Has anyone worked with matte board construction? This will be my first time, any tips? Thank you
Freelancing MCRR/NYC Northern Division - Angelo
Three words: fresh knife blades.
Dave Nelson
After reading the instructions last night, that wasn't mentioned. I was thinking of using balsam wood for supports. I am fuzzy on how to make the windows/door jambs get a three D look.
Are these kits the type that you buy pre-printed or are you printing the images yourself?
If you are printing them yourself you can make several copies and glue them to some matte board. Then cut out the details that you want to have stand out from the buildings from some of the copies. Then glue them overtop of the same detail on your master. You can control the depth by how many layers you put on. If you are doing several layers you can cut the details a little larger, glue them all together and then trim them to size before applying them to the master. That will make the layers line up properly. You can touch up the raw edges of the cut out details with a marker so the colour matches.
If they are pre-printed, copy them, then glue the copies to some matte board and then cut out the details. Same process.
Remember Dave Nelson's three words!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Did a couple scratch matte board structures a few years ago. As Dave said, but helpful having an Arkansas sharpening stone handy.
Braced the walls with dimensional balsa and bass wood. In fact cut a piece of 1x on the table saw for the base of the far structure.
The skyway is a matte board "L" shape. Can't tell there's no bottom or back from normal viewing, but the darn camera did when taking a close-up.
Matte board can be had colored on one side, black can sometimes be good for lighted interiors without details, that's what I used on the corrugated structure.
Regards, Peter
Nice buildings Peter!
Hi Nickel Plate Road
If as I think matte board is that artist type card board stuff
A scalple and plenty of spare blades your blades will have to be discarded at the very first signs of going blunt.
Paper products give fuzzy cuts with blunt blades no good for modeling and a razor sharp blade is safer than a blunt blade.
You will also need a good steel rule and if you can find one steel flat square.
Also keep a very sharp lady's hat pin handy for dealing with any air bubbles in paper layers
Detail can be built up with layers of various thicknesses of paper and card to suit the detail required.
For example an old fashioned panneld coach side would take say six layers of card
Good quality shelac should be used to harden up all paper layers keep adding it untill the paper or card just can't absorb any more this will make the paper and card hard and resiliant and the finished model more resiliant.
Good quality hobby wood can be used where framing is required to strengthen a structure or also produce some details as required.
El cheepo rubbish wire coat hangers as used by dry cleaners are handy for drain and other pipes.
Although a bit large pins from the same scource once the door is painted make great door handles lace makes exelent net curtains for the kitchen or perhaps as cafe curtains stretched grey stockings are great for see through fly screens if the area the structure is in should have them.
Look outside the box at everything for matierials for details and if need be a very understanding wife, sister or mother failing those very understanding close female friend are very handy for obtaining some very usefull matierials that perhaps a male would not go and buy or be reluctent to try and obtain by other legitimate means.
Scratch building opens a whole new world for possible structures and other things
It is the things we make ourselves the make the railroad our own and different to every one elses.
Have fun and if at first you don't succede keep trying till you get it right you won't regret it.
ENJOY
regards John
The best ones I have seen are ones that use 3D items along with the 2D, like wood trim around printed doors and windows, you realy have to look then to see that they are not all 3D material, even at fairly close range.
Nickel Plate Road After reading the instructions last night, that wasn't mentioned. I was thinking of using balsam wood for supports. I am fuzzy on how to make the windows/door jambs get a three D look.
First off...I would not use Balsa wood for supports or framing. Window/door trim is ok, but structural support, No. You need something more rigid, like basewood or even white pine will work, the latter is what I use on all My scratch building projects. I'm fortunate to have three table saws, so I rip My own, starting out with a #1 pine 1x8 on the 10'', making them smaller ripped on a 4'' and finally precision on a 2'' table saw....sounds like a lot of work, but it goes fast....been doing it a long time. There are many hardwood suppliers out there that You can buy scale lumber for a decent price and also that have details to add, like windows and doors. Here is a link to one such supplier, within the link are other links to other suppliers and kit Mfger's:
http://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/do-it-yourself/scratch-building-kits.html
In the early 50's, I built many Matboard/Wood kits made by E. Suydam, pretty decent kits for the time....there was no need to shellac or coat with any type of coating...once braced properly, it will not warp...unless of cource You set in out in the weather.
I use what is called Illustration board, technically it is Matboard, but no acid type ingredients and has both sides smooth. Artist's use it for oil/water colors paints. The one I use is 1/16'' 6ply. Works great for what I use it for. I cut with a T-square, with a ''B'' handle Xacto knife with a #2 Z-series blade, lasts longer and is sharper, than a standard Xacto blade...they are relatively new!
A few pic's of My on going project and how I sandwiched the pine wood in btwn. the Matboard. Combination of Contact cement, Plastruct Plastic weld and Northeastern Flamingo wood glue was used, the latter dries in 5 min. and does not always have to be clamped....if I need to, like a long run...I use wood spring loaded clothes pins...plastic one's will also work.
Take Care!
Frank
Thank you everyone for the great advise. I feel a bit more confident to proceed. As my lay out slowly takes shape I like doing these side projects, it makes me feel like I'm making progress, like chicken soup for the modelers soul. Thanks again guys, Peace out - Angelo