[Free Model #3] Corolla WRC 1998 New Zealand

[logicman]

I've decided to put my design projects aside while I build PaperCraft's

excellent Toyota Corolla rally car for the competition.

Paper Craft

More soon.

[logicman]

The thumbnail above is just to show which of the many free cars I downloaded.

I just bought some new cardstock, so I'll do some printing later and post some progress pics. I can't do it right now, I have to attend to those boring household chores such as eating.

[logicman]

Okay! Printing done!

I've printed 3 sets, one on back of a bad print run, another on my general purpose cardstock, last print run on bright white thinner, glossier card-stock. All sheets are A4.

The first set will be used for forming and shaping, also for test-fitting.
The next set will form the main model.
The last set will form the outer skin panels.
Later, I may print some detail parts like lamps on glossy photo-paper.

I printed at Adobe reader default 100%, with the printer (Canon Pixma) set at 100% scale, high quality, no colour enhancement.

The photo shows a difference between the cardstocks, but in better lighting the difference is greater.

Of course, I can't start a new build without suitable tools ...

[logicman]

Of course, only the pair of scissors (see above) counts as a suitable tool.

These wallpaper shears are razor sharp and are used to quickly separate the main parts of the model, so that it is easier to cut them nearly to final size with the smaller scissors.

[redhorse]

Oh, this looks interesting! I'm frustrated with my own gluing attempts with glossy photo paper, so do let me know what type glue you use for it if you decide to do some detail parts that way.

A lot of models on the paper craft site too! I hadn't seen that one yet, thanks!

[logicman]

Originally Posted by redhorse

Oh, this looks interesting! I'm frustrated with my own gluing attempts with glossy photo paper, so do let me know what type glue you use for it if you decide to do some detail parts that way.

A lot of models on the paper craft site too! I hadn't seen that one yet, thanks!

No problems, redhorse.

I plan to do this in a 'paper models 101' style, in the spirit of the competiton rules. I'll be using tabless construction and showing a method for getting curves in two dimensions. I'll also demo various glue types.

[col. kurtz]

looks good i havent been on that stie before good jap c-1 transporter there think ill do a build thread for it good luck in the competition !!

[logicman]

The build continues -

Having cut out the parts with the wallpaper scissors, the next step is to cut a bit closer to the final edge with smaller scissors.

The tabs will be cut off in this build, so the scissors can cut into them with no harm done.

[logicman]

Many parts need to be nicely rounded. Different people use different methods.

Here's the 'jiffy-bag' method. A jiffy bag is soft, with an outer layer of paper.
Paper doesn't harm paper, so it's an ideal soft working surface.

Take a round bar, tube, or piece of wood, place it on the card on the bag, press down each end while rolling the bar.

[logicman]

The card is now curved, but only in one direction.

[logicman]

Next, I'll use this hood/bonnet (GB/US English) to demonstrate the problems of double curvature in card. Maybe tomorrow.

Coffee break time.

Why did I choose this model.

This is the one of the last WRC cars produced by Toyota before they withdrew from WRC. Little known outside of Spain and New Zealand, this car together with its world class driver Carlos Sainz deserves a wider audience.


On the website linked above, of many free models, this one caught my eye because of its curves and colours. Besides, I drive that way on public roads.

Sainz + Toyota in action:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Carlo_1999.jpg

[logicman]

The saga continues:

I printed out the bonnet on thin A4 - OK 'hood' for all you people in the majority here.

I scaled it up and made it thin so that every defect will show:

[logicman]

I have shown the cardstock hood for scale. It's in a plastic food container - useful for keeping small parts of a model together.

You can also see my roller cutter - I've removed the blade guard and made it able to cut thicker card.

The craft knife is pointing to the part of the hood that needs to be slit and curved.

Next:

The hood was cut out oversize with my razor sharp wallpaper shears.
It was rolled side-to-side on a padded bag, as described above.

The slit has been cut out, and the sides pulled together, held with that tacky stuff with various trade names - Blu-tak etc.

This shows how just pulling a V-shaped slit together causes paper, card, or indeed any flat sheet material to take on a curve.

[logicman]

The big problem with the V-slit method is that if you dont get it just right, you get bits sticking out on the print side. And if you want a flat sheet to curve in two dimensions, the V-slot has to be curved.

You have to pull the two curved edges together gradually, otherwise you get flat spots and wrinkles on your model.

I shall show you the 'Viking' method next. It uses the thin strips shown in these photos.

[logicman]

It helps when trying to bring edges together to have something to hold them while you work - here I show clothes pegs used for this.

Some models come with glue tabs attached. If you use these, especially for edge-to-edge joins, the edge of one piece will stand up on the glued model.

Mostly, we cut off these tabs, or the designer doesn't include them in the first place. Most modellers cut out their own tabs. You can see some large squarish tabs here in the second picture: