# First try at an outside kitbash building what size styrene to use?



## bdp3wsy (Mar 14, 2008)

I bought a HO modern 3 track concrete coaling tower and painted all the parts flat black. I placed it on a scanner at 300% enlargement which gave me a 1/29th scale tower. I have measured all the parts and they scale out for a perfect fit. Now to choose materials does anyone have a suggestion on styrene thickness to use. This will be placed outside in New Jersey so it will need to make it through the winter or I will have to take it in. When complete the lift tower will be 36" tall and it will have coal shoots for 3 tracks plus a forth track for the coal dumper. Thanks Jake


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Jake, the guy you should ask is Russ Miller at TAP Plastics, one of the board sponsors. He sells the stuff and has worked with the material a lot, as has Jack Verducci, who builds models and entire garden railroads, for a living. Like Russ, he is a member of the Bay Area Garden Railway Society and has written articles about the subject in Garden Railways Magazine. 

Personally, I use 0.100 or 0.125-thick styrene sheet, which is pretty thick, but needs to be reinforced if the pieces are long (it tends to bow). I've found this thickness, which is roughly 1/8 inch, is about as thick as I can handle where cutting of window and door openings is concerned. But if you're thinking of solid walls with no openings, then thicker is stronger. Some advanatges of styrene is that you can score and snap it, so you don't have to cut it (this doesn't apply to window openings). And you can "glue" or "weld" the pieces together with solvent cement or MEK, which sets up really quick. 

Some of our MLS guys, Richard Smith, for example, use fairly thick (I'm guesing 1/4 inch or more) clear acrylic, which works great for windows, cause all you gotta do is glue the frames to the walls and paint or glue siding, etc around them. No need to cut holes. Again, track down Richard from one of his posts and ask him. Or maybe he will read this and respond. 

The nice thing about plastic (styrene and acrylic) is that it won't rot, like wood. 

I'll quit while I'm ahead, because the more I say, the more over my head I get


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Ditto that. For such a large structure you will need a sturdy material like 1/4 inch acrylic (plexiglass) or styrene. I can get acrylic sheet at my local home box store. Styrene sheet can be purchase from a plastics supplier. 

-Brian


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 

I presume the design you are thinking about is like the Walther's Cornerstone design.


I would suggest that you look at the following website http://www.sintrapvc.com/ - that is solid PVC foam board, and is used for signs for exhibitions and such like. Check with a 'plastics supplier' to see if you can look at the stuff before buying.

I use the 5mm thick (.200, just a bit down from a 1/4"), and is bought imn sheets 8ft x 4 ft; a for a fair number of my buildings, another name for it which is German manufacturer whose name for it is Vekaplan SF.

It is strong, easy to cut, especially with a small circular saw, though it can be done with the likes of a Stanley Knife, and it can be glued together with a contact adhesive, then back it up with an Epoxy adhesive, as I think yopur version of contact adhesives are not very good.












This church is made from (the same style of stuff here in the UK) it, as are the battens; the windows are styrene.

Stiffen the corners with scrap, and add some small right angled triangular pieces inside the corners to assist in that with such a tall building.

Paint it with the 'tester' pots in masonry (if you can find the color, suggest mixing a grey & sand together, the lots of deep grey & black to replicate the coal dust) paint, then varnish it with a matt UV stabilized varnish for added protection.

Best of luck, and we would like to see some photos of what will be an impressive piece of work.


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## bdp3wsy (Mar 14, 2008)

Yes, Peter thats the one I got a train show for 21.00 brand new never opened. Looks like an easy structure to upscale. Jake


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