Card or Plastic

[Ray H]

I was contemplating the use of embossed plastic for buildings (once I'd work out which buildings I wanted) but looked at a few buildings whilst out today and wondered whether the relief that is visible in 12" to 1ft scale would be nticeable in 4mm to 1ft scale. Having since seen an advert for Metcalfe card buildings I'm wondering whether the finish from printed card is significantly inferior to that obtained from plastic/resin.

 

Can I ask what the general consensus is please

[Kris]

I have almost always used embossed plastic in 2mm. I know that the embossing is very much over scale but I feel that the relief that this gives adds to the feeling of the building. Embossed plastic also has the advantage that you can paint it whatever colour you want rather than being tied to the colour of the printed kit.

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

I was contemplating the use of embossed plastic for buildings (once I'd work out which buildings I wanted) but looked at a few buildings whilst out today and wondered whether the relief that is visible in 12" to 1ft scale would be nticeable in 4mm to 1ft scale. Having since seen an advert for Metcalfe card buildings I'm wondering whether the finish from printed card is significantly inferior to that obtained from plastic/resin.

 

Can I ask what the general consensus is please

 

In general, embossed plastic ( I assume we are talking brick here ) is way off scale. Even 1/2 mm would represent over an inch in depth for mortar and 1/4 mm is almost hairline and it is impossible to make plastic look anything like brick without huge amounts of painting. and weathering including picking out individual bricks in a slightly different colour.

 

Card kits are somewhat flat in appearance but give a good result for the time and effort ( and expense) invested.

 

If scratchbuilding then you have the option of pre embossed sheets or card with pre printed brick sheets.

 

If time and money are no object then go with the plastic and spend hours making it look realistic. For normal modelling pre printed card kits or card with brick sheets is a good and nearly instant alternative.

[Gravy Train]

Hi RayH,

I take it you are a beginner with regard to building models of Architecture, both Metcalf and Superquick are very good but you are limited to what they produce though they have a good range.

Scratchbuilding in my opinion is much more rewarding and you can choos your own subject to model, you can construct the model from both card and plasticard, i tend to use plasticard as it is quicker to get the job done.

For 4mm scale it is worth having the the added effect of the embossing but in 2mm scale you can get away with just a representation but at the end of the day it is down to personal choice, it may be worth you looking on the structure modelling thread Springs branch depot on the first page, this will give you some idea of what the embossed plastic sheets look like in amodel.

Any more questions with regard to this subject please ask away.

 

Peter Leyland

 

See here

[10800]

Re6/6 and myself have been discussing this over the brick cladding of 'the viaduct'. My preference would have been for the old Exactoscale architectural surface papers, which had a very slight embossed effect, but since Bernard Weller died they are no longer made and stocks are limited (certainly for the quantities we want). So we are using Slater's plastic brick surfaces as cladding - I think this is one of those situations where true scale doesn't always matter (or work) - the brain expects to see and feel surface relief, and even though it's overscale it looks right; if it's flat paper there always seems to be something not quite right.

 

But it's a very subjective thing.

[Edwin_m]

I'm also a novice at making buildings and I personally prefer embossed plastic even in 2mm. I agree the texture depth is very overscale for brick, though maybe not for rough stone, but I find it much easier to paint and weather. Washes settle in the mortar areas and dry-brushing highlights the bricks or stones themselves.

[carl1967]

hi

 

here is picture's of my new station building, i have done it with embossed plastic card, in the picture's you can see i have a wall thats just got brick paper on, next to a wall with embossed plastic card.

 

i think you can see embossed plastic is far far better, i have replaced all my brick paper walls with embossed plastic.

 

carl

[Ray H]

Thanks for the observations.

 

It looks like it is back to the original thoughts around the use of plastic. All I need now is some plans to build some models from.

 

I start with nothing. Any books that I did have disappeared years ago so the shelf is empty (and there's only family snaps in the photograph albums these days as well!).

 

Can anyone suggest a source of plans/ideas without buying numerous books just to get a photograph or two from each? The model will be based very loosely in the Midlands.

[Revolution Ben]

Hi Ray,

 

Metcalfe buildings are not too expensive - why not buy one and see how you get on? - or better still, try a Scalescenes download? If you like it you can build as many as you like!

 

I was for a long time a devotee plastic card but, like you, realised that the brick relief is something we "know" is there, rather than something we actually "see."

 

As a 2mm modeller, I recently started using Scalescenes for a large area of railway arches/retaining walls needed on a new layout and I have been delighted with the results - the variation in colour on the printed finish is very realistic, and it saves me a major painting job with all the potential pitfalls that entails!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

I prefer plastic, Just because I prefer working with it and it takes paint well, I have tried card but never got the same results, although for my Aylesbury engine shed I am having the brick laser cut in Romark which is a modified ABS

 

David

[Chris116]

I have tried both card and plastic in the past.

 

Any pre coloured plastic kits will look just like pre coloured plastic once you have built them and are thus a waste of time and effort.

 

If you are good with a paint brush you will find the end results with embossed plastic can be excellent and very satisfying. My problem is that I have never managed to do anything good with a paint brush so anything that needs painting I ruin at the final stage.

 

I have settled on making Metcalfe and Superquick kits as they provide a very good basic set of buildings. The Scalescenes range is growing all the time and if you have a good printer will also give good results. With all the card kits it pays to do a little extra with them by adding plastic gutters and downpipes. On one of Superquick building I have built as designed but them used slate roofing paper with each row of slates cut out and the join between each slate cut with a very sharp blade to just over half its depth. Stick each row on the roof starting at the bottom and you get a roof that looks as though it has each tile placed individually. As the roof is the first thing you see on a layout this has a very good effect and is worth the extra time.

 

I have noticed on layouts at exhibitions that both systems work well except when they are mixed and then the card looks flat.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide on.

 

Chris

[Campaman]

I am no expert at scratchbuilding but get great satisfaction from doing it. I have used card and plastic, I prefer the card and paper route as I get on better with them than with the plastic.

 

I think the actual building papers you use can make or break a model as some are better than others, the scalescenes ones I have seen are good as they have a varied weathered appearance and look realistic, some others are just plain one colour bricks and look like printed bricks.

 

I have had good results creating my own building papers from images on the web and from taking photos of walls my self, and then manipulating them in the GIMP and OpenOffice Draw programs.

 

I am currently trying a new technique to me which is embossing smooth white card with brick or stone patterns, thus getting the texture of plastic, but using my prefered building material, so far the results look good although its not a fast process but as I have a free supply of this card it is a cost effective solution for me.

[Siberian Snooper]

Hi

 

There is a third way which is to use Howard Scenics embossed brick card it has small amount of relief to the brick courses, there are a number of different bonds available plus a selection of small brick lintels for windows and doors. They are available from Freestone Model Accessories, 28 Newland Mill, Witney, Oxfordshire , OX28 3HH

01993 775979, Gerry also attends quite a few exhibitions. No connections just a satisfied customer.

 

HTH

 

SS