[Nfb-krafters-korner] FW: Model car kits for the blind.

[marcro52 at aol.com]

Hello again, Terry.
 
I just found the "cars" section of the NFB web site, and am looking that  
over.
 
Regarding your suggestions:
 
I'm an incurable papercrafter, thus my preference for cardboard.
 
I have been building model cars for myself from cardboard for the past  
thirty years, when I decided that plastic kits were becoming too tedious and  
expensive for me.  It was natural for me to use cardboard, having a father  
who worked in a paper mill.  He would bring scrap cardboard home to me, and  
I would make things from it.
 
I prefer cardboard to plastic for models for a few reasons.
It's usually obtained freely or inexpensively.  It can be glued with  
non-toxic glue.  It is much, much easier to work with than plastic, thus  
cardboard has a much lower labor cost than plastic.  Mainly, however, I  simply 
enjoy working with cardboard, whereas I don't care much for  plastic.
 
Also, making models from paper, or "cardmodeling" as it's known, is a  
growing hobby, and there are some excellent forums for cardmodelers.   
Cardmodeling has always been popular in Europe, and since the introduction of  the 
internet, has become more popular here in the US.  I have built eight  
cardboard model cars on commission for people who wanted models of certain cars,  
and hired me to build them.
 
Colored paper is a much more efficient way to apply color to cardboard than 
 painting, and is the method I use with my own models.
 
Cardboard makes a durable model.  It doesn't break when it falls from  a 
shelf, whereas plastic models, when they it the floor, don't fare too  well.
 
 
So, when it comes to building models, cardboard is my first choice of  
material.
 
Nonetheless, I welcome your suggestions, and am grateful for your interest, 
 and again, I thank you.
 
Mark