I have kit bashed and modified but never tried to scratch build a building. I have a Walthers transfer building that I don't like very much I want to replace it and can't find a kit . So here I go. I am looking for suggestions, do's , don't s, warnings , Materials to use . The only thing I am avoiding is metal . I have a few metal kits and don't want to go there again. Leaning toward plastic. Is plastic and wood together a bad idea?
Les

A good place to start ,that would answer a lot of your questions is ... what style of prototype or freelanced building do you want to build? IE---size, construction type, time era, and how much time and $$$ are you willing to put into the project. That answer will kind of guide you in the right direction for your other questions.

Scratchbuilding is a great way to get a structure, loco, or rolling stock that isn't commercially available.
I use Evergreen Styrene Sheets and Shapes exculsively when scratchbuilding. Its easy to cut, can use any glue such as Plastic Weld, TR7, and even Testors Red Tube Model Glue(which is what I use). My LHS owner scratchbuilt a harbor crane with Evergreen plastic, and member Abutt, used to scratchbuild N scale Schnabbel cars.

I've never scratchbuilt with wood, as I feel I don't have the talent(or patience) for using wood, but have seen some excellent models using nothing but wood, with Grandt Line windows and doors, and detail parts from others.

Using a combination of wood, and plastic would mean using Super Glue, as well as the glues I mentioned.

If you want to try your hand a scratchbuilding, its best to start with something simple. Maybe a yard building, small flagstop station. Easy, four square sides and one or two windows. Keep building up to more complex scratchbuilds until you feel confident enough to do something with odd angles, and mutiple doors and windows, and different roof designs.

Don't get upset if you make a mistake. Beleive me, I've had to run to the LHS an awful lot to get some more plastic cause I boo-booed.

This is an example of one of my scratchbuilds. It was a station that was located on the main line of the Central New England. I guesstimated the dimensions from a picture in a book that was taken in 1928. I had to "Guess" the backside as there were no pictures and used "modelers liscence" for the build.

Here's a couple of barns that were scratch built using Evergreen plastic. The skylights in the milk barn were spare windows from DPM modular system. both roofs were covered using Campbell shingles. Doing the Dutch Provincial Roof on the horse barn was probably the toughest, that and cutting the end walls to match.

Styrene is relatively easy, and relatively cheap, and the more I use it, the more I like it. Wood is can be more expensive (believe it or not) and does not necessarily represent wood any better. But, if you really want to do something cheap (or free) find a frozen pizza box, some white glue, an x-acto knife, and have at it!

Thanks to all of you who replied. From this information I will assume I want to use evergreen styrene for this project.
Les

Don't underestimate the value of mock-ups. Cutting up a Cherrios box (or even many Cheerios boxes) can go a long way to helping you determine the final size of your model. You can even glue a photocopy of your plans to the cardboard for a good representation of what the finished model will look like. These mock-ups go together quickly with a hot glue gun, and can be disassembled to provide a cutting pattern for the styrene (just don't use too much hot glue...!).

The only caution I have about mock-ups is don't make them too good, or they may end up standing-in for a long time...

Hope that helps.

Andrew

I concur with all that Andrew said about working with styrene, getting started and the importance of mock-ups. With my last project I even used my cardboard mock-up to build the styrene structure around it. Made putting the walls together a lot easier and resulted in a very sturdy model.



Styrene is a very good material to get one’s feet wet, but working with wood, especially basswood, does not necessarily have to be more difficult. In fact one of the easiest scratch builds I’ve done so far was by using cardboard and basswood. Building the core of the structure from cardboard and then glueing small basswood boards to it may take some time, but it gives very good results and it is very easy to do. If you get a sheet of thin basswood (.040") and cut your own strips and boards from it instead of buying stripwood, it is very cheap as well. One big advantage of this method is that you don’t have to cut openings for windows and doors as precisely as by using styrene. You can cut the openings wider and adjust the size when glueing the basswood bords around them.



As for mixing wood and styrene, it is no problem. I did it several times, you only have to find the right glue – your plastic cement might even do the trick. It worked for me when building this boxcar.



BTW, if you are looking for windows and doors, have a look at Tichy Train Group (http://www.tichytraingroup.com). They are as good as Grandt Line, but much cheaper.

Hey Les, Great thread, lots of great info. I would be interested in updates as you travel down this path. I would like to tag along.

Joe

The only scratchbuild I ever mocked up was the horse barn. Instead of trial and error with plastic, I first constructed the barn, less doors and windows, out of cardboard, holding it together with Scotch tape. Once I got the walls and roof right. I used the cardboard pieces for patterns when I cut the plastic.

Oh, by the way, the reason the two barns roofs are curling up is that my layout is in the attic, and the heat in the summer, with the Campbell shingles shrinking(a theory fo mine), the roofs are curling up.

I will keep you updated as I go. the cardboard mock up sounds interesting. I may go that route. I have been gathering all the stuff I have accumulated over the years from kits. I think I have all the doors and windows I need. I had a thought today, has anyone ever used plastic signs for sheets. like to make walls and roofs. I am talking about the for sale, keep out, for rent, ones you can get at Lowes. Just a thought. I ran across one in my shed today and a light bulb lite up in my brain.
Les

Lester Perry Wrote:I had a thought today, has anyone ever used plastic signs for sheets. like to make walls and roofs. I am talking about the for sale, keep out, for rent, ones you can get at Lowes. Just a thought. I ran across one in my shed today and a light bulb lite up in my brain.
Les

I use signage from retail stores almost exclusively (remember Rose's?). It comes in different thicknesses and can be scribed, glued and worked just like styrene. Every panel on this juice jack came from that signage...



This 'boose and loco were done with it too...



AND...in most cases, it was free for the asking

Thanks Shaygetz. Your stuff just scared me. Fantastic looking models as usual for you sir. I will have to investigate this a little. But for now, tomorrow I will be cutting up some cereal boxes.
Les

Quote:I use signage from retail stores almost exclusively (remember Rose's?). It comes in different thicknesses and can be scribed, glued and worked just like styrene.

I have gotten hold of a few signs of the sides of city busses. They are 60-thou styrene. A little hard to cut fine details in, but great for large areas like industrial roofs or parking lots.

Andrew

Nice thread, nothing like a bit of strip wood to spruce things up.