Either a plain shell or one with bricks molded in? What did you do and how did it work out?
Thx,
KL
Kurt, to what are you referring as "brick texture sheets"? Are you speaking of embossed paper sheets, the plastic (vinyl?) Holgate & Reynolds stuff, or the injection moulded styrene sheets from Walthers? The latter ones are thick enough to not need additional backing, although long or high structures will probably need some interior (or exterior) bracing. Any solvent-type cement for styrene is your best choice for styrene-to-styrene joining. I use lacquer thinner, which works well and is cheap - an important consideration if you're constructing large buildings.
For embossed paper or H&R sheets, contact cement is a good choice that will give a strong and long-lasting bond. I prefer LePages gelled contact cement, which is easy to apply using a suitably-sized brush (you can clean out the brush with lacquer thinner). The gelled formula is less likely to become stringy as you apply it, resulting in a neater job. Its greatest drawback is that it's available only in cans of one quart or larger, although it's also useful for many projects around the home. Use it as directed on the container. I have found that "prepping" the styrene results in a better bond between it and the contact cement. To do this, use a wide brush to apply a coat of lacquer thinner to the entire surface of the styrene, then brush on the contact cement, as directed.
While almost all of my current layout structures are of all-styrene construction, the H&R brick sheets were still firmly bonded to their balsa wood backing when I dismantled and parted-out this scratchbuilt blast furnace, built almost 40 years ago (not a very good picture, but the best of only a few surviving):
This simple brick office building's front wall is made from a sheet of the Walthers styrene brick sheet, with all of the unseen walls made from plain .060" sheet styrene. Lacquer thinner was used for all construction except the cornice (a piece of wood moulding) which was attached with contact cement:
The roads and paved parking lots in these city scenes are all sheet styrene, in various thicknesses. I used contact cement to secure the styrene sheets to the plywood layout top in this area:
Wayne
As you can see by Drwaynes examples if done properly, they look great. I've got a few myself.
Another source is Plastruct, which makes styrene sheets of brick in different patterns. I use their 1:200 scale for my N scale work.
I use Plastruct cement (orange label) to bond it to .040 stock.
Hope this is useful.
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
Eh, sorry, I meant paper. It seems that most (Clever Models, Paper Creek Model Works) are not embossed but merely printed. I was wondering how those were used. For example, if applied to an existing structure kit - with brick already molded in - how does it look around the lintels and sills?
Painting just doesn't look right, to me. I think the ideal solution would be to have full decal sheets of brick pattern made from photographs (as suggested by John Nehrich at RPI). These could be applied over blank or brick patterned plastic, avoiding the need to paint. It would also solve the problem of out-of-scale brick embossing because the decal will hide the pattern while the embossing - even if the wrong size - adds some texture. I've seen suggestions to print existing patterns on decal paper at home, but without the white color component I don't think they'll look right. Paper texture sheets (even if on two-dimensional) seem to be the next best - if a distant second - option.
I would think that trying to apply brick paper to an existing model (assembled or not) would be a lot more difficult than simply using paint and one of the various techniques for adding the mortar lines. Ditto for the decal method - it does result in a great-looking brick effect, but I think that it's a technique best suited to being applied when the structure is still under construction, and to a wall with no moulded-in brick detail - "setting" the decal will reveal the brick pattern of the wall, which may not match that of the decal.
However, if you want to use brick paper on a structure with brick detail already moulded-in, go ahead. My suggestion to use contact cement still applies, as does the suggestion to "prep" the styrene with lacquer thinner. Keep in mind, though, that contact cement does live up to its name: once contact between the two surfaces is made, things are "cemented".
If you need a source for FREE texture pages, which you can download, resize, and print, try this site:
http://www.cgtextures.com/
I have used them on both decal paper (white and clear), as well as plain paper, with good results.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
CTValleyRRIf you need a source for FREE texture pages, which you can download, resize, and print, try this site: http://www.cgtextures.com/
While you are at the CGTextures site, check out the signs and buildings sections. Properly sized, they make for great building details and window interiors.
Co-owner of the proposed CT River Valley RR (HO scale) http://home.comcast.net/~docinct/CTRiverValleyRR/
Wayne,
In the 3rd picture down the roads, and grade crossings look great. I would like to know how you did it. In the picture all of the paved area looks level with the ties? I think. Looks good, very good.
Thanks in advance.
Bob
Photobucket Albums:NPBL - 2008 The BeginningNPBL - 2009 Phase INPBL - 2010 Downtown
Thanks for the kind words, Bob.
The roads and crossings in that area are all constructed from .060" sheet styrene. Using Atlas code 83 track, I simply cut the plastic (I buy it in 4'X8' sheets) to fit around the track and cement it in place on the plywood layout top using contact cement. Where it meets the track, it's flexible enough to bend upwards so it can sit atop the ends of the ties. For the areas between the rails, I cut the sheet to fit between the moulded on spike heads on the ties, then cement it in place with lacquer thinner. While the gap is wider than would be prototypical, it allows all wheel flanges to pass without interference. The .060" thickness ends up slightly below rail top level, handy if you should ever need to clean the track. I used a 3/4" brush to paint it with PollyScale paint, but have yet to apply any weathering. There are expansion joints scribed into the surface, along with a few cracks, which should "pop" somewhat when I get around to the weathering.
This shot, despite the busy background, shows how the sections abutting the outer sides of the rails curve up slightly over the tie tops: