02-14-2011, 09:21 AM
Thanks, Sumpter and everyone else for your input, valuable indeed. The beauty of BB is it gives us the luxury of "selectively compressing" hundreds of years of collective experience to enhance our individual needs. This advice offered on this thread is invaluable to my first attempt at a scratchbuild that is going to be a focal point of an incredible layout. With y'alls help and a little blind luck we may pull it off.
After considering everyone's thoughts, I am indeed going with wood for a couple of reasons. Mostly because I really LIKE working with wood vs plastic. All of the craftsmen style kits I have built for Allan's layout so far have all been wood. The techniques learned during those builds will come in handy during this one. Also, I do have allergies to either the styrene or glues used. On small projects, no big deal, but if I am into a long one requiring lots of sanding, even with a mask I come down with head and chest congestion and chronic coughing for 2 or 3 days...not good. I have tried various glues as suggested to no avail. And thirdly to Sumpter's point, wood naturally looks "woody" vs trying something new and weathering plastic to look like wood. This old hotel is going to be rather large and I just don't feel confident enough in my skill sets to make plastic look like wood. If it were a brick or some other material, I would of course go with styrene. Allan's layout is an 1100 sq ft one occupying the entire upstairs of his home and will be climate controlled and not moved to shows or the like. It is even encased in glass walls to give it even more protection from dust and wandering hands.
Next step will be starting the drawings, I'll be posting my plans as soon as they are in working order for your review.
Thanks again for all your input, please keep holding my hand as we follow the yellow brick road..... :o
After considering everyone's thoughts, I am indeed going with wood for a couple of reasons. Mostly because I really LIKE working with wood vs plastic. All of the craftsmen style kits I have built for Allan's layout so far have all been wood. The techniques learned during those builds will come in handy during this one. Also, I do have allergies to either the styrene or glues used. On small projects, no big deal, but if I am into a long one requiring lots of sanding, even with a mask I come down with head and chest congestion and chronic coughing for 2 or 3 days...not good. I have tried various glues as suggested to no avail. And thirdly to Sumpter's point, wood naturally looks "woody" vs trying something new and weathering plastic to look like wood. This old hotel is going to be rather large and I just don't feel confident enough in my skill sets to make plastic look like wood. If it were a brick or some other material, I would of course go with styrene. Allan's layout is an 1100 sq ft one occupying the entire upstairs of his home and will be climate controlled and not moved to shows or the like. It is even encased in glass walls to give it even more protection from dust and wandering hands.
Next step will be starting the drawings, I'll be posting my plans as soon as they are in working order for your review.
Thanks again for all your input, please keep holding my hand as we follow the yellow brick road..... :o