HIPS or ABS Plastic

[thunderchild]

Good Day All

I was just wondering which plastic do members prefer to use for their models, HIPS or ABS, and can anyone tell me the differents between the two.

Richard

[SlatsSSN]

Styrene

[thunderchild]

Yes, they're both Styrene, I was wondering which one was the most suitable to be used with model boats.

Richard

[SlatsSSN]

Both

lots of kits feature CNC machined hulls in ABS - Robbe for example goes this way often.

HIPS - what I call Styrene - I use it as I have an abundant supplier about 5kms from home - Business is called Vale Plastics.
I can buy sheets in various thickness from 0.2mm through to 5mm. Sheets are huge 1200mm x 2400mm. Far more economical than Everygreen sheets.

HIPS vs ABS - I find Styrene sands better and cuts better than ABS, but its a marginal difference.

J

[fastone045]

ABS in terrible to glue.

[SlatsSSN]

There you go Richard

- avoid ABS and go Styrene

J

[RussF172]

Hi Richard,

I would definitely go with HIPS type plastic. ABS can be quite difficult wo work with but there are a number of specialist glues that you can get from Perspex/plastic manufacturers which do a good job at combining both together. I know that I will have people telling me that I am wrong, but we build all our models, clients and my own from Evergreen plastics. When you compare the two types, HIPS you buy from the plastics guys and Evergreen, there is a huge difference in cost, however I have found for many years that the Evergreen in much more stable and rigid. It is obviously a slightly different compound, maybe denser in it structure.

I did an experiment many years ago where I used HIPS to build a piece of superstructure and did exactly the same piece also out of Evergreen. The difference was quite amazing with how much more rigid the Evergreen one was. Same size, same internal stiffening, same glue but there was a big difference (to me) that it was better. We only use Evergreen and Plastruct plastics to do the models now. I don't have shares in the company, but I want to provide our clients a model that will last and I find Evergreen does that.

One last plug for it. I have recently completed a refit on my CHURCHILL and striped in almost bare of detail, railings, weapons, fittings. I didn't have to do any repairs to the superstructure at all and she has been sailing constantly for 10 years. I recommend Evergreen, but that is my choice. It is all a matter of what you can afford to do and availability of the materials. Just my two cents worth.

Cheers,

Russ

[SlatsSSN]

Wow Russ that is good to know. Bit like the old saying "oils ain't oils".
I have always used the small Evergreen specific plastic tubes, and specialist detailed sheets etc, but always found the plain sheets either pricey or not in enough quantity at the hobby shore.
Nonetheless excellent tip re longevity of the Evergreen stuff.
Thanks

J

[thunderchild]

Good Day All

Thank you all for your help, I managed to drop into Mulford Industries in Perth to also ask the question, HIPS is the way to go.
Easier to use, slightly softer, and cheaper.

Russ, we've been trying different plastics and glues, and as you say, the evergreen is nice to use, and will join to HIPS using solvent type glues, we've also found that using SikaBond-TechGrip we can glue the HIPS to wood. My plan is to use the HIPS for the larger flat areas, and the evergreen plastics for the smaller fittings, where we can use thinner sheets for the same strength.

Again Thank you all
Richard