Scratch-built card and styrene structures (based on real buildings around London Bridge)

[Stubby47]

Another matter-of-fact master class.

 

You make it look so simple, but there is a great deal of skill involved, especially getting all the windows the same size and aligned.

[grahame]

I tend to mark-up with a pencil and cut-out the windows in columns, rather than individually. Firstly, against a steel straight edge held firmly in place, I make all the cuts down one side for all apertures in the column, then the other side, and finally the horizontal cuts, to help ensure they line up. The horizontal lines are also drawn on and I use the brick courses to help ensure they are aligned that way.

 

But often they don't all end up exactly in line or exactly the same size. Sometimes I have to trim them up a little afterwards and many don't bear close scrutiny, but that's the beauty of N/2mm in that they are tiny and with an urban environment there are plenty to look at which makes spotting the dodgy ones more difficult.

 

 

[2ManySpams]

On 19/05/2020 at 13:40, grahame said:

I've got a few items that should help dress a building site scene (below l-r diesel generator/compressor, fork lift, dump truck and in front a cement mixer) that have been made up from kits and painted, as well as some other items like pallets and barrels.

 

 

 

 

What period are you modelling Grahame?

[grahame]

Ah, the tricky question. Ostensibly the period is rather too wide ranging being from late 70s to early 90s, and consequently there are a lot of contradictions especially with regards to real life changes occurring continuously over that time frame. For example buildings have come and gone during that period and dates can't be guaranteed. However, in simple terms it is after the 1970s rebuilding of the station and before the more recent re-rebuilding.

 

[grahame]

Having done nothing all morning after the initial toning down (apart from taking a phone call, having a bath and cooking some lunch) I think I'll make a start on installing windows. I could continue to fiddle and detail but, although it's not a background building, it is a backdrop one and will be behind the attractive Georgian style terrace with mansard roof. Viewing the bottom of the building will be difficult - there's just a narrow access passageway between the buildings - and it'll be the roof and top floors that will be mostly on display.

 

 

I'm using pre-printed windows from the Downsglaze No14 sheet (I've plenty of them) - the windows apertures were cut to accommodate them. I fix them in from behind with CA (superglue). I place a puddle on the plastic sheet and then use the card triangles as spreaders to transfer and paint around the back of the aperture one at a time. Then the printed window is carefully pressed in place.

 

 

 

[grahame]

. . . . and the first wall panel has now got windows installed. Just a 10 minute job - the other will take longer with more windows and first I'll make a pot of tea.

 

 

 

[grahame]

The tea is made, brewed and poured, and the windows are all installed . . . . 

 

[grahame]

With the walls on and the building placed roughly in position it's starting to look the part and blend in (but needs a back door fitted, some more roof details and perhaps . . . );

 

[grahame]

I've added the door since I took this pic early this morning in the sunshine:

 

 

. . . . . and basically that's as far as I'll take this particular model building project for now. Thoughts and consideration are turning to the steel framed building construction site although the styrene 'I' beams have not yet arrived.

 

 

 

[grahame]

I've been playing around positioning the buildings in their (almost correct) places to get an idea of how the group looks. These will form the front left edge of the layout. Here's a snap of it:

 

 

 

[acg5324]

Fantastic stuff, I just hope my efforts on Kensington Olympia are half as good.

[grahame]

While I wait for the bits I've ordered to arrive I thought I'd re-visit St Thomas's church. My plan is make the small courtyard at the front by adding a base that extends to the pavement kerb line. I also need to sort out the round windows and add some doors so that the front wall section of the tower can be fixed in place. And make and add the ridge tiles.

 

Here I've cut the base and started to make the wall with a doorway in that leads through to the courtyard in front of the Georgian terrace:

 

 

 

 

 

[grahame]

The dividing wall with arch is now complete, and one new door has been made and fitted:

 

[grahame]

With hoping my order will turn up later this morning, I've made a bit of a push on the church to get as much done as possible. This morning I've added the missing round tower windows and one rectangular one on the extension, added the sloping ridge tiles and glued the lower front tower wall panel in place. But still more to do:

 

[Siberian Snooper]

Unless your courier works on a bank holiday, I suspect that you may well have to wait until tomorrow for your delivery. During the lockdown, one tends to forget such things as weekends and bank holidays, everyday seems the same.

 

 

[grahame]

2 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

Unless your courier works on a bank holiday, I suspect that you may well have to wait until tomorrow for your delivery. During the lockdown, one tends to forget such things as weekends and bank holidays, everyday seems the same.

 

 

 

Yep, maybe, probably. It's such strange times ATM that one can never tell. On Saturday I saw the postie (I thought there were no weekend deliveries during the crisis) and today the bin men are scheduled to empty our wheelie bins. But at least it'll give me a little extra time to work on the church which is coming along with all doors now made and installed (apologies that Fielden House is missing from the backdrop line-up below):

 

 

I need to do something about the little courtyard. Currently it has planters with bushes (according to the latest streetview) although they are very recent as the more period pics I have (but unfortunately not from the 70s/80s) show nothing there - just a bare space. However, a fence does need to be erected - both in front of the church and the terrace.

 

 

 

[PaulCheffus]

Hi

 

 As far as I am aware the parcels are still being delivered on Saturdays.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[grahame]

23 minutes ago, PaulCheffus said:

 

 As far as I am aware the parcels are still being delivered on Saturdays.

 

 

I doubt what I have ordered would be packaged as a parcel and would expect it to arrive though the Royal Mail (letters) service and the local postie - but who knows for certain. Round here the RM Parcelforce brand delivers parcels separately. I don't know what each outfit has arranged for working practices during the current crisis but the website certainly indicates that Saturday letter deliveries have been suspended from 2nd May.

 

And yep, the bin men, both the green food collection service and larger dustcart for rubbish, turned up today. I guess they qualify as heros who are continuing to work.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 25, 2020 by grahame

[grahame]

One thing I have noticed is that I tend to need to light the models to photograph them (with appropriate daylight bulbs) but it gives rather bright and colourful images whereas in reality, both the model and real thing, the overall look is more sombre and restrained with duller muted colour. Perhaps black and white monotone is more suitable:

 

[grahame]

The 'I' beams have arrived . . . . but so too has the 2mm SA mag, What's Brewing and my Fab mag, so it might be a while before I crack on. I just hope there's enough - it was the last pack of the 3x2 size ones they had.

 

[millerhillboy]

Cracking work Graeme, quite a remarkable amount of patience and enthuisiasm for a big task not to mention talent.

[grahame]

I think it helps maintain enthusiasm by having/choosing a prototype subject that is a reasonable challenge with plenty of modelling diversity (more than just cursory that would easily become tired and dull) and holds personal interest and memories.

 

 

Edited May 26, 2020 by grahame

[grahame]

I've finally made a start on the framework. It's going to be very fiddly and delicate work, with parts needing to be accurate and square, and will probably take quite a while. It will also be rather fragile so I need to provide some reinforcement for the joints:

 

 

 

[grahame]

It's slow and painful progress. Steel frame replication in styrene beams is very fiddly and  needs lots of patience . . . . 

 

[grahame]

It's slowly taking shape, but TBH it's rather like playing the Vulcan logic game of Kal-toh when trying to install each beam . . . . 

 

 

. . . and I need to take another break.