hi guys!
sorry for asking…i’m a newbie and wanted to start builing my first diorama…but first, i would like to know what is a styrene?
Polystyrene is the plastic from which most injected plastic models are produced. Most modelers shorten the name to just ‘styrene’
Go to Wiki for a brief introduction
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polystyrene
Styrene is actually a foul-smelling liquid. When it is put through some chemical magic (polymerization) it solidifies.
By mixing polystyrene with other stuff, melting it and forcing it into a mold under pressure (i.e. injecting it), plastic parts may be made. Your model or the case to your iPod. My squeesing the melted plastic through a specially shaped die, rods, strips, tubes, sheets, or shapes may be extruded. Polystrene Foam – think of that white foam coffee cup. Based on the processes used the foam beads can be large or small.
The most common brands of polystrene rod, strip, and sheet stock are Evergreen and Plastruct. Both are generally white. Watch what you get from Plastruct. Some may be ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) another plastic with different chemical properties. It is generally gray. It reacts to glues differently. Others plastics include PVC (Poly Vinyl Chloride)
Definitely head for a shop that has this–most have at least a small rack on the counter, and ohters have teh whole line–and grab all sorts of strip, rod, and square stock. I love the bag of odds N ends, its wonderful stuff and you get a lot of variety in there for several dollars.
On the Plastruct ABS (GREY) it will not react well to glue at all. the 501st costuming guys use ABS and have had success with Weld-ON pipe cement, but superglue will be easier for you in the long run.
I have a cannister of the stuff, every time I go to the store I get more sizes and diameters.
David
thank you guys!!!