Help with an Acute Case of Corners

[54Strat]

I'm wondering what approach is best to model non right angled corners with card. I've a thread over in Scenery, Structures & Transport that documents my attempts in plasticard, but now I'm wondering how best to model these awkward corners in card.

 

In plastic, there's two approaches...

• Use one wall as a datum, and bevel the wall's edge other to fit the first. Quickest and simplest, and best for plain plasticard that would be clad later
  

• For both walls, split the angle. This gives greater surface area for glue and also maintains any embossed detail, though is harder to achieve especially the more acute the angle gets
  

 

Both these approaches require a fair bit of work with a file and much fettling, something that plasticard is well suited for.

 

Can card be filed and sanded to such a degree? Would soaking card edges in superglue be the way to go here? I know there's a 45 degree cutter used for picture framing, would something similar be of use?

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Katier]

mountboard us often cut at a crisp angle so yes with thick card it can be done. just use a sharp craft knife and I guess some kind of guide.

[Tim V]

Using card, surely you make the walls in one unit, then cut out grooves behind for corners, have you read Chris Pilton's book on Cottage Modelling for Pendon?

[Classsix T]

The thinner the card the sharper any fold would be so an option would be a hefty gauge board folded and reinforced to the angle you want, overlayed with a thinner card or paper for a sharper point at the corner. However the corner will be susceptible to knocks and bumps.

Card can be sanded but will never be able to be as smooth as plasticard purely because you are dealing with wood pulp fibres.

I made my platform tops from mdf, is this material an option?

 

C6T.

[54Strat]

Thanks for the replies. A couple of good solutions

 

Admittedly I was thinking about 1 - 2mm mount board when I posted this, it didn't occur to me you could go thinner and score it. Though I'm sure there's a limit as to how sharp you can go, kind of like that myth that you can only fold a sheet of paper 7 times.

 

 

Adding a layer if thinner card to get a sharp profile over thicker less precise corners is also a good idea. The inside of the corner could also be reinforced using glue as a filler.

 

 

Cheers

 

Paul