Maybe a new way to make cardmodels more resilient!?!

[Vahmp]

Originally Posted by MTK

Vahmp. This has been done and was started by CJTK here in this very forum. Search for "Paper to Plastic" There was an original thread that was started back in 06, but it has dropped off or been deleted. As a matter of fact, thousands of people world wide have caught on and are now creating their own kits and armour as a result of these threads.

Hi MTK,


That's a cool thread, but from what I've seen in the fotos, he's making molds from the model.
Wasn't exactly what I was talking about, but that's another good way to do it.
In my opinion, fibre-glassing is good for one to one models (ie; wearable paper helmets and armor).

But I was talking about just using the resin for smaller kits (to make them hard and also not loose any of the artwork on the outside (which then, panel lines and such can be scribed in).

I have a small sailboat model that I made of the real boar I had. Wanting it to last long, I poured (outside, in the open air) liquid crazy glue, over the surfaces of the model before painting them. I just found that model, missing a wooden seat on the inside, and most of the other fittings, the other day, in my basement. The hull is extremely intact. I made the model 23 years ago. I came to the conclusion after that experience, that I was going to try and minimize the use of toxic materials in future models. I have made a few models made of PVC parts using the bonding agent for PVC to put them together. I always return to Cardstock models, especially since the advent of high quality printers, because of the easy, and the recyclable nature of them. I think if one really wanted them to last, you must use a good quality glue, a pigment based ink, then consider putting them in argon filled glass cases. Trying to remove dust from delicate models can destroy them just as much as anything else. This is the best way to make them last, without going to noxious chemical route. Doping paper with chemicals almost makes me think that it would just be better to build plastic models, but then again, plastic models, the good ones, cost a fortune! (all this is just my opinion, for what it's worth, if anything!)

If you come up with a good technique, post it. I am sure many, including myself, would like to know. I have just sprayed clear coat on model, and that made them last a real long time, but these were paper planes you toss, and it was just to keep the moisture off and out of them.

[Vahmp]

Great that you recycle!
Most of my scratchbuilds are all made from recycled material (in other words, built from everyday garbage. )

My reasons for wanting to coat PMs in resin are...

1. There are Rare, Hard-to-come-by models that are not produced in plastic.
2. The good quality one's they do make, are as you said, expensive as hell.
3. I like to scratchbuild.
4. With the resin coating, they last practicaly forever sealed in it.
and
5. With the coating they are almost as hard as plastic (not so delicate, that they would be damaged from normal handling.)