Scratchbuilding of assorted structures

[Dad-1]

Hi David,

Shame I moved from Milton Keynes area, or I'd be across to see what you do.
Mind you I love the Dorset coast !!

I was curious about those paper window frames. How did you glaze ?
The paper looks so thin & needed sticking to your gazing. I can imagine
that being very difficult. Did you use sticky backed paper ? I do on many
signs & then just attach to small pieces of thin plasticard.

Geoff T.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

The paper glazing bars was self adhesive paper just peel off the back and stick on, although I have also done it with normal paper that's laid on the glazing material and MEK then draws the paper into the glazing to secure it.

My preferred method now is to use .5mm or .2mm Perspex for the frames that can be sprayed the required colour first the glazing is also cut to size on the laser cutter and both the frames and glazing drop in to a pockets in the inside layer of the wall.

The walls are two layers of 1.5mm Rowmark the holes align both parts using cocktail sticks, the slots are to align sides so they are 90 degrees.

[Jim S-W]

hi All

For those who like to read my writings I have an article in the current issue of Finescale Railway Modelling Review. A relatively recent magazine from Bob Barlow and Tim Skackleton.  Sort of pitching itself at the MRJ end o the market it's a nice looking and feeling (I always like a decent paper to be used in magazines) publication.



My article covers the building of New Street's lamp building along with some thoughts on what I would do differently if I were to build it now.  I hope you enjoy it

http://www.greystarpublications.com/fsr/

Cheers

Jim

[b308]

Ah! The Lampblock, that's now our messroom and has changed an awful lot!

[Dad-1]

I've been doing other things ........
At last have returned to a few unfinished buildings. I've been putting soffit boards & guttering
on a cottage started in 2010 for St Oval, and the Lord Nelson pub for Thomas visits Bride Bay.
The industrial building was just a speculative build, If I remember correctly to show how a
valley could be made in model buildings.
Different finishes, roof pitches, overall height gives a nice feel, better than many bought items
proving the value of making your own design & build.



Now I have a large chimney, one that was too big & heavy looking for the structure it was intended
for ........ I shall have to dream up a larger 3 story building, yes, just to use the chimney !!

Geoff T.

[carnehan]

Those three buildings look great Geoff, I can just visualise them climbing up a village high street. For individuality I think scratch building is the only way to go.

Paul

[Undereaves]

I'm about to have a go at my first scratch built buildings. This is in 2mm. A lot of n gauge devotees seem to think printed card is better for this smaller scale but I'm giving it a go. The main attraction to model railways for me is the modelling bit.

I'm building a row of Railway Cottages for my Richmond layout. You can see them here:



If I build in plain plasticard as I intend then laminate with embossed plasticard do I stick them together before cutting? Or should I cut all the bits out in plain and then cut through the back to make windows etcetera in the embossed sheet? Also, how should I glue them? I've read that you shouldn't smear glue over the whole thing. just glue edges? (This would suggest cutting before laminating)

About these specific cottages, I'm wondering how you accurately measure the roofs of the dormers so that there are absolutely no gaps.

I'm off to Richmond on Saturday to take pics around the station and will have more information to work from then. The whole station will need scratch building!

[Dad-1]

O.K. undereaves,

I would say to try and scale as best you can by drawing, you can easily throw away & start again if it just dosen't look right.
My plasticard technique has always been to take accurate measurements off my drawings & then cut out in plain plastic, even
window openings. Then the embossed plastic is overlaid - Remember to leave the embossed layer 2-3 mm long on either the
backs, or sides, one pair can be cut flush. In this way you have an angle to fit the adjoining pieces into & this will fully hide
you corner joints. The windows can then be cut using your now half depth holes as the cutting guide, a new very sharp blade
is best.
Those ae some nice cottages and wonder if you should try something simple first, success will give confidence, otherwise if it
should start going wrong you'll loose interest.

Geoff T.

[Undereaves]

Thanks Geoff, very helpful. You might be right about starting with something simpler, too. Not sure if any of the buildings at Richmond station fit into that category though! Will have a think.

[Undereaves]

From my survey of the area around what was Richmond station on a very dark and wet Saturday afternoon (the river was fair gushing), I think I might make this my first go at scratchbuilding:



Best pic I could get of the railway cottages was this:

[ParkeNd]

Hi Undereaves.

I'm just a beginner really and work in N gauge. My preference is for Daler board as used for mats in picture frames laminated prior to assembly with Slaters embossed Plastikard.

This is my shot at Railway Cottages using this medium - just now completed.

[Undereaves]

Nice job ParkeNd, you'd never think they were so small without the 20p piece shown. It looks like you've built them on a base. I have the David Rowe 4mm architectural modelling book in which he recommends a 9mm plywood base. I was thinking this would be overkill in 2mm. What did you use? The daler board?

[ParkeNd]

This is a five shot view of the construction method.

The base is black Plastikard added at the end just to help me mount it into a similar depth recess in the layout.











And then the base - after painting - but before final final little details

[Undereaves]

Great, thanks for posting these pics ParkeNd! Very helpful. I'm itching to get started now I've got a clearer picture how to approach it.

[Undereaves]

As the more astute, experienced scratch builders would probably have noticed, when I announced my intention to make the gas house as my first venture into scratch building it wasn't really any easier than the railway cottages I initially proposed as my first project. The main problem being the arches.



I realised I had no way to cut perfect semi circles in plasticard. Then I had an idea. The arches on a goods shed I built a while ago that got damaged in storage. I measured them, they were almost the same width. I got out my x-acto knife,



It needed cutting down drastically. I basically needed the arches and stone in between. My intention being to glue it to card and paint the card for the dark recessed area, while gluing some stone sheet below. The fact that the stone will be different being okay as it varied in the prototype anyway.



The cut-away arches on my card plan and base. The trim from the bottom shown in the pic will be used too.



This is the 'back' elevation, which in actual fact will be the side most on view. The front with the door will be done using the other three arches from the good shed.