From a drafting class 50 years ago, equal area between letters was one rule. A jewelers watch oiler is like a spade bit with a sharp tip and a forged flat behind it that carries the liquid via surface tension but gives pinpoint application of oil with the pointed end. That might be worth a try with super glue. Nice looking patterns.
Area, huh? I’ll see how that works. Thanks. Not sure how to conveniently calculate area, though. After a little primer: Denis
Pretty cool! I used to do a lot more of gluing and such on mostly aluminum patterns but have never seen it applied quite like that. Interesting indeed! I have tried the thin glue, flexible rc airplane hinge glue, the slow cure and the gel and I like the gel myself as it seems to give me more time to get the letters lined up correctly and gives a more controlled movement while making adjustments to them. I like the thin on my wooden airplane parts as it absorbs into the wood making it cleaner but the thicker stuff seems to bond better. The applicators that you get when you buy it from RC / hobby shops give you a pretty fine tip so you can just do one drop at a time which is convenient but now I have learned a new method. Thanks Denis!
I got a good look at some 1980's vintage aluminium pattern letters today, they are aluminium and have tiny nails built in which I'm told are useless and were cut off before gluing down:
I think those "nails" are meant for Felt sign boards. I got a plastic set with nearly identical protrusions marketed for use on felt sign boards. I think it is Fishbonz who pointed them out. He just clips of the fingers. I just posted in another thread about a supplier worth looking at for our North American and UK members. Slater's Plastikard modeler letters http://www.railwaymodels.com/content/slaters-raised-letters-and-numbers Denis
I suppose that's likely, I did ask about the aluminium "nails", Peter said they go into Jelutong (milky pine) pattern wood with very little force. If you look at the 'S' and 'D' letters near the centre, the nails are offset so they'd go into felt sign grooves crooked. They were supposed to come from a pattern making supply company in England.
The pins are for use in Sugar pine... I think they call it Tuplo now . I have bought them, and clipped them off for use on metal patterns V/r HT1
