RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 25, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 My last two plasticard builds I used thinners. But I now have a litre of mek. So not sure what to use next time. The whole layout now seems to be getting a sense of setting. The choice of buildings seem to be just right. Morning Pete, Not heard of using thinners as a solvent for plastic but I can see how that might work. I suppose that's just another challenge of living in Brazil. Thanks for the kind words. It's been a bit of a meandering journey to get to where I am but I'm happy that it's all starting to come together. Payback for spending hours going through books and photos? Adjusting to 7mm and particularly getting my head around putting less in a given space has been a real challenge. But the layout mock-up and occasional sketches have really helped me. You'll notice as well that I'm starting many of the buildings without first finished the others. This is deliberate. Buildings are massive thieves of time and I'd rather make sure what I'm building is going to look right (design, scale, size etc) and fit together as a whole sooner rather than later. Less painful aborting a part finished build than a completed one if it's not right after all. I am worried about the goods shed though. It is massive. Too big for the compressed layout? A mock up calls I think. The fall back would be a smaller version like those found at Padstow, Treneglos and other NCR stations. This is part of the fun of fictional layouts, there's no absolute pattern to follow, hence why I'm pinching whole scenes and arrangements from Bodmin North. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2017 During a period as a self employed plumber I used several different makes of the waste pipe adhesive. They were all rather thick to use fine on a Pipe fitting where the thick glue will ensure a seal. Not much use in modelling where you want to laminate plastic card. The thick glue would create lumps and bumps. There would also tend to be glue squeezed round the edges. Say fixing a piece cut to be a window sill onto the embossed brick or stone. The more you tried to keep it flat on the surface the more glue would be spread out of the edges. Not easy to clean off. Since my old bottle of Slaters Mek Pak ran out I have been using the Butanone supplied by C+L for track building seems to work ok although not really fast. It will draw into a join by capilliary action. Although buildings do take a lot of time the end result has a lot more character than the anonymous grass bank will a few bushes that we see on many layouts. I like the way you have embraced the irregular shaped buildings. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 Either of those work well as a MekPak alternative: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 25, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 I tried the Evostik after recommendation from Andy B but found it very slow to grab the joint. Found I was spending too long holding bits together. Not tried the thinners. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 I tried the Evostik after recommendation from Andy B but found it very slow to grab the joint. Found I was spending too long holding bits together. Not tried the thinners. In my experience, the more it smells, the quicker it sticks. I normally just use "proper" MEK, but these are handy to have in stock if you want something that bonds more quickly (celly thinners) or more slowly (EvoStick cleaner); or if you run out and can get to B&Q or Halfords more easily than a model shop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 Hi Chris, Coming on well and looking the part so far. Now then, as for your solvent problem ( glue not money ! ) I gave up on the MekPak quite some time ago due to the stuff giving me a bad head after use ( even in a well ventilated room). I've taken to using this stuff for all my plasticard work and very happy with it too. image.jpeg It's been used on several recent projects including laminating work and to date there haven't been any problems. The other nice bonus is the fine brush which is included in the top. Hope this is of some use. ATB Grahame For laminating I have found that something slightly less aggressive works well. I use a solvent that smells of lemons but as I'm not at home at the moment I can't check its name - not that that would help most of you as a) it comes from Australia and b) it's not available at the moment as the chap who sells it has been ill. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 Limonene ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 Limonene ? It's not called that down here Grahame but I believe it's similar. I'll check tomorrow evening. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2017 It's not called that down here Grahame but I believe it's similar. I'll check tomorrow evening. It may not be the product name but it will be the active ingredient. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limonene Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 It may not be the product name but it will be the active ingredient. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limonene That sounds very probable Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2017 If you want to laminate two bits of plasticard together, what is wrong with using double sided tape? David Wright seems to use it most successfully. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 If you want to laminate two bits of plasticard together, what is wrong with using double sided tape? David Wright seems to use it most successfully. Dunno - never tried! Sounds like it's worth having a go. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2017 Wonder if this stuff has a similar effect, it may be too thick like the pipe adhesive. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limoncello 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 25, 2017 Wonder if this stuff has a similar effect, it may be too thick like the pipe adhesive. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limoncello I don't think you could drink the pipe adhesive even if you wanted to try. Chew it maybe. Probably most inclined that way just sniff it Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted May 25, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 Wonder if this stuff has a similar effect, it may be too thick like the pipe adhesive. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limoncello Ooh, I have a bottle of Limoncello in the "bought on holiday" section of the drinks cabinet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 25, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 Limonene ? Yes, got a bottle of that too. Use it mainly on big lamination and also thin plasticised, such as the slates I'll be putting on roofs. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 25, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 Dunno - never tried! Sounds like it's worth having a go. Yes that does work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daifly Posted May 25, 2017 Share Posted May 25, 2017 If you want to laminate two bits of plasticard together, what is wrong with using double sided tape? David Wright seems to use it most successfully. I would caution against its use if you intend that the two bits of Plasticard should remain united for an extended period. The adhesive will probably eventually dry out and break down becoming brittle with time. We've probably all seen the effect with old 'transparent' tapes - Scotch tape or Sellotape - which shows what I mean. The advantage of the chemical bonds (MEK et al) is that there is a proper fusion of the two pieces. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 25, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 Been thinking about the best method to make the large variety of different shaped and sized windows the layout will need. Probably approaching 100 in all.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 25, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2017 Tonight's experiment involved some acrylic sheet, double sided sticky tape and microstrip. Acrylic sheet cut to fit in the window recess - this is taller and wider on the inside skin of the building to give a positive fit. Double sided tape stuck on the front face but the cover paper not removed on the outer face. The sheet was the placed back in the building recess and the wall returns drawn on the cover paper. The acrylic sheet was then returned to the workbench and the cover paper removed inside this line. The frame was then built up using microstrip on the tape. Small dabs of solvent on the joints. Trial fit. Spray white. In the morning once everything has set, I'll cut around the inside of the panes and remove the painted sticky. Not sure how well the last stage will work.... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium wagonbasher Posted May 26, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 26, 2017 Been thinking about the best method to make the large variety of different shaped and sized windows the layout will need. Probably approaching 100 in all.... Commission laser cutting is an option. Different materials and thicknesses. Andy Y would advise you, we have used this approach on some structures on Tackeroo Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 26, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 26, 2017 Commission laser cutting is an option. Different materials and thicknesses. Andy Y would advise you, we have used this approach on some structures on Tackeroo Andy Yes, I commissioned loads of windows for the buildings on DitD and they came in at a couple of pounds each. I was just wondering if I could Dave a load of cash and quickly make them myself. I do have a few other ideas to try as well... Last night's effort was inspired by a trip to the pub. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium wagonbasher Posted May 26, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 26, 2017 Yes, I commissioned loads of windows for the buildings on DitD and they came in at a couple of pounds each. I was just wondering if I could Dave a load of cash and quickly make them myself. I do have a few other ideas to try as well... Last night's effort was inspired by a trip to the pub. In 7mm, resin casting is an option if you have a number that are the same. I could help here. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 26, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 26, 2017 As trials go it seems to have gone OK. Need to work out the best was to remove the small amounts of sticky residue from the tape off the glazing though. (this isn't the window I'll use for this building as it was a quick, notvery precise, lash up) 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 26, 2017 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 26, 2017 Next method to try as the one used by Gordon Gravett and others using address labels. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts