I have recently (well within the last year) started on my first layout and in the summer spent far too long constructing my first Metcalfe card kit - the engine shed. I plonked it down where I think it will eventually live, and have noticed after a couple of months that one or two bits are starting to come unstuck. (One of the chimneys and  couple of the internal beams for instance.) My layout is in the loft and as such is very cold and slightly damp at this time of year. Not ideal I know but needs must.

I was using UHO when I glued the bits that are coming undone but have since changed to Rocket which seems much tougher. Anyone got any hints and tips on protecting card kits from a less than perfect environment? Some sort of protective spray? Or do you think that UHO just isn't up to the job?

Photos give an indication of the loft and the bits that are coming unstuck.

Thank you for your help.

Richard F

Hi Richard and 

Good move to using Rocket glue, you just have to work that little bit quicker.

While I don't use much in the way of cardboard model, the only thing I can think of that might give extra protection against the possible damp is to spray your cardboard models with clear matt varnish when you've finished making them, both inside and out. Others who use alot of Metcalfe, Scalescenes et al., may come up with other suggestions for you, given time.

On a side point, looking at your engine shed, a good tip is to get yourself some cheap felt tip pens so that you can colour the "white" corners and other areas such as window edges. It's a tip I picked up from a forum member. Makes a big difference to the overall finish. 

For an example have a look this, it's a kit bashed Metcalf I did a couple of months ago, I used felt tips on the corners and window edges. http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=6070.msg68088#msg68088 The finished article is near the end of the first page.

For all my card kits I use ordinary PVA glue, sometimes thinned with a little water, depending on the constituency of the glue required.  If it's strong enough to use in book binding (one of my other interests) then I'm sure it will hold together any card kit.

I use ordinary PVA glue for constructing card kits but I do give them a coat of matt varnish before I build them. That way any errant glue smears or sticky finger prints can be easily wiped off without damaging the card and it does, to some extent, make them damp proof.

I've shipped some built up kits from Dubai to China and back to UK, all in hot humid shipping containers without anything coming apart.

Which brand or type of varnish do you use and how do you apply it, Trevor?

I use a sharp watercolour pencil of the right shade to lose the white corners of Metcalfe kits.

Dave G

Hi Dave,

Basically I just use whatever I can get hold of. At the moment I'm using a cheapo 'Homebase' aerosol. I prefer Scalescenes to Metcalfe kits but, for the Metcalfe kits I have made, I mix up some acrylic paints to match the brickwork or stone and paint the exposed edges with it. This way I can get an almost perfect colour match. There's nothing worse than seeing edges coloured up with a bright red or black felt tip pen.

Just a thought - if your card kits are coming unglued, what about the untreated MDF baseboards.  What you really need to do is shove some insulation between the rafters and tack some of the space blanked across the gaps, that should sort out some of the heat/damp problems.

Thank you all very much for your replies and help. As you can see this is my first post and I see now how extremely useful a Forum such as this can be.

As to your replies: Jack and Chinahand, thank you for you tips re the matt varnish and doing the corners. I will definitely do this on future goes. Malc - you are right, I really should insulate the loft between the beams - it's on the list of "things I really should do"! Actually that's not MDF for the baseboards, it's cork laid onto plywood.

Thank you all again.

Richard F

As an afterthought, have just been clearing up all the detritus from the Christmas present opening yesterday, and came across quite a lot of those little silica gel bags. Think I might hide these in the models and around the layout. Might suck up some moisture and can't do any harm.

Hello Richard,

Have you consideref these greenhouse heaters?
They are low wattage, so inexpensive to run and may be enough to keep the dampness from your layout.

http://www.getquick.co.uk/hylite-greenhouse-tube-heaters-with-plug-pr-38484.html?gclid=CLO12_6quLQCFcjKtAodXj8ANA

cheers John.

Thanks John, I like that idea.

My layout is in the tricky-to-get-to end of the loft (i.e. get loft ladder down, squeeze through hole, navigate under beams!) so not keen to keep anything electric running when I'm not up there. However, to take the edge off the icicles in the winter, this is a winner of an idea. I've got an electric convection and electric fan heater up there at the moment, but you can almost see the fivers burning away when they're on!

RichardF