Paper Handrails

[taylormade]

I did a search but didn't find what I needed. What is the correct proceedure for making paper handrails? What weight paper do you use? How do you apply cyano to strenghten them ((or do you?)?
Thanks,
RT

[Golden Bear]

Sorry to admit this but I buy them... from Paper Model Store if they have what I want or from GPM. GPM is reliable but pricey for postage so I saved my money up and bought a LOT of railings all at once. If you can afford them, I think that the brass railings are easier to deal with but I haven't had that many to play with.

For the purchased railings, they come in a sheet. You'll need to carefully trim them out. I've tried CAing before painting and shaping, before shaping THEN painting, and painting before CAing (that was ugly btw). My observation is that if I CA, then let it sit for a few days before painting it and using it, it can be brittle and possibly split while I'm trying to form it. If I do the painting and whatnot after it is dry but has not sat around for awhile then it seems a little easier to do.


Carl

[Royaloakmin]

Carl, did you ever try painting the paper railings in Future. it seems to have a strengthing effect, and you can paint over it.

[Golden Bear]

Future? I don't understand... unless you mean use them without CAing. I've tried that but the railing warps with the paint and I like it to be a little stiff and straight. Also, it is even more delicate to handling.


Carl

[B-Manic]

There are several tutorials for making rails at zealot.com. They include options in paper, card and wire.

The best option IMHO is to use laser cut rails. They are available in various scales, relatively cheap and easy to use. Bruce Clemens at avantCard,
AvantCard - Ship Railings (http://avantcard.biz/ship_railings)
and, a member here, has some nice offerings. I believe he does custom stuff as well.

- example - Over 1000 feet of railing (in scale), including some chained gateways, narrow railing (2 foot posts), 45 and 60 degree sloped rails for stairs, and gently curved railing for use near bows and sterns. All on one sheet.

Some people (including myself) use Future to stiffen and seal paper structures. Future is a water soluable acrylic floor covering (wax). It works great, is cheap, paintable, easy to clean up and does not stick everything it comes in contact with together. Sometime only CA will do but Future is good for the rest.

~Cheers

[Golden Bear]

Thanks Douglas!

[Bluenoser]

Thank for the link Doug. I just ordered 5 sheets of railing.

[Golden Bear]

Too bad they don't have any 1:250 stuff. :(

[bclemens]

In time golden bear...in time! I'm working as fast as I can ;)
I am finding that railing doesn't scale easily for the cutter- I have to redo the art when I change scales.
Thanks everyone for your interest!
Bruce

[Golden Bear]

Is it all three bar railing or does it include two bar. From the images at the site it seems to be three. I need both but generally find that 80-90% of what I use is two bar. And if you stuck in some tiny blocks (...and tackle thingies) about 1.5mm long... heh.


Carl

[B-Manic]

Is it all three bar railing or does it include two bar. From the images at the site it seems to be three. I need both but generally find that 80-90% of what I use is two bar. And if you stuck in some tiny blocks (...and tackle thingies) about 1.5mm long... heh.


Carl

Ah the possibilities. Deck cleats, block & tackle, anchors (various patterns), standard boat davits, ship's boats (at least the fiddly bits), small calibre guns, radar antenna . . . just a thought, really.

~cheers

[dansls1]

Hmm, while we're brainstorming ideas - WW2 plane gun sights, those are always pretty fiddly...

[bclemens]

Yeah, that sheet is three-bar. I'll work on a two-bar version. Can you direct me to an image of the block and tackle thingies you'd like? That'll help me a lot.
Best,
Bruce

[B-Manic]

Here ya go matelot.

[Golden Bear]

That would do it. No need to get fancy at 1:250 anyway. A flat version of the image in the upper right would do. Then I could string my own lines from the outsides of the pulley to another similar set. If I wanted a single I could trim off the lower pulley. That would be sweet. If you look at my photos of Charlemagne you can see that I attempted my own for the large boat cranes. Pre mades would have made that a lot easier.


Carl

[Lex]

[??] ??????????? - ?????(Freshmen's Area) - cardmodel.cn ????Papermodel?Cardmodel?3Dcard?3D?? - Powered by Discuz! (http://www.cardmodel.cn/viewthread.php?tid=705&extra=page%3D3)
Well there is a tutorial here... Might want to use Google Translate though XD

[Golden Bear]

I have not been able to find any Future yet. Will some other floor wax substitute?


Carl

[B-Manic]

Any liquid acrylic floor finish should do the trick Carl.

Future® Floor Finish (http://www.floorcareproducts.com/floor-finish/index.asp) <-future link

For small jobs I spray it on very very lightly with a small mist pump sprayer. I do this on a sheet of wax or teflon coated paper. then cover in another sheet of wax or teflon coated paper and place something heavy on top until all is dry. You may want to experiment with this process and some scrap card stock. The first time I tried it I was not happy with the results. Several coats may be required.

[Royaloakmin]

Carl I have used Future for small parts but havent tried it for fine lasercut parts. I think Bmaniac has the right idea, a light misting and sveral coats will avoid the warping problem. The Future has a plasticizing effect, so no super glue and no brittleness. I do not know about any other acrylic floor waxes, but Future is widely available. if you experiment, pls let us know how it turns out, I definitly want to try the the paper lasercut railings when I get back to building ships..

regards

[Golden Bear]

Hmm. I'm now uncertain. I may still give it a try but I am reluctant about things that need pressing. I'll still get some and run tests. I'm also lazy about prep work but that could change if I could just treat several sheets at once ahead of time.

What about spray starch? My wife has this stuff around for her quilting. Is it too brittle?


Carl

[B-Manic]

I have some spare laser cut rails around here somewhere. I will start up a separate tutorial thread later today or tomorrow.

~ cheers

[Royaloakmin]

The starch could be worth a try if you can find a way to mist it on. I'd like to see Bmaniac's tutorial, that should help.

[B-Manic]

Tutorial thread is here http://www.papermodelers.com/forum/tips-tricks/2009-stiff-guard-rails-future-method.html