I am looking to build this n scale building from Walther’s Cornerstone Modulars kits.
This will be the first ever building I have built. Is it easy enough for a begginer?
Also, it will be a backdrop building that will have to be removable to get to the light switch. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do it? Do you make another wall on the back for support, or just the foundation, or nothing?
If you have any construction pictures of your Modulars buildings, please post them.
Thanks.
I have used the Walthers Modulars to build several buildings. Yes, they are easy enough for beginners, but be aware of two issues.
First, the way that wall and window sections connect is deceiving at first because of the interlocking structure. It is hard to explain but my best advice is to practice assembling parts to one another before attempting to glue them together.
Second, you need at least four or five different types of Modulars kits to simply construct one small building. No one kit has enough different parts to build a structure from the ground up. Some kits are walls and windows, some are roofs, some are foundations (bases), etc. So, study what you need to purchase beforehand.
As far as a backdrop building that will have to be removable to get to the light switch, my sugestion is to just build the front and side walls. That will be enough to make it self-supporting. The just add a piece of dark construction paper or cardboard diagonally from the front of one side to the back of the other side to darken the interior and mask the structure from any light colored backdrop.
Rich
I did this building with DPM modular sections. DPM wall are better for earlier eras, while the Walthers ones are more modern.
Each package of DPM parts contains a number of wall sections, plus a few brick pilasters that go between the sections and help hold them together. If there are windows or doors in a wall section, the DPM package includes those parts, too. I don’t think they make “base” or “roof” sections. I built this on a piece of 3/16th foam core board, and I used either the same stuff or sheet styrene for the roof. (I forget which.) I like to use Rustoleum textured multi-color black spray paint for my roofs. Walthers makes a set of “roof details” which provides a lot of air handlers, stacks and ventilators to put on top of the building to give it an industrial character.
Thanks for the advice.
Thanks for the tip. I will defeantly test fit everything first.
Yep, I was aware of that. That is one reason I built it with the paper templates first. I plan on picking up the kits a few at a time whenever I go to the LHS.
I just built a rather large cotton mill from the Walters modulars and second the issues with how they go together as well as the parts mix. I wound up with a lot of excess parts once done. Yes, I can use them on another building, but still, that’s a lot of money up front just to get enough of each part type.
Biggest issue I had was the large wall sections. Even though I was careful to align and clamp during assembly, assembling that many small sections together left some gaps. Part of the problem with a large building is even the large wall sections are really too small, so it takes a lot, I mean a LOT of them and all those joints add up. Gluing up subassemblies and waiting for them to set up took a lot of time. Probably took me about three times a long as if I had made a similar building out of larger wall sections from a kit bash.
Also cost was very high for what I got in each bag. While I waited for them to be on sale, even at the sale price I spent more tha I would have by kitbashing a couple of larger kits together.
Overall, I probably wouldn’t use the modulars again unless I couldn’t find any other way.
For your other question on assembly, I built the structure on a foamboard base and used section of that foam board for interior walls, floors, and bracing. In my case I built a back from the modulars as well in case of future visbility, foamboard would have worked just as well and been much easier. But a building that size does need a lot of interior bracing and floors to keep it stable both horizontially and vertically.
I’ve used the Cornerstone modulars for only one structure, that so far isn’t finished. I found the components to be a bit more fussy to use than the Design Preservation modulars, but not so much so that I would say a beginner couldn’t do it. I didn’t use any sort of backing for the walls or foundations, as the parts seemed to fit well enough they didn’t need it. Be sure to test-fit everything before assembly to be sure you know how the parts will fit before committing yourself with cement.
Here’s my modular structure as it sits currently, part of a bigger complex:
I picked up a large door and wall section yesterday and it looks pretty good. I will order some more kits today. I have one question, why does it come with some extra doors? My thought was that they have one spruce for two kits, so the doors are just included.
I am also thinking how to paint them. It would probably be easiest to paint them before installing the windows but after gluing the walls together. However, I don’t have access to an airbrush (got to clean out that workshop[8o|][banghead]) and will be a long time until I do. What are your suggestions?
They supply two different doors to fit a common opening. If I recall right, one is a double door for personnel and the other is more like a loading dock door.
I always end up with extra doors and windows from Walthers kits. The Background Buildings series, in particular, seem to all have enough windows and doors for complete buildings, even though the kit has only one large face and a couple of stub walls.
There’s no reason you have to use “modular” components for your whole building. I built a long, low warehouse building with DPM modules, but I only used the DPM sections where I needed windows or loading-dock doors. The rest was filled with styrene brick sheet, which is a lot cheaper per square inch than the modular pieces. Once painted a common color, it’s hard to tell the different materials apart.
I don’t know about N but in HO, Walthers even sells brick sheet that matches the brick pattern used on the modulars too.
I usually don’t paint large buildings with an airbrush. I build the basic structure, then paint with spray cans before adding windows. My brick color for the structure in my earlier post is Krylon’s red oxide primer. It starts a bit dark, but looks much lighter after weathering.
The large door wall section only door is the railcar door. The rest are large walls. These doors don’t fit in the walls or the railcar door so they must be extra.
I will have to check that out. I like the color in your photo.
Huh, that’s interesting. I’d assumed the N ones were the same as the HO ones. Apparently they’re not.
I have all the kits I need to start assembly now! Do you have any suggestions on what glue to use and how to apply it? The directions say to use Liquid Cement for Styrene Plastics and white glue for the windows, is there something else that would work better? Also, I saw in a tutorial once someone applying CA with a bottle with a very fine needle, is this a good idea? Thank you for your help.
I definitely wouldn’t use ca to assemble anything made solely of styrene - solvent-type cement is the best choice for your build and will give stronger joints and quick assembly.
My choice to solve the light switch issue would be to move it, either higher or elsewhere, but if you’re going to leave it, you could make either the whole structure or the roof removeable. In either case, I’d add a rear wall, which will make the structure stronger and more stable.
This was built from DPM modular walls, with the roofs, backs, and bracing all cut from .060" sheet styrene.
Here’s a peek “behind the scenes”:
This one (at right) is not modular, but a kitbash using two Walthers Waterfront Warehouse kits:
Again, .060" sheet styrene was used for the unseen sides and bracing, and the roof and clerestory.
I use Testors Model Master Liquid Plastic Adhesive. The bottle has a needle nose applicator which really helps to apply the cement only where you want it. I have used all type of adhesives in the past including the crap in the toothpaste-like tube, the liquid in the bottle with the paint brush applicator, you name it. But the Testors Model Master Liquid Plastic Adhesive is the best stuff, hands down.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/704-8872
Rich
I use the Testors liquid glue that comes in a small bottle with a brush applicator. It’s a convenient size for me. The small bottle lasts quite a while, but not so long that I have to worry about shelf life. I try to make sure that I do as much assembly as possible before painting, or that I mask the edges where the sections will meet. The glue (or adhesive or whatever) won’t work very well on painted surfaces. It will bond to the paint, which will then pull off the plastic leaving you with a weak joint. If you do find yourself having to glue a painted strip, sand it off to restore a bare plastic strip for gluing.
For these big wall joints, I apply glue to both sections, sometimes a couple of times, so the glue is wet when I put the pieces together. After the glue sets a bit, I run the brush on the inside of the joint so more glue flows into the crack and makes the joint stronger.
I use the same plastic cement to attach window frames. Once that’s done, I use Canopy Cement for the window glazing. Canopy Cement dries perfectly clear, so if you spill a bit it won’t mess up your window glass. My LHS stocks Canopy Cement, even though it’s more of a model airplane thing.
I agree with Wayne about the back and interior structure. I use 3/16 inch foam poster board from the craft store for bases, unseen back walls and interior floors and walls.
This building will be illuminated and I’ll put an interior into the rooms that are lit. So, the foam board divides the interior space up into floors and rooms, providing a view block as well as a lot of interior strength. This is more than is needed for an unlit building.
I have a couple of buildings where I used Canopy Cement by itself for the window glazing. It works well for multi-pane windows where the openings are very small. Just fill it in and push it to the corners of each pane with a toothpick. I let it dry overnight on a sheep of plastic wrap and then peel it off. The cement goes on white, but dries clear and glass-like. However, it takes on a strong curvature from the window frame, so the “window” looks like old colonial “bullet-glass,” clear, but with a strong lens effect so you can’t focus on what is on the other side. This is great for a building that you don’t want to detail inside, but you still want to illuminate, because the lights will be on but you can’t tell that nobody’s home.
Great, thanks for all the comments. I picked up some Testors glue and have started construction. Pictures coming soon!