'll cut your fingers (nothing like a bit of blood on the cardboard for texture. . .)
As scribing is basically using the blade point to cut a shallow line into the cardboard (NOT through it, though that is easy to do) you will wear out a blade point VERY quickly - hence the use of 'breakable' blades.
I scribe most of my buildings and have not had many problems.
Scribing problems:
If scribing onto card, the pressure you exert on the knife will vary depending on your own handpressure, blade sharpness, the surface you are cutting on and whether you are tired (seriously)!!
This can result in the top layer (lamination) of the scribed surface 'picking up' (my term) or lifting, and the carefully scribed weatherboard/siding peeling back in strips. Most demoralsing and frustrating.
If this happens, stop as soon as you notice it, and apply a drop or two of PVA to the area that is lifting. Place this PVA underneath the lifting lamination if possible Smooth the strips back and leave it for a few minutes so that the PVA will set. Then continue on.
Don't put sticky-tape or anything similar onto the 'lifting' strip - it will tend to make it worse and will peel back as you try to remove the tape.
Leave any door and window openings in place while scribing, and cut them out afterwards. Scribing into a space where a window has been removed can tend to result in the previously-mentioned 'picking-up' as your hand lifts the blade upwards as it reaches the opening.
Doors/Windows:
I find that these can be difficult. Howeever, use the following technique when lmaking the basic opening:
As windows and doors are essentially rectangles, (oblongs) I start on the top LH corner of one of the rectangle's narrowest ends and work from there.
Cut along one corner at a time, slowly and carefully, inserting the blade-point into the card. Cut back towards you - towards the centre. Do it carefully!!. When the knife blade goes all the way through the card, stop, and do the self-same from the other corner, again working back towards the middle.
You should eventually be able to move the blade across the entire line without anything stopping it.
Repeat the performance for the other narrow end of the rectangle, for the same result.
Having done that, do the same down the long side of the rectangle, again until the blade runs free, and finally to the remaining rectangle with the same effect.
Ideally the peice of carboard witin the rectangle should now just push out easily. However, it may not. If this is the cae, check the cuts on the corners as these are where the hang-ups usually occur. You may need to turn the card upside down and cut from that side to clear the obstruction.
Door/Window surrounds:
Card an be used for this, though it can be a bit frustrating as the blade has to be very sharp and you need to vut very thins trips to use. I tend to make mine 1' wide (scale) as this doesn't detract from the overall view and, when painted is not noticable. However, to each their own.
Shingles (for our North American colleagues)
I can see no reason why you can't do shingles in card (Matte board), though having said that I have to say that I work in 1:148 (UK-N), rather than 1:160 (US-N). I don't however think that this should make too much difference to the making of shingles.
According to what I've read, North American wood shingle dimensions are 16-24" vertical by about 18' wide (though this latter is a variable). On that basis it would seem to be a simple matter of cutting a series of verticals 2' deep, and then running a horizontal of about 2' and voila - lots of little 2' 2' squares - intstant shingles.
Having said that, I am assuming that those who are interested in making shingles have an N-scale ruler. If you don't I would strongly recommend that you try to get one - very useful.
IF you use Matte Board, when making shingles, it would seem that you might actually gain by doing so, as the board has plywood-like laminations and if you are careful you can get 2-3 shingles out of a single series of cuts.
Experiment to see how it goes - just mnd the fingers . . .
Further reading:
If anyone is interested in following this further, try to get hold of any British MR- related publications you can, especially their 'How-to' books. Most British hobby-related books which have a railway section in them will have some reference to using cardboard as a construction medium. The 'Brits are masters at working with card and do some amazing things with it. Highly recommended indeed.
And at the end of it all . . ?
The end result of all this (aside from the shed blood, the bits of Band Aid's and the bad language), is of course, the shear satisfaction of actually having produced something which is totally unique (who needs Walthers, B'mann, Kibrie etc), and about which you can proudly say 'I made it myself' (definitely one to impress the ladies . . )
All of the above is based purely on my own experience and observations, and if anyone has any other ideas, please tell us - all contributions gratefully received. I definitely DON'T know it all.
So, back to the cereal boxes folks, (if you can't get the Matte Board).
Happy cutting . . (the cardboard, not yourselves)
Who knows - we may start a 'cardboard revolution' (just think of the money you'll save . . .)
Komata
"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . ."
Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Komata:
Thank you very much for starting this thread. An absolute mine of information! I am sure others will want to add their personal experiences.
Bryan, any chance we can make this a sticky? (Depending on the response, of course).
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Nice write up Keith!
Bryan, it would be better if this was submitted as an Article (Keith?)...
If we just "Sticky" posts because they have good info, we end up with a stack of stickys to be scrolled past to get to new posts.
I can nail it to the top for now though.
--
Bryan
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
When you make a butt joint at a corner, how do you hide the exposed edge of the cardstock?
With wood or styrene I can cut or sand the corner edges at a 45 degree angle and make the exposed edges virtually disappear. Sometimes it takes a little sanding to clean the corner up. But, it seems to me that cardstock will not sand nearly as smooth as wood.
The only time I have used cardstock or matte board is as a form or pattern to laminate wood strips or other modeling materials to it for structural thickness and strength. When the edges are cut to a 45 degree angle the lamination provides a larger glueing surface for strength.
The added strength eliminates the need for internal braceing. That is a bonus when you want to detail the interior. In addition the lamination makes a wider edge for glueing window and door frames and sills.
Scratch Building Structures using Cardboard
MooseID
The Butt Joints are a problem which CAN ve solved if you want to cut on an angle of 45 Degrees or so.
I can't do it (though Picture framers do it with ease) so i've gone for the simple and basic edge-to-side method. THAT I can do. :lol: :lol:
(Didn't explain it very well in my 'how-to' I'm afraid - not a carpenter of woodworker . . I don't know the words)
What I do in respect of the exposed edge can be one of two things.
Either I ignore it and paint over the top of it, which tends to blend it in with the surrounding colour and make it invisible, or, if I feel inclined, I cut a strip of photocopy paper 2 (scale) feet wide and the height of the wall I've constructed (houses 10', commercial buildings around 15') and then rule down the centre at a point in the center of the paper - 1' in from each edge, then folding it over to create an L shape.
I paint a small amount of PVA on the 'front' edge and on the 'side edge of the building with a small, fine bristle brush (size 00000) and then place the paper so that one arm of the L is on one wall, the other on the other wall, smooth it down so there are no air bubbles and it sits flat,a nd looks 'right, then leave it to dry.
When the glue is dry I paint it the appropriate colour - either the main wall colour or a trim colour.
Probably very amateur, but it works for me and I'm pleased with the
overall result.
And yes, you are quite right - cardstock (if that is what you call Matte Board) doesn't sand very well. it CAN be sanded, but very carefully!!
Hope this helps.
Komata
"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Wow! You guys are fast! Excellent post and article Keith! :l :toast2
I, for one, will be printing it. I already have several folders of printed articles, etc. which I peruse periodically. While not exactly close to trying some scratch building it is definitely in the plans for some point. I suspect it will be a building of some sort which raises a question: When scratching building a building, how do you scratch build windows?
Bryan wrote:
Bryan, I fully understand and agree. My first suggestion was for an article but added the sticky thread bit as an after thought. I saw that Keith had created the thread last night but new nothing of the article till this morning! Double your pleasure!... Bryan, it would be better if this was submitted as an Article (Keith?)... If we just "Sticky" posts because they have good info, we end up with a stack of stickys to be scrolled past to get to new posts. ...
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
I'm glad to see this posted because it is one of the real truths of N scale. People just make scratchbuilding WAY too hard, particularly buildings, by not using more of this type material. You can draw out the building on it, test build it, hack it, photo it, THEN build it to finish specs.
I've been using 'cardboard', or more accurately thin-ply strathmore board, for decades on my scratchbuilt buildings. They work particularly well when you need a thicker wall section for masonry buildings where the windows are at the BACK of the wall, showing a rather thick wall in front of the window surface.
For that reason, I've used cardboard almost exclusively for the faux-adobe ATSF station structures, and brick-type buildings, on my layout. That includes the Winslow depot, La Posada, the support buildings at Winslow, enginehouse, Flagstaff town structures, and the big Monte Vista hotel false-front.
One other tip I'll throw in is that you can use cardboard as the base wall, and laminate thin stock to it on the facing. You can have a wide variety of wall surfaces, but laminating to cardstock makes it really easy to mock-up the building walls to full size, test-photo the impact of the structure on the layout, then start detail finishing wall by wall. If you use wood reinforcement, it's easy to make edge overlays strong, and do final assembly with white glue. The Winslow depot model is now 31 years old. It does hold up just fine if painted, inside and out.
Here's a couple shots what I mean. The La Posada complex is entirely strathmore, reinforced heavily with stripwood. Layer of strathmore, stripwood, interior layer of strathmore, makes a thick concrete-looking wall. With the windows inset on the inside, the massive feel of the adobe-type walls can be inexpensively done:
The mockup then turned real, as one wall after another was finished, windowed, detailed, and painted:
Final trackside view:
On the Monte Vista, the walls had brick material laminated on the outside, but again, this is a massive masonry wall. The hotel windows are on the inside surface of the window. relatively deeply inset. By mounting the windows to the inside surface of the stripwood reinforcements, you get depth (back side of the wall view:)
Front side with windows in, note the depth:
Every structure in that scene is a basic reinforced strathmore box with surface materials added if appropriate.
On two questions: Most of the time I'll use the closest-available window from Grandt or somebody else in plastic, and adjust the window openings to fit the model window. I'll sometimes scratchbuild simple windows by using Evergreen styrene strips, but I avoid that. On the photos above, the smaller windows were all Grandt, the commercial simple picture-type windows in the buildings were all scratch.
On the edges, I'll always try to make my edge laminations overlap so that the edge is to the side, not the front, of a structure. I'll make some relatively complex-fitting lap joints out of the reinforcement edges to precisely fit them. When I finally do glue up a wall, it is sufficiently soaked up with white glue that I can gently sand it without getting fuzzies.
Gentlemen, start your Xacto knives! :D
The mockup then turned real, as one wall after another was finished, windowed, detailed, and painted:
Final trackside view:
On the Monte Vista, the walls had brick material laminated on the outside, but again, this is a massive masonry wall. The hotel windows are on the inside surface of the window. relatively deeply inset. By mounting the windows to the inside surface of the stripwood reinforcements, you get depth (back side of the wall view:)
Front side with windows in, note the depth:
Every structure in that scene is a basic reinforced strathmore box with surface materials added if appropriate.
On two questions: Most of the time I'll use the closest-available window from Grandt or somebody else in plastic, and adjust the window openings to fit the model window. I'll sometimes scratchbuild simple windows by using Evergreen styrene strips, but I avoid that. On the photos above, the smaller windows were all Grandt, the commercial simple picture-type windows in the buildings were all scratch.
On the edges, I'll always try to make my edge laminations overlap so that the edge is to the side, not the front, of a structure. I'll make some relatively complex-fitting lap joints out of the reinforcement edges to precisely fit them. When I finally do glue up a wall, it is sufficiently soaked up with white glue that I can gently sand it without getting fuzzies.
Gentlemen, start your Xacto knives! :D
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
hey all,
i too am glad these methods and info
have been posted !
as a comp artist, i can truly appreciate it !
i mocked up a cardstock passenger station
to get a sense of scale and footprint.
black matteboard is great too, as i have used
this as my plate girder support. takes a few
more cuts but is extremely strong. one cut
and snap.... like styrene. posterboard can be
bought at your local craft shop for pretty cheap.
here's the first two examples from my first layout
so far. i plan on building lots more !
http://www.nscale.net/mod-photoshare-showimages-fid-647.html
http://www.nscale.net/mod-photoshare-showimages-fid-750.html
i recommend getting an xacto gripster knife
and x-life blades (blue tint). all types of glues
work well, among the best being aleene's tacky glue,
woodland scenics foam tack glue and elmers
glue all.
for fun we should continue this cardboard cardstock
thread and maybe a do a monthly build-off sometime !!!
thanks, peace,
phil
very usefull
Komata ,randgust and filfreight : great articles about the item:" cardboard" you wrote and posted here in this forum!!
I'm fan too building with cardboard!
Glad you explained almost everything about working with this material so i don't have to" hurt" my brains dealing with the translation...
Jos
[Admin note] Duplicate [img] tags removed.
Quote:
I make the edges of the walls 45 degrees with very fine sandpaper! First with - a very sharp knife-(exacto) I cut the edges rough at almost 45 degr. and do the fine "job"with the fine sandpaper..I made a medieval castle and an station building and some more buildings just with cardboard
The buildings are not as tall as those from randgust( super /exellent buildings!!)
if you want to cut on an angle of 45 Degrees
Jos
[Admin note] Duplicate [img] tags removed.Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Jos, your work is excellent. The creativity of using cardboard to create these buildings is incredible.
One of these days I may aspire to such heights but I think a lot of practice is in order!
(An underlying reason for this post is to change the thread title back to its original name to avoid confusion).
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
hey all,
sorry for the delay in responding just got home...
everyone's work on here is truly inspiring and amazing !
moose here's a few i googled......tower hobbies being the most familiar
to us on here:
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDND6&P=FR
http://www.dickblick.com/zz574/20/
http://www.cheapjoes.com/art-supply/X3627_5237_x-acto-gripster-knife-black.asp
staples or any office supply place sometimes carries it too...
# 11 blades are most commonly used....along with a small rubber "self healing" 9"x12" or a lil' larger size is ok depending on how much cardstock
you'll be cutting at one time.
peace,
phil
Matt Board
Many frame shops in this area will give you free scraps. Generally, they take a large sheet, and cut the center out, wanting the border only. Some will save the center for smaller matting jobs, but they can often get overstocked with these centers, and will trash them.
Most framers cut the mat at an angle, so beware. The edges are knife sharp, and if you have never had a paper-cut....ouch !!
I have seen some discussion of folks building 1/2 buildings or facades against their backdrop. Anyone done this? How did it look?
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
I have been in contact with a couple of friends who do architectural modeling (for architects) in cardstock. In their (not so) humble opinions strathmore seems to be the paper product of choice for structures. Both listed various reasons why. Of course since I was on the phone I did not write the reasons down.
One of them put me onto this site:
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/index.php?pg=order&cat=industry
They said that if someone was to begin modeling in paper stuff, this site is the place to start. The models they sell come printed on cardstock and are scaled for HO, N and Z. They run from $2.00 to $3.50 USD. Good pictures, too. This page is for their industry type buildings, but there is a menu at the top of the page that leads you to other types of buildings and paper models.
The rest of the site is interesting and helpful, too.
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
One of the odd downsides to the way I do cardstock, at least, is that people look at my buildings and beg for the drawings.
I can't help them. I really can't! I drew them originally on the strathmore, usually to no more detail than the base walls and window openings. Then cut them out, tape them together lightly, take them apart and start reinforcing walls.....
Anyway, by the time I'm done the drawings ARE the model.
And I'm not a Cardboardian to the point of devotion. I also kitbash plastic kits where possible, and I do a significant amount of Evergreen Styrene sheet goods if the material is right.
Oh, and one more thing - all the metal-sided buildings on the Hickory Valley railroad are either sheet basswood (siding) or cardstock bases. The mill complex is all cardstock with the Campbell's sheet aluminum pieces epoxied on. 5-minute Epoxy doesn't tend to warp at all - I use it for laminating on thin brick stock and the corrugated metal to sheet cardboard.
So, yeah, underneath the metal/brick exterior is all cardstock. These buildings were made in 1976. It's heavily reinforced inside with basswood, but the building itself is cardstock sides.
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
That was the H&R yellow thin brick sheet for 'HO' that was made for many years and I understand is no longer made. It was only .020 thick, nice to work on multiple-layer cornices, details, etc. I did the Flagstaff station from it too. I still have a couple sheets of it. It had the uncanny ability to not be affected by almost any solvent cement out there. The epoxy was about the only thing that would hold it.
The Climax is my kit, contact me offline if you're interested.
Another point I'd like to drive home is that back in '76, you either adapted HO material or did nothing. That's HO brick (small) and Campbell's HO aluminum. Oh, and HO ballast, what little I needed. Enough said?
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
My first attempt at scratch building a cardboard Ice fishing hut:
It's about 8'x8' scale feet. With an open door so you know someones home, and it also has a little chimney for the wood stove made from a stick.
Compared to other people's cardboard work this is not that good.
And sorry about the picture.
Jake
It's about 8'x8' scale feet. With an open door so you know someones home, and it also has a little chimney for the wood stove made from a stick.
Compared to other people's cardboard work this is not that good.
And sorry about the picture.
JakeRe:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Jake, never apologize for your work! In your eyes it may not meet the standards you aspire to (yet), but to others it is an excellent example of what can be accomplished. Me included! When the time comes for me to venture into this area of MRR, I doubt my first efforts will be any where near what you have produced!
OTOH, please feel free to apologize for the photograph!!!!!! :twisted:
Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Jake
Nothing wrong with what you've done - for a first try it looks good. :l :l
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Keep at it - today an Ice Fishing Hut, tomorrow - an entire layout . . .?
(And how are your fingers - still all attached and in one peice, or are you now contributing to Johnson and Johnson's profits with Band-Aids? :lol: )
Again, thanks.
Komata
"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
BryanC, and Komata:
Thanks a lot, I appreciate it. And yes all my figures are still good, and the pic sucked, i know :lol:
Right after i posted the last one I finished another one, in under an hour.
Well i still have to paint it, I think i will paint it red. This one has a window with plastic wrap glass :o
Again the pic sucks :lol:, sorry :cry:
Next an mechanical shop for my trains!
Thanks again
Jake Sparrow
Next an mechanical shop for my trains!
Thanks again
Jake SparrowScratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Jake
It looks like you've got the 'cardboard' bug - your second building looks good to me.
(Nothing wrong with the image either).
A couple of thoughts:
You mentioned that you use 'plastic wrap' for your windows.
I presume that that is 'cling-film' (it's known by a variety of names - depending where you live), and the sort of stuff that you put over food-dishes to keep the food fresh before putting in the refridgerator.
If that is the case, I would suggest that you use clear acetate sheet instead - it gives a better look - not so wrinkly. :D
Clear acetate sheet is also known as 'Acetates', 'Over-Head Projector 'sheet (OHP-sheet) or 'Overhead Transparency Sheet' (again, depending where you live), and can either be bought in packets of 100 at a stationery-supply shop (expensive) or got for nothing from school teachers, business-people etc when they dump all their old course presentation-notes etc. (free is of course SO much better).
You only want the clear-plastic area without the writing/printing on it.
Cut it wider that the window cut-out, and use PVA (Elmers?) to glue it - putting a small amount of glue around the window on the INSIDE face of the wall. If the PVA smudges don't worry - it dries clear.
Some modellers use the 'hard' plastic that covers shirts, toys and other things in clear plastic packages.
Try to avoid it if you can - it is very hard and not easy to cut. Knife-blades tend to 'skid' on it. You may also have trouble getting enough to use - by the time you've cut all the curved bits away there isn't much left.
Use it only if you are really desperate. . . .
If you cut out the door opening, you can use the 'Door' in an open or partly-open state - looks real, helps make the whole thing look more 'real', especially if you paint it a different colour from the building itself.
As I said, just a couple of thoughts.
Keep up the good work - you're doing well.
Komata
"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Komata,
Thanks, good idea. The cling-film does look a little wrinkly but the window is so small you can't even see it. I don't why i put "glass" in it, you have to be an ant to notice it, but i'll know it's there :D
I already started the engine shop, it's coming along nicely. I really do have the cardboard bug, it's really great stuff. And It's comes with almost everything we buy.
Oh, and it saves $$$
Thanks again
Jake
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
jake wrote:
Because of the low cost, there's no pressure. The only thing lost is your time if you mess up. And if you do, you just try it again, only better. :)
-mikeI really do have the cardboard bug, it's really great stuff. And It's comes with almost everything we buy. Oh, and it saves $$$
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
eldecker,
On your question about 1/2 structures against the backdrop, check my post "Progress on the Schuylkill Valley RR" in the layout design and planning forum. The brewery at the back of the city is less than 2 inches wide. I won't post the pics here because this thread is about cardboard, and that is plastic.
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
One of the reasons I have had poor luck with cardstock construction is the strength of the corners. It is for that reason when I do use cardstock I use it as a base for laminating other modeling materials (wood,styrene etc.) Of course there is no reason why the lamination can not be more cardstock.
To solve the weakness of the corner joints I use a compound joint made up of a butt joint and mitered joint combination.
The figure shows the top view of a wall corner. The purple material is the cardstock. It forms a simple butt joint.
The gray material is the outer lamination. It forms a 45 degree mitered joint.
The heavy black line is the glue line. As you can see the length of the glue line is longer than either a single butt joint or or a single mitered joint.
That indicates a significant increase of glued surfaces area. Ergo a stronger joint.
Since the glue line is not straight, the glued surfaces are not all in the same plane. This also adds strength against forces from almost any direction.
The inner lamination does not need to be cut at the 45 degree angle. Both of the laminations can be bonded before assembly if allowances are made for the offsets at the corner and the beveled edges of the outer layer are cut first.
On the other hand the outer lamination can be applied to the inner after the inner butt joint is glued up. This is the method I usually use.
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Hello,
My third attempt at a cardboard sturcture. It's an old grain feed place.
I used think black construction paper for the boards lining the walls.
I tryed to add some icicles, but i should get better.
I still need to weather, and add some signs.
Jake
JakeRe:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Jake, looking really good!
Tell us, how did you do the windows?
Scratch Building Structures Using cardboard
Jake
Very impressed with your work - the 'bug' has well and truly bitten.
You say that you used black construction paper for the 'boards lining the walls'.
Does this mean that you made individual boards then glued them onto the cardboard walls?
If you did you must have spent hours gluing each strip in place - had you considered scribing as an alternative?
I'm intrigued by the door - very realistic - did you scribe that - the lines defintely add to the effect.
Keep up the good work - you are doing very well. :l :l
Komata
"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
I'm impressed with everyone's efforts! :)
I also like seeing those plastic bits and pieces (doors, windows) incorporated into the structure.
Thanks for the inspiration. I need to try to scribe some "boards" into my 40x100 foot "Corn Flakes" warehouse. Too bad I didn't do it BEFORE I put it together!!
-mike
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Scratch Building Structures Using cardboard
Jake
You must have a lot of patience - there are a lot of boards, and that is no small building!!
However, you ARE gaining experince, and now know that 'board by board' can be VERY tedious. . .
Try Scribing - it is a lot faster - just mind the fingers . . . :D :D
Mike
Depending on how far advanced you are with the building of the 'Cornflakes' warehouse, you MAY be able to scribe onto it, but you will need to place some sort of solid surface inside the structure so that you can press-down against it when scribing.
However, be aware that because cereal-box card is both thin and very flexible, you run the distinct risk of cutting through the card and cutting strips which could tear off and leave holes in your walls - not good visually . . :) :)
Could be worthwhile starting again?
Komata
"TVR - serving the Northern Taranaki . . . "
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Beautiful work on that building Jake. It looks really realistic. Keep up the great work. You spent alot of time on detail. I myself try to do the same by recreating what ever i'm building by spending extra time on the small details. Just seeing your bulding has inspired me to try my hands at this cardboard/cardstock building construction. Have a nice day. From Rob Webb
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Rob---Roanoke,Virginia: The Norfolk Southern Crossroads Capital!!! , And my well missed home!!
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Another comment for cutting surface - I got a fairly large chunk of ugly, damaged, white laminate countertop from the lumberyard for $5.00 with a big split in the middle.
I cut it up with the circular saw into about 10 x 6" pieces, and other sizes
I have a whole stack of those that I use for cutting boards, until they cut so cut up and marked up and paint-splattered that I just throw them out.
Really smooth, really tough, you can clamp and glue to them too, and the glue pops right back off, well, until you get them all damaged up anyway!
Re:Scratch Building Structures Using Cardboard
Rob,
Thank you. Go right ahead! I first thought it would of be hard, but it's almost the opposite of that. Some things are hard, but i made it that way (not scribing). I also love to detail.
I hope to make many more to share them with all of you :D . Thanks
Jake Sparrow
Inexpensive push/pull Mat Cutters
Thanks for tutorial and photos, I'm fired up again!
No doubt someone's got one of these:
I have a 45 degree OLFA mat cutter, (10-12 yrs old) can be used as a push or pull. I used to make 1 - 2 inch square mats for postage stamps, framing them with oak I cut on a shaper.Similar units are available for 'reasonable' prices. Mine was $45.0010 years ago. I'm getting a 90 degree push type mat cutter in the near future. The very sharp blades and the quality of the mat board make extremely sharp edged openings. The depth of the double edged blade is adjustable with simple thumb pressure. The cut is almost invisible and even of you go outside the cutting lines, the error will not be easly seen. Look closely at some expensive matted artwork and you may see corners overrun.
Free art mat board is great structure material. The shop I hit up twice for mat, charged me $5.00 the third time I went back. Cheap enough though.
Joined: 2005-05-12