Computer Aided Scratchbuilding

Mark Watson Oct 30, 2009

  1. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Awesome stuff! The plans for the mill are on my website but only by direct link (see post #70). Looks like I need to get a full page up for this to provide better support. :D
     
  2. Flash Blackman

    Flash Blackman TrainBoard Member

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    Mill Assembled

    Here is the front view. The covered porch area is not yet glued in place.
    [​IMG]

    Rear view. I can't account for the gap in the roof. Everything else seemed to work just fine.
    [​IMG]

    I used Tamiya "Extra Thin Cement" for glue. It was my first experience with this product; I consider it the equivalent of Tenax 7R.

    Mystere: I sent you an email with other comments.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 1, 2010
  3. Tracy McKibben

    Tracy McKibben TrainBoard Member

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    Somehow I missed this entire thread until now. I'll take a crack at this! I was planning to use the Walthers Farmer's Co-Op kit, maybe this will take its place...
     
  4. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Looking good Flash! I got your e-mail, thanks for the feedback.

    I also got an e-mail from Jeff (user xpedx) with some pictures of his build in HO scale using evergreeen siding styrene.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

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    Some might notice how he's taken the template to the next level by modifying the placement of doors and windows! Helping people explore those modifications is what this form of "Guided scratch-building" is all about!

    Happy modeling,
     

    Attached Files:

  5. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    Has anyone tried printing on the plastic with a laser jet? Will the heat be a problem? I'm not sure either of my ink jets would work. They don't like very thick paper. The paper I've tried is .0085" (65lb) thick and some times jams.
    That's about the thickness of index cards and business cards.
     
  6. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Styrene has quite a low melting point. I've not tried this first hand yet, but I think the label idea will prove to be the best way to use the template. I will be trying the label idea today.
     
  7. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Here's the first version of the Grocery instructions. Anyone see any glaring flaws? Text instructions will aid step 1, the assembly of the entrance, and the assembly of the roof ledges.
    [​IMG]

    This one will be more difficult than the Mill because of the roof ledges. The front and back use .125x.250 strip (for N scale), but the two sides are slightly diagonal and have to be built hollow.
     
  8. G&G Railway

    G&G Railway TrainBoard Member

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    Great job on the building. That is way beyond my basic talents.
     
  9. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    That is exactly the mind set I'm trying to break here. It may look daunting, but in many ways it's no more difficult than a DPM kit.

    The biggest problem I've seen so far is getting the template cut out (ie. Transfering/fixing it to the styrene). This has caused some skewed angles on the cut out. As I've stated, I'm going to try the lable idea today. If it proves successful, this whole technique will be so easy a cave man could do it. :)
     
  10. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Well I spoke too soon on that one. Turns out they want upwards of one dollar per sheet of full sheet label paper. That's not going to work out here.

    I decided to then stop by the art store on the way back home and found a low tac spray adhesive. I'm really excited about this as it will allow me to print on plain paper, fix that sheet to the styrene for cutting and then peel off paper and adhesive with ease! Best of all this brings cost down to pennies/sheet vs dollars. :D
     
  11. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    The low tack adhesive was what I was thinking of but wasn't sure if such a thing existed and was resonably cost effective. The labels are expensive.
     
  12. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Using the spray adhesive was highly successful!! Even better, the cost of supplies comes to less than 3 cents.


    I sprayed the back of the template, printed on plain paper, with super 77. Then carefully laid the template onto the styrene sheet.
    [​IMG]


    The super 77 fixes the paper firmly while still allows the paper to peel off easily.
    [​IMG]

    To make it even easier to remove the template from the styrene after it is cut, wipe the top with a rag splashed with turpentine (or your favorite cleaner solvent)
    [​IMG]

    After the template is removed, clean the styrene pieces again to remove any remaining residue. This whole procedure lasted about 45 minutes, from attaching the template to fully cut out and cleaned pieces. No measuring, no guessing, perfect result.
    [​IMG]
     
  13. subwayaz

    subwayaz TrainBoard Member

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    Cool idea Mark, this way it could be printed on a regular piece of printer paper and then still cut out to scale with little effort or hassle.:thumbs_up:
    Now that is what ya call taking a great idea and even making it better
     
  14. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Mark and others that had good input. This has been very educational. It's starting to look like this will be a lot of fun. :tb-smile:
     
  15. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Here's the second build next to the first model. :)

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  16. bravogjt

    bravogjt TrainBoard Member

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    Looking good Mark!

    Ben
     
  17. FatherWilliam57

    FatherWilliam57 TrainBoard Member

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    This is a great thread! Thank you for sharing your talents with us, Mark! Do you think in the future will be designing any steel industry buildings? I'm thinking of a standard rolling mill type building...those of us who do coal and steel have lots of buildings like that to build! Just a suggestion...

    Keep up the good work and please keep this thread going!
     
  18. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Send me some reference pictures and I'll certainly see what I can do! :D
     
  19. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Almost an entire year in hiding!

    Well for some reason, walking to the post office just now gave me a kick to open this project back up. Don't ask.. I have no idea either. :p

    So here's the question of the day:

    If you were interested in one of these models, would you prefer the blank styrene sheet with template attached, or the assembled structure?
     
  20. SteamDonkey74

    SteamDonkey74 TrainBoard Supporter

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    Blank styrene sheet with template attached for me. I like building things myself and customizing them in the process.
     

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