Hello folks, newbie here with a question on sheet styrene. I am not into the scratch building aspect of modeling as of yet,but, I have a need for sheet styrene for the inevidable lost or damaged parts. Does the styrene come in various thicknesses? Can anyone supply me with names of companies or retailers that carry this material? I have partially disabled hands and I am forever dropping and loosing small parts that wind up being crucial to a build. Can anyone list me any certain tools that I should gather for working with styrene? As I move further into the world of model building, I find so many new and interesting challenges awaiting me, I recently found a 1/35 Academy Tiger 1 that is very detail oriented and has every internal component there for inspection. It looks like I may spend the rest of my time on this Earth ( I’m 60) working on this build. I am abit afraid of starting this one, I just don’t know where to start I guess. Anyway, I have just subscribed to FSM magazine after finding several issues on the news stand at Barnes and Nobles. I am thrilled at the prospect of reading these mags from cover to cover…
You can also find sheet styrene in the hardware store that has a decent selection of signs…For Sale, No Trespassing…etc. Many of these are made of styrene sheet. Also those custom sign shops often have thicker stock as they use it for signs which are more permanent. Many times you can purchase a sign unfinished or even get scraps that they toss out.
Don’t forget to look in your mail too, as many of the credit card and other companies send out mock cards which are made of styrene.
I’ve been scratchbuilding for quite a while and I hopefully can give you some advice on working with styrene. First of all, the aforementioned Evergreen is a great place to get all sorts of sizes and shapes of styrene - they also have “starter” sets of various sized pieces that can be used for your projects. Plastruct also has styrene and ABS plastics available. Depending on how much you intend to scratchbuild you can obtain a pretty sizable assortment of shapes and thicknesses for less than $50, and it’ll last for quite a while. As far as tools go, you absolutely must have a supply of X-acto #11 blades…I usually buy them in lots of 100 blades. They are indispensable for working with any plastics. Get a few chisel blades, too. The metal ruler is a good idea, and get one that measures in inches and mm…and one that sits flat on the surface, and not raised. A sharp pencil - like a draftsman’s - is good to have: a dull graphite pencil will give incorrect, inaccurate measurements and cause problems later on in assembly and fitting. Of course, obey the law: measure twice, cut once! Get yourself a set of small files and a file card for keeping them clean; you’ll need sandpaper - I use a lot of 220 grit, and you’ll probably need some finer stuff, too, and some Scotch-brite pads for removing burrs. I like to glue a small piece of 220 sandpaper to a flat block of wood and use it as a sanding base for keeping cut edges clean and perpendicular (if you sand by hand, you’ll most likely round the edges). I don’t know what kind of glue you use, but my preference is Tenax (hard to find sometimes)…glues easily and dries quickly with a good strong bond. Weld-On #4 works good, too.
This is probably much more info than you were looking for, but when someone mentions an interest in scratchbuilding it certainly piques my own interest. You’ll find, I’m sure, that once you’ve entered the world of scratchbuilding that a whole vista of opportunities awaits you (Jeez, I sound like a travel brochure!!) - you’ll be able to create your own one-of-a-kind masterpieces, conversions, and superdetailing. I don’t use much PE, but when I do it’s usually to use the pieces as templates for a styrene reproduction. Google “KFK” and bring up the Kriegsfischkutter I scratchbuilt a few years ago and see what you can accomplish. Hope this helped and if you have further questions, please contact me.
Micro Mark carries sheet styrene. MM is a great source of modeling tools, but they also carry some materials (styrene, some wood, metal tubing, etc.). Worth getting onto their mailing list.
You can also order directly from Evergreen and Plastruct.
Hi, are you going to go whole hog ? Good , I am always glad when someone does that . Now as to that styrene . You will find that “EVERGREEN” has the best selection . They are also adding new shapes at the rate of at least two a year . Now as far as tools ,you have been advised properly .( great bunch of knowledgeable guys here) . The one exception is this you need to get a very small scratch awl . I won,t describe it but it will help improve your accuracy . The idea is to make a mark on the plastic , exactly on the mark , one that can,t easily disappear . Now as far as glue , each person develops a liking for a specific product . I have used the glues mentioned and in over forty years of model building I still preffer "TESTORS " liquid cement . I have never had a problem with it and you can get it anywhere plastic model paints are sold . You are never to old or stove up to build models. Remember this your brain is the boss and your heart is it,s supervisor . If you heed this you will be unstoppable . Good luck on the build . By the way I have motor nerve problems , have had since a plane crash I walked away from . Don,t let anything limit you . tankerbuilder
We have jsut started stocking styrene sheets, either in 305 x 200mm sheets or in packs of cut lengths with widths from 2mm - 100mm, we currently have 0.5, 0.75 and 1mm thickness in stock, and our prices are very good. you can check out our stock range here
We will have to put togeher a little sample pack of our range of products designed for model makers (the styrene sheets, cut vinyls tape lines etc) over to FSM for a review.
Thanks for your info, I really appreciate all of it. Being a CNC Machinist by trade, I have many of the tools to make any scratch building easier, I just didn’t realize it! I have a ton of measuring tools, dial calipers included and scotchbrite pads up the wazzoo. I layed in a supply of #11 blades awhile back.I have a complete Dremel Tool set from a 300 series tool, work station, multi-vise etc. I have my grinding, sanding and cutting of styrene to a science now. I’m looking forward to many projects in my model building future. Scratch building here I come!!!
Machinist? Great! As you read some of the postings in other forum topics, you’ll find several here who turn and machine their own parts for scratchbuilding. Wheels and pullies are most popular, but your toolset and mind are your only limits. [:D]
I find scratchbuilding to be some of the most frustrating to attempt, but most rewarding things to accomplish in the hobby. It’s like fabricating in the 1:1 world.
You youngsters still in your sixties! I date from the modeling BP (before plastic era) Non-flying scale models were called “solid models” and were of pine, spruce, solid balsa or basswood. Majority of models for sail were stick and tissue “flying scale,” but there were a few non-flying models- many by Strombecker.
Nah! I had better boots than I can buy today in stores. Remember goloshes? I do think it was uphill both ways though And I only lived a block from the school, which was great for going over in evenings and weekends to fly those flying models in the big schoolyard. School covered a whole block! School was only one block away from Livernois avenue, a major Detroit street. My first thermal flight covered that block, plane landed in middle of Livernois. Fortunately the street had a divider in that area and plane landed on divider! I kid you not.
And I only lived a block from the school, which was great for going over in evenings and weekends to fly those flying models in the big schoolyard. School covered a whole block! School was only one block away from Livernois avenue, a major Detroit street. My first thermal flight covered that block, plane landed in middle of Livernois. Fortunately the street had a divider in that area and plane landed on divider! I kid you not.