mason Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 good evening all. having mostly built buildings from card using the scalescenes downloads and images from texture sites. As good as these buildings are when finished i always feel that they lack depth and texture in comparison to plastic scratchbuilt buildings. my new layout project is a small china clay sidings which requires a china clay loading and clay works half relief buildings. i really want to scratch build my own plastic buildings and have plenty of photos of such buildings, but where to begin???? id like to know how i get the right sizes of the building, height,length and depth so i build a building that doesnt look out of scale and also the basics of construction using plastics such as the evergreen range and wills stuff. if anyone has any hints tips or beginners how to websites i would be most grateful kind regards neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
great-northern-2009 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 try starting with a kit of a building, take dimensions from there? alternatively you could get a scale figure and use dimensions 'by eye' i.e. a door is just bigger than your figure, a window starts about half way up etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASHPAN7 Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 good evening all. having mostly built buildings from card using the scalescenes downloads and images from texture sites. As good as these buildings are when finished i always feel that they lack depth and texture in comparison to plastic scratchbuilt buildings. my new layout project is a small china clay sidings which requires a china clay loading and clay works half relief buildings. i really want to scratch build my own plastic buildings and have plenty of photos of such buildings, but where to begin??? id like to know how i get the right sizes of the building, height,length and depth so i build a building that doesnt look out of scale and also the basics of construction using plastics such as the evergreen range and wills stuff. if anyone has any hints tips or beginners how to websites i would be most grateful kind regards neil Hi Neil If you have pics then that is a good start I have scaled pictures by counting rows of bricks a brick is 3 1/2" high and the width of mortat is 1/2" so count the rows in height and there you have it. The length of a brick is 9". A door is rightly 6' 6" and width 2' 6"- 9". Using a rule you can scale this from it. For roof pitches then trigonometry plays a part so its Pythagoras. But basically the pitch of a roof is 45 degrees. You need a pic that is taken basically front on to get it correct or near as near. Try in card first to get it looking right and use the card as templates for plastikard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo Posted December 20, 2009 Share Posted December 20, 2009 As Ashpan says, counting bricks is a good way of measuring, at least if you have a brick building. However, those sizes need some correction. Modern bricks are 2.5" high so, with a mortar course, each brick counts as 3". They are 8.5" wide which makes 9" with mortar. Where you see bricks end on (headers) they are 4" wide, plus half an inch of mortar. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 How about getting one of the BRM DVDs? I think Geoff Taylor has done one on buildings - an ideal Xmas present! Regards Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 thanks chaps some really good help and things to think about. the pics i have are of an old china clay loading bay which thankfully has some brick courses on and alot of corrugation, but looking at the pics there are some doors to scale from and get a relative size and i like the idea of using a figure to get heights of doors and windows ( i feel thick that i never thought of that? ) The BRM dvd is listed and should be purchased this afternoon im going to have a go at a mock version in card as suggested which is good as a trial and error exercise and saves wasting all my plasticard. i also find it strange that a manufacturer hasnt come up with a china clay works building as its a pretty big freight system like coal thanks again for the help regards neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas G Posted December 21, 2009 Share Posted December 21, 2009 Hi, I would recommend scratch-built buildings by Paul Bason - it should tell you waht you need to know and is very reasonably priced: My link Douglas G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 thanks douglas, thats on the christmas must have list now too, i hope SWMBO has plenty saved up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted December 21, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 21, 2009 Kernow Model Rail Centre have a kit of Marsh Wenford clay works. Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mason Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Kernow Model Rail Centre have a kit of? ? Marsh Wenford clay works. Stu looks awesome stu, bit pricey though? something to work to i think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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