Does anyone know where I could find these pre-made? I've built a couple of buildings, but they would look much more realistic if they had downspouts and gutters. I tried making them out of stir-straws but that was a disaster. Anyone?
George (G3)
Replies sorted oldest to newest
These were done with K&S metals Brass rod and U channel.
similar to mikes post, we use u channel from plastic to and floral wire for the downspouts.
Where find "floral wire" locally? I am surprised Plastruct or Evergreen....MicroMark...
do not offer this....not brass, though, which I do not think is an inexpensive medium.
Where find "floral wire" locally?
Michaels or the equivalent craft center store.
Solder works well, too, and is available in several sizes.
Coat hanger wire makes a nice downspout. Very inexpensive, strong enough to stay straight yet easily bendable.
Happy railroading,
Don
Mike, what is your roof made of?
Evergreen sells styrene strips and rounds and half circle materials. That is what I use.
petrifiedagg posted:Mike, what is your roof made of?
Roof was done with luan board cut to fit. Painted and then an application of N-scale ballast black/grey.
colorado hirailer posted:Where find "floral wire" locally? I am surprised Plastruct or Evergreen....MicroMark...
do not offer this....not brass, though, which I do not think is an inexpensive medium.
Your friendly florist would probably spare you a few pieces.
There's obviously a few ways to approach this. Me… I never take the easy way out and have been making mine out of 3/32 K-S channel, 1/8" thick wall K-S brass tubing drilling and soldering the whole deal together. Then I blacken and add patina chemically which turns new brass into really old copper and really carries the day. To bend the tubes I use the K-S spring tube bending set. Thick wall bends better than thin which will crimp if too tight. The chemical agents are available from MicroMark. I used the Brown and Patina liquids.
To hold the gutters to the building I emulate real practice by soldering 0.021" or 0.032" brass wire fed through holes of the same size drilled completely through both sides of the channel and then soldered. I cut and file flush the pin sticking out of the front and when aged it's invisible. I drill the fascia boards and CA the pins in. This holds the gutters securely.
Wire bending aid. 30/60/90 triangle the short side is 1/2 the length of the hypotenuse (side opposite the right angle).
The distance out from the brick wall, (offset), depends on the distance between the two bends.
Slow morning. 
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
