If you have ever made a wooden laser kit / structure you will have noticed that there is often quite a bit of scrap wood left once the kit parts have been removed from the carrier sheet. Here is a small kit I have been working on.
I took all the scrap wood and then just stained it with alcohol and ink and rough cut the excess siding scrap into boards approximately a 10" (scale) wide.
Once stained with ink, I roughed up the backside of the sheet (the non clapboard side) with a wire brush and then started construction on a small smoke house.
I based it on a rough backwoods smoke house that I found on the web.
I used bits of scrap card and a cut up envelope to make the shingles
To work as a smoke house I filled the gaps between the boards with water-putty
After a bit more weathering and the addition of some smoke, here is the result
So the golden rule of model RR is don’t throw anything away, you can make some simple unique structures for your layout from what would otherwise be worthless scrap.
That looks great! I use a lot of scrap to build things on the layout. I have a lot of buildings that go up against the backdrop which I don’t put in the back wall because it isn’t seen. Those scrap building parts are great to make other buildings with elsewhere on the layout. (My wife says i’m a pack rat.) But, you never know when those scrap walls, windows, doors, styrene, brass, and cardstock will come in handy… [;)] chuck
Simon, thanks for your thoughtful and informative post. I am about to grit my teeth and take a solid crack at a CPR style water tower kit put out by Kanamodel. I have wondered about how to approach the whole shebang, and certainly how to weather it. I have taken a lot (a ton, actually) of inspiration from your own strong foray into craftsmanship and would like you to know that I sincerely appreciate and admire you for what you do.
Building looks good, but I have to say you REALLY nailed those shingles!! That’s a great idea using those brown kraft envelopes.[tup]
Is the cut fire wood just tree branches you split?
Crandell, thanks, I appreciate your comments. IMO, building these things is a lot like cooking Chinese food. All the work is in the preparation. So much of the basic weathering and ageing can be done before any construction starts. So have a crack at it and I am sure you will enjoy the process and the results.
Thanks Loathar, I found that the outside bonded part of the padded envelope was a nice thickness and stiffness to make shingles. I was a bit of a pain nipping out all those small triangles to make the shingles, but I think they worked out OK. It is amazing what a bit of cheap craft paint can do!
Yes, the split logs are from a real tree twig. Actually from a nice big oak that sadly blew down in the storms last month. At least it lives a little on my layout[:)] The wood is of course not very seasoned, so produces rather too much smoke!
Simon, Look in the scrapbooking section of a good craft store. My daughter has scissors that cut all kinds of shapes for her scrapbooking - may be something you could use there. My [2c]
