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Another source for wood bed material


Rick L

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I just polished off a bottle of Chianti and realized the straw material would make a good source for modeling wood. Measuring .010 thick, 1/2” - 3/4” wide and 5” long it would make a good alternative to cigar tube liners if you don’t have them. In the photo, the first two were stained with minwax stain and the third is natural.

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Edited by Rick L
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Wood strips used for model ship construction provides uniform thickness, the thinnest being 1/32" (.03") and uniform widths. You'll never achieve that from the straw wrapping. 1/64" (.01") wood veneer sheets are also available. Just cut it according to the measurements of the pickup bed or flatbed trailer and scribe the individual plank lines.

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Agreed it is free. If you can utilise it. Not quite as consistent as veneer or ship modelling strips, but if it works, why not?

I like the lead like foil from wine bottles for seat belts. Sadly it seems to be diminishing in use, but aluminium from a takeaway tray is almost as easy to.use.

Edited by Bugatti Fan
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27 minutes ago, SfanGoch said:

How is it free? You're paying, at the minimum, ten bucks for the wine.

Well, one buys a bottle of wine to consume the wine. That is what the money pays for. The empty bottle and straw then normally get tossed in the garbage (or recycled).  But a frugal modeler can utilize the discarded packaging for modeling purposes.  Hey, even that empty bottle could be used to build a nice ship-in-a-bottle model.  ;)

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10 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Wood strips used for model ship construction provides uniform thickness, the thinnest being 1/32" (.03") and uniform widths. You'll never achieve that from the straw wrapping. 1/64" (.01") wood veneer sheets are also available. Just cut it according to the measurements of the pickup bed or flatbed trailer and scribe the individual plank lines.

Who are you? The Shell answer man? It’s an ALTERNATIVE. That’s what this forum is for. 😄

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I've used wood shavings from a local wood workers floor. He likes when I come along him cos I'll sweep the entire floor for him and pick out the bits I like. A little bit of care when choosing and you can find grain that looks in scale. Its simple to flatten too, just soak it in hot water then put it between 2 heavy flat items until it dries

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I don't drink wine, just not a fan, but I love using alternative items for models. I have a drawer full of different items I have scrounged and use. The foil tops from potato crisps tubes has a nice texure for the insulation used under semi trucks hoods, aluminum food trays are great for all knds of things, including simulating damage. Ribbon for seat belts, the list goes on. 

I think the straw may not be easy to use for a show truck bed, but may be perfect for an old worn beat up bed. 

While I love and support our aftermarket vendors, sometimes paying for an item, then the shipping for an item, plus the wait for that item get to be too much, if I can find a free readily available item to use, I will. 

Feel free to share more of these kinds of things. 

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On 1/3/2022 at 9:17 AM, Rick L said:

Who are you? The Shell answer man? It’s an ALTERNATIVE. That’s what this forum is for. 😄

I'm the mug what took the time to study and analyze your tip thoroughly before posting my reply. And, my reply was an ALTERNATIVE to your tip. :DJust because something is posted here doesn't automatically confer practical usage. Merely suggesting something without actually testing your idea doesn't mean it will work. Since this is the "Tips. Tricks and Tutorials" section, how about posting the following to go along with your tip:

*1. Explanation - how you intend to create wood bed material with the straw wrapping.

*2. Demonstration - show how you plan to create bed material from the straw wrapping

*3. Practical Application - applying the information to show what the completed result is

 

*These are the three steps required to present a proper line of instruction which I learned at PNCOC (NCO course) in the U.S. Army many moons ago. Long story short, show how it's done. I'm sure the guys would appreciate seeing a SBS.

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Drinking bum wines

36 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

I’m sure he’s not pouring out the wine to get the straw!🤪

Especially if you're quaffing bum wines.

tbird.jpg.12d216b8dd92dce396f62b030aa5c02d.jpg

What's the word? Thunderbird!

How's it sold? Good and cold!

What's the jive? Bird's alive!

What's the price? Thirty twice! Fee-Fi, Fo-Fum, Hic!

Edited by SfanGoch
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4 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

Wooden coffee stirrers could be another source of flat bed material. Consistent thickness and width generally, can be stained, varnished or distressed depending on the model being built.

You may want to check with SfanGoch before posting any further. 

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Er, Rick, please advise me as to why I should check with SfanGoch before posting any further?

Am I missing something like some sort of connection that you consider that I need to have with him?

Your post has simply left me confused. Could not find any other post in this thread apart from mine suggesting wooden coffee stirring sticks as a source of material.  ???????

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3 hours ago, Bugatti Fan said:

Er, Rick, please advise me as to why I should check with SfanGoch before posting any further?

Am I missing something like some sort of connection that you consider that I need to have with him?

Your post has simply left me confused. Could not find any other post in this thread apart from mine suggesting wooden coffee stirring sticks as a source of material.  ???????

You have a PM

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On 1/3/2022 at 2:21 PM, Bugatti Fan said:

Anything is fair game for model making from around the house that can be adapted with a bit of imagination and lateral thinking.

Well sure, you can carve a '32 Ford out of an old toothbrush, too (and it's FREE!), but is it going to look good, be easy to work with, remain stable, accept paint, duplicate the real thing, etc?

Just because it's free or easy to acquire doesn't mean it's a good idea to use it. Joe's right here, IMHO. A piece of basswood will run you what, $5.00? Stable, even grained, accepts stain and clear easily, cuts and sands smoothly, and so on. While it'll run you five bucks, I think most of us can get past the Wal-Mart mentality and understand that starting with a better raw material should result in a better finished product...which I thought was the goal.

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I take your point Casey, but I was not advocating that anyone should build a complete model from household materials simply because they are free and have as you describe it a 'Wal-Mart mentality.

Things like seat belts made from thin aluminium food trays, windshields from clear plastic packaging or CD cases, beading wire wound into realistic looking cables, wire wheels made from plastic or metal tubing and spoked with beading wire, off cuts of acrylic, plunge moulds made from odd bits of wood to name a few. I do quite a bit of scratch building and adapt quite a few of those household things to suit my requirements. And yes, I also mainly get through a lot of proprietary stuff,  plastic card, plastic extrusions like Evergreen and Plastruct, basswood, balsa, Brass and aluminium bar and sheet. The list goes on.

Maybe I do have a Wal Mart mentality when it comes to seeing things that I can utilise and I make no excuse for that. But they are an addition to the materials I mainly use and not a substitute.

You can see some of my builds in the 'Let's see some scratch built things' thread. The steering wheel outer rim on my Napier Railton was made from an old brass curtain ring!

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