RE: Improved structure window article

This was an excellent article.  I do have one question (I may have missed the answer as, in all honesty, I did not give it a thorough read - it's early!) are there any problems with the photo paper warping?  Perhaps the window print should be pre-mounted onto a separate piece of styrene and then the unit cemented in place on the structure.  This was touched upon on page 82/figure 13 for making double-hung windows.

In any case, I've been a fan of Mr. Roseman's work and look forward to more great articles from him.  Perhaps an update on his layout?

Awesome, I enjoyed this

Photo paper behind windows

"are there any problems with the photo paper warping?"

Jeff,

I have been using photo paper (no styrene) for about a year and the only problem I have had is one corner where the white glue that I used to attach the paper to the plastic did not hold. Otherwise no warping or wrinkling. Layout room temps vary from 40 - 95 degrees F. I keep it above freezing in the winter, no AC and no humidity control.

Give it a try. Also you may want to clear coat both sides of the print as a precaution and to lessen UV fading.

Karl

Great Article!

This is a great technique.  I wonder what a color laser could do on transparencies?  Those windows look great.

muntins

mullions

I think mullions is the correct word to describe the divisions between lights in a window...reminds me of the "Gage", "Gauge" debate though. [wink]

Photo windows

This article was absolutly GREAT!!!! Windows on ho and n scale structures have always been a bugaboo with me. The first object I look at on any model are the windows.  Thank god there are modelers with such great artistic talent and knowlege of modern digital technology that can over come some problems in the casting process. 

Wayne Mollohan

Muntins is correct

A really good article and one I am going to try on my next scratchbuild.   After 50 hand built double hung windows on my current rooming house, I need something easier.

And congratulations on using the correct term for the window dividers.   Muntin is the right terminology.   So many others use mullion improperly.   And for those wanting to know, a mullion is a connector or spacer that goes between two windows or two doors, not between panes of glass.

Dave Mason

Yes muntins IS correct!

I found some better definitions of window terms and with those definitions at hand it is obvious that muntins is the correct term.  Until reading this article I had only heard of mullions.

Thanks for confirming that Dave.

better windows warping?

Thanks to all who wrote in- I am glad this piece will be of help. Thanks for the backup on the word "muntin" because mullion really is used in its place, and of course it is not the same thing. 

There was a question about photo paper warping. So far, using 3M tacky glue I have not had any problem with warping, but that does not mean it could not happen. Once the paper is printed and out of the machine for at least a few hours to be sure it is dry, I overspray both front and back using Krylon UV protectant. However, Dullcote or most any clear sealer should retard the effects of warping. The paper can be glued to a solid backing such as a sheet of styrene or acrylic, and avoid using too much solvent cement on the panel to prevent warping. The larger the windows are, the more chance there is of paper warping, but if it is bonded to a solid backing, it should not show any appreciable signs of warping over the years. At some point in the near future I hope it will be possible to inkjet print on white plastics. My oldest buildings show very little problem. Paper can have a reaction to temperature change and changes in moisture in the air. but once sealed it is usually okay.

A final word (for the moment anyhow-) is that the more three dimensional enhancement you add to photo windows (and photo buildings) the better they will look, even close up. 

Best wishes to all- Victor  Roseman

Dullcote

I've seen dullcote react chemically with the ink in certain printers. Spray a small test sample with dullcote before hosing down several sheets of window (or any other) printing. Krylon should be better but I'd still advise a test.

The dullcote produced a whitish powdery look where I had the problems (I was making control panels using ink jet photo paper bonded to masonite)

Cheers,

Charlie

Great "how-to" article

Very helpful - was looking for ideas as to how to improve the windows in some of my larger background buildings - making the back of a background building out of black foamboard made the windows look like black holes - this approach will certainly improve their look.  Thakns again for another great article.