I have been involved in a number of discussions about scratch building and kit bashing. I have found that a lot of modelers find these types of modeling intimidating so they never try. I am curious, what do you find to be your greatest obstacles, physical or mental, to jumping into scratch building or kit bashing model structures?
I actually have three obstacles to scratchbuilding: 1) deciding on what structure to put in a particular piece of real estate on my small layout and still make it look convincing; 2) deciding on the design if I don’t have a particular prototype or model to refer to, as well as how I might modify it to fit the often limited space, and last but not least; 3) getting started, as I have many other projects to work on. Mainly right now my big priority is getting trains running again after reassembling my entire layout - - I’m very close to that at this time. Make no mistake about it though, I love to scratchbuild.
The greatest obstacle is building something without a plan, blueprints, or anything to go by except your imagination. Currently I am scratch building a mission style church for my layout. I would not attempt this except I discovered that there is a company that makes blueprint style plans for several California Mission structures because in the state of California school children are required to build one when studying state history. I went to grade school in Oregon and we studied The Oregon Trail instead. Kids build these missions using old cardboard boxes but I decided to do it right and build mine with sheet styrene. Having plans made it easier because I knew exactly what I had to build. But I do make my own changes as I see fit.
Kitbashing is easier because I am usually just cutting down the size of a building to fit in a smaller space.
I do love scratch building interiors but every one is a challenge because it is truly unique to the structure. Every single interior I have built I could build again faster and easier and better if I were to do it again because I would know what mistakes I made and how to do it differently instead of starting from scratch.
There are just so many great-looking kits out there, so little real estate on my layout, and only so many hours in a day. I see each kit as only a starting point anyway, and I put custom interiors and lighting into most of them, so in a way even my kit structures have a certain amount of scratch-building to them.
I have done scratchbuilding, cars and structures.
The biggest problem is identifying and getting scratch stuff - wood shapes, castings, strip wood, etc. - together for the project. It’s time consuming. It’s one of the reasons I favor kits - all the pieces are there ready to go. And of course for S scale it’s harder to find stuff and some things just aren’t made, so you have to make your own - not a hard task, but it takes time. And time is what’s in short supply for me.
A good way to get started scratch building cars with wood is to build some LaBelle kits. This is pretty much the same as scratchbuilding except someone else has gathered the parts together for you (and provided instructions).
For a structure, start with something other than a laser kit. Some of the laser kits are nice, but most of us don’t have a laser for scratchbuilding.
Paul
I was one that was too intimidated to try for over 40 years. I only had one problem and that was getting over the hump that I could actually scratch build something that would look good enough to use on my layout. Using a Laser Kit as a go-by my first attempt turned out looking so good I really got into it. Now it’s second nature.
The biggest help was my ability to make blueprints using my CAD. Making full size drawings to use as patterns made all the difference in the World.
This is a link to my first scratch build project:
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-first-scratch-built-building.html
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
Just by nature of the original question, I think you’re going to get a lot more answers from folks who’ve already made the leap than those who haven’t.
For me, expense and distance vision. I wanted to be prototypically accurate for the building I’m currently doing, and my blueprint search took two overnight trips and eventually proved fruitless. The rest will be filled in from memory/imagination. And I use an optivisor, but haven’t gotten the knack of propping things up to the proper height to focus properly without the need to contort into positions that prove painful later.
I don’t recall any obstacles in scrathbuilding. Problems to solve, yes.
My first scratchbuilding project was a model of a pile driving car from plans in RMC. It was in O scale, because I was doing Lionel at the time. I was 16.
One of the things that minimized fear was that almost every month, Model Railroader would show some incredible piece of model building. Seeing that other people were doing such grand things, I figured I could try a lesser grand thing.
By the way, it wasn’t very good.
I did another one in HO when I was 19. It was much better. It was “pretty good”. But I eventually scrapped it, too.
My advice to people who feel there’s a hurdle to be overcome, is to start with something pretty easy, but that you also care about.
And never give up.
Ed
The biggest obstacle for me is where I have photos, and perhaps some basic measurements, but no drawings or plan. While some guys can just start cutting and things seem to turn out OK, I need something concrete that I can follow, and I am not much of a draftsman, alas.
Dave Nelson
Almost all my biuldings are scratchbuilt.I have yet to use a plan,some were inspired by pictures. My biggest problem is: how big to build it.If too small they don’t look right, and too big, I’m useing up real estate. For me its hard to get that compressed size.
Modeling structures that are not perfectly rectangular or cylindrical, but tapered - like the main body of a blast furnace. I spent more time, and did more trial-and-error experimentation, on that than I did on any other part of the structure.
I haven’t used any plans, or drawings, and never intend on doing so, and no problems getting started. I mocked up, with cardboard and hot glue, what I needed to fit the space I had, and just went to work, using DPM parts, Walthers parts, cardboard, wood, plastic sheets, etc., whatever I need to accomplish the look I wanted.
Maybe all my live spent in the building trades, and the common sense of being raised on farms, along with all of the great modeling I’ve seen, had a hand.
I also did a lot of searching, using pictures, and a bunch of research on various details.
I have stacks of kits I’ve bought, some never opened, some robbed for parts.
Mike.
Currently my biggest obstacle to scratch building structures is that I have already built the ones I need. I may do one or two over again to correct some deficiencies, but given the three foot rule, I’m likely the only one who would notice the difference between what I have already done and what I would do in the rebuilds anyhow. I will admit that I am stuck on finishing several projects. It’s mostly paint, lighting and detailing that are required.
As far as scratch building rolling stock, my biggest obstacle is that I already have too much on the go. Again, painting and detailing seem to be holding me back from finishing some of them. However, that didn’t stop me from recently buying several older Stanton and Tenshodo Spud drive systems and donor locomotives so I can make more!
Dave
The only obstacle that I can think of is time…or more specifically, the lack of it. I keep taking on projects for friends, and as a result, my own have languished, sometime for years, at a time when years themselves may be getting short in supply.
Wayne
I’ll have to agree with Wayne 100%…
BTW: Wayne, that Bridge that I am working on is really taking the time. More so, for I am such a stickler for detail and get carried away…LOL
Take Care! [:D]
Frank
EDIT: A little peek for others as to My project. It’s about 75% completed. No models of this particular bridge are in existance…but there are real ones still in use today. Scherzer double track Rolling Lift Bridge. The full size plans:
My biggest obstacle is interest since there is so many excellent industrial kits available from Walthers. My last kitbash was for a club 15 years ago and all I used was Pikestuff walls,roof,three entrance doors and 6 loading doors(4 truck/two rail). I didn’t even find the need to use my HO ruler since I knew I had 22" x 9" to fill so I used the club’s 24" draftsman ruler. My finish building was 16" x 9" with 6" used for a dock pad area.
While I never had any formal training on technical drawing, I’ve done enough, for w**K, over the years to be competent, and actually enjoy the challenges of drawing up plans off a photo, or photos, measurements are helpful if available, and as with actual measurements, the more photos the better.
But, and it may be just the projects I undertake, there invariably is information, written or photographic, which even after diligent searching on Google, or asking the Forum, is unavailable.
In these cases, I would like to think that I’ve filled I the blanks by making an educated/ logical guess, and also take the view as the prototype no longer exists, it’s highly unlikely that there is anyone with first hand knowledge to tell me I’m wrong.
The trouble starts when during the build when I start second guessing my guesses, which inevitably leads to progress slowing down and even stopping, until I get over it and get back into the project.
So, I reckon my biggest obstacle is myself.
True words.
I could be fecetious and say there are no obstacles, only opportunities. But there are lots of small obstacles that do create friction. I often time find it hard to get a suitable material readily. You could always order and wait. But I often am too impatient, so will take a shortcut just to gert on with it. It’s often good enough, not like there’s not plenty else to do. If you do end up with a rather bad ount, well, there’s always the chancd to get a better result the next go round.
I had a lot of the same and similar thoughts last night as the posts that were made late last night and this morning. My biggest obstacle in scratch building stems from a saying in remodeling. " hindsight is your truest sight". Part way through the build I always see something I could have done better or nit picky imperfections I want to take too much time to correct. I am getting better at realizing the difference between perfectionism and anal retentiveness. Perfectionism is a good quality to have to get a job well done. Extreme perfectionism only makes me stumble and take longer to finish what I’m doing. In the end the creator of thier project is the only one that knows and see’s his little deficiencies. Unless of course I’m silly enough to tell somebody.
- Lack of tools needed
- Lack of workplace which can be messed up
- Lack of skills needed
- Ill health