Log cabin on a budget

[heda]

I came across this on line, as my scratchbuilding skills are non existent and the cost is negligible I think I'll give it a try.
Materials
A pack of wooden skewers £1.50
Mounting card
Wooden coffee stirrers
Matchsticks
Superglue
White acrylic
Woodlands scenics snow.
Everything apart from the skewers is laying around in the modelling box.

First off the mounting card base 15cm x 11cm, skewers15cm x 9cm to give a 2cm overhang at the front.
I've built the skewers up to window height. The windows poorly constructed by sticking cut down matchsticks to some clear plastic from a Christmas cracker box. The planked floor which probably won't be visible once it's finished was just downloaded and printed off. Two more windows to go then carry on with the skewers up to roof height.
Dave

[Richard08]

Nice. Looks like a fun project

[Lofty]

It’s little projects like this that build up your experience and skill sets, also an ideal time for trying new ideas.

[End2end]

Nothing like having unique buildings on your layout.

Metcalf buildings for example, usually look the same on most layouts to me.
Thanks
End2end

[Phred]

I like it!

I have a heap of material that is exactly the same as wooden skewers (but about three feet long) which I salvaged from some old panel blinds, so this is giving me some ideas.

[heda]

It is intended just as a fun project, it's not something I could use on my current layouts. But as one thing often leads to another it's got me thinking about a small winter diorama. I'll see how it works out first and I really must finish my two layouts and small display diorama before starting anything else !
Completely agree with you about building looking the same E2E, I'm hopeless at scratch building but do try to modify ready built buildings to give some variation.
Give it a go Phred, you've got the materials there, have some fun.
Dave

[Dad-1]

And there was me thinking a Real log cabin !!
For which I suppose 6K would be a budget version.
I do/did know someone with a real quite large log
cabin in his garden with a link into the bungalow's
central heating system - Meanwhile I just dream !!

Great fun heda,

Geoff T.

[End2end]

It is intended just as a fun project, it's not something I could use on my current layouts.

You've just given me an idea heda!

Using coffee stirrers instead of wooden skewers could make a building look like a wooden planked building. There's plenty of those in the U.K. and would probably suit 99% of our layouts!
From a simple shed to a large house to a cricket pavilion. All can be wooden planked buildings.
Thanks
End2end

[heda]

I'm glad my little project has given some inspiration.
Geoff, you probably could use skewers to make a full size version but it might take some time !
Dave

[heda]

The windows and door are in place. The door is made with split coffee stirrers stuck to a piece of card, the handle is a small piece of florist wire. The first supports for the roof fitted.
I had to add a strip of card at the front as I cut the original card to small.
It's had a wash of light brown acrylic to fill any gaps between the skewers but the light makes it look a lot darker than it actually is.
Dave

[Lofty]

Coming along great Dave, how have you produced the hollows in the logs/skewers please ?

[heda]

For the hollows/dips I used a small round file, roughly the same diameter as the skewers, they filed down very easily but a bit tedious.
Dave

[Lofty]

Thanks, I suspected so, but asked just in case you had another superior method.

[heda]

No 'superior method' involved, the Dremel would have been quicker but the skewers are soft and filed down easily.
With the skewers up to height some hacking and filing to get the roof pitch, mounting card with a couple of surface mount led's stuck in place (I forgot to take a picture here), then four pieces of mounting card for the roof glued on and given a coat of white acrylic. As well as planking at the front which was some old offcuts from a laser cut kit I had laying around I also added some planking to the underside of the roof, it won't be seen but it filled some gaps and will help to stop light bleed from any gaps under the roof. It actually looks like a log cabin now. Just some detailing to do.
Dave

[End2end]

I struggle with try to make anything beyond a single pitched roof. I just don't understand how to work out the angles.

The cabin has turned out really well. Looks snug and cosy.
Thanks
End2end