Model Wood Source, Basswood Clapboard

Can't help you with your search for 4" wide milled basswood.  

But, whenever I've needed a larger starting field for a scratch project piece, I simply edge-glue two sheets together.  In fact, the current supplier of 3-1/2" supplies, typically, in 24" lengths.  To ensure that the clapboard width AND the sheet thickness will match for the edge-glued piece, I cut two panels from the same 24" sheet to begin with.  It's not hard.  It's a technique that Ambroid/Gloor/Quality Craft used on many of their O gauge (and HO, too!) wood car kits to create boxcar sides, et al.  

If you want a clean edge along the top clapboard edge of one panel and bottom clapboard edge of the adjoining panel, start with a fresh #11 blade and a steel guide edge.

I use a simple thin bead of wood glue along the seam.  The edge-glued pieces are assembled over a piece of waxed paper on a VERY flat surface (the cast/ground table of my industrial table saw works for me).  I carefully wipe any bleed of excess glue from the clapboard side of the joint, lay another sheet of waxed paper over the pieces, then a small block of furniture-grade (11-ply birch is what I have) plywood, and some sort of handy weight....like a mostly-full quart can of paint.  

After a couple hours, the glued up pieces are good to go for the next step.....careful contour cutting and interior bracing.  Sometimes, if it's convenient to the further construction of the model, I'll glue a reinforcement on the inside of the seam....heavy cardstock or paper, scrap sheet basswood strip, even sheet styrene. But, unless the sheet milled basswood is very thin....< 1/16", e.g.....I've not found it that necessary to do this.

So, that's just a suggestion.  I know how frustrating searches for the 'purchased' way out of a problem can be.  For the benefit of my own equilibrium as well as keeping a project moving....so as to not lose the 'mojo' over trivial stumbling blocks...I've developed lots of work-arounds in my 70+ years.  This is one of the simpler ones.

FWIW, always...

KD

colorado hirailer posted:

I have finished, not detailed, the Bar Mills "Majestic Hardware" kit (which I would call a feedmill,)  and have figured out, engineered, the 16 scale foot square elevator tower kitbash, of 4" wide 3/32nd" clapboard so that it overlays the kit structure, in spite of the irregular shapes, .....but am out of clapboard, while about half way up the elevator tower.

There wasn't enough supplied in the kit?? Call Bar Mills.

 One source has 3 1/2" wide clapboard....but who has 4" wide 3/32nd clapboard as in this kit?  I have wide, 6", clapboard, but it has 1/8" "strips", and won't match the 3/32nd" rest of the tower.

What source?  I have clapboard from Kappler, Mid-West, and Northeastern (might even have some from Mt Albert).  I'll have to check in my shop to see whose is what size...  1/8" seems a bit small, but then I use whatever I have on hand for projects.

So, as noted above, edge glue up some of your 3 1/2" wide stock to 7" and get 'r done. It's pretty easy to do.  Save the 3" leftover for another day and another project.   That 4" stuff was probably cut down from 6" stock anyway.

Try Black Bear Scale Models.  They carry Mt. Albert basswood.

Regards,

Jim

Looked at Black Bear with Mt. Hope...they list their scribed wood by the decimal of an inch and then switch to inches of scale for the clapboard...making it a math problem to figure out what is close to 3/32" clapboard in HO, S, or O?.  I was trying to weasel out of piecing 3 1/2" width together, but have done it before as clearly described above by DKDKRD.  Somebody makes the 4", 3/32nd, clapboard for the Bar Mills kit.  Nothing is available locally, of course, even in styrene, which Evergreen has in .100 (close to 3/32nd, .09375) styrene clapboard.  There, as said in the old La Belle ads, "nothing looks like wood but wood".

colorado hirailer posted:

I was trying to weasel out of piecing 3 1/2" width together....

Just remember: Eagles may soar but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

OTOH, you can probably call Kappler and get them to make 4" wide 3/32" clapboard for you for a price.

mwb posted:

colorado hirailer posted:

I have finished, not detailed, the Bar Mills "Majestic Hardware" kit (which I would call a feedmill,)  and have figured out, engineered, the 16 scale foot square elevator tower kitbash, of 4" wide 3/32nd" clapboard so that it overlays the kit structure, in spite of the irregular shapes, .....but am out of clapboard, while about half way up the elevator tower.

There wasn't enough supplied in the kit?? Call Bar Mills.

 

Martin...  I stumbled over this the first time I read it.  I've built the same kit...could not understand the issue of clapboard on the "elevator tower".  My kit came with corrugated metal siding for the tower (assuming we're talking the same portion of the structure) of which there was plenty provided.  OTOH, "16 feet square" (common translation: 4" per side at 1:48?) does not correlate with the same tower....or any other 'tower' feature...on my Majestic Hardware.

Whatever....

Then it hit me.  The OP said "kitbash".  I think the 'problem' is not Art Fahie's (Bar Mills) at that point.  He's off on his own, trying to match the rest of the structure for clapboard size, needing a starting piece >3-1/2" in height....for the kitbash.  

Or so I interpreted...

KD

DKDKRD: has nailed it.  Actually, the original building, minus included towers, etc.,, to be added when high tower is done,  is complete...KITBASH is the operative word, and Bar Mills did not include, nor was not expected to include, the scale lumber (clapboard) I need to FINISH the add-on tower.  It is half way up (all the way on two sides) with the 4"  wide clapboard I had on hand, but I then found some of it was not 3/32nd" (board width)  but 1/8", luckily, before cutting and gluing.   This elevator tower is a lot higher than original kit building.  I planned to finish, detail, and paint the tower as a unit before attaching to the kit building and finished its details.  Sorry I posted....will muddle through.