-steves- wrote: ↑Wed Mar 09, 2022 3:14 pm
That is indeed why they went over to styrene and the same reason I have an un setup laser cutter, once I set it up, it's an option. The down side to clear styrene is all the people I have spoken to hate it, lol.
The model is "supposed" to be a Bagnall Rheidol 2-4-0, but I have probably not done it justice to be recognisable

The later revision with a full roof.
I could tell from the first drawing it was a Bagnall, either Rheidol, or one of her South American relatives..... Did Rheidol ever run without a cab back, but with the later capped chimney?
I can't think why anyone would use clear polystyrene sheet for anything except glazing windows. It's almost as brittle as glass and a real pain to saw, file and glue. It can't be formulated with plasticiser, as that makes it a translucent white, so the clear sheet comes in one grade, 'brittle'.
There have been laser cut kits made from HIPS (high impact polystyrene) sheet available here in Oz off and on for years. HIPS sheet is probably better known in the UK as Plastikard thanks to Slaters, but HIPS is the trade name used by industrial suppliers. It is considerably cheaper per sq. ft. from industrial suppliers than it is from hobby shops.
If laser cut parts need to be transparent, eg. windows, then clear acrylic would be a better choice.
Acrylic sheet also comes in solid colours and is another option for laser cut kits. PDF Models instructions mention laser cut acrylic being used for some parts and Phil Sharples uses it as well. It would be a better material for the chassis for instance. Not as easy to glue together as HIPS though.
Regards,
Graeme