I’m scratchbuilding a new building ut of foam core board for my Koester Food plant on my layout, it’ll be a regular box-ish structure, but it needs to fit up against the backdrop, which doesn’t really follow a set pattern. Does anyone have any tips for how do make a plan for what parts to cut out? Here’s some photos of the area.
There will be a covered loading area on the track to the left of the industry for airslide hoppers loaded with sugar, which will need to be included in the plans. That shouldn’t be too hard though. The other track (not the switchback tail track) may also be covered if I have enough matirials, it’s just for reefers so it doesn’t need to be.
Instead of installing the back wall of the kit, leave it out and then cut the two side walls that touch the backdrop to fit in the space you need it to fit. There is nothing wrong with odd shaped buildings against a backdrop. In fact, sometimes they have to be cut to fit in the space you need it to fit in. Take measurements of the two side walls and with a straight edge and sharp hobby knife, score the wall and then snap away the portion of the wall you won’t need. youll also have to do that to the roof. I have many buildings on my layout without back walls and the side walls cut to fit in the space provided. The best thing too is that you can save the part of the wall you cut away and use it on another building project later.
Ty,
The other thing you can do is make a template of the area you will cover. Use paper and lay it into the area cutting the back of it to follow the wall and the front of it to cover the edge of the ties. Once you have that, you can copy it again (just in case) and mark it to show the footprint of the buildingsw sheds, etc. I usually do that in pencil on a brown paper shopping bag so I can erase/move/realign things. When you get the walls of the building cut to suit and mocked up put them on the paper and trace out the inside edges. Instant roof pattern. You can add floors if it’s a windowed building or just stick in some black colored paper for a view block. Hope that helps. J.R.
Thanks for the help guys. the roof was a main part I was having trouble with. Now that you mention that teqnique, I remember how to do it, as I used that method to fit the foam against the backdrop.
The actual building will be scratchbuilt out of foam core, and wil be of a concrete bulding, no windows, and probably no visible doors, unless I put in a fire-exit door.
Hopefully I’lll get photos of it on WPF when I complete it. (that is, if I have enough time to complete it)
Thanks again,