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I've just had a look at the article on plasticard on here and it didn't really help much with thicknesses for modelling. I've not used plasticard before, but it looks easy enough and I wanted to do some conversions with some orks. So my questions are:

1. What thickness would I need for simple things like adding a glyph or a metal jaw?
2. What thickness would I need for large vehicle constructions? For example, if I were to build a buggy?
3. What is it that people use when constructing pipes, like the exhaust pipes and front forks by Jamsessionein in here?
4. What about for blocks that have been constructed, like in the gas tank in the above clicky link?

Thanks all!

It comes in various thicknesses and I think you're best off taking a look and deciding for yourself is my best advice. Some is very thin and has no strength at all, but even thin card is strong when built and supported correctly. I prefer to go towards the thinner end than the thicker because thick plastic card is a devil to cut. It's easier to but two panels from thin card and stick them together, should the need arise. I'm not sure of the exact measurement, but the thickest card I use is probably 1mm.

OK, that makes sense, thanks. Any other tips?

Plastic card comes in thicknesses from about paper thin to rather thick.

As the Treesong said the thicker it gets the harder it is to cut.

If you want to make a vehicle entirely out of plastic card you could make a chassis and frame first, using plastic girder and rod. I haven't tried it myself. Alternatively, get a chassis from a kit and use that as your base.

Pipes can be made using plastic rod or solder (the stuff used for soldering).

The gas tank looks like a bought component to me. I mean it looks really well made.

Look online for ready made parts. It's amazing what you can find that is made for railway modelling, detail AFV modelling and R/C modelling.

I picked up some Plastic 'H' Girders once in my local Modelling Shop. IIRC, they were about 6" in length, and ideal for adding finishing touches to trashed 40k buildings, or even just adding some more fitting barricades etc for Necromunda, when stacked up.

If you want to do components with round edges like the petrol tank, a big blob of Milliput is better than plastic card.

InyokaMadoda wrote:I've just had a look at the article on plasticard on here and it didn't really help much with thicknesses for modelling. I've not used plasticard before, but it looks easy enough and I wanted to do some conversions with some orks. So my questions are:

1. What thickness would I need for simple things like adding a glyph or a metal jaw?
2. What thickness would I need for large vehicle constructions? For example, if I were to build a buggy?
3. What is it that people use when constructing pipes, like the exhaust pipes and front forks by Jamsessionein in
4. What about for blocks that have been constructed, like in the gas tank in the above clicky link?

Thanks all!

1. 1mm sheet. Sheet styrene, as mentioned, comes in various thicknesses. Thinnest I've used was 0.25mm, thickest 1.5mm.
2. 1-1.5mm (mostly what I use) - with added internal structure and cross-bracing should do you.
3. plasticard (styrene) tubing. Comes in various overall diameters. Looks to be maybe 1/8" OD and maybe 1/4" for the sleeves (but I could be wrong). It's what I use anyway. Good thing about this tubing is that it is easy enough to find sizes that will 'nest' inside each other.
4. He mentioned he cast the tank in resin and sanded it down. Milliput will do the trick otherwise. Or Grey-stuff (like greenstuff, only it's grey. You can get it from GF9 or perhaps Polymeric Systems Inc (makers of green stuff).

Really, the best way to work out what size suits is to test out the various sizes - so you will find something like this a good starting point - http://www.gf9.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=359

Sholto

Thanks Chromedog and Sholto! That pretty much perfectly answers my questions!

Cheers guys!

Also look around your house before going out to buy plasticard from a shop or online. I am currently chopping up an old 'can't-believe-it's-not-butter' tub which provided me with 1mm flat sheets of plastic. For ork glyphs etc, you probably won't need that much plasticard to start with. Obviously, when you start on that Mega-Gargant, shell out for the proper stuff.

Sneaky, and cheap. I like it!

Sholto wrote:Really, the best way to work out what size suits is to test out the various sizes - so you will find something like this a good starting point - http://www.gf9.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=36&products_id=359

Sholto

Does anybody know where I could get something like this in the UK? For some reason, I can't find them anywhere, short of shipping them from the US, which seems a bit daft....

My FLGS stocks GF9 stuff, including that specific item. So either look around locally, or come visit Sheffield

I've been and had a look and can't find anywhere.... And Sheffield is a little far from Brighton.... I was hoping for somewhere online as I can't stand going shopping!

Modelzone sells plastic card. I bought four sheets today. They have 27 branches and do mail order as well.

Here is the website. http://www.modelzone.co.uk/

Here are some other online sources.

http://www.modellersmate.co.uk/plasticard.htm
http://www.model-dockyard.com/acatalog/Plasticard.html
http://www.slatersplastikard.com/Plastikard/slaters%20embossed_plastikard.htm
http://www.stationroadbaseboards.co.uk/z_faq-plasticard.htm

That should get you going.

A standard sheet is a bit larger than A4 size.

The sheets I bought were one each of 2mm, 1mm, 0.5mm and 0.25mm as far as I can tell. Costs ranged from 65p up to £1.55 for the thicket sheets.

Modelzone do not stock plastic rids, girders, beams and so on. You can often use sprue to substitute for these.

Thanks Kilkrazy. I went into Modelzone yesterday to buy some and asked the chap behind the desk whether they had any "No, we're low on stock". So I patiently asked if they were getting any more in and he said "Yes, at some point". No indication of when or whether I could order any. Since he was not forthcoming of any other information, I left. Found some styrene sheets on eBay just a moment ago. Now to find some rods....