When I scratch build a structure, I ususally do so on my workbench. Now that I have a layout (homasote surface), I am wondering how to place structures that have a 1/4" base that extends beyond the structure on the layout so that it looks like it belongs there and was not just placed on top of the homasote. Any suggestions? thanx David Stickney Red Bluff, CA
The instructions that came with my Danby Sawmill kit said to build it on a piece of thin plywood measuring a foot square, and to place it on the layout when it is complete. I haven’t built it yet, but I made a pedestal for it inlaid in my hardshell. So, since I have spline roadbed with risers and hardshell meeting the splines, I merely pre-placed a riser and screwed a similarly sized piece of thin plywood atop the riser. Then, when hardshelling, I ran the window screen, and later the hardshell goop, right up to the edge of the platform, adding about 1/4" of a raised lip to help the model diorama’s edge to blend in when I eventually place it. Then, I intend to use coarse ground foam, bushes, and lots of trees to cover the “seam”.
You could also lay painter’s tape, the green stuff about 1.5" wide, between your base and the model, and then paint and ground foam, or sprinkle some real dirt, or brush on some dyed plaster of paris and spritz it with water. Either way, when you want to remove the model, it should come up relatively easily. Don’t forget Sculptamold, although it hardens and will have to be broken up before you can remove the model.
I like the painter’s tape idea. If you need to remove the structure later, a quick pass with a sharp knife should allow you to remove it cleanly. I’ll try it with my New River Mining Co. model when I’m ready to put it down. I built it on my work bench, then glued it to a piece of plywood after tracing the ‘footprint’. I then used a very thin layer of acrylic latex caulk to affix the structure.
In addition to bench built structures headed for the layout, we also have to deal with three layouts in one, old time steam, military, and transition era, which means three sets of buildings at one location in some cases.
We decided to plant permanent foundations in the plaster, and set removable buildings on top of them. The kids are only here every other weekend, so old time steam is the main use of the layout, meaning old time foundations are the permanent ones, but the process will work for brick or stone or concrete just as well.
Build the foundation to prototype, either carve out some plaster or set the foundation on bare wood, and then sculpt new plaster up to it and around it for near finish grade. On our layout, the foundations are beam and post, and include lighting fixtures, wiring, and speaker placements for sound equipped buildings like the saloon and sawmill. Future military or modern buildings will have modern foundation shells which fit around the permanent beam and post foundation, from durable styrene or wood.
It’s not hard to cobble up a building “sill”, the part which rests directly on the foundation, then use that to mock-up the foundation itself in duplicate, as a rest for the workbench while building a new structure. Then when the new building is done, lift it off the “bench foundation” and place it on the permanent foundation on the layout. Since it will be hidden from view on the layout, you can even build your structures on quarter inch luan, sized to slide inside the permanent foundation, for a solid, permanent, invisible work base.