Modifying RTP cast buildings

[stu357]

I read the term, RTP, ready to plonk, buildings on here recently, thought it was brilliant!

 

Anyway, I've had three for a long time that didn't fit where I needed them,

people said they were easy to modify but its taken me a while to get going on them.

 

one small office was too long, one big office wasn't long enough and McDonalds needed a door!

 

First was a Bachmann fast food restaurant that I wanted to be a McDonalds.

that bit was easy enough, but there is a scene at the back, looks like a worker is getting a talking to about his fag break!

the only thing is there is no door at the back of this model. I also needed to move the main door to the side.

 

I used a razor saw, the resin cuts in really really well, just cut a couple of rows of bricks in round the door opening and touched in with acrylic paint,

 

 

and the front door needed the frame cutting to fit in the new position.

 

 

Inspired by the ease of doing that I've cut 50mm off the side of a small office.

I just cut it off with a hand saw, then flattened it off on the disc sander.

Does anyone know the resin they use for these, It smells like polyurethane, like fibreglass. You need a mask on and plenty of ventilation. It throws a fine white dust everywhere when you use a machine sander.

anyway, rather than take a piece out of the middle, I cut the end off and re created it with styrene sheet and embossed brick.

super-glue get bonds the resin really well.

My plan is to use the small part for another small brick building on the end of a platform.

 

no progress shots but here is the finished item. its lost one door opening and a set of windows on each side.

 

 

was so happy with my spilled paint effect on one side it got some on the other too!

 

 

So, now I'm starting on the biggest project. A Bachmann office (its an office extension as these are really cheap and the office is a lot more) It needs a door and it was about half the length I wanted. I managed to get another and I've cut it in two and joined the sides to each other. the entire garage was covered in dust when I'd done, had to use an old Henry as a dust extractor. Again once the paint is removed the superglue gel bonds it quickly and makes a very strong joint.

I've got a lot to do on it but it looks like it might work. Hopefully I'll put some scaffolding up the front of it too.

 

 

the only real problem with these is when you add lighting inside, it comes out everywhere. I've taken to lining the inside with tinfoil.

 

 

 

Hope someone finds these useful,

 

Stu

[Grovenor]

I'm impressed, you would not know that they have been altered.

Must have a go sometime.

Regards

[stu357]

Here's some more info on these,

 

Below is the part I cut off the small office.

you can see the thickness of the walls.

the etches for the window frames are not bad, but they vary in size quite a bit. Try and get them back in the aperture they came out of!

(this was true of all the ones I've looked at (the McDonalds was worse)

 

 

and this is my new favourite fine modelling tool!

 

 

Stu.

[Butler Henderson]

A tip, if you can undertake the cutting with the part under water; the dust gets caught in the water.