Scratchbuilding instead of plastic card.

[magmer]

After having the Barge boards, soffits and fascias replaced on the house the contractor said he would knock some money off the bill if I disposed of the waste. There was quite a bit of plastic left over and after hiding some sheets under the bushes in the back garden for a while I made a lightweight but strong carrying case for my Jagdpanther.
Just this week I was putting some surrounds on the rear window frames and I needed some more sheet, I went to a local window supplier and I was amazed that a 5m x 100cm corner strip was £12. So if you are scratch building something large in plastic, instead of using sheets of plastic card which are quite expensive for an A4 sheet have a look at the different products that are available in the home improvement industry.

[streetfighterjeff]

what did you use to glue it? would make a really inexpensive way to do big lumps, and it's quite thick so joins could be strong

[FreakyDude]

I buy plastic sheet from a manufacturer here in town. $21.00 Cdn about 12 pounds give or take for a sheet 4' x 8' .080 thick, $26.00 for the same sheet in 0.160
Go to a local industrial sign making shop if you have too, all those guys use all kinds of different types of plastic
needless to say I buy 1 sheet every couple years lol

[Saxondog]

What bonding agent is used? The plasticard from evergreen is very expensive,but the glue is as well,and honestly I am not impressed with the strength of the glue,that is the Plastistruct brand specificity made for the Evergreen products.

[FreakyDude]

Saxondog for the stuff I get which is not special sheet I use testors for light duty stuff, I super glue anything that needs to stay and then for the stuff really stressed out I epoxie, sometimes I actually screw and then super glue it.
I just ask for regular white sheet styrene, its basicly the same as the evergreen stuff but a touch more flexible. Building a tank there is no issue though as you would layer the plastic anyway to at least get close to a scale thickness.

makes awesome wings for 1/35th scale because it has enough flex that heated in hot water you can bend it and it doesn't deform or ripple. The .160 is excellent for tanks.

[magmer]

Streetfighter Jeff, I screwed the box together and sealed it inside with PVA glue. I think superglue will stick it OK. The whole idea was to utilize something I had and make something with it instead of leaving it under the bushes in the garden or taking it to the tip. I don't think it would be much use in a load bearing area but it is so easy to work with and light, ideal for a landing craft.