I’m looking to use Evergreen structural shapes as internal bracing on wood walls for models I’m building, to prevent, and to overcome some slight existing warpage. Am I overthinking this, but would one particular shape be more effective than another toward this end - angle, channel, rectangular/square tubing, H-columns?
Also, with gluing styrene to wood, what glue would you recommend for best holding power for this combination?
Thanks for any help! [:)]
Vintage modeler,
I have bashed and scratched many building projects in my time and in your situation, I would use Northeastern basswood. The use of Evergreen is OK for certain apps… But in yours, it will bend, to conform to the warp, unless you use a large square of it. I have had great success using Weldwood original contact cement, with, wood, card and plastic in combinations thereof. In a lot of apps., have used ZAP-A-GAP Medium CA+ also with great results. Metal included.
My Experience Only.
Frank
BTW: I have also used scale lumber from this site:
Frank is right on the money, here.
The inherent grain in basswood gives it better resistance to bending. You would probably have to use twice the size of styrene to get the same structural integrity that the wood has.
And, bonding wood to wood is a lot more reliable than trying to bond dissimilar materials.
Good luck, Ed
I use foamboard for most of my internal bracing, and for roofing as well. This is a plastic kit, but it’s the same principle:
Foamboard is cheap and stiff, and it’s easy to work with. I like to put interiors in my buildings, so it forms the floors and walls. It also easily supports the lighting and internal wiring. I download images of flooring, wallpaper and paneling, size them on the computer, print them out and glue them to the foamboard for the interior.
vintage modeler:
I totally agree with Frank. Basswood will be much more resistant to bending than styrene.
I do use styrene for internal bracing on styrene buildings but the way I do it would not work well with wood. I use .040 or .060 sheet cut into strips about an inch wide and glued on edge to the surface that needs to be braced. That creates a ‘T’ that resists bending quite well. However, if you are trying to glue styrene on edge to wood getting a strong joint will be more difficult. Plus, the wood bracing can be almost any shape as long as it has enough strength.
Dave
In my experience Plastruct I beams, such as 3/8" size or larger, are very resistant to bending of any kind from the narrow end of the I beam. This is true of both their styrene and their gray ABS type plastic, but in general I think the ABS plastic is less bendy than styrene.
The I beams are bendy from the perspective of the wide side of the beam.
Bonding ABS to wood is no easy task but in a pinch I think Walthers Goo – applied the “real” way, to both sufaces, let it slightly dry, and then press very tightly. Goo is pretty specific in its instructions about how it works best and surprisingly few modelers apply it, or other contact cements, in the recommended way it seems.
Don’t expect many miracles in trying to use support beams to unbend wood that is already warped.
By the way, in relatively short lengths 1/4" x 1/4" balsa wood is quite resistent to bending as well, and would easily bond to a basswood interior with normal glue. Again would it be resistent enough to “unbend” warped wood? I have my doubts. But the scientific method is out there waiting to be tried!
Dave Nelson