Thanks for the feedback Casey, it is nice to get comments from someone with so much experience. I agree with your comments about these kits. I think it is great that Brett offers the University range to allow folks to try the techniques without having to spend and arm and a leg.
One of the things I think is very cool about Brett’s ‘Craftsman University’ series (beyond the very affordable price!) is that while the structures are aimed at craftsman-kit beginners, they do build up into really nice buildings that fit right in with almost any layout. As I said earlier, though, you did a really nice job with your kit. I’m looking forward to seeing what you do next.
That kit looks so cool.
Wow. that looks really great… I recently bought the Boyd Logging Camp from JV Models… I found Hobbylinc at a time when it happened to be on sale… I haven’t actually started it, for a long time I was busy trying to hash out my track plan and burning through the plastic model kits I had on hand… Then I designed a shotgun house, and roundhouse, and some sheds… So much to do so little time…LOL
Anyhow, I opened the box and saw a lot of raw materials (laser scribed wood, construction paper, index Cards… various dimensions of scale lumber and dowels and for a moment my heart sank, thinking, “what am I supposed to do with this?”
Having never built a craftsman kit, but having built a lot of plastic models, some of which were not for the faint of heart, the concor roundhouse being one, and a victorian house being another… I tried to reassure myself… But the instructions are very sparse…I would assume you are supposed to use the pictures in the instructions as patterns to cut the scribed balsa and then use some of the scale lumber as corner and center bracing… A bit intimidating at face value, I’m certain that it will all work out once I start…
My little shotgun house is coming along fine, I drew the pattern on graph paper, photo copied it, and laid the copy on my balsa, cut around the pattern to scribe the balsa and then finished cutting out the pieces… for windows and doors I’m using the leftovers from kits, for tar paper roofing I’m using cheap sandpaper from the dollar store, but construction paper would do fine. I haven’t decided how I want it painted, but it is cut out and the corner braces are glued down on the front and rear walls… I used 1/8" wood dowel because it was what I had. when I get it done I’ll post some pics…
Good luck with the kit. One thing I will say is that the quality of instructions varies tremendously from one small craftsman kit maker to the next. Some produce books, that are works of art in their own right, others provide very little direction.