RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Hi guys, I'm going to put in a bulk order for some Plasticard, and I was wondering what you guys that use it find you get through most.
Especially when matching up the thickness of Heng Long hulls and chassis as I haven't gotten around to checking all the hull and chassis thicknesses yet.
Also for scratch building the hulls and chassis, which thickness works best.
I've found a supplier that stocks up to 3mm, but is that overkill?

Many thanks for taking the time to look in.

Hi Mick, I buy 1mm and 2mm and I use both pretty much equally and on the very rare times that I have needed 3mm Plasticard I simply "PlasticWeld" !mm and 2mm together but if I need any material in 3mm it will usually be structural and so I would almost always use metal.
Heng Long use 1mm on inner sections and 2mm on most everything else.
It should be noted that Taigen use 1.5mm thick metal in their hulls.

Thank you Shaun
I was wondering whether to use metal reinforcing, especially as I'm more comfortable with metal.
Cool, I was thinking it may be mostly 2mm, I guess that'll make up the bulk of my order

Quote you; It should be noted that Taigen use 1.5mm thick metal in their hulls.
Is that for definite, I ask because one of the most common sheet metal thicknesses is 16 gauge, which so happens to be almost dead 1.6mm.

I use: 1mm, 1.5, 2.00, and 3mm. Of these, I guess I use 1.5mm the most. Chris Ludwig kits use all of these thicknesses, just for information's sake. In fact, one of his Tiger 1 upgrade kits is based on approximating the relative (actual) thickness of individual armour plates found on the actual Tiger, as closely as possible.
if accuracy is your thing, you'll need a good range of sheets.
Tip: never throw the offcuts away, either. They'll always come in handy.
Bonding sheets together, a la Shaun, is something I do now and then; but an absolutely level surface is needed for that...plus a fair amount of cement. With that, you'll get the attendant screaming abdab fumes

My supplier is happy to make up mixed packs so I get 1, 1.5, 2 and 3mms, white or black. I generally use 1-2mm for light duty or decorative parts but 3mm for structural. I also use aluminium sheet and extrusion if no flex is important. I never use wood - can't deal with grain!

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I only did a quick check with a micrometer so it may well be 1.6mm and as 16 gauge is such a commonly used size Industrially it makes sense that it gets the nod over 1.5mm.

Thank you guys, much appreciated

Roy, thanks for the scale thickness heads up, but I may not need that. Do you find laminating the thicknesses is less flexible?

General, sounds like we may have found the same supplier. As for metals and mechanical fixings, yeah, will use when needed, but plastic and glue, I'm out my comfort zone.

Thanks Shaun, although being made in China, anything is possible

Roy, I use Plastic Weld (Methylene Chloride) from E M A Model Supplies,
And yes do use it in a well ventilated area,
Clean the sheets with Acrylic Thinners, Lay the sheet on a flat surface then using a brush lightly apply the "Plastic Weld" to the central area of the sheet,
Capillary action will spread the fluid to all parts of the sheet,
Place the second sheet on top and a thin film of both surfaces will melt into each other making a single sheet.
It is surprisingly economical.
I bought a single 57ml bottle last year fully expecting to buy more this year but my original bottle is still 3/4 full.
White spirit or Cellulose thinners will clean the brush.

Eastern Front wrote:.....its just Heng Long uses the worst plastic on the planet...

Amen!