Free cardstock printoffs

Well not free, EVan Designs sells software that  you  use to make most any kind of building with most any kind of siding and windows.    The product is called "Model Builder" and used to be about $40 for a CD and slightly less for a direct download.    

http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/index.html

I have used for a number of buildings and building flats in both HO and O -  you can specify the scale.    They also have other software for advertising, signs etc.

Here are some samples that are just building fronts, but give you an idea.   Un fortunately I don't have any photos of building I have done with it right now.

Here are a few structures - these are in HO for a friend.

In this photo the yellow brick buildings were done with the software.   this is paper over cardstock.

the one below is an engine house done the same way.

Finally the small office building in this scene was done that way.

There is another engine house I don't have photos of that was done differently.   The walls and doors were printed, but the window openings were cut out and  Grandt Line or Tichy windows were installed.

If you go to the Evan Designs website, and click on the "Model Builder" software link they have a free building that you can download, print and assemble.  It was easy to assemble.  I added some matchstick and coffee stir sticks to add more detail.  I also added some old timey signs that I printed out from the web.  I'll have to look for a better picture.  This one was during construction.

Also, look for a site called Clever Models.  They have several free downloadable building files.  I have purchased several buildings from them.  A little more challenging to assemble but well worth it. 

John

@CA John posted:

If you go to the Evan Designs website, and click on the "Model Builder" software link they have a free building that you can download, print and assemble.  It was easy to assemble.  I added some matchstick and coffee stir sticks to add more detail.  I also added some old timey signs that I printed out from the web.  I'll have to look for a better picture.  This one was during construction.

Also, look for a site called Clever Models.  They have several free downloadable building files.  I have purchased several buildings from them.  A little more challenging to assemble but well worth it.

Nice catch, John -- I have done business with Evan Design, both recently and for some time, for their LEDs, but was unaware they had anything to do with cardstock houses.

The downloadable "free sample" of what their software can produce is rather nice and, as you say, fairly simple, but I'd just note that it does *not* have printed tabs or instructions for assembly -- easy enough to add yourself if you have a kinesthetic sense of how 2D to 3D patterns work, but it might be best for the newbie to try a few simple freebies from Clever Models first. Their offerings, while just as detailed (if not more so), include all needed tabs, etc., and there's also a multi-page downloadable document that details the construction process.

Oh, and here are a few samples of what I've done with cardstock:

The two outside houses were tests of the simple pattern I drew up for my grandsons/great-grandson to color and assemble for use on the test layout:

By contrast, here are several Clever Models buildings (the haunted house on the left and the Silver City model at top center), along with some shipping containers and a historical model from other sources on the center right and a shed, left of center. on the main layout:

By far the most intricate I've tackled so far was the crossing watchman's tower, another freebie I completed, with somewhat mixed results (I moved it into the road to snap a pic -- it's usually a bit off on the left, as barely visible in the pic above at top):

@Steve Tyler posted:

By far the most intricate I've tackled so far was the crossing watchman's tower, another freebie I completed, with somewhat mixed results (I moved it into the road to snap a pic -- it's usually a bit off on the left, as barely visible in the pic above at top):

Steve,

Can you share where you got the plans for this tower?

Thanks,

Tom

@PRR8976 posted:

Can you share where you got the plans for this tower?

Sure: http://clevermodels.squarespac...-crossing-tower-kit/

It's one of their "free download" page options.

[BTW, this, like all of my other stuff, is in O scale, as I suspect is the modeling by most OGR readers, but Clever Models has plans available in other scales as well, if needed.]

Steve,

Thanks again,

Tom

@PRR8976 posted:

Steve,

Thanks again,

Tom

No problem, Tom, glad I could help.

A couple more points:

-- In investigating the Evan Design site further, I came across a "design share" section, where visitors can post and/or freely download their designs, and those of others. However, all of the several dozen O scale designs (and I assume the many dozens in other scales as well) are in the (presumably proprietary) format of the software that's being sold, rather than the printable PDF of the free sample download being offered. A great resource IMHO, but one that requires the $40 or so investment in the software first, so not exactly free!

-- Almost all my cardstock creations so far are pure cardstock -- printed directly on cardstock, cut out and folded as indicated, and glued together (white glue or CA) on the tabs provided (you *can* create a supporting structure if desired -- helpful if you want to block light leakage, for instance -- but it's not required). The Evan Design software appears to produce just the visible faces, which must be printed and then laminated onto the surface of a separate structure (presumably, one you create yourself from scratch, or perhaps you can design the flat to fit an existing structure). IOW, two very different processes. Both will work, but each requires its own skills and methods. I've done both: here's an example of cardstock printed with a wood board texture and wrapped around a styrofoam base to support the trolley station platform on my elevated line:

I don't have any links to currently available multi-scale structure printouts. (I model in HO.)

I do have some printed structures that I've created myself. Here's one of an engine house that I made out of photos I have on hand. (Note: The background trees were added via photo software.)

I also have a LOT of "PhotoFlats" (my term) that I've created for a small shelf-type urban industrial switching layout I want to have "one of these days"... but I'm still neck deep with other interests and my primary HO layout. Here's an example of those:

Note: All of the above PhotoFlats were created using my own photos that I modified within my photo software programs.

FWIW: The urban layout bench work started out as a tiered around-the-room shelf layout for 19th century Colorado narrow gauge via Sn3, then converted to table top for an experiment in 3-rail, then transitioned to S scale standard gauge, and if it ever gets done, will now be in HO scale! I've had this bench work a while!! (Since about 2000-2001 or so.)

All fer now.

Andre

Brick Mercantile from Clever Models, next to a free DAF truck.  Both printed at FedEx on heavy paper.

In addition to Evans and Clever, both which are good, see Team Track Models.com.

There are free trucks online too!  DAF trucks has some fun available.  I tweaked the zoom/scale when printing the DAF trucks until they were about 2" wide (about 8 feet wide):

DAF Fun - DAF Trucks N.V.

Free DAF truck on the left, Team Track Model on the right - printed then pasted on paperboard.  The brick building is from Evans Designs, printed then pasted on foam board.