CREATE SCRAP FROM WASTE MATERIAL

1

I try not to throw away any plastic or metal waste from my modelling (writes George Dent), as it can usually be recycled. Plastic offcuts and spare parts can be chopped into random shapes and kept for use as scrap. 2 The joy

of plastic scraps is that they’re easy to fuse together with liquid poly cement. Flood the waste with the solvent, having piled it up on a piece of styrene sheet – ideal for wagon loads or mounds of scrap.

3

Allow the solvent to harden fully before painting. Aerosols are ideal, and a black primer provides an ideal base for red oxide, tan and/or dark grey shades. Build up in light mists to maintain the dark shading from the initial coat.

4

The edges of the scrap can be highlighted by dry-brushing with various rust-coloured paints. AMMO Drybrush paints are ideal. A gunmetal shade adds a metallic sheen to the parts.

5

The styrene sheet base can then be fixed to the base of the layout or diorama, prior to adding ballast around the edges to blend it into the scene. Secure the ballast using dilute PVA or ready-made glue such as Ballast Bond.

6

The finished mounds of scrap can look very effective. Picking out individual parts with different colours suggests freshly cut, painted metal. In contrast, this mound portrays waste that has been rusting away for some time!

7

Die-cast cars can be readied for the scrapyard by separating the metal body from the chassis and lightly hitting it with a hammer. Bare metal can be weathered with rust shades of paint (wear eye protection!).

8

Mangled, scrap cars add extra interest, especially to the typical small-scale breakers’ yards once found in every town and city.