I just completed an American Model Builders LaserKit UP depot. I was impressed by it, preferring it to another manufacturer’s schoolhouse I built some time ago. One difference was the windows, much finer in the AMB kit. So, I’m curious whose laser cut kits you like best. Not intending to bash others, so please point out your favorites.
Most of my structures are Cornerstone or similar plastic, quite ok for me. But this laser station and a SS Ltd boilerhouse (cardstock) will be unique parts of the layout.
I’ve built 2 kits by Branchline Trains, the Munns Station and the Weimer’s Mill. Both produced excellent models, and were a lot of fun to build. The instructions were good and all the parts fit together well.
I’m also in the process of constructing a number of the Branchline Laser Art kits. For the most part, I am very happy with them. The parts are cut very precisely and fit tightly together. They produce very good looking structures. However I do have a few gripes. One I already started a thread about was a badly warped floor. I tried several suggestions and nothing would get the floor to lie flat. It looks like it is made with two thin basswood layers and apparently something happened during the bonding process which caused the joined layers to curl badly. If I had to do it over again I would have returned the part to Branchline for a replacement. Instead I got it to lay relatively flat by scoring the upper layer and then cracking the lower layer. I completely cut through the floor in the middle. The tabs from the wall sections still fit into the floor and I was able to get it to lie flat with slight cupping in each scored section.
My biggest gripe though is with their window system. You are required to assemble the windows. In some cases that is 5 pieces, two sashes, two panes, and the frame. I don’t know who thought that was a good idea. One piece window castings have been around as long as I have been in the hobby and they look every bit as good as these assembled windows if not better. When you have a couple dozen windows to install, that is a silly waste of time and it makes no sense to me. I’m not of the opinion that to qualify as a craftsman kit, things have to be as difficult as possible to assemble. I would not be against this extra effort it if produced something appreciably better but it doesn’t. All it does is waste my time.
Another company whose kits I have bought is South River. I will not buy any more of their kits for one simple reason. They require you to cut the scale lumber to size. I think when I shell out a couple hundred dollars for a kit, it’s not unreasonable that it comes with the parts precut to size. In essence what I got for my money was scratchbuil
Since for the most part they are the same, I judge them on the details. I will not buy a kit that uses windows that are builtup with laser cut pieces. The corner details make a big difference, I have seen kits where you have butted pieces and those you can’t stain or get a good overcoat effect. I have also taken to replacing wood roofs with styrene, much eaisier to do rafter tails (left them off some buildings as they were so damage prone out of wood) and such and the bracing is more bomb proof so I can lift the roofs if needed.
I’ve built two Blair Line and three BTS kits and I have a Branchline Train kit waiting on the shelf.
So far I like BTS kits the best even though they are a bit more difficult. The fit and instructions are great, but there is more fine detail. For example stair handrails are all built of individual boards, just like full scale. I think the end result is worth the time and trouble but it does take patience. I am just getting started on a BTS Mill Creek Tipple kit. Should keep me busy at the workbench for a good long while. All that said, I tend to select based on the structure, not the manufacturer. BTS sells a lot of kits that are appropriate to WVa coal mine country.
I’d like to build Weimers Mill but haven’t figured a good place for it on my layout (yet). And now they have been discontinued and getting harder to find. So it may never happen.
I’m also in the process of constructing a number of the Branchline Laser Art kits. For the most part, I am very happy with them. The parts are cut very precisely and fit tightly together. They produce very good looking structures. However I do have a few gripes. One I already started a thread about was a badly warped floor. I tried several suggestions and nothing would get the floor to lie flat. It looks like it is made with two thin basswood layers and apparently something happened during the bonding process which caused the joined layers to curl badly. If I had to do it over again I would have returned the part to Branchline for a replacement. Instead I got it to lay relatively flat by scoring the upper layer and then cracking the lower layer. I completely cut through the floor in the middle. The tabs from the wall sections still fit into the floor and I was able to get it to lie flat with slight cupping in each scored section.
My biggest gripe though is with their window system. You are required to assemble the windows. In some cases that is 5 pieces, two sashes, two panes, and the frame. I don’t know who thought that was a good idea. One piece window castings have been around as long as I have been in the hobby and they look every bit as good as these assembled windows if not better. When you have a couple dozen windows to install, that is a silly waste of time and it makes no sense to me. I’m not of the opinion that to qualify as a craftsman kit, things have to be as difficult as possible to assemble. I would not be against this extra effort it if produced something appreciably better but it doesn’t. All it does is waste my time.
Another company whose kits I have bought is South River. I will not buy any more of their kits for one simple reason. They require you to cut the scale lumber to size. I think when I shell out a couple hundred dollars for a kit, it’s not unreasonable that it comes with the parts precut to size. In esse
I’m also in the process of constructing a number of the Branchline Laser Art kits. For the most part, I am very happy with them. The parts are cut very precisely and fit tightly together. They produce very good looking structures. However I do have a few gripes. One I already started a thread about was a badly warped floor. I tried several suggestions and nothing would get the floor to lie flat. It looks like it is made with two thin basswood layers and apparently something happened during the bonding process which caused the joined layers to curl badly. If I had to do it over again I would have returned the part to Branchline for a replacement. Instead I got it to lay relatively flat by scoring the upper layer and then cracking the lower layer. I completely cut through the floor in the middle. The tabs from the wall sections still fit into the floor and I was able to get it to lie flat with slight cupping in each scored section.
My biggest gripe though is with their window system. You are required to assemble the windows. In some cases that is 5 pieces, two sashes, two panes, and the frame. I don’t know who thought that was a good idea. One piece window castings have been around as long as I have been in the hobby and they look every bit as good as these assembled windows if not better. When you have a couple dozen windows to install, that is a silly waste of time and it makes no sense to me. I’m not of the opinion that to qualify as a craftsman kit, things have to be as difficult as possible to assemble. I would not be against this extra effort it if produced something appreciably better but it doesn’t. All it does is waste my time.
Another company whose kits I have bought is South River. I will not buy any more of their kits for one simple reason. They require you to cut the scale lumber to size. I thin
I’ve built several laser kits from 3 or 4 different manufacturers and I’d have to say that American Model Builders (AMB) is my favorite as far as quality and satisfaction of the finished product. I also like the option of being able to install a window that is either open, closed, or somewhere in between.
I have built two Bar Mills kits, Bud Smiley’s Gas and Mooney’s Plumbing Emporium, and one Blair Line kit, Blairstown General Store.
I was quite happy with both manufacturers and the kits seemed to be about equal in terms of difficulty, which is to say that they weren’t particularly difficult. I really enjoyed building them.
Like others, I got rid of the cardboard roof panels because I didn’t want to take a chance on warpage over time.
The following is [#offtopic]
After building the three kits I realized that I could scratch build whatever structures I wanted for less money and have just as much fun doing it. Here are three examples:
American Model Builder’s Yard Office.
Here is the mfr’s advert in Walthers:
Here is my styrene version:
Here is Blair Line’s Gerald Depot:
Here is mine:
Branchline Trains Feed Mill:
These three were virtual carbon copies of the kits but the real advantage of scratch building is that you can create whatever you want and it will be unique to your railroad. This is the steam plant at the Eastern Broadtop RR:
