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Tools and tips for making paper castles, churches, cathedrals and all kinds of paper projects

Here are some product and tool tips for you when it comes to making paper projects, particularly three dimensional projects like paper castles.

 

A Note from Will: These are products that I use on a regular basis. I have tried a whole lot of different things when it comes to paper projects. These are real product recommendations based on my experience.

 

 

Adhesives

When making various paper projects like castles, cathedrals and scene boxes the single most important thing is the adhesive you use. It will have a big affect on the work and on the final project. Give this some thought. I rarely use only one type of adhesive for a project. Let me explain.

Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue

(On Amazon here through this affiliate link: Bearly art precision craft glue)

I use this glue when working on small and detailed projects. Particularly if I am doing prototype or testing kind of work where I just want to apply a small amount of glue just to hold things together.

This is a yellowish glue that is similar to elmers glue or maybe carpenter's glue but not as thick. It applies well and holds great.

But one of the best things I love about this glue is the various application tips you get with it. These tips make a difference.

Notice in this first picture That there is a plastic test tube with a green cap. I have taped that to the side of the bottle so I never lose it. It is handy for me. That test tube comes with the glue. And inside you keep the alternate application tips.

 

Let's look at those tips.

First, on the left, is a pin. You keep that in the precision tip to keep it clear and easy flowing. IN the first picture (above) you can see the red ball of this pin in place in the precision tip.

The next three objects are the precision tip, the medium tip and the larger tip. These all give you great control of the work you are doing.

 

 

 

In this picture I have a laid out a couple of lines of the glue using the precision tip. The penny is for comparison in size. You can see this tip can lay out a nice thin and accurate bead of glue.

 

 

 

 

Beacon 3 in 1 glue - (My favorite glue)

Available on amazon through this affiliate link: Beacon 3 in 1 glue

I love this glue. It is great to work with. This is because it is a high tack glue. It's not like a white glue. It is more like a thin gel, almost like a hair gel but not as thick. You can evenly and easily spread it.

But the high tack is what makes it special, particularly when you are working on three dimensional projects. This tacky glue will hold parts together while the glue sets. You can apply it with reasonable precision. The nozzle tip is something that you cut with a pair of scissors. So, you can cut it for a smaller bead or a larger bead - whatever you like. If you are making paper projects like castles, buildings, cathedrals and stuff that is three-dimensional you will be very happy with this glue and how it holds things together while drying. It grips and holds while it is wet and continues to grip while it dries.

Elmer's Purple Glue Stick -

Available on amazon through this affiliate link: Elmers Disappearing purple glue stick

I used glue stick quite a bit over the years. And they never had this clever idea. Whoever thought up this idea should be given a raise because it is really smart.

It's a typical quality glue stick but it first goes on purple so you can see it very clearly. Which is great. With a little bit of drying in a minute the purple disappears so there is no staining. It ends up clear.

But having it start out purple just makes it so much easier for you to see where and how you applied the glue.

There are generic purple glue sticks and various brands. I can't really speak to how they work, but probably pretty good. I just know that Elmer's has always been a high quality product. I checked amazon the day I wrote this article and it also was very inexpensive in price.

Elmer's Spray Adhesive -

Available on Amazon through this affiliate link: Elmer's Spray Adhesive

I do a lot of projects with foamboard and cardboard. And sometimes these projects are pretty big, one to three feet in size. This means a lot of adhesive. For these projects I often use a spray adhesive. You can spray it on thin and evenly over large surfaces. And it holds really well.

The only thing to be cautious of is that there is no wiggle room.

Gluing two sheets together with spray adhesive

When adhering two sheets together. And this is particularly critical when using a spray adhesive. It is very easy to not get them placed exactly right. Then it is difficult to re-align and shift them because of the adhesive.

You can do it effectively by applying the adhesive then hinging them together. It will give you a perfect placement without the need for realignment.

 

Various Hand tools

Bone folder

I used to do a lot of Origami and this tool is very common in that pursuit. But I have carried over the habit to all my paper project making. I love using the bone folder. It just is a big boon and very helpful. In particular it helps to make really crisp folds in paper. I recommend you get one. The high end ones are actually made of bone. But they have plenty of them that are made of some kind of composite or plastic. They typically cost between five and ten dollars. Here is a link to the amazon pager for bone folders: Bone Folders on Amazon

It really is an amazing tool that you can use for all kinds of crafts including paper, leather, cardboard and more.

 

Micro/precision scissors

A good pair of precision scissors is an absolute must for me.

This is the exact pair that I use. I have two of them - I like them that much for a couple of different reasons. They cut very precisely and they have a big enough handle for my finger. I am a big guy with big hands so scissors can be problematic for me, but these are comfortable. They are noted as being five inch scissors that means the overall length is five inches.

This exact pair that I bought on amazon is right here: Ionic Five inch Precision scissors

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a standard X-acto hobby knife. You might recognize the silver pencil like form of it. I don't recommend getting this style hobby knife. It's a bit uncomfortable to hold and because of it's pencil shape it is easy for your fingers or hand to slip on it.

I recommend (and use) an xacto knife with an ergonomic handle. It is much more comfortable to use and it makes a difference.

 

This picture shows the exact one that I have been using for years. But it is discontinued. They now make newer ones, that are probably even better.

 

I can't 100% recommend a particular xacto knife that I haven't used myself but I am confident this one is probably just as good or better. (It's also an x-acto)

Here it is on amazon

And X-acto has a great selection of knives, blades and more on Amazon right here X-acto store on Amazon

 

 

RULERS and Straightedges

 

My daily work rulers are metal and of two sizes. I have an eighteen inch ruler and a six inch ruler. And it's important that they both be metal. I don't recommend wood or plastic because if you are using a knife and ruler to cut straight lines the knife can get caught on the wood or plastic. This is a safety issue. My metal rulers also have a cork backing. I like this because it prevents slipping which is also a good safety factor and reduces your cut slipping off the line. Here is a nice set on amazon with three different size rulers with cork backing.

Three metal rulers available on Amazon here

 

 

 

 

 

Precision Tweezers

I used to do a lot of electronics work and in that work tweezers are a common tool. But as I shifted over to doing a lot of paper projects I found that the tweezers really came in handy. I have several precision tweezers and I love them. Really handy, particularly when handling small pieces and they particular come in handy when gluing 3dimensional parts together and needing some way to squeeze/hold them together while the glue takes hold.

Here is a nice set of precision tweezers on amazon