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Making a start a start with Scalescenes


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It has been a pleasure to spend time browsing this site and seeing what members have produced.  It has prompted me to leave the modeller's armchair at long last, and to take the first tentative steps towards the work bench.

 

I have been taken by the card modelling in particular, and see that this has been revolutionised by photo-realistic downloadable kits and textures.  Below is my first model.  I have yet to glue down the roof and add bargeboards, but it is otherwise complete.

 

For any, like me, who are new to the Scalescenes medium, it is a little different from the card kits I remember from my youth.  You are effectively making the components first, before assembling.  There are some things I would do differently, e.g. I would always print the window frames onto shelf-adhesive labels, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the process.

 

 

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Today I took a similar first step - but for me it was building a Ratio wagon kit! 3 plank LMS wagon. I've ended up with a usable model, but the next one will be SO much better! But really enjoyed the process - and it wasn't half as difficult as I thought it would be

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It has been a pleasure to spend time browsing this site and seeing what members have produced.  It has prompted me to leave the modeller's armchair at long last, and to take the first tentative steps towards the work bench.

 

I have been taken by the card modelling in particular, and see that this has been revolutionised by photo-realistic downloadable kits and textures.  Below is my first model.  I have yet to glue down the roof and add bargeboards, but it is otherwise complete.

 

For any, like me, who are new to the Scalescenes medium, it is a little different from the card kits I remember from my youth.  You are effectively making the components first, before assembling.  There are some things I would do differently, e.g. I would always print the window frames onto shelf-adhesive labels, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the process.

Dear Sir,

  Firstly welcome to RM web, I joined as well in March of this year. If this is your first build in card I see that you have not rushed it, although unfinished, quite looking the part. May I ask what scale? going by the outdoor table top it appears to be 'OO' gauge.

The more you build from the ready made structures, the more you will get the feel for your own designed scratch builds.

Don't worry if you bungle something along the way, its called learning as you go. So, take your time and don't compare your own works to those of the masters that you have no doubt seen in this forum. They too  like myself and you, started much the same way. I enjoy your last sentence of your post, thoroughly enjoyed the process.

Please post a follow up, had you thought about posting in the show us you scratch builds section?

Cheers, Tex.

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Thanks all for the feed-back, which is encouraging.  Kandc_au, yes, they are well worth the effort.   

 

Tassie Tex, yes, you are quite right, it is the OO version.  As it is a kit (Scalescenes' T019 Row of Cottages), I don't think it would qualify in the 'Show me your scratchbuilt ...'  Thread.

 

The experienced has inspired me to see if I can use the kits and textures for an original structure, so we'll see.  

 

In the meantime, I'll see if I can completely finish the build and manage a better photo.

 

Good luck , Semi-Fast, with the wagon kits.

 

Thanks for the welcome.

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Nice stuff & welcome aboard.  I'm still very much learning with much encouragement and example from people here, but now routinely use the Scalescenes techniques & papers to build my own things.  I'd recommend a copy of John Ahern's Miniature Building Constrution as well.

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Right, I know I said I'd finish the Scalescenes Row of Cottages, but, I am afraid I let my new-found enthusiasm for the medium get the better of me and I thought I would attempt a scratch-build, using elements of the kit and additional texture sheets.

 

Progress so far:

 

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Those look great,

Its good to see such variation in a terrace, the scratch built boundary walls are looking good too, are you aware of the free download for outbuildings and walls from scalescenes? They're designed for their terrace house kit so should be easily bashed to make an interesting addition to your fantastic terrace. They also come in a number of finishes so can match each individual house.

 

link: http://www.scalescenes.com/T008a/T008a.html

 

I hope this is of help to you or anyone else who is following this fantastic build.

Jason

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Many thanks, indeed, Cornamuse.

 

Jason, thank you; an excellent suggestion.  Space is tight, but I think an adapted version of that outhouses kit could be just what I need.

 

In the meantime, a little more work has been done.  With the third attempt, I think I have just about cracked the pan-tiling to my own satisfaction.  Next; all the fiddly bits!

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Something of a hiatus for a couple of weeks due to Real Life, but managed to pick up the scalpel again over the Bank Holiday.  The result is that I have completed the fiddly bits (sills, steps, gutters & drainpipes, bargeboards and chimney pots).

 

I also took up airwimp075's kind suggestion of using the Scalescenes outhouses kit, and a version is tacked on to the white house. Time to do a spot of gardening.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

After trying the free models given away in the Hornby magazine, I purchased the row of cottages and the lock keeper's cottage. Hey presto, the small hamlet that was build to take care of the railway workers. The lock keeper's cottage makes a great pub, just cover the centre window upstairs with a name board and put net curtains in the office window with a 'gents' sign on the door.

Currently I am building the Hornby station double length, in brick. Great what you do on a rainy afternoon with copy of Photoshop on a computer! As for the cottages, they look even better on the third rebuild...

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Something of a hiatus for a couple of weeks due to Real Life, but managed to pick up the scalpel again over the Bank Holiday.  The result is that I have completed the fiddly bits (sills, steps, gutters & drainpipes, bargeboards and chimney pots).

 

I also took up airwimp075's kind suggestion of using the Scalescenes outhouses kit, and a version is tacked on to the white house. Time to do a spot of gardening.

 

 

Did you scratchbuild the guttering/downpipes? Or are they available commercially?

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ejgray52 - I like the pub conversion idea; maybe you could post some pictures.

 

jonny777 - This is minimum budget modelling, so no fancy proprietary accessories!  The downpipes are just florist's wire.  Originally I bought a packet for downpipes, then I realised they were just the thing to create ridges for the pantile sheets, so I bought lots more and you can see them in some of the earlier pictures forming the green strips on the roofs.

 

The brackets were just strips of paper.  The reservoir on the end wall was carved from two wooden coffee stirrers stuck together.  Thanks for your interest.

 

There are times, of course, when I worry if the build will work out, so it's a real boost to a beginner's confidence to have the posts rated here and on the scratch-build thread. I do take the trouble to look up all those kind enough to comment or rate.  When I see what some of these people have achieved ... well, it's humbling to receive the praise of the praiseworthy and I thank everyone who takes the trouble to rate the posts, from beginners like me to living legends. 

 

Apologies for lack of progress; Real Life again. 

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Now, C&WR, the bag-tie wire thing. What a brilliant bit of creative recycling.  A very convincing effect.  You are up there with the frozen crayon flower man.  Thanks for the tip.

 

The cottage backs are designed, well, actually "expected", as nothing has yet been "designed", to sit towards the back of the scene.  For this I think the flat paper is fine.

 

For 'front of house' structures I was pondering how to replicate the distinctive ridge or lip found on traditional cast brackets.  You have shown me how!

 

Problem is, we don't seem to buy anything with bag-ties!  I will think on alternatives for thin, soft wire, but where do you find yours?!?

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As I said, from bag ties, so I'm afraid that might not help! I'm racking my brains for other suggestions, but what I like about this I that one can wrap them round themselves in a twist, trim to a few mm & then insert in holes cut in the wall which makes them sturdy.

 

I claim no credit for the tip, but thanks anyway. I thought it might have been from John Ahern, but struggled to find I in a quick flick through just now.

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Now, C&WR, the bag-tie wire thing. What a brilliant bit of creative recycling.  A very convincing effect.  You are up there with the frozen crayon flower man.  Thanks for the tip.

 

The cottage backs are designed, well, actually "expected", as nothing has yet been "designed", to sit towards the back of the scene.  For this I think the flat paper is fine.

 

For 'front of house' structures I was pondering how to replicate the distinctive ridge or lip found on traditional cast brackets.  You have shown me how!

 

Problem is, we don't seem to buy anything with bag-ties!  I will think on alternatives for thin, soft wire, but where do you find yours?!?

 

Edwardian,

You could try cheap shops for Florists wire, or dare I say even a Florist for some.

Just a suggestion.

 

Khris

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  • 2 weeks later...

ejgray52 - I like the pub conversion idea; maybe you could post some pictures.

 

jonny777 - This is minimum budget modelling, so no fancy proprietary accessories!  The downpipes are just florist's wire.  Originally I bought a packet for downpipes, then I realised they were just the thing to create ridges for the pantile sheets, so I bought lots more and you can see them in some of the earlier pictures forming the green strips on the roofs.

 

The brackets were just strips of paper.  The reservoir on the end wall was carved from two wooden coffee stirrers stuck together.  Thanks for your interest.

 

There are times, of course, when I worry if the build will work out, so it's a real boost to a beginner's confidence to have the posts rated here and on the scratch-build thread. I do take the trouble to look up all those kind enough to comment or rate.  When I see what some of these people have achieved ... well, it's humbling to receive the praise of the praiseworthy and I thank everyone who takes the trouble to rate the posts, from beginners like me to living legends. 

 

Apologies for lack of progress; Real Life again.

 

 

 

Here is the pub - still needs finishing of, of course... The planned layout is a 'what if' based on the High Dyke mineral line in Lincolnshire. The local landowner was the Earl of Dysart, an astute man who realised the railway workers would enjoy a drink and eventually pay for their own pub! The village was a mile or two away, so a small community grew up next to the station.

 

(All incidents depicted in the above are not based on...........etc etc)

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