UK Card - What thicknes and where to get it?

[afk_matrix]

Ok I am a total noob to card modelling but am at the moment doing the 1/200 Hachette Partworks Bismarck in wood. I am wanting to complete a Card Tank I purchased but at the moment its a bit beyond me so have downloaded a free by plane to start with. I have also found a nice 1/200 card model of the Yamato that I really want to do.

Now I have no clue what type of card to get and its all in gsm here in the uk and not a proper thickness in mm. So what I need to know is what card to use for the following:

By plane model - this is A4 sheets that will be stuck on the card and then cut out as they have all the textures on etc.

Tank Model - Again these will have to be cut out and stuck on as they have the textures on

Yamato Model - Now I have seen the French Courbet model done by mike and the card he uses is 1.2mm in thickness but I have no clue what that is in gsm, but I would love some card like this.

Also where is best to purchase this card, online, highstreet shop??

Thanks.

[Tim Crowe]

I use 160 gsm thickness card for most of my models. If i need anything thicker I either laminate the sheets or use the card from cereal packets.

Cheapest place for me is Office World for card.

It's best if you print the model on card rather than sticking the printer paper to card.

I find the best printer is the one at work. Get in nice and early - People think your keen - Which of course we all are - for making lots of card models!

Good luck

[londonbluemisty]

Hi AFK Matrix
I use 160gsm for most of my main builds aswell,but for small parts or small dia tubes I use 120gsm.
For laminating or strengthening I also use Cereal Boxes
I use Osbourne's on the High Street for all of my Paper and Cardstock
Wayne

[David H]

I prefer 120gsm for most building but do double to similar card (prit stick and a heavy weight / dictionary), cereal packets, shirt packaging etc. etc.

For the really small bits I use 80gsm and even cigarette papers (I don't smoke - anymore) which I paint with PVA and paint mixtures.

Where to buy. I use my local craft shop, they deserve the business and occasionally go begging for big sheets at the printers around the corner from the office.

In theory if you download a model, scrounge the card, print it off at work and borrow some glue it could be a totally free kit!

D

[NULLMOON]

Bookbinding Equipment Supplies were i get my 1mm and 2mm card an A1 sheet is alot of card cerel card ranges around the 0.4-0.6mm thick mark the hardest to find is the evil 1.5mm cardstock which ive only found sold in a4 sheets on cardmodel shops

[logicman]

For thinner paper - tesco own brands.

Going to thicker grades - up to postcard thickness goes through my Pixma OK - stationers shops.

Bristol board - lovely stuff - artists suppliers.

Other stock - colored, metallised, corrugated - school/toy oriented shops and 'pound' shops.

hth.

[cdavenport]

Purchase mechanical board. LetraMax 2000 is a tad over 1mm thick, dead flat, will not delaminate as you work with it. You can separate layers to make thinner stock. It's the best stuff on the market.

I have experimented with laminating cereal boxes and what you get is pure rubbish compared to the mechanical board. You can get it from dickblick.com. In the UK, I am sure art stores carry the product or something similar.

It's like beer; why buy Budlite when I can buy Young's Dirty Dick Ale?

[logicman]

... letramax ... tad ... Budlite ... Young's Dirty Dick Ale

Reminds me of a line from an old war movie:

Interpreter, please, feldwebel.

[smyfe]

I've got most of Gremirs Royal Navy ships,which means a lot of laminating to do, a good source for 1 & 2mm card is ArteSaver.com
but only if you intend to do a lot of laminating.(25 sheet packs of A2 size)
I Have found the quality of the board very good and all the laminated parts for HMS Glowworm have used way less than 1 sheet