Large Scale Central

Useful tip if you're a tightwad

General Discussion
#1

I was just scratch building a Rail Bus , and needed Treadplate .Looked in my goodies boxes and found I had only one sheet left , insufficient to do the job .
Having had a similar problem before , and being an unbearable smartass , I took a sheet of aluminium kitchen
foil and using a folded soft cloth ,pressed the foil hard over the Treadplate , and lo ! One free sheet of treadplate .
Like I said , done it before , so knew that you have to handle with care to prevent damage . To stick in place , I use photomount spray ( dodgy , just touch the foil to it and you have a wrinkle )or the proprietary stuff for sticking windscreens in or the never dry stuff for squirty grass .
By the bye , you can use foil in the same manner to produce one-off moulds of anything you fancy . like a section of brickwork . the flatter the object , the more successful the technique .

On an allied subject , could we have a modelling tips forum ?
Mike M

PS A thought just occurred to me , I did mean use new foil , not greasy turkey covered torn stuff . Heheheheh .

#2

Seems a little delicate to me, but if it’s going somewhere that won’t be touched it should work great.

#3
Tom Ruby said:
Seems a little delicate to me, but if it's going somewhere that won't be touched it should work great.
If one cuts the foil very carefully slightly larger than required one can fold up the edges (again very carefully) and fill the very shallow cavity (1-2mm border height) with slightly thinned Weldbond adhesive.

Of course it sounds like a lot of bother - but for real tightwads it will work.

#4

Actually , being a tightwad , I use the stuff quite a lot . It is a quick way of getting scale thickness treadplate to form on the edge of a step , for example . Using it for moulds is VERY successful . Ageing walls can be bent into shape using the flexibility of the mould before pouring . Exhaust stacks on trucks commonly use treadplate , foil easily wraps into shape . Any place where brass or plastic commercial stuff would be too thick is a candidate .The great thing about it is its natural colour can be used .
As to difficulty , well , practise makes perfect , it takes about 5 minutes to produce a piece 6x2" .Use sharp scissors to shape . Imagination is all , use it .
Mike M
ps if I could post photos I’d show you how good it is . :<)

#5

Oh. I see. You didn’t put in the formed foil, but used that as a mold.

Excuse me whilst I say, “Duh.”

#6

Of course, if you did use the stuff from the turkey, you could get away without needing mold release. :slight_smile:

Later,

K

#7

Dammit , Kevin , why did I not think of that ? Too busy licking the stuff .
Mike M

#8

Mike,

For cat-walks and deck plating I have found that the bottoms of the take-out trays from some of our local restaurants fit the bill quite well.
Looks sharp and takes paint well too.

Another way to make checkered plate is run a light piece of aluminum through a paper crimper then turn it 90% and run it through again. Instant diamond checker plate.