RMweb Gold rodent279 Posted March 27, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 27, 2020 Morning. Are there any good internet scratchbuilding websites? Something that would give me, as a beginner, a guide to techniques, materials, forming, shaping etc? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 30368 Posted March 27, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 27, 2020 Hi, What is it you wish to construct? Loco's, rolling stock, buildings? I have noticed that many use scratchbuilding to mean building a kit with a few changes. If it is loco/rolling stock building there are many threads on this site that can probably help. If you are a biginner I would suggest a kit to start with so that you can learn new skills in a "safe" environment. Starting from a drawing, some photo's and a sheet of brass is a challange for the biginner! Kind regards, Richard B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbyhorse Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Just ask away, a few of us here scratch build, a couple of my builds. Simon 4 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted March 27, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 27, 2020 26 minutes ago, hobbyhorse said: Just ask away, a few of us here scratch build, a couple of my builds. Simon No1 looks gorgeous, is she 7mm? For the OP, as said in the first reply 'Scratchbuilding' can actually mean 'Kitbashing' so what are you looking at for a first project. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbyhorse Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 Yes No1 is 7 mm, and the valve gear 16mm Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom q vaxy Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 15 hours ago, rodent279 said: Morning. Are there any good internet scratchbuilding websites? Something that would give me, as a beginner, a guide to techniques, materials, forming, shaping etc? Thanks. I think there are about a gazillion; but with some qualifiers in definition and that can be a slippery slope. as alluded, some think scratchbuilding & kitbashing synonymous. I would disagree in a pedantic sense, but for the exercise let's put the differences into one jar and move on. from my distillation, if one could scratchbuild basic shapes (box & cylinder) in a variety of materials, everything added to them would be subject to interpretation. (that's awkward, but i'm going with it for now) for example: I we build a barrel, a bigger barrel could become a water tank or gas storage. tip it on its side, add spoke & a hub, and there's a wheel. stick a perpendicular smaller barrel and you have a locomotive boiler. and a box to the other end, and you're ready to high-ball across the counter. scratchbuilding is to break down what you want to build into basic component's shapes. the work is easy after that. the caveat is to have your skills match the material which will have the integrity to support the finished product's intended use. we can get away with card & paper for some purposes, and as intimated, may need full machine shop facilities & the experience to use them, for others. try some of these links from my "squirrel in the middle of the road files" and try to focus on the lessons being taught rather than the specific subject matter: http://scratch-builder.blogspot.com/search/label/workbench http://www.modellversium.de/tipps/6-detaillieren/8030-.html http://www.themotormuseuminminiature.co.uk/scratch-building.php and don't forget YouTube: 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold rodent279 Posted March 30, 2020 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2020 Thanks for the replies. If I'm honest, I'm not sure that I've got anything in mind, I'd just like to have a look at some guides to see how it's done, and whether I think I'm capable. I've built plenty of kits, mostly plastic, but a couple of white metal as well. Partly I'd like to detail some RTR models, partly I've always liked the idea of building something from scratch. I can grasp how a shape like a boiler is produced, but how about say a Belpaire firebox? Cylinders? Rivets? How do you form the shape of the noise of a diesel, say a baby Deltic? Cheers N Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted March 30, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 30, 2020 1 hour ago, rodent279 said: How do you form the shape of the noise of a diesel, say a baby Deltic? Look at some posts from @Clive Mortimore He builds Early Diesels in plasticard as well as cutting and shutting coaching stock into DMU's and EMU's. The secret to the body curves is simply laminating plasticard and filing away the excess. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbler Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 4 hours ago, rodent279 said: Thanks for the replies. If I'm honest, I'm not sure that I've got anything in mind, I'd just like to have a look at some guides to see how it's done, and whether I think I'm capable. I've built plenty of kits, mostly plastic, but a couple of white metal as well. Partly I'd like to detail some RTR models, partly I've always liked the idea of building something from scratch. I can grasp how a shape like a boiler is produced, but how about say a Belpaire firebox? Cylinders? Rivets? How do you form the shape of the noise of a diesel, say a baby Deltic? Cheers N Have you read my thread? Building mainly coaches, carriages and wagons, but ive built a station and a goods facility using 'wills' brick pattern sheets. Im going to attempt a bus here.... Already made the preliminary drawing, halfway down page 2, ignore the top drawing (the windows are wrong). Also near the bottom of page 2 is a shot of the seven wagons im working on at the moment. Cheers Scott (Gobbler) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Moore Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 There is a very good book on scratch building by Simon Boulton I've found it an excellent source. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1847977685/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_ULEGEbKPA8H57 Worth every penny 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peppercorn Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 Rnb Simon mentioned Simon Boulton's book - I, too, have found them useful and interesting. I'd also add "Locomotive Modelling from Scratch and Etched Kits" Volumes 1 & 2 by Geoff Holt. I know that books aren't internet resources, but these books (and a couple of others) will tell you everything you need Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom q vaxy Posted April 1, 2020 Share Posted April 1, 2020 https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/127-scratchbuilding/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wjones2711@gmail.com Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 In for a penny.. Would anyone happen to know about scratchbuilding station buildings and goods sheds for example? Can it be done from pre-existing drawings as a base and if so could anyone advise me? Will Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sej Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 Thanks people for the kind words about my books and it's great that you're interested in scratch-building! I have done a number of rather idiosyncratic Youtube videos introducing my scratch-building techniques in metal. It's a bit alarming to discover that they're 5 years old, and I do intend to carry on with them...sometime! The first one is here: I hope they might prove useful. Cheers Simon. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold simonmcp Posted June 2, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 2, 2020 22 hours ago, wjones2711@gmail.com said: In for a penny.. Would anyone happen to know about scratchbuilding station buildings and goods sheds for example? Can it be done from pre-existing drawings as a base and if so could anyone advise me? Will Hi Will, it is always advisable to use a drawing for buildings so that you get the proportions right. I would start with a brick building and use thin sheets of brick plasticard as that will be easier to cut. Even with thin plasticard you have to make allowance for it's thickness at the corners, or chamfer it at 45 degrees. I would advise laminating the thin sheets with two thin backing sheets to avoid distortion. Drawings can be found all over the internet or for a small cost you could use one of scalescenes kits as a drawing and make it out of plasticard instead. Get some magnetic square clamps or use a true square block of wood and make the building on a sheet of plate glass to keep it level. There are a load of threads on here that show you how to do it, look in the card modelling section as well as that covers the same principles. Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kylestrome Posted June 2, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 2, 2020 (edited) On 30/03/2020 at 09:21, rodent279 said: I've built plenty of kits, mostly plastic, but a couple of white metal as well. Partly I'd like to detail some RTR models, partly I've always liked the idea of building something from scratch. You’ve probably already developed many of the skills needed for scratch building through your kit building. Although there are some basic skills that are necessary, there are many aspects of modelling that require a bit of thought. Every model presents its own problems to solve and very often you will need to come up with your own unique solutions. That’s part of the fun but also why there will be no comprehensive answer to your original question. The best thing is just to have a go at making something and be prepared to learn from your mistakes. David Edited June 2, 2020 by Kylestrome 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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