I want to start scratch building structures, what do I need?

In made a small shoe shine stand with balsa and I used these tools. I first built a cardstock mockup as I didn't have a plan.

Cutting mat

Steel rule (with some weight as a cutting edge)

Hobby knives and sharp blades

Razor saw (optional)

Clamps (of appropriate sizes for gluing)

Paint brushes

We need a "Scratchbuilding for Dummies". 

Dedicated space,Time and alot of patients...

Good start Bill

The first thing I would build, is a kit...and when you see how easy that goes and how

you can or could modify it, you will have the self-confidence to charge ahead with

scratchbuilding.  Since you want a gas statiion, there are severa O scale gas station

kits out there.

I assume you will work at first in wood, in which many kits are available.  However, many build in styrene, and that is easy, too,

I build many of my structures from a crude pencil sketch, or a photograph, but, if you are trying to fit a space,you will want to carefully measure the area the structure will fit into. and its dimensions as you go along.

The biggest problem I have in scratchbuilding, is getting the material...it almost all

has to be ordered in through the mail.  Even large city hobby shops seem to have few

structure supplies.

Good to hear more folks BUILDING things.......

This building has a matt board core covered with vac formed plastic sheet. The combination makes for easy, strong and stable strictures.

 Roof is not attached yet.....

While this building has corrugated metal type siding.....and type can be used. 

I get mine from Ozark Minitures

http://www.ozarkminiatures.com....asp?idCategory=1326

Contact glue bonds the material to the matt.

Tichy and Grandt line doors and windows are my favorite castings.

Lots of plans out there....in books and magazines. I even scale up HO scale kits and make O scale copies.

Seriously, I recommend just jumping in and trying.  Pick a building you want to make, a simple one at first, and try.  Buy the materials you think you will need and the tools and start.  Maybe it will work out, but frankly it might not - but the only way to really learn is to try and then fill in the gaps where you find they need to be filled. That is how I learned, and probably most of the others here, too.  

I agree with "just jumping in".  IMO, there is only one secret to quality scratchbuilding:  If you are not 100% satisfied with the result of a step in the process, STOP, tear it out and redo it. It takes a little self-discipline at first to follow this rule, but once it becomes a habit, you will very quickly be doing first-rate work.

I don't agree that most materials need to be mail-ordered. This is true for some construction methods, but (depending on what style you are going for) everything you need for many projects can be purchased at WalMart and Michaels.  Here is my starter list:

--Foamcore

--1/2" pink foam insulation

--Bristol board

--Hobby acrylic paints (black, white burnt umber, raw umber, yellow)

--paint brushes

--hobby knife

--wooden sheets and strips (balsa or basswood -- both are good)

--India Ink

--Alcohol

--glues (carpenters, CA, tack glue, spray adhesive)

--metal ruler

There is nothing on that last that can't be obtained locally, and very few of my scratchbuilding projects have required anything else (except for "around the house" stuff and a few convenience items).

If you are looking for O scale brick sheets, Micromark has them (peel and apply).  They also have a pretty good variety of relevant lumber products.  And windows and doors.

Poppyl

My thought is to acquire a better grade Laser cut kit to start.  There is a lot to be learned about assembly technique and paint/finishing. 

What is most needed to scratch build is "immagination and resourcefulness" Use your own thought process to figure out what you could use to replicate something...it is definitely not a list of supplies so much as it your creativity in imagineering things into three dimensional reality. The tools needed will become obvious as you move forward.

No plans, no kit, just your desire to build something unique.

I built this decrepid little seafood shack several years ago...it's just some card stock, wood scraps, bit of tins, tissue paper, paints, and dry transfers...the design just happened...get busy, have fun, good luck!

Bob

Be prepared to make stuff that sucks and have no fear to move on to the next one and improve on your skills.  I am accumulating a bunch of stuff to make new background flats that will be lighted.  As much I as like the card stock I want to get a little more detail showing.  Also I plan to kit bash a bunch more downtown structures.  I also plan to cannibalize some of my Lionelville, the floors separate and you can add the floors to other Lionelville buildings for height, I think it is kind of a progression, you try stuff, kind of like Vulcan's diner stools made out of push pin heads. 

I made a scratch grain elevator, it's okay, but when my layout comes down I will dismantle it, take the window frames out, doors and lights, toss the rest and build something else - hopefully better.

So I think you need a good supply of willingness to go through the curve, the rest is easy.  Scenic Sunday showcase is a great place to get feedback.

-Ted

A good thought.  I'd also think that maybe getting some complementary experience in techniques garnered from assembly of a kit that's close to stick-building would also be useful.  I's also suggest reading a few scratchbuilding articles, maybe grab Wesolowski's book.  Start small on something well within reach and achievable, and then just keep going forward.

We've had the lists of tools posted here several times in the past and that should be available.

But, for building from the ground up I would strongly recommend also that you invest in a good, stable and flat work surface.  I use 1/4" plate glass and have 4 sheets ~18" x ~24" in my shop for this purpose. 

Dont forget to build a card board mock up of the structure you want to build. It gives you a good idea of the size and allows you to see any changes you want to make. As for brick sheets, check out Monster Model works. They have very realistic wood siding, brick sheets, cut block and even kits for beginners.  I haven't personally used it but have seen some models built with the products. looks amazing! 

My first few buildings, i built a cardboard frame and then found scale lumber (Midwest Products) and laid the strips on like clapboard siding. Now I am just making a wood frame and using Plastruc or Evergreen Styreen panels. They have wood, brick and many types, just cut and fit.

I didnt get to create with my first few buildings, but then I built a few model kits, and did detail work on them, now I am confident I can make a fully detailed scratchbuilt structure. We shall see.

Good luck, it is a lot of fun

Don't forget Grandt Line and Tichy for windows and doors. The selection they offer can't be beat.

jackson

Scenery Source list.  Featured topic in this forum.  Excellent beginning reference source.  

I use a lot of Evergreen and Plastruct, and they can't be found locally.. a lot of

"corrugated" siding and roofing.  I visit hobby shops in other areas looking for the O scale sizes and have cleaned out a lot of them.  Many shops seem really glacial in restocking these products, probably because of the way they are stocked in big box

assortments.  They want to sell out the whole box, including odd, undesired sizes, before reordering.  They don't have computer restocking systems.  Then you have to go to mail.  I don't like MicroMark brick, or shingles...it doesn't have the third dimension.  I have heard of others but have not tried them.  Many of your materials

can be found in home stores, though, such as stripwood, but just down to 1/4".  I have not built mockups, but certainly would if I was trying to build a structure to fit into an existing space and wanted to see how it looked and affected its surroundings.  I was building HO structure and rolling stock kits as a teenager in the 1950's.  Any adult who practices a little can become skilled.   Everything takes practice, but a kit

will give you that practice and a sense of how they were designed, so you can design

your own.

Thanks everyone for the tips and advise.  I might start with a kit or a basic structure.   

I think you might find having a lot of patience more useful while then also avoiding becoming a patient,

Unless you are a surgeon with grandiose ideas for a layout, THEN you may need a

lot of patients.

For tips from the super-experts I go to this website:

http://www.railroad-line.com/f...orum.asp?FORUM_ID=64

Lots of photos and friendly, but they are not beginners.

PaPaT

Take a stroll through Harbor Freight for a lot of tools, WalMart and Michaels  for craft supplies, and any art supply store for the nice to have but expensive things you might want. You will know what you want when you see it.

There are several HOW TO books available through www.walthers.com like 205-13 MODEL RAILROAD STRUCTURES FROM A TO Z. Do a search for "Kalmbach" on the sight and you can find many scratch building books.

Your question is too broad to give a specific answer.

I just clicked on your "look at my layout progress". Looks like this is a trick question as your layout is top notch and if you can add a water wheel to a MTH mill building you can probably already scratch build anything you decide to make.

Paul Goodness

Scratchbuilding structures using 3/16 inch styrofoam board and wood strips

I use inexpensive materials that can be cut with a razor saw or a craft knife.

Attached are a few of my structure projects. The first photo is my adaption of the former NYC Collinwood Coaling Tower.

The other photos show my 4 track diesel engine building that will be used for my collection of CSX diesels. This building will have interior detailing and lighting.

Both structures are built using 3/16 inch styrofoam board and stripwood of various sizes. They are very sturdy.

Note: Both structures can be completely disassembled and stored in cardboard boxes when not in use.  Both structures use hidden wood screws for assembly.

You need to get a saw mill to cut your lumber for you .

Guy

Start out with one of the Korber kits. These kits require a little work to get them to look good. I would consider this half way to scratch building. Once you complete one, you can buy some raw materials and do something from scratch. Who cares how it comes out. Just have fun and continue to improve your skills.

Alan Graziano

In addition to what's been mentioned, one can also use CorelDraw and the laptop. Model railroader and the various Kalmbach books have plans for gobs of great buildings. Unfortunately (for us) 99% of them are HO or N. They fit on a scanner platen very nicely and can be imported into CorelDraw (or other vector drawing program). After importing, enlarge the drawing in computer by 181% and it will now be O'Scale. Put the drawing on its own layer and lock it. Draw your own plans directly over it and print them out. If they take up more than one piece of paper, set the print to "Tiling" and tape the pieces together.

If you're going to use a photo of a real building, where the scale is indeterminate, here's how I approach it. I've created a "measure stick" which is a 1X3 that's about 5 feet tall. I've marked off intervals of 1 foot with black tape. I place the stick next to the building and then take the picture. When I import the picture into the computer, I set up two guidelines exactly 1" apart on the screen with the scale set 1:1. This is 4 feet in O'Scale. 

Enlarge the drawing until the the bottom mark and the four foot mark coincide with these guidelines. When you're drawing coincides with the lines, the drawing is now O'Scale. You can then draw your own plans over the imported picture. This works great when you want to make a model of your home, small train stations, small buildings, etc. I wouldn't use it to make a steel mill or large factory since the measure stick would be invisible in the picture. For pictures without a measure stick, find a recognizable object in the picture which you can estimate the size, such as a 7 foot entry door. Set your guidelines of the O'scale equivalent of 7 feet (1.75") and enlarge the picture so the entry door coincides with those guidelines.

With your own working drawings, you can build directly over them a la model airplane building, or you can spray your drawing with 3M77 spray adhesive, glue it on your styrene sheet and cut right on the lines. It works and makes very accurate constructions.

CorelDraw enables you to work to very tight specs and produces very accurately without the X-Y dimensioning that CadCam programs require.

Great thread, great tips for us beginners.

Don

Band-aids,

You may want look at:  http://www.scalemodelplans.com

This gentleman provides scale-specific drawings (O, S,HO & some N) as well as detail instructios, assembly hints and detailing scheme drawings with each download.  His stuff covers Industrial/Civic/Residential; Trackside and RR Buildings; Agricultural and a new project section.  You can also request plans, but if they are very specific to a certain prototype, he will ask for some photos and some overall dimensions from you.

He also has some stuff from England, Canada and I think Scotland you can build as well.

His prices are very reasonable for the level of detail and scaled drawings that you get.

Just a thought.

I learn things on here.  Those plans in that posting by Bluebeard459 were well worth

paging through, and the West Virginia Kaymoor Coal mine is certainly interesting.

That depends; if you're working at the funny farm, you may have a lot of patients you could take off basket weaving duty. But then, you may still need a lot of patience to keep them focused on the task at hand.

I've been accused of being "patient", but I attribute it to stubbornness. I refuse to let some model building task get the best of me.