Just curious if anyone is particularly fond of some of the solid resin buildings that are coming onto the market nowadays. Personally, I would much rather build a plastic kit of the building in question as opposed to one solid piece. Kits are much easier to paint and if one wants to make a ver small change during the building process. it’s simple. Besides, I like to be able to see through buildings.
Others’ thoughts?
dlm
Solid like “one piece castings”, or “the details simply aren’t cut out” ? Don’t think I’ve come across any of them as yet (but then again, I stocked up quite the backlog of Tichy stuff 
)
I will stick with plastic kits, thank you.
Rich
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a ‘solid’ resin building. Can you post links to an example?
I did recently buy a 3D printed structure. Here is a quick mock-up held together with elastic bands:
NYC_BE tower 3D by Edmund, on Flickr
BE or Berea tower is not far from me in NE Ohio. I doubt any of the mass-production ‘big boys’ would ever produce such a model so 3D printing is the way to go.
Good Luck, Ed
Ha! That’s kinda just off Bagley Rd. isn’t it? Been an age since I was out that way …
I don’t know which solid resin buildings Dan refers too, but perhaps they weren’t up to the standard of the OO scale British outline resin buildings I’ve seen?
While there are horses for courses, they would, if they fitted one’s modelled time and place, certainly fill a spot on one’s layout.
My 2 bobs worth, “Toodle Pip”, the Bear.[:)]
Way back when a company (I think they were called robin rails but not sure) used to make that kind, we are talking 40 years ago, they were not that good as glue lines were not perfect and it took a lot of sanding but few ever made them look as good as a plastic properly done.
I’m talking about something like this…
https://www.ebay.com/itm/373409262175?hash=item56f0ed2a5f:g:8qoAAOSwc2le0Pe4
or this…
https://www.ebay.com/itm/193071236065?epid=12019858546&hash=item2cf3f143e1:g:2QsAAOSwXSFkHgAP
dlm
For a while ERTL, known for their 1/64 die cast farm implement models among other things, had a line of solid resin structures in HO. When they left that part of the business the products (structures and HO freight cars and some vehicles) were dumped on the market at low prices and I bought one, I think a sort of general store. Quite heavy, nice detail but yes the windows are solid and not see through. They also had an interlocking tower and a few others.
I also bought a solid resin N scale house from IMEX because it was cheap and I thought it might make a good forced perspective background model. The detail was simplified and not real fine. But for my purpose and intended location, that is not a problem.
My general feeling is that if you can get a deal on them they have their uses on a layout but not in a place that will get close scrutiny – or close-up photographs. Again I think the Ertl structures are a different order of detail than what I see of IMEX.
Dave Nelson
There have been several waves of these. Bachmann has had the latest ones- mostly background and novelty roadside buildings. Probably 15 years ago Imex had a series of more conventional storefront buildings that looked pretty good but the solid windows did not look real good as they did them in a lighter blue. A more uncentional thing were several series of buildings made for the gift market by Lefton. The ones in the center of the pic were from their victorian queens series. These are a shallow relief building that is perfect for a flat- I think these solid cast work better in this kind of application. They had series of diners, firehouses, and train stations that were full relief although not all the backs were fully furnished.
A couple of hints- make sure windows are a dark black then add parallel streaks of dark blue/ light blue. That gives the impression of reflection. I also added some printed windows displays- you could do the same with curtains. I did weather these and do some repaint to tone one down.
Jim
Woodland Scenics sells some. They look nice to my eyes. Not cheap but I can see that as an option for some folks. Good quality kits are expensive too…
Simon
