Plastikard sheets

[lenht1951]

Hi What's the best glue to fix sheets of plastic together, and any tips please, I originally scratch built a goods shed using thick card sandwiched between layers of Slaters plastikard, due to the heat in the loft, I presume, the plastikard has become delaminated from the thick card. I am in the process of rebuilding the shed but using Polypropylene Plastic Sheet sandwiched between plastikard sheets, any tips and advice on the best way to bond these together would be appreciated...Thanks

[luckymucklebackit]

In the past I have used UHU, but there was still a slight tendency to delaminate after a while. Abrading the plasticard helps, it gives the glue something to key into

Jim

[Mountain]

I tend to use superglue for most uses these days as it has been available at such a reasonable price. However, I have used both UHU (Which is ok but can come apart over time) and polysterene cement. (I can't remember but I think it worked ok). But as superglue is recommended to bond resin which I work a lot with these days, bonding plasticard to resin works well. So it tends to be what I use. The runny cheap superglues. (Gel types are less desirable as they don't suck into joins like the runny stuff does).

[Dad-1]

Perhaps the problem is using card in the mixed materials laminate.
I tend to have thinnish walls made from an inner shell of plasticard
with a top laminate from embossed slaters sheets. I have buildings from
years ago that are stored in my loft that show no signs of degradation.

For thicker walls using plasticard perhaps using foamboard is the
answer, but I've not tried that (yet). The problem comes from the
very different rates of expansion & contraction. I have currently a low
relief building end where I mixed card & Plastic and even without a
few years of use is has distorted. I also had problems with long plastic
pavements stuck onto the ply base. It was there I realised just how much
plastic can expand when hot. Pure card with paper overlays while not
affected by temperature changes will suffer from humidity of garages,
shed and sometimes lofts.

I don't think it's a glue problem at all.

Geoff T.

[Bufferstop]

You're right about it not being a glue problem. Even when laminating with similar materials there is a problem of differential movement, it's why ply-wood starts at three ply and goes up in odd numbers. You need a balancing sheet on the back if you stick a facing onto a thicker sheet.

[End2end]

I use Linka/Scalecast moulded plaster tiles for my buildings for all the reasons mention above. All stuck together with PVA.
I've seen too many saggy buildings to even consider using card. It really does spoil a layout for me.
https://www.scalecast.co.uk/#/

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=54149&hilit=linka
Thanks
En2end

[Bufferstop]

I've seen too many saggy buildings to even consider using card.

It's all down to the type of card used, old cornflake packets and the boxes that the grocer gets them in are not materials designed for a long life. If your models are going to live in a room that wouldn't meet a valuers definition of living space, I would recommend Dad-1's plastic sandwich because of the changes in temperature and humidity. If it's a room you would be comfortable in year round good quality card is quite stable. By good quality I mean artists/photograph mounting board, or card of around 300gsm that has been sealed with a coat of varnish, or primer and oil based paint. The other type of card which has good stability is high density foamboard, of the type used for advertising boards within shops, you can usually scrounge it for free when the promotion is over, it's previous use almost guarantees that it will get an all over coat of primer.
Of course you may want a saggy building, there are many fine examples around this part of the country where a straight roofline means it's not genuine, getting a model of one to look right is devilish difficult with highly stable materials, strips of paper tiles stuck onto slightly saggy card is probably the easiest way to get the look.

[Bigmet]

...For thicker walls using plasticard perhaps using foamboard is the answer, but I've not tried that (yet) ...

Just over ten years ago, I built several 1:50 models to assist an architect in displaying how the planned works would improve church buildings. The smallest was about 30" long, 18" wide, and over 12" high. Ordinary 6mm thick foamboard from Hobbycraft, bonded with PVA, so very cheap, and it all went together very fast, and was strong and stable and has remained so.

The one for our parish church survived the attentions of three girls colouring it with poster paint, and last year I was told is still in the possession of the daughter of a former curate. The one that I still have lives in my unheated layout room and is fine. If I ever want any buildings on my layout (it's slowly bulding and a good way from any scenic treament being required) I'll be using this material as it was cheap, worked so well and is clearly durable enough.

[lenht1951]

Thanks for the advice guys, I am going for the superglue method and if that fails I now have other methods to try.