4th & Dragon : Dungeons and Dragons...and stuff

I found a box with eight different colors of plastic-coated paperclips at Office Depot, and use the heck out of them for my clip-it based builds.

Like he said, any office supply store and probably most grocery stores should have some kind of small box of paper clips.  I have seen multi-colored, gold, all in different sizes.  So check it out next time your at one.

Having done a few WWG models as well as some other free cardstock models, definitely used the plastic-coated paperclips.  Learn from my own bad experience of normal paperclips and not first hand.

Yeah my supplies list that I need:
Paper clips
Glue (I already ran out of the scrapbooking pen that I bought the other day and have been using a glue stick)
Foamcore (I have heard the dollar store is a good choice)
Blades for exacto knife (I heard dollar store is good for this too)
Brown marker

Honestly you could probably get all of that at the dollar store if you looked a little

The glue is something more specific. They recommend this stuff:
http://www.mfgdirect.com/?c=150

I use(d) glue sticks for most stuff and spray adhesive for larger projects.  I know the card stock model pros advocate the craft glue pens, but as I don’t do anything for professional audiences, my methods have worked just fine.

Foamcore is one thing I haven’t tried yet, but I do know that places like Michael’s and Joann’s Fabric stores have foamcore for a lot cheaper than gaming stores.  That’s where I buy most things I use (including 8 1/2 by 11 card stock sheets).

The dollar stores are good for a lot of stuff.

I have been doing most purchases at Staples so far and will be going to the dollar store at some point (this weekend most likely). The glue pens aren’t really that much more money. The scrapbooking pen I was using (not the above) was only a dollar and those above are in the $3-$4 range.

Definately try the dollar store for foamcore...it’s usually twice as much in the cheaper craft stores/office supply stores.

For some things, a gluestick will suffice, so a handfull of those from the dollar store isn’t a bad idea either.

For your walls, if you want to splurge and make your life REALLY easy, pick up some double-sided tape.  NO moisture, instant stick, very forgiving.  I call it my “secret weapon” and use the heck out of it.

My best buy for cardstock so far has been WalMart (150/$6).

I bought my cardstock at Staples (250/$14 and half back in rewards). Doublesided tape sounds interesting. Although, is it difficult to get straight walls?

Talae - 02 October 2008 02:00 PM

I bought my cardstock at Staples (250/$14 and half back in rewards). Doublesided tape sounds interesting. Although, is it difficult to get straight walls?

Straight walls are sometimes a problem with glue that has ANY amount of moisture in it.  You can get them straight, but often the best way to do so is to burnish them to within an inch of their life, and THEN leave them under a heavy book or somesuch.

With the doublestick tape, you have zero moisture, so you can create straight walls (no wobble/warp) more easily, and very quickly.

I have been going with a process of:

1: print what I want
2: cut out the few couple pieces
3: glue first couple pieces, burnish and place under a stack of D&D books
4: steps 2 and 3 again, switching the first set with the second
5: do the folding for the first set (steps 2 and 3 again if still going)
6: fold next set
7: go print more

If you notice, there is no edging step in the above. I have been holding off on that until the finished product. Is this the correct way to be going about it? I feel like I need a sweat shop for these things, but it sure is stress relieving.

If you’re printing to a stiff enough material or backing with one (you’ll probably have to test) then hot glue makes an excellent assembly adhesive.

The models I’ve made have all been plain paper backed to cereal box board with plain white glue (don’t use with a water soluble ink).  I then cut and score with an x-acto knife and assemble with a hot glue gun.

The one problem with hot glue is that you have to work fast when you have a long joint, otherwise the glue you laid down first will start to harden before you press the joint together (inhibiting adhesion or making for a thick joint).  However, a hobby iron (looks like a soldering tool but with a iron shaped flat tip) can then allow you to remelt the glue to adhere and smooth the joints.

Edit: Said hobby iron can also be used to correct mistakes or separate pieces after use for reuse in another model or easier storage.

What do you guys think about using cardboard instead of foamboard? I have a ton of cardboard that I got for free (you can too, if you’d like).

Edging can go either way, depending on what you are working on.  Models that are simple in design and expose all their raw edges (like a wall) are easy to edge after the fact, but some more complicated models are a lot easier to deal with if you edge them as you go, because once assembled, some of the edges are hard to reach.

As for cardboard...I don’t recommend using it in place of foamcore, as it isn’t generally as durable.  However, thin cardboard can make for tougher walls if you want to use it and modify the wall design somewhat. 

One alternative to foamcore I’ve used for basing is vinyl tiles.  They’re pre-glued, and quite durable, and if you get their worst-looking cheap version, they’re cheap.  Problem is, they’re also 12” square, so you can only get one 7” by 7” square out of a tile.  If you don’t mind “tweaking” things a bit to go to 6” or 12” tiles, though, they work really well and are very cost-effective.