Model builders

there are a number of commercial modelers on the site who build and sell wonderfully built items.  

Joe Fauty of Model Structures has done very good work for me at reasonable cost. Also, he is a good communicator and keeps you posted while working on stuff for you.

Also I am using David Duhamel of Crescent Locomotive Works to build me a curved Depot, I don't have anything of David's yet but he has an excellent reputation. His Ash Lift is on order.

 

And then there is Harry Hieke who has unbelievable versatility and skill. He is excellent at customizing structures built by others--for example my GGD Coaling Tower, MTH Water Tower and he built me a Sand Tower and a custom, prototypical Smokestack.

If you are interested in an Oil Refinery or Feed and Seed Elevators, see Alan Grazanio's work. 

At 80 with certain health impairments I am relying more and more on custom model builders for doing structures and building fronts that I no longer even attempt.

Sam, As noted there are several that participate on the forum here. We also have several we have listed on our site korbermodels.com for just the reason you have asked. You can click on the link in my post here and go to the services and links page, they will be glad to build any model you like. I hope this helps.

sam, you shouldn't give up so easily, before you've even started! Seriously, there are lots of great commercial model builders on the forum list who would do your layout proud. but, frankly, I have to say, there's no more satisfaction in model building than  doing it ( or trying it) yourself. it is not anywhere as difficult as you think. you  do not need most of the tools you suggest. I have built dozens of structures, both kits and scratch, have never used an airbrush, used simple chalks and the classic mix of alcohol & India ink for weathering, no jigs, and on the more simple structures, didn't even have to draw on my patience. your example of bar mills kits is a great example as they are some of my favorites. they make kits from incredibly easy which of course, is a good starting point, not to mention, inexpensive ( in case it doesn't work out) to the fairly complicated (which admittedly, does require some patience). but it is all worth it. some of the best modelers on this forum, use these simple methods so there's little reason to make it more complicated. start with wood, a bar mills specialty, and then you might broaden out to styrene, resin and hydrocal. wood is very forgiving. hard to really mess it up. with a decent exacto knife, some spray cans, acrylic craft paint and some weathering, you'll be surprised what you can accomplish. and, if not, you can always hire someone 

 

jerrman

Hey, Sam,

OGR forum member Jeb does that that, and does excellent work, which often appears in various O Scale publications.    No idea what he charges, but his email is in his profile.

 

Thank you all very much for the leads.  Looking at Bar Mills, there are several models that will fill the holes in the town at one end of the layout surrounded by a trolley loop.  The other end of trolley run is a loop that will eventually run around a small carnival (but boy are those O scale carnival rides $$$.)

 

One thing at a time.

 

Thanks again.

Sam...as jerrman pointed out, why not try it yourself first! Give it a fair chance, and see what you can accomplish on your own before using a professional service. A well designed kit like Bar Mills produces is not that hard to build, and way less money than a model builder will charge you. It's your choice of course.

 

Good Luck

 

Bob

rrman: jerrman describes it perfectly.  I started building structures in HO as a teenager...If this punk kid could glue sticks of wood together into an architectural

shape, you know an adult in this computer world can hack it.  I am not the fan of

Bar Mills kits some on here are...don't care for paper windows and would substitute Grandt Line or Tichy plastic windows, but I just did a kitbash combining two of their kits, a "Mooney's Plumbing" shop and an "all in one" kit, into a truck/rail terminal I am getting ready to photo and put on here.  (those windows ARE a learning aid, but added plastic ones speed up and simplify) If you build it yourself, there is that pride of accomplishment, and with your colors, trim, and boldness in modification, the knowledge that there are not ninetynine others just like it out there.

It does take a little time, but, hey, there is nothing on TV but reruns now anyway...

coloradohiraile

 

"nothing much on TV" modeler is what I call a "commercial" modeler.

 

Like me gets a lot done during the "commercials"!

 

LOL

One of the bests model makers is Stu Gralnik.  Here is his site.....  http://www.modelbuildingservices.com/

I have seen his work and spoken with him in the orange hall at York.

His work is nothing short of amazing

btw sam, while I may have made a good case for trying it yourself (it just isn't that hard and immensely satisfying) if you do decide to use a commercial builder, along with some of the great modelers suggested above, you might also consider Frank D. Mullen, one of our forum members who goes by Moonson. his webste is layoutrefinements.com. he is unusually gifted for setting a scene with his dioramas. certainly worth a look.

jerrman