A question
I am in the process of building a paper mill in HO scale.
I am mainly using .040 Evergreen plain sheet styrene to build the structures as facades. For a backing I usually use 1/2” smooth 1 sided plywood. Available on the shelf is some. 3/8” and 1/4”. What would you use and why. Would you add stiffeners or not? Suggestions are helpful.
Mockup, the yellow paper machine length is 80’ on the layout it will be. 202’ HO feet
View attachment 246971
1/8 mdf is much cheaper and would probably work for this?
Ribs would work too I imagine - this is what I would likely do.
For me, I don't use plastic.
I take legal folders, the green or brown ones, and glue them together with contact cement. Makes a strong panel, since the folders are fibrous.
Two layers, three, whatever. By staggering the joints, you can make larger sheets.
If you make a simple jig, curved panels can be made.
I use a cheapy paper cutter to cut the perimiter nice and square.
You can scribe them, sand them, stain them, and on. You can even miter the corners by sanding. Any paint will stick like crazy. Sometimes, I use no paint at all.
They sure glue up easily, and the glue, titebond II, is cheap.
Also, I do not cut small openings - I stamp them, with a SHARP wood chisel(s).
Quite often, I will do the same - but with a bare box knife blade.
It is a lot easier to do.
For larger openings, a box knife and a small square - after I have
stamped their corners nicely.
I will be doing another thread in which I'll document new builds in a little while...I did not want to clutter this one up with a lot of how too stuff.
