Tabs or Butt joints

[piginapoke]

I'm not an experienced modeller but I'm keen to know how popular butt joint method of joining paper pieces together is. I see it on commercial kits a lot but how popular is it with modellers here?

Please vote.

Thanks
Robin

 

[Lighter]

I did my vote for butt joints, BUT it's really more complicated than that. I butt join cylinders, but put a splice plate behind the joint. And so forth for any butt joint - some (or a lot) reinforcement. If the plane changes than I do use a tab which doesn't draw attention to the joint.

 

[cafe]

I tend to prefer butt joints too even if my models are a mix of tabs and butt joints.

 

[micahrogers]

I voted tabs cause I'm still learning to do butt joints, the few butt joints I have made have had a strip to reinforce behind.

 

[Rhaven Blaack]

I use both. Reason for being, it depends upon the model that I am building and why I am building it (i.e. If I am building it for the first time (to get to know how the model works, and what all I have to play with), I will use tabs. If I am building it for someone or a competition, I will use butt joints).

 

[oriod01]

I have to agree that both have their place. As @Lighter stated, with a plane change, tabs are fine, no need for a butt joint. More organic surfaces like the subtle curve of a face or dome of a helmet, a butt joint is the only way you will achieve a smooth, clean, tight build.

 

[Behzad]

my vote for both bcoz it depend on model.

 

[mbauer]

Vote for tabs as faster & weigh less. Less weight is good for flying.....For looks: Butt Joints are best.

Mike

 

[DEADMAN2012]

Both, depending on the model.

 

[zathros]

Tabs work, if the thickness of the paper is compensated for when bent. People rarely do that, so my vote goes for Butt joints. I tend to prefer nice butts anyways.

 

[SonOfAGun2501]

I prefer butt joints for aesthetic reasons. But tabs have their place sometimes it does depend on the model.

 

[spaceagent-9]

tabs eliminated or butt joints eliminated is how i view this as an ultimatum. so i vote to keep butt joints as they just work better more of the time and solve problems.
tabs help line up pieces, and arent asmuch work, but usually they creat more problems than they solve.

 

[zathros]

You can always tell when a model is built using tabs, unless they spent an hour on each tab. Butt Joints also really go a long way towards eliminating white line edges for those who do not color the edge of their models. A piece of card stock on the backside of two edges strengthens that edge also. IMHO.

 

[kirby stewart]

i don't use tabs so i can't agree with any of the choices and with out tabs saves time

 

[zathros]

16 times, counting me, is how many times people said "Butt", and not one joke? Suppose you cracks your Butt joint (17)!! :asshat: Butt (18) joints rule!