Plastová destička 0,38 mm

A white styrene sheet, 0.38 mm

A smooth white polystyrene sheet, that is the same material that molded kits are made of. That is its main merit: it is glued with the same liquid cement, it sands the same way and, once sprayed, the transition between the original part and the addition cannot be told. The thickness of 0.38 mm is among the most widely used and corresponds to roughly fifteen thousandths of an inch.

At this thickness the sheet is still thin enough to be cut by scoring with a knife and snapping over the edge of a bench, while it already holds its shape. It is used for the bulkheads and floors of interiors, for patches and plating on fuselages, for signs, hatches, wing fillets and anywhere paper would be too soft and sheet metal too hard.

Working the material

Straight cuts are made along a steel rule: several light passes are made with a knife and the material is then snapped. Round holes can be drilled and curves cut out with paper scissors. The sheet can be curved by heating it over hot air, but work slowly, because styrene sags quickly.

Gluing is handled by a liquid modeling cement drawn into the joint with a fine brush; use cyanoacrylate only where the joint is not meant to dissolve. The surface is smooth, so before painting it is enough to degrease it and, if needed, roughen it with a fine abrasive so that the primer grips better.

The white color of the material has a practical reason: under a finish it behaves predictably, and every line you scribe on the surface shows up on it. Do not throw away the offcuts from parts you have cut out, as they make ideal shims, reinforcements inside a fuselage and test samples for shades.