Exploring a new covering technique for model buildings

[Fran]

I'm not a train modeller per se, however, after watching more than 3 or 4 video's showing how to build layouts, with many hours being 'lost', I thought I'd try a technique that I'd seen a while ago, to construct a building using printed laminated sheets and a laser machine.
The model railway video's that I've seen have featured layout builders using card and and thin MDF that have been covered/wrapped in printed textures (brick, stone, wood). The skill and patience required is quite surprising, I thought the process would be simpler ... I suppose that it can be depending on the level of detail you want to achieve. Some of the detail is quite extraordinary.

The idea I wanted to try came from this link. Basically the outline of a building is laid out over pictures of building materials, the sheets are printed out (on a normal printer) and laminated. The sheets are attached to a backing, in my case 3mm MDF, using double sided tape and them cut out and assembled.

Yes, a laser cut the MDF but if laminated card was used, it could have been cut with a knife. A disadvantage with this technique is that the 'cut' edges are visible, a knife cut edge could be coloured, a laser cut edge might not be that simple? An advantage if that the model wouldn't need varnishing assuming the 'laminate stands the test of time? For my use the laminated sheet will work just fine. Time to experiment a little more...

[popeye]

You could say you've got your work cut out for you.

[Fran]

31 minutes ago, popeye said:

You could say you've got your work cut out for you.

If only it was easy as that 

[Darius43]

The result looks good but the laser cut edges and corner interfaces do stick out.  Furthermore, the corrugated roof sheeting looks ok from some angles, but being flat and smooth, will not look quite so good from other angles - especially with larger roof areas.

Cheers

Darius

[murrayec]

Be careful of using double sided tape- with some brands or most the glue drys out over time with the lamination coming free. PVA or paper glues would be a far better deal.

The edges can be covered with printed corner trims to walls and openings, with fascia & barge trims to the roofs

I agree with Darius43 about 'flat' corrugated roofs.

Take a look at Kevin Sweeney's thread for his building builds!

Eoin

18 hours ago, popeye said:

You could say you've got your work cut out for you.

Cutting edge stuff

[Mayner]

With laser cutting you can omit the intermediate stage of using an overlay by engraving brick-stonework directly onto the laser cut shell.

I produce my own drawings and have used businesses like York Model Making and a local business to do the laser cutting.

The GSWR Signal box incl stairs and windows was laser cut by York Model Making, I mitred the corners of the wall panels to minimise joint thickness, roof and ridge tiles are Will Materials. The laser cut windows were basically an expirement, I prefer to use etched window frames on foreground buildings.

Westport Mill was laser cut in Ply by a local business, the exposed concrete frame on one layer, the infill panels on another, windows laser cut in plastic.

Building painted using "Match Pots" from a home decor shop matched to photos of the original.

 

Edited Tuesday at 21:46 by Mayner

[Fran]

6 hours ago, Darius43 said:

the laser cut edges and corner interfaces do stick out.  Furthermore, the corrugated roof sheeting looks ok from some angles

Agreed, the edges do stick like a sore thumb compared to the level of finish I see on here and the scale and texture of the roof is not great. It's a starting point though.

 

5 hours ago, murrayec said:

Be careful of using double sided tape- with some brands or most the glue drys out over time with the lamination coming free

Thanks for the heads up, a 'nude' building with it's 'clothing' falling around it wouldn't be a good look. 

 

47 minutes ago, Mayner said:

With laser cutting you can omit the intermediate stage of using an overlay by engraving brick-stonework directly onto the laser cut shell.

That's another technique I need to try out along with etching timber cladding and dry stone walls.

Thanks to all for the feedback, the journey along this model building learning curve is underway.