What thickness of card do you guys use for doing this sort of thing



MATT

Hi Matt.
Try getting a mixture 10, 20, 30, 40, thousands to start, these will probably do most of your needs.

-Bruce

it actually depends on the tickness of the real part if there's any kind of opening or overhang. use the thickest you can for the structural stuff........

Thanks



MATT

Hi , every thickness from 5 thou up to 80 thou , and if I need any thicker I laminate in alternative colours of the same thickness mostly black and white , this allows you to see if you have taken off enough or not , esp when cutting angles . hope this helps cheers ian

Is there any particular size you guys get the most use out of though? I've given myself a very limited modeling budget, and I'm looking to get some styrene sheets but can only really afford one or two at the moment.

Evergreen use to sell multi-thickness packs that would have most or all of those thicknesses of card and sort of “grab bag” packs with all sorts of odds and ends, also very useful for the beginner or someone on a tight budget. I’m not really sure if they sell them any more though.
0.010" and 0.040" (10 and 40 thousandths of an inch) are probably the card stock I use most often and I buy those probably 2 to 1 over any of the other thicknesses.
BUT, as your budget allows for them get .005 and 0.020 card too. These are good starter thicknesses and add others as more cash becomes available. Most of the time they are not that expensive, just a couple of bucks a pack of two or three sheets.
As you get more into it look into some square stock, everything from .010 x .010 to .25 x .25. Then add round stock and tube stock as you need them.
A lot of this stuff can also be scavenged from plastic packaging, used up pens, and old kid's toys. So keep your eyes open for anything that looks useful.

Good luck!

Mark

So simple Ian, but such an effective method! That one has been stashed away in the ol' brain box.
Cheers
Brad

Ditto, Bradley, ditto!

Amazing how a simple visual cue like that could make so much difference!

Evergreen used to have a "scrap" pack that had a bit o' everything, i'm not sure if they still sell it though. But if you are on a budget, try looking at "For Sale" signs for thinner sheet as its usually pretty cheap.
Good luck.

-Dan