Scaling up questons

[jyduchene]

I am a long time lurker and sometimes contributor and hoping I can offer a build of substance in near future. My questions have to do with enlarging which I know is Leif's specialty. I hope others well chine in, add to and generally pile on

I recently received Leif's 1/16 Spad and at the same time I have followed his threads on enlarging using graphics programs. I have obtained the recent 1/33 Tiger Moth and have followed the leader and have it nearly finished in Photoshop. All of this is to say I have not yet decided which to began first.
My current two questions have to do with materials. Regarding paper, I have a printer which will print 8.5" by nearly 24". I have in stock a bright white paper of 67 lbs. weight. Will the be of sufficient thickness to use for the printed parts.
My second question is about frame and bulkhead material. These items are generally 1mm and thus should be increased 100% or 2mm. I have read discussions of foam core, balsa wood as well as doubling cardstock. I am interested in what experiences folks have with each. I will say that I have found doubled cardstock very difficult to cut and that is why I wish to hear others opinions.
Thanks for your contributions. I hope to return with a decision and a beginning.

John

[Leif Ohlsson]

Hello John,

You already know what I stick by - foam (sanded - or ironed - down to ca 1.5-1.75 mm), laminated back and front (the part) with 200 g paper (or what you intend to use). Balsa allows you to choose exactly 1.5 mm, which is good. Slightly harder to cut, but also better rigidity and it will keep its shape very well. 2 mm card is very hard to work with (had to buy an electric fretsaw to manage that once, have gone off it since then).

The Spad, like most of my reworked stuff, is made for printing on "universal" A4 or Letter paper size. Will fit both.

I've been looking at the Tiger Moth as well. For my personal use, I'll have to use a paper size of A4 width (210 mm) and A3 length (420 mm), cutting down A3 to the width a common garden variety inkjet printer will accept. Works fine for me. That's what I used for the Po-2 build, currently going on. Although the length of the paper would have allowed undivided wing parts, the width of those parts were too large for the 210 mm limit, so I had to divide them lengthwise at the aileron inner edge. Not a problem to join, almost seamlessly, if you make the division along a suitable rib position.

Looking forward very much to the Tiger Moth or the Spad, whichever you choose - although the model of the Moth certainly is the more advanced design, as far as framework and details go. If 67 lbs is the most common paper thickness used for paper models, it would correspond to ca 160 g. I believe that might be a bit too thin for the Spad, since that design lacks a rigid framework. Might work better for the Moth, although I haven't really tried that kind of paper on large models (which doesn't mean it wouldn't work, just can't say).

Leif

[WVA]

I have used 67lb cover stock for a couple of models enlarged to 1/24 from 1/33, and found it very adequate. On one 1/16th enlargement, the 67lb proved satisfactory as well. As far as bulkheads go, most of them are just to keep shape, and 1mm usually does the job. If needed, mat board (about .045") is tops for me. If there is some structural stress, I add a stiffener or two . I just can't bring myself to try to cut 2mm pieces! Jim