OK, yes, Laserboard is a name resellers gave to Polybak. It's polyester impregnated cellulose fiber, manufactured for use as a backer to Formica and other laminates. It does laser cut good. When you buy Polybak, usually you have to buy a whole pallet of the stuff.
Here you go Husafreak, per your request. This is the method I use to achieve nice grout lines on any of the laser kit I am working. Granted others may have even better techniques but this one has worked really well for me thus far. FYI: This is the first video I’ve ever uploaded to YouTube. Make sure your view settings on YouTube are at the highest possible for the best picture of clarity. Hopefully you don’t need to.
Thanks for the comments. However the video was not of the quality I desired, but at least it demonstrates the technique. Attached are some higher resolution pictures that certainly demonstrate what the technique can do for this kit, or any Z-scale brick wall for that matter. In my next post, I’ll show some concerns that still persist with warpage in a few of the walls and how I am overcoming the issue.
As promised, here I will address a few concerns with this kit and how I overcame them. The biggest concern is wall bowing due to the acrylic water based paint I use. However the acrylic paints yield some tremendous visual results so I do what I can to work around the negative aspects of them. Even after setting a flat and heavy object on the walls after they have been painted, a minor degree of bowing returned. In this case, on the longer walls, I cut and glued Plastruct I-beams on the interior of the walls where they would not be seen or interfere with any other walls. Another issue I experienced was walls changing positions as the glue dried. Especially as you are gluing edge to edge points. I can only attribute this to the wall pulling in the direction that the glue is drying. In order to overcome this, I had to install and glue wood blocks against the two walls In order to hold them at a firm 90° angle. Lastly here’s another look at three of the walls assembled and yet the one walls has flexed several degrees out of plumb. You’ll note in the picture small square blocks glued into each corner, in order to offer a more firm gluing surface between the walls. However, the flex still occurred to a degree. Final pics of this installment but you can see were some beefing up in the corners is required in order to secure a good 90° fit. She ain’t pretty on the inside, but in the next posting you’ll see that she is on the outside. For what it’s worth I use GORILLA wood glue on all of my buildings. I have found it to be the strongest and most easiest to work with on these laser cut buildings and materials. All of the alignment issues or slowly worked out the walls, but it took patience and a little time.
Hi, Lance. Did you prime them first? I use Tamiya grey primer on all my laser cut kits and then I paint it with acrylics. I prime paper kits too. It seems to make them more rigid and much less absorbent. Another trick I use is to fan the painted surface with an LP or something like it for a few minutes. This speeds up the drying and most of the water will evaporate. Jim
Here is the next installment of this kit build, with only the roof and the front two entrance doors left to install. The roof has some intricacies that I see will be a minor challenge, but we shall overcome. As you can see this is really a spectacular kit with a great degree of detail. It will be a fantastic visual for the rail yard it will be placed in. Should have the roof and doors installed in a few days and will send the final pics.
Hey Jim, No, I did not prime them, and that is a good suggestion. However, would any detail be lost under the primer??? The relief on this brick walls is oh so slight. How is the viscosity of the Tamiya primer? Granted, it seemed to work very well on the autos you presented in the other posting. I have many more kits to build, so indeed will consider priming the next build. Will certainly use it on my own Carlos Pinto cars.
I like those windows. The building reminds me of the single stall Marklin kit. Very nice. BTW. I like the mortar tip. Jim
Hi, Lance. Tamiya is a fine pigmented primer. It goes on in one coat (usually) and does not take away any detail that I can notice. You will really like Carlos' creations. BTW. Tamiya white primer can be used as the primary color of the cars too.Jim
Thanks Jim. I will be picking up some Tamiya primer at the hobby shop tomorrow. As for the windows on this kit, that is a 4-piece assy, including glazing. "Mucho" patience needed when installing them. I did take my airbrush and gently applied a very thin application of dark brown (enamel) across the frames prior to cutting away from the main sheet. The lattice is so thin, you have to be careful not to gum them up.
I have an Aztec airbrush still in the box since 1997. The thought of having to clean it every time I wanted to use it...Jim
Jim, I only clean my airbrush on occasion. Usually, after each use, I simply run a good amount of pure thinner through it until it sprays clean, then wiper er' down, and back in the case she goes. I have three Badger brand airbrushes, and seldom have issues with them.
FWIW, Jim, your work is exceptional, forget the airbrush and just keep doing what you are doing! As for the availability of these kits it appears that if the builder knows he has buyers he'll make more! So we just need to let him know...
Hi, Eric. I just purchased the mill with water wheel. This will be my first kit from this maker. Thank you for your kind words about my work. I hope you are doing well. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. Jim
