Re: STUDIO SCALE TIE FIGHTER **UPDATED PICS**
Foamcore? I would strongly recommend that you don't use that. First, on the ANH TIE, the only material in between the inner and outer layers of KoolShade was black paper. (That's right -- just thin black paper!) It was used only to prevent you from seeing right through the material. There was no underlying panel in there -- at least not on the damaged TIE recently sold at auction.
Second, foamcore warps very readily and so it is not dimensionally stable. The paper surface absorbs moisture which causes it to curl and thereby warp. In addition, the foam inside is not very dense and so it is pretty weak. This, combined with the paper layer on the outside, makes the material relatively fragile.
If you really need to use something like a foam composite sheet, a
much better choice is Gatorboard (not Gatorfoam). Gatorboard isn't available in a 1/8-inch thickness (it starts at 3/16 inch), but it's tough as nails and is pretty much as dimensionally stable as quality plywood. It's hard has heck to cut and can dull your knife blade quickly, but it can be laser-cut beautifully. The outer paper surface of this material is impregnated with a tough resin.
Gatorboard is still susceptible to moisture, so it should be sealed. If you coat the surface with water-thin epoxy, you'll have a strong, lightweight, and dimensionally stable composite part that should be good for many years of service.
Why worry about this sort of thing? I don't hear it discussed very often, but models made out of a variety of materials can have problems like cracking, warping, and separating over time because different materials expand and contract at different rates. The safest situation is when the entire model is made of one material, like resin or fiberglass. When you have different materials combined together, it's wise to be careful.
I've heard this from quite a few experienced experts, and it's the sort of thing museums take into account when acquiring models that are meant to be preserved for a lifetime. Just think of all the effort (and expense) that you are investing in your project. Do you want the finished result to stand the test of time?
If so, the key is keeping the model in a climate-controlled environment at all times. Avoid big temperature swings, direct sunlight, and, most of all, humidity. This is always a good idea when you build something out of non-homogeneous materials that can expand/contract at different rates -- especially wood or paper. Anything that is susceptible to moisture can actually swell if exposed to enough humidity.
Hope that helps!
