More KMart/7Eleven & Poster Board

Clark A.

Member
Wanna get started on my buildings. Would using a big sheet of posterboard (cut to size pieces)work instead of more expensive styrene?
 

Woodie

Active Member
You can use anything, Clark. Anything you like. :)

Have a look through this "Scratch Building" section. There are some good threads on using cereal packets, corrugated cardboard, balsawood and styrene sheets, and how they have made the structure they wanted.
 

MarkB

New Member
Clark
As Woodie points out, look throught this section on the forum and look for posts by Matthryo (sp?). He builds alot of his buildings using corrugated cardboard and cereal box cardboard for his structures. I too have started using corrugated cardboard (double wall is the sturdiest-like computer boxes) for the walls of buildings and then covering it with my wall material. I have used cereal box cardboard with brickwork drawn on for walls and I have also used extra window vertical blind material to simulate corrugated steel siding.

Have fun.
 
F

Fred_M

For stability I think I would use foamcore. Posterboard can warp on larger structures unless you brace it with wood or something. Foamcore stays straight better and can be cut easier than posterboard and glues very well with white glue. Matte board would also work better than poster board for the same reasons, but foamcore is still the way to go on larger buildings like a kmart. Matte board would be better for a 7 eleven if you want a finished interior because of thickness. Foamcore is 1/4 inch or thicker, matte board is just slightly thicker than posterboard. Fred
 
Styrene doesn't have to be expensive. If you buy it in small sheets in plastic bags it's going to be expensive but if you don't need it scribed and buy large sheets, it can be pretty cheap. Check: US Plastic

Click on: "Sheet/Rod/Shapes" in the blue menu box
Then click on the "Styrene" link.
Click on "High Impact Styrene Sheet"

Example: A sheet of 0.040" styrene is 40 inches x 72 inches and costs $9.92 plus shipping. You can scratchbuild a pretty decent HO K-Mart for under ten bucks with sheets that size. In fact, you could build a pretty fair -sized village with that much plastic.

Wayne
 

siderod

Member
Wayne...that site just got added to my bookmarks...my gosh **wipes away drool** wow...thats some nice **wipes face again** stuff, teflon, ABS, delrin **drool** acetate...

I just sent my free catalogue request...i can't wait to read it (i want to read a book about plastic...does that make me wierd?)

That sheet styrene is if peticular interest to me...i plan to model a large new high-school i attend, and seeing as it's 3-feet square and a foot high, i need ALOT of styrene. Did i mention all the inside walls will be true-to-as-built-scale deminsions? And with 950+/- kids at the school, and over 50 teachers and other staff, anyone know a source for nice cheap figures? I'll need over a thousand eventualy **worried look**
 

jetrock

Member
woo hoo! I love free catalogs! I have a need for large amounts of sheet styrene (hey, what model railroader doesn't?) so this is a great link for me...thanks!

siderod: Your best bet is to go unpainted...Presier makes a big set of unpainted figures but most are not appropriate for high-school students in the modern era. You might have to take out a student loan to buy that many painted figures!!
 

SAL Comet

Member
siderod said:
(i want to read a book about plastic...does that make me wierd?)

Don Featherstone, the creator of the pink lawn flamingo once said, "Before plastic, only rich people could afford to have bad taste."
 

Clark A.

Member
Bought some foamboard for my Kmart, some styrene for 7Eleven. Also some prefabricated doors and windows for 7Eleven. I'll take some pictures tomorrow. I think I'll opt for the Kmatr in Garden City on Ford Rd. and the 7Eleven on Ford Rd. also. Though I do like the one in Farmington...descisions.....:)
 
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