I’m modeling the D&RGW hanging bridge. I will soon start with cardboard strips to build the basic scenery. I have a hotglue gun and I will use that to glue the cardboard strips together. I wonder if it’s something I need to know about this method before starting out to make my life a little easier? I know that you guys have done this many many times and I’m sure you have your secrets, and I want them 
This is the scene I’m trying to build.
Keep your fingers away from the hot glue! Pressing down on the cardboard strips with bare fingers often results in glue seeping out and onto your fingers. This stuff is HOT and sticks to your fingers! Wear protective gloves or something.
Been there, done that!
Bob Boudreau
If it was me, I’d use staples.
Any particular reason for using staples?
Yes. Sometimes, hot glue comes apart. Staples will not.
Make sure you flex the strips a couple times before you install them. This crushes the corrigations slightly, and makes the strips easier to form. And I made sure to pre-bend the tab where the strips attached to the benchwork.
I used hot glue, also. Just make sure to stay clear of the gun’s nozzel and any drips.
Nick
I used staples also,my glue kept coming apart .
I assume you will be using molds to make the actual rock surfaces, so be sure to keep the scenery base wide enough to be able to add the molds and still have room for the river and trains.
That is a wonderful scene to model, as well as very challenging. Looking forward to progress pictures.
Good for you, Art.
EL, you could weave the strips to that they essentially self-support, and then just touch the glue gun to a couple of the sides where they cross over each other. It needs about 30 seconds to cool and set after that. Also, there is hot glue, and then there is hot glue. I use the multi-temperature type, but I set my gun to the hottest setting. No burns…yet. No adhesion failures, and I have quite a span of Joe’s goop, in layers, on cloths held in place between spline roadbed using that glue.
To gete back to Art’s advice, yes, absolutely, be careful to think ahead about clearances from engine overhangs on sharper curves and where the closest edges of rocks and cuttings will be. I have already run into that issue, but it was during construction, thankfully, and I knew to watch for it.
The trouble with staples, if you have a small area to work with, you can’t get the stapler into the square to staple. Get plenty of clothespins, use regular TACKY GLUE and clothes pin the crossings together. The best advise is in David Frary’s scenery book. I have ditched the process and use pink foam insulation board.
I too have become a fan of foam scenery, but if you already have the stuff and the plan and the intention of using the towel on a frame method, go for it.
If you’re going to use any glue at all, I’d use Elmer’s white glue. SInce cardboard is a paper product, the cardboard itself will tear before the glue lets go. That’s what Elmer’s is made for. Just use clothes pins as someone suggested to hold it together until the glue dries. I would use the glue only where the stapler cannot reach. Also, lastly, on the staples…smear a dab of silicone sealer to each exposed side of the staple, or else possible later on, you may have trouble with rust coming through whatever you lay on top of them. With the silicone, you’ll never see that problem.
Whether you hot glue or use carpenter’s glue on the strips, get a bag of spring loaded wooden clothespins. They can come in handy to hold in place until set.
Good advice and I am dealing with narrow clearances myself right now in the same situation. Check and double check everything, even make some castings to check sizes with.
Pictures Crandell, I want pictures !!!
Have fun & be safe
Karl.
I can’t. Every time I try, I end up with the “no borders” code popping up in a useless line of text instead of the actual photo. I have changed absolutely nothing, although I am using (I hope/think) the new railimages site. Maybe I have not made the change to the new one…I’ll check it out. In any casse, I have squat done this summer, save some plaster scenery.
I’ll get cracking before long. Three more essays to grade, one more Excel spreadsheet to fill out, and I’m there.