I recently picked up a copy of “MAKE” magazine and towards the back is this volume’s “MAKE LIQUID PICK.” The liquid pick is Minwax Wood Hardener used for repairing rotted window frames. Among the notable qualities of this stuff (obnoxious-smelling, toxic, flammable, vile) is this quote:
“Cardboard and cardstock soaked in the stuff become hard, rigid, and water resistant: the resulting material resembles phenolic plastic and can be sanded and machined with power tools.” Jones, Stefan. 2005. Fossilize Your Cardboard. MAKE 2: 182.
This looks like a great boon for scenery building. Maybe for doing roofing and artwork for buildings right out of the printer. I was even thinking some of those paper buildings that Papercreek offers might benefit from this process. In fact, looking around the house, the kids, the cat, the in-laws, I can’t think of anything that wouldn’t benefit from being rigid, water resistant, and sandable.
Anyway, is anyone familiar with this stuff? Recommendations?
Not that I am very knowlegeable about it, but it sounds like the base for fibreglass, or a resin of some kind. If so, it would make your buildings and bridges very strong, possibly lasting for centuries if kept out of the sun and not whacked with a heavy hammer.
Probably keep the cat from shedding too!
I’m with you on that…just kidding
[swg][swg][swg][:-^][:-^][:-,][:-,][(-D][(-D]
Sure you are…
(Don’t get me started on cats! I have a roll of duct tape that will cure any cat hair problem.) [}:)]
I used true shellack to seal my homasote roadbed. It does make it hard. It also lessens the sound deadening qualities in fact. But it does seem to stop the annual warping. I did the shellacking in the garage by the way – the smell reminded me of cub scout projects circa 1961 but is best done outside.
Dave Nelson
Here kitty, kitty, kitty…
Just goofin’
If you think the fumes from brushed shellac is hard to handle, you should try aerosol shellac. It can be bought that way. Shellac is a very good wood and homesote sealer which does not add to the dimension like latex paints do and lasts for years. I sealed the frame work of modular sections of a traveling modular layout with brush-on shellac and there has been zero warping and after the shellac sets a few day, no odor. I recommend any layout frame be sealed with the stuff. Proper ventilation is required.