I building my first scratch build structure, based loosely on the Santa Susana Depot in Simi Valley. Since it's my first building, I know that it won't be perfect, but of course I would like to get as close as possible. The picture shows where I'm at right now, and that's why I need some advise. What would be the best way to do the windows and doors? I'm thinking of trying to build them from 0.020" x 0.020" styrene strips (roughly 3x3" in N scale), but don't know if it's possible or if it's too tiny. If that fails, I might try the drywall mesh thing. But any advise of how to achieve the 'right look' will be appreciated. I have a picture of the real depot here http://community.webshots.com/album/76915961FHkwQn
That's your FIRST attempt, Jesper??? Kudos to you! That's an excellent first attempt. Have you checked out the Grandt Line range of window castings? Scratch-building your muntins, etc. isn't that hard, just deciding on what size strip to use. I'll give some thought to my suggestion overnight and post later. I have done similar work on a model based on a GN prototype. First attempt, eh...
Jesper, Comming great! One of the problems with working with the very thin styrene strips is that they melt into nothingness if you use a plastic cement that is too agressive. My recollection is that Plastruck's Plastic Weld is one of the less agressive ones, but you might want to check at your LHS. However you solve this problem, please promise to post the final product!
If the window and doors are the same size:ie all window and all doors,the best way would be to make one window and one door and then cast the rest in resin useing a silicone mold.You can make one mold with both masters and reuse them over and over
ok, I give up. Today I have spend more then 2 hours trying to make the first door, and hasn't been able to come up with anything that looked even close to decent, so I decided to forget about what the real doors and windows looks like and instead use some Grand Line windows and doors. Unfortunately, the window openings doesn't match the Grand Line one, so I will have to do some filing and filling to make it fit, but I'm sure the end result will be better than if I try to make the windows myself.
Jesper, Firstly, the doors. I started out with a small piece of styrene glued to the wall across the doorway to act as the door proper then built up the door from strip. There will be lots of small pieces to cut and glue but you can get a reasonable facsimile of just about any door. Use the smallest strips from Evergreen - the .010" and .015" varieties. Door knobs can be represented by styrene or brass rod glued into a hole. The windows followed a similar process but without the backing and there was more involved. First I framed the window in the apperture using a suitable wide strip to represent the sill - say .040" in a .020" wall, etc. - and a .010"-015" narrower strip for the sides and top. Build up the window pane frames using .010" sq strip, or .010"x.015" keeping in mind if you want to have a sash style opening window or not. Finally, I did the window muntins in a simple lattice with .010" strip of suitable width. Windows can be built partially open this way as well as panes blanked out. It's up to your imagination and needs. Admittedly, when I built my structures I did all the doors and windows with the walls flat before I glued the structure together. You will have a bit more trouble doing the windows off model (assuning you have the walls together) but you could try making them in a scrap piece of styrene with the apperture cut to the same as your model then cutting them out when the glue has set and fitting them to yours. Same with the doors. As Dutchman suggested, use one of the less agressive glues like Tetsors - that will stop them melting into one blob! Hope this helps.
I have this thing with building, buildings an all I'll add a few of my own thoughtsa on the door knob issue... I have a tendency of liking the looks of brass door knobs an such so, I use brass plated straight pins (used in the world of sewing) and if I want a siler or metal door knob I use nickle plated straight pins. their cheap come in packs of 700 to 1000 And the smallest ones look great on the doors (for HO) I'm not sure what you could use for N scale.... But I drill a hole for the pin to go through an CA glue it from behind, let the glue dry an snip off tyhe pint of the pin on the inside....
I knew there was a reason I keep coming back here. 7600EM that's a great idea for doorknobs Thanks for the tip!
