CA Soaked cardstock

[RGinCanada]

A question came up about how suitable CA-soaked card stock was for details on a wet boat.

I have used cardstock to make danforth anchors, mast steps, chairs, and other details. I buy the cardstock at Staples (Offce Depot), design the part in Autocad or Illustrator, and print it on my laser printer, then cut it out and glue it.

When soaked in CA, the cardstock becomes more like a ridgid plastic that can be drilled, sanded, painted, etc.

I though it might be a good idea to do some testing to see how well the parts holds up to constant soaking.

I created three small identical parts. I assembled one with wood glue, one with CA and no paint, and one with CA and paint.

I am soaking them in water for thirty minutes a day, then allowing them to air dry.

I'll post the results here.

[RGinCanada]

Left to right glue, CA only, CA+paint.

(Parts measure 3/8" cubed)

(These are quickly slapped together pieces, with a number of joints, not artwork! forgive the roughness!)

[retoabcr]

Also, if you use thin ca and pour thin ca on thin balsa that is in place in a boat, strenghtens the balsa if your trying to keep the boat weight down.

[patmat2350]

May 85 Scale Ship Modeler: Pat McCollough built an r/c African Queen from paper... says that enamel paint soaks in, making all waterproof enough to float. Also a handy way to build up lapstrake ship's boats...

[spacephrawg]

May 85 Scale Ship Modeler: Pat McCollough built an r/c African Queen from paper... says that enamel paint soaks in, making all waterproof enough to float. Also a handy way to build up lapstrake ship's boats...

Did I read that or the rest of this thread right? Paper products on boats?! Makes my head hurt. I have the same reaction to the tried and true practice of making model planes from balsa wood. screams fragility to me. I'd be afraid to handle such a thing.

Am I crazy? does this work?

[Kmot]

RG: Very cool. I think this 'scientific' test will be quite a useful thing. :)

[Sakura Maru]

Hey now THIS is research!

[patmat2350]

Did I read that or the rest of this thread right? Paper products on boats?!

Here's evidence...

[spacephrawg]

Here's evidence...

Thats surreal! Utterly! Although if it can work I might use the technique to make a dingy for my PT boat. Amazing stuff!

[RGinCanada]

I'm glad to hear there is some interest!

All three held up well, although as expected, the wood glue only part was soggy coming out of the water.

Both CA soaked parts seemed impervious to the water.

All parts were left overnight to air dry, and photographed before this morning's dunk.

[TROUBLEMONSTER]

Interesting test. I wonder how a thinned 5 minute epoxy on card stock would work? I am starting to print parts also but in brass. I purchased the photo etch kit from micro mark. I have only had time to use it once I drew some water tight doors on turbocad printed it out and etched it they came out great. I am drawing a HO scale truckable towboat and will attempt to etch the cabin in the near future.

[Sakura Maru]

I wouldn't work very well. Even thinned out, epoxy would tend to cover the surface and not penetrate as well, and the little that does won't cure fully. CA is desired for its thorough wicking action which then cures rock hard.

[spacephrawg]

I wouldn't work very well. Even thinned out, epoxy would tend to cover the surface and not penetrate as well, and the little that does won't cure fully. CA is desired for its thorough wicking action which then cures rock hard.

Wouldnt you go through epic ammounts of CA to waterproof a model? The stuff is expensive.

[patmat2350]

That's why the fellow above used paints. Still soaks in.

[Sakura Maru]

I view this method as a way to make secondary parts for the deck and wheelhouse. Nothing major such as a hull.

[spacephrawg]

That's why the fellow above used paints. Still soaks in.

Thing about using paint tho is that the oils in them, assuming they're not acrylic, which would work fine, eventually rot the cardboard or paper. its why painters use gesso as a ground b4 painting on paper products.

I supose one could use resins on the cardboard too.

[mfr02]

Wouldnt you go through epic ammounts of CA to waterproof a model? The stuff is expensive.
What about the stuff that is used as a preliminary hardener for rotten wood?

[RGinCanada]

Wouldnt you go through epic ammounts of CA to waterproof a model? The stuff is expensive.
I view this method as a way to make secondary parts for the deck and wheelhouse. Nothing major such as a hull.

Sakura Maru nailed it. The parts I used this for generally measure less than an inch or two in any direction. The texture of the finished part allows it to be sanded, filed and drilled without raising the "nap" or fur on the paper.

All pieces are still intact, even the plain cardstock, whick frankly surprises me!

[steamboatmodel]

I knew one fellow who built a small model cabincruiser out of cereal boxes covered with shellac. they worked great.
Regards,
Gerald

[RGinCanada]

Everything stills seems OK, even the plain cardstock. After day 7, I'm going to up the ante, submerging them for twelve hours at a time.

[Kmot]

How about drilling a tiny hole in one corner and attaching a line. Then apply a variable 5-10 knot wind to simulate not only being wet but also being blown about by the winds on a pond. :D

[RGinCanada]

When I'm done with them I'll mail them to you, and you can take over :p ;)

[RGinCanada]

Well, the plain cardstock is finally starting to degrade. The CA soaked ones are still rigid and solid when they come out of the dunk tank.

[Hoghappy]

How about smashing them to simulate my boat driving abilities at the pond! :D

Capt. Crash

I'm here today because I'm a thin CA addict... :eek:

[RGinCanada]

Hoghappy: From what I hear, titanium would be a better option for detail parts on your lake ;) :p

After seven days of dunking, the CA soaked parts are still solid and crisp. I'm going to venture an opinion that this is a valid method for constructing detail parts for model boats.

I'm now going to ramp things up a little more. Seven days of 24 hours in water/24 hours out, then I'm going to glue them to a piece of wood and leave them outside for weather testing.

[LtDoc]

The problems I've had with CA and water usually dealt in quite a bit longer times than 24 hours. Think weeks instead of hours. Of course, the stuff that CA was holding together was as big a 'problem' as the CA it's self (including plastic and 'pot' metals).
Will using CA work as a 'stiffener'/'preservative'? Sure, but it ain't gonna last forever.
- 'Doc

[spacephrawg]

The problems I've had with CA and water usually dealt in quite a bit longer times than 24 hours. Think weeks instead of hours. Of course, the stuff that CA was holding together was as big a 'problem' as the CA it's self (including plastic and 'pot' metals).
Will using CA work as a 'stiffener'/'preservative'? Sure, but it ain't gonna last forever.
- 'Doc

What if I put a thin coat of resin over it?

[RGinCanada]

While cleaning out my basement for a renovation, I found the sealed container with the above parts still in it, submerged in water.

Nearly a year later the CA-impregnated cardstock parts are still in perfect shape. I'm going to go on record and say this is a safe method for constructing detail (ie non-structural) parts.

[spacephrawg]

I'm glad my last post didn't kill the thread! Woohoo!

[Kmot]

That's excellent RG!

[ChrisE]

I remember, as a child, building card models that were painted with multiple coats of Shellac which was cheap & which I am surprised to learn is still available. This not only made it waterproof but made it durable much as the cyano is doing here.

Shellac is/was the disolved shells of beetles. Or at least that was what my dad told me & as you can imagine it is the sort of thing that I remember 50 years later.

Chria

[Iunnrais]

I make the flags for my combat models out of paper soaked with thin CA. The one on my rookie cruiser is still intact after almost 10 years of battling with the assorted sink thrown in here and there. They're even ink jet printed =) Never though about using cardstock for some of the expendable bits though. I'll have to give it a try. The kids go through enough cereal boxes ;)

[Jerome Morris]

I've been using cardstock soaked in CA for a number of years, it' is very workable stuff.