Making Models From Scratch

[Andy in Germany]

I've finally put pencil, then craft knife to card. Starting with the tyres, as I've realised that I can't make the wheel as a single assembly.

Am using double thickness corrugated card to get the main carcass, and then will do the rest of the shape with ordinary cereal packet type stuff. You're not joking about the amount of glue I'm needing @Andy in Germany

I haven't stuck myself to anything yet.

I'll use 2-part epoxy to smooth off the surfaces when this lot's had the chance to dry. And it's drying right solid.

I would double laminate the cereal packet stuff at least two thicknesses with the glossy side inwards. This makes it more solid but it absolutely destroyed knife blades...

 

[Reynard]

I would double laminate the cereal packet stuff at least two thicknesses with the glossy side inwards. This makes it more solid but it absolutely destroyed knife blades...

Ah. Well I bought a heavy duty craft knife in Wilkinsons yesterday. Because the small one I have definitely won't cope with some of the thicker card.

For this, I'm pre-cutting circular sections first, and then assembling. But may well have to do t'other way round for some of the other parts.

 

[classic33]

Ah. Well I bought a heavy duty craft knife in Wilkinsons yesterday. Because the small one I have definitely won't cope with some of the thicker card.

For this, I'm pre-cutting circular sections first, and then assembling. But may well have to do t'other way round for some of the other parts.

Don't try forcing the blade to cut in one go.

Have you considered wheels of one of the cheaper kids toys?

 

[Reynard]

Don't try forcing the blade to cut in one go.

Have you considered wheels of one of the cheaper kids toys?

Under normal circumstances, yes, I'd have trawled the charity shops. The high street in Ely is almost nothing but charity shops - there's nine of them IIRC. But even then, there would've been no guarantee I'd find anything suitable. Superstox of that era run on 5 x 13 rims.

Besides, I now have the fun of making them.

P.S. My craft knife is one of those small flimsy jobs with the snap-off blades. Nuff said. That's why I went and bought a decent one.

 

[simongt]

It's exactly the same in the classic car scene.

I watched a documentary about Bugattis many years ago and a Sunday 'grand display' on the waterfornt in Monaco, there were umpteen Bugattis of various models, all resplendent in their correct shade of Bugatti blue - except one; Daffodil yellow - ! The owner said 'My car, my choice.' I thought good for you - !

 

[Reynard]

Well, the plywood is no go. It just shatters when I try to cut it.

But I *did* find another piece of fibreboard. And it's not warped.

I now have something that is beginning to look like a Weller wheel with a tyre on it. As that seems to be coming together, I have cut the parts for the remaining three wheels in order to get all of them to the same stage. Bar three circular discs of fibreboard with a hole drilled through the centre. That'll be for tomorrow.

What I have done, is make a note of every stage in the construction of the first wheel, so that I can replicate it exactly for the others.

And I haven't glued myself to anything... YET.

 

[Reynard]

Actually, I have to say I'm really quite impressed at how strong the glue-laminated card really is.

 

[MrGrumpy]

My son is building a RC fishing boat from scratch. So far he has bought all the electrics for powering it. Blew up a few bits as in his words “ I don’t need a wiring diagram “ . He has now shown me one !! So with a bit of guidance we are getting there. At least he’s learning !!

 

[Reynard]

Right, first wheel and tyre is complete. Just need to wait for the glue coating to dry overnight, and then sand the tire sidewalls to smooth the profile. Will take some pics when I've got good daylight.

The real headache was working out how to get the curved sidewalls of the tyres. I went through a lot of ideas, iterations and cereal packet card before I found a suitable solution. Which ended up being rings of card that got progressively thinner. I'm going to have to eat a lot of breakfast cereal, I think...

At least now I can build the remaining three as per instructions.

Oh, and each wheel & tyre assembly is made up of 22 individual pieces.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Oh, and each wheel & tyre assembly is made up of 22 individual pieces.

I hear you: I once managed to make 12 uprights on a wood wagon consist of 192 individual pieces...

On the other hand, superglued card sands well so I can visualise how you are making the sidewalls. It's strange how such small details make such a big difference to the "correct" appearance of the finished model.

 

[oldworld]

I wasn't sure if I should start a separate thread on materials for model making but posted here instead.

I've always used what I had to hand and when needing plywood I'd usually find something in my stash. This is now nearly gone so I bought some thin ply prom the DIY store. It was of very poor quality and I ended up not using it.
It was 3 ply, but a rubbish core sandwiched between two incredibly thin veneers.

First question is where can you get decent thin ply.

The second question has anyone had success using mdf/hdf boards?

I've tried it but found if you sand the surface it ends up woolly, not smooth like wood.

 

[Reynard]

I hear you: I once managed to make 12 uprights on a wood wagon consist of 192 individual pieces...

On the other hand, superglued cars sands well so I can visualise how you are making the sidewalls. It's strange how such small details make such a big difference to the "correct" appearance of the finished model.

Yeah... I figured if I'm going to do this, I may as well do it properly.

What's the best way to prep the surface for painting, btw? Anything I should be aware of? I intend to use artists acrylics. They're glue-based, so the pigment should, in theory, erm... stick.

 

[Kestevan]

Can't speak for cardboard etc, but the rule for painting miniatures with acrylics is to always use a good base coat. I can strongly recommend the Army Painter spray on primers. They're available in a number of colours and should give a good finish ready for top paint.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Yeah... I figured if I'm going to do this, I may as well do it properly.

What's the best way to prep the surface for painting, btw? Anything I should be aware of? I intend to use artists acrylics. They're glue-based, so the pigment should, in theory, erm... stick.

I've generally used artists acrylics on card, although I have often primed a card model with a rattlecan as well, because they tend to have lots of metal and plastic details (read: Junk) stuck on so it was easier to prime the lot.

I tend to paint everything dark grey: I can tell if I've missed anything with this because most card isn't dark grey, and later it gives me a base that contrasts with the next colour, even if that's light grey ready for a lighter top colour. This way I'm less likely to leave a gap in the finish by mistake.

 

[Reynard]

Good to know that the paint I've got in will do.

Likely I will be painting the individual parts / assemblies as I make them, and then sanding back lightly on surfaces that do need to be subsequently glued. Given the size of the model, combined with the complexity of some of the signwriting on the car, I think this is probably the easier way to go about this.