Looking for a web site which has pictures and plans in HO that can be scratch built…
Need a saw mill, oil rail terminal and a gold mine poppet head.
I tried the forum but only one response so far.
I saw your post, but I know of no such plans.
I’m planning on scratch building a sawmill with drying shack and planer. But these are really just big boxes on stilts. I’m going to draw my own plans and wing it.
There are plenty of photos of mine heads. If it was me doing it, I would study those plans, learn the function of every part and sing it. What I did do was kitbash a silver mine from a Muir craftsman kit I picked up on eBay for around $20.
As for the oil terminal, same thing. Research-study-plan.
Ah yes, plans. A real stumbling block to scratch building. You can’t scratch it til you have plans.
Used to be, Model Railroader had good plans in every issue. They gave that up years ago. If you can find a set of back issues, plans for a lotta stuff are in there. Short of that, you will have to make your own plans from photographs. All you need is squared paper and a scale ruler. Look at the photograph and estimate the dimensions. Take something whose size you know, like a doorway, and then use a pair of dividers to step out the longer dimensions. Make three views, front, side and top. Draw the plans full size in the scale you are using (HO most likely).
If you are taking your own photos, bring along a steel tape and measure the key dimensions are record them in a note book. Or, bring along a 10 foot pole, painted white and black every foot, and position it in the picture.
Old timers learned to scratch build by leaning to scratch build. OJT. On The Job Training. You take photos and do some home work in figuring out dimensions. The made a lot of mistakes, trying over again before they got the final model. It is not plug and play. They did not have the Internet either.
They did a lot of homework.
Rich
Here’s a link on how to convert photos to plans.
http://www.ehow.com/how_6367219_build-railroad-buildings-ho-scale.html
You need to peruse one of the more sophisticated hobby forums to get much in the way of such information. I’ll provide you with a URL that should be a good starting point, via separate PM.
CNJ831
Scale Rails has articles almost every month with the plans for scratchbuilt structures. Of course to get Scales Rails you have to join the NMRA.
If you have a friend who is a member, try having him (or her) look through some back issues to see if there is anything you can use.
The Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette has plans that can be used in any scale and gauge. Older issues of MR also have plans and can be obtained at most public libraries.
You’re looking in the wrong place. Ignore the “hobby forums” and go here:
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/subject.html
With over 556,000 scaled historic drawings in the collection, it might take a little digging to find exactly what you need, but I’ll guarantee that it’s in there. Best part? It’s all FREE.
Orsonroy beat me to the punch on the HABS/HAER site. It has gobs of great plans. BUT they are not in HO scale. If you really want to do scratchbuilding you need to learn how to work form plans that aren’t in the scale you are modeling (or alternately learn to enlarge of reduce plans with a photocopier). By not limiting yourself to HO scale plans you open a huge range of plans drawn in other scales.
Just buy a scale ruler. Use prototype dimensions with the ruler. If the building is 40 feet wide, then measure 40 feet in HO (or other scales). Plans do not need to be in your scale.
For bridges I suggest Kalmbach, bridges & trestles. I’ve got there a lot of ideas. Also a good source with a lot of drawings Is Harry W Brunk, Up Clear Creek on the Narrow Gauge.
Wolfgang
http://prr.railfan.net/standards/standards.cgi?plan=&frame=YES&rr=
There are quite a few plans here. Everything from tie plates and tools to stock pens and water tanks. All free to download in PDFs.
WICKED LINK! Thanks Ray!
Amazing replies to “scratchbuilding” views I thought I would never see on this forum, one was “try a more sophisticated hobby forum” another ‘’ was learn by doing" (OJT) and references to 3 or 4 other magazines, also try " historic drawings’’ and a final strange comment on buying a kit from walthers? ? Am I to surmise from the comments that this forum is supported by hobbyists who only BUY things and not truly scratchbuild items?
I assume that you are modeling Pre WWI Pacific NW. Is that correct? Peter Smith, Memphis
If you have plans, are you really “scratchbuilding”?