Scratchbuilding of assorted structures

[Dad-1]

As a follow on from a question in the 'General' section I think that we should help anyone who fancies trying to make something of their own.
Starting the ball rolling with as basic a structure as possible and the tools I think are required to achieve satisfactory results.
This one is for plasticard and the tools needed.

Start with a reasonable size cutting mat, absolute minimum A4, preferably A3 if youre serious.
A sheet of plasticard, anywhere from 0.60mm up to 1.00mm.
Two steel rules. These are used together, one to give the cutting guide, the other to measure out.
A VERY sharp knife - I use Swann Morton scalpels & qute frequently change blades.
Liquid polly glue.
Then paints & brushes as required to get the finish you want.

That is all that's required - not much.
However before you can start you need a plan. The easiest structure is a 6 x 8 garden shed, there are millions, found everywhere !!
I always make to drawings I've done. Not as hard as it sounds, particularly with the following shed.
Sides 8 feet long, in 4 mm scale that's 32 mm, height flexible, but I used 24 mm. One side has windows so cut out an opening of 20 mm x 6 mm cut 12 mm from the base edge - keep central that is 6 mm from the two ends.
Ends 6 feet wide, in 4 mm that's 24 mm wide, 30 mm to a central ridge line coming down to 24 mm at the edges to match the sides. One end having a doorway cut out 23 mm high & 12 mm wide - Cut clean & save the cutout as that is you door.
Two roof panels 34 mm x 15 mm
Cut some scraps to edge the door frame 2 - 3 mm wide and stick on overlapping into the door space by 1 mm or thereabouts.
Assemble the square on a flat surface making certain all parts are vertical & making as perfect a square as you can ( markings on cutting mats help this)
Attach roof with equal overlap all around the edge.
Cut scraps of plastic abt 1.5 mm wide to make inner door frame, one at top & bottom with one in centre, then two diagonal strips starting hinge side top,
running to latch location on the central door stiffener.
Add 3 window dividers as fine as you can make, for window glazing strips. Stick some clear plastic on the inside to glaze the windows.
Add two hinges & a latch from shreds of scrap plastic.
I finished the roof with a thin strip of paper glued over the ridge.
Then paint as required.




Geoff T.

[Lofty]

Cheers Geoff, you make it sound so easy

[Dad-1]

It is easy lofty ...... But some pictures will follow showing detail.
All that's needed is the will and some accurate cutting of plastic.

I'm going to make another garden shed tonight and take detailed photographs of the simple stages
as well as the odd trick of the trade.

A section of photos will follow here ..... slightly later.

Geoff T.

[b308]

Can I add a decent small setsquare and pencils and sharpener which should be used even more often than the changing of the knife blades... I also use one of those head mounted magnifying thingymies for detail work...

Here's some of mine, none of them have backs as they back up to the backscene and the point levers come out under them!

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Back of it:


All are made from 40 thou plasticard, dimensions estimated from photos of the real things, in the case of the grain store, many photos as I've been to the station its at several times over the years. The two houses are taken from Estate Agents photos from buildings in the area local to when my model is based. i work on doors being approximately 6' 6" to 7ft high and base everything around that when drawing up the plan. It's not an exact science but then again they aren't exact scale models!!

[Dad-1]

Tonight, since my last posting I've made another garden shed.
So let's see how it was done,
Unlike b308 I don't draw on the plasticard as I find drawn lines too inaccurate. What I do is scratch my outlines using a scalpel against a steel rule.
You can measure & cut with an accuracy of around 0.25 mm, or the thickness of the engraved line on your ruler. Note the cutting/scratching done
down the edge of the 6" ruler.





Now we all know you should wash you hands before eating - here shows why, damp your fingers with a little spit and rub over the scratched outline.
They then show up clearly and can be followed with the scalpel to cut through.





When cut out you have the 4 main walls. I use the scrap window cutout plastic to make the window glazing bars





Then all that remains is adding the two roof sections, adding some door inner frame and you have the basis of your garden shed. I'll wait until the glue
is thoroughly dry before lightly sanding and painting.



This has taken about 1 1/2 hours including taking photos - yes it is easy BUT those parts need to be very accurate so good cutting is the key.

Geoff T.

[Bufferstop]

If the bug bites and your first attempt makes you want to do more, then I'd start a list of tools and materials you want to get. The first tool I would add is a 3" engineer's try square. As well as being an aid to marking out and cutting it comes in very useful for setting corners square and walls vertical.

[Dad-1]

Hi Bufferstop,

Yes there are some additional desireable tools and b308 mentions a small set square.
What I didn't mention was a couple of grades of wet 'n dry paper for cleaning up edges. Something I
did use last evening. I also had to use my fine point tweezers an absolute essential for handling small
shreds of plastic used to represent hinges, latches and of course window glazing strips.

I've not photographed one, but I always draw an accurate scale plan for everything I build. Showing all the
exact measurements and these are transferred to the plastic with scratch lines by scalpel. Where a larger
building is produced there are significant scratch channels, the lines of my drawing. These are of course
hidden when the outer embossed surfacing sheet is added. You do have to make certain these scratch
drawings are on the side to be covered, otherwise they sit rather boldly on the interior walls !!

Anyway the original posting in the general section was asking about a cattle dock. I have one made from
MDF with card covering, and another I'm working on now, as well as a simple unloading dock. I'll try to add
photos with a little more detail later - Electric due to be cut off and meter replaced.

Geoff T.

[Bushey Troughs]

Geoff, the ledge and brace door on your shed is wrong. The diagonal always goes upwards from the hinge side ie, the top diagonal on the shed is upside down.

Prefer a combination square myself, you get 45' and 90' all in one.

[hornbyandbf3fan]

Thanks for starting this thread, as this will be extremely useful to me. When I start making something, I'll try and post the results on here, or if not on youtube and I'll leave a link
Thanks again and those buildings look fantastic
Will

[Lofty]

Electric due to be cut off and meter replaced.

Pay your bill, or have you spent your Winter fuel allowance on railway stuff

Geoff, the door on your shed is wrong.

I thought that but was being diplomatic.

I have taken loads of pictures of a few interesting local structures over the last year or so, I just need some time and motivation to have a go.

[Dad-1]

Sorry Guys,

You are both wrong. However almost every shed maker has their own designs. Universal doors allow for fixing either side or even
upside down.



I didn't put the full surround anti-rodent edging as I have yet to find some 4 mm mice, or rats. Another shed has no cross bracing
on the door, just a plank (too small to call a beam) across at each hinge location and a central plank onto which the hasp is attached.
This other one, a very cheap shed, didn't even have an anti-rodent edging until I attached one myself.

This is about scratch building and as my photograph proves it's often worth having photographic evidence to prove what you have made
stands up to criticism

Still waiting for the meter man ...... between 08.00 & 13.00 Hrs - Bet he arrives as we have lunch !!!

Geoff T.

[Bushey Troughs]

Geoff, that's wrong too, plus that's a frame and ledge braced door. The brace always runs from the hinge upwards that's the way it as to be because it braces the door. If you run the diagonal the wrong way, its no longer a brace.

http://www.ukoakdoors.co.uk/internal-do ... 0_128.html

[Dad-1]

O.K Will,

Cattle docks, one of your original queries - scratch built. The first one is from 3 mm MDF, front covered with printed card, with a painted MDF top.
Fencing from plastic back to back channel sections having a brass wire set of railings fed through the holes. Working gates made from plasticard.



Then we have one made from Wills plastic. The top is the size of a wills sheet, so to make one bigger you have to join sheets together. This is still
unpainted and I probably need to add some safety railings. Here it's an simple unloading platform



I wanted a somewhat larger dock with two separate pens & gates to allow the unloading of two wagons. First the scale drawings that I am working to.
Note I still have to make 30 posts and 12 gates !!





This is from plain plasticard top, with laminated walls of brick embossed card stuck to the plain plasticard shell. By using a plasticard top it's
easy to make as large as you want.

Get the card and have a go - the only way you improve is by making something.

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Bushy Troughs,

I don't care about any theory, or individual manufacturers pattern
I have copied what exists - It can't be wrong because it exists as is.
Simple as that !

Geoff T.

[Lofty]

I except that I was wrong, you have my apologies Geoff...

Although, who made your shed door, did you do it yourself