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Taiwan Angel Jul 10, 2008

Hardboard discs or Fiberboard discs ? Why?

I am not sure if anyone have post this topic before. ( Or maybe this is a silly question ?  :redface: )
I check in the library for joint and did not find the answer. I really want to know which one you think is better?

I tried both before and found really no much different to me. ( But I am really newbie at bear making...    )
There is a bear artist she told me it is better to go with hardboard discs.
Her explanation is that fiberboard will be broken after some time.... ???? Is it ????

But another artist told me the kits she bought from Germany some famous artist are also using fiberboard.
So I am really confuse which one is better?    

Please help !!!!!!

MerBear Jul 10, 2008

I would think the hardboard discs would be ideal for the really large bears but have always used fibreboard for my bears which range from 5" to 16"

Marion

Donna Jul 10, 2008

Hi,
I have done repairs on some old bears ranging in age from 50-100 years old.  They all had fiberboard discs.  The break down of the discs happens when the metal rubs against the fiberboard.  That is why it is recommended to use a metal washer between the fiberboard disc and the nuts or cotter pins to prevent this break down from rubbing or wear over many years.  I took a class from Jennifer Laing and she tested the fiberboard discs by putting them in a bucket of water to see if they would warp or break apart.  They held up to her test.  I generally use fiberboard discs.
I have used hardboard discs a few times and they have been fine.  My guess is that they would have the same rubbing or wear issue as the fiberboard discs so would recommend using metal washers with them also.  I don't have much first hand knowledge with the hardboard discs but I feel they are comparable in quality as the fiberboard.
I think you are safe to use either.  What ever is easily available to you and you are comfortable with.
Donna

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorJul 10, 2008

I have used both and really can't tell any difference - so mostly go with fiberboard.  Since my oldest bears are only 11 - 12 years old, the possibility of breakdown isn't known at this time - as I think it would take much longer than that to do a comparison.  My experience is go with either.

Taiwan Angel Jul 11, 2008

Intercal is selling both of them the same price. But in some of the other website they are selling hardboard more higher price. 
This is why I was confused about it. I know not the expensive one are the good one. But just really wonder why??? 

Thank you so much for sharing the experience. 
So now I can use either of them as well as I add the metal washer.....  :dance:

I really want to have my bear to pass down to many generation and not having a broken arms or legs 

If any people have other experience please kindly share with us.

Taiwan Angel Jul 11, 2008

Wooden discs = hardboard discs ??????

Intercal hardboard discs is it a wooden quality???
The photo for me look likes it is wooden discs right.... 
Actually this is one of my friend asking me about it. Sorry !!!
If anyone knows please kindly let me know. Thanks!!! 

mingrul Jul 11, 2008

Angel and I share the same teacher and I also mentioned to our teacher that I use fiberboard and she told me that it's not that durable .. but using it, it seems fine to me just as long as u put the washer.... so help!

the one that our teacher is talking about is http://www.gerrys.com.au/product.php?pr … =49&page=1 found in Gerry's... the other one is intercal http://www.intercaltg.com/catalog3/supp … #hardboard

fiberboard and hardboard are made from the same material? Because the concern in Taiwan is that it's too moist so our teacher is afraid if it's made of like "paper" material, it will absorb the moisture and in turn will make it soft and break it... but if this is the case, won't the same concept happened in so called wood material? really confusing!

:pray: help! 

mingrul Jul 14, 2008

hope you guys can elighten us what materials they are sort of made from and what difference they have? Because for one thing, the one in Jerry's material cost more...

What type of pin do you guys often use? cotter pin or T-pin? If u use cottern pin, do you push an additional washer into the circle of the cotter pin so that it wont get loose?

thanks for ur help :hug:

Eileen Jul 14, 2008

There is a difference!

Both are made of wood. Hardboard is harder, because it's made of tiny bits of wood compressed with no filler or glue. Fiberboard is made of a variety of wood bits, including shavings and sawdust, held together with resin.

Nevertheless, I really don't think it makes a difference which you use in teddy joints, so long as you use a metal washer to prevent wear. I usually go with whichever comes in the size I need.

T-pins are very fine, and would probably work best in a very small bear. I wouldn't trust them to hold the joints in a larger one!

mingrul Jul 15, 2008

Thanks Eileen... I love your bear by the way! guys... pls go and vote for your favorite bears for the olympics.. here is the link:

http://www.twtba.org.tw/2008_TBOC/vote01.asp

just to clarify Eileen, the one on Jerry's, is that hardboard? sorry, because we dont know the term that was use... the gray type found in Intercalg is fiberboard?

thanks for your insight....

Eileen Jul 15, 2008

The disk sold by Gerry's looks like fiberboard to me. Fiberboard is the same on both sides--smooth but not shiny.

If you look closely at the fiberboard and hardboard disks on the Intercal page, you'll see that the hardboard disk has two different sides, one very smooth (sometimes shiny) and one bumpy. It's manufactured that way, because it was originally meant for use in furniture, where it could be veneered or laminated, and needed only one good side. You can get hardboard with two good sides, but it isn't common.

Probably more than you wanted to know from an amateur cabinetmaker!

If you still can't decide, I'd order a few of each and try them out.

:hug: Thanks for your nice comment on my Olympics bear! He's supposed to be a flatwater canoeist, but his boat is made of balsawood and certainly not according to Olympic regulations!

Taiwan Angel Jul 15, 2008

Thanks you Marion, Donna, Sue and Eileen !
Metal washer is to reply to all the questions 

mingrul Jul 17, 2008

Hi Eileen,

thanks for those insight.... I will look more closely and i guess you are right, no matter which one, the bottom line is, you need a washer. I wonder if you can just use the washer and skip the disk

Good luck in your vote.... lately they have a list of people on the top 5 bears.... im bad with memory so not sure if your in there.. however, i saw your newspaper article... great work... :clap:

thanks again....  :dance:  :dance:

Eileen Jul 17, 2008

:hug: Thanks, Ming!

But the article wasn't about me . . . . was the lady from Ireland!

mingrul Jul 17, 2008

:redface:  :redface:  :redface: oops! yes, how can i mistaken Ireland from Canada... ill start a link so that more people will get to vote heehehe

:hug:

Eileen Jul 17, 2008

No problem. Ming--I'm flattered!