Let's build something... Sankei MP01-159 'building'

Hi all, I wanted to take a look at Sankei cardboard kits and ordered a couple from PlazaJapan. They have a modest collection of fairly simple and affordable kits of mostly very typical Japanese buildings. I think I will try and see if they could fit in on a US themed layout, by means of limited adaptation.

My first try was for the kit I cared for the least, which is probably also to simplest of the bunch. It is the MP01-159 kit, simply named 'building'. I figure it is probably meant to be a family home.

This is what you get:


The kit contains 4 sheets of very thin but high quality, colored cardboard and a one pager with instructions. No acetate glazing, which I think would be nice to add.

The parts are easy to cut loose and fit well. The cardboard is dense and small irregularties from cutting the parts away can be filed if needed:



First thing to do is prepare back and front wall by glueing two layers on top of each other:


Two gables:



The base sticks out at all four sides. Since I don't like a building on a base that sticks out like a pedestal, I cut strips off al four sides before moving on to construction:



... to be continued.

Matt

 

Moving on to construction of the walls:


I didn't read the instructions well enough and forgot the dark green strip on the first part of the sidewall... I left it open and had to fit the strip afterwards, which did fit wonderful on the wall on the right, but not so well on the left. RTFM...


My first adaptation concerns the front gable. I didn't care for the bars over and under the windows. In European and American architecture I think, it is more common to see horizontal elements that run over the entire gable. So I cut out of the thin board broader bars and glued them on (btw, I use regular elmer's glue for this type of kits):


I also added a top ledge with an extra layer to give it a bit stronger profile:


(just now I realize I forgot a small part to right side of the front door... will have to do that later on).

The roof is what we look at most on a layout, so I was looking for a nice finish over the topside of the gable top, which now shows its several layers and the thin green layer of the gable cover:

I tried a cardboard strip but that looked too bulky. So I cut out a dark piece of paper from a newspaper foto, cut it to size and glued it on. It is supposed to look like some kind of tar roofing.


... to be continued...

 

I left out the strips that were supposed to be added on the sides of the building and on the back gable. I wanted to keep the sides flush so the building can be put in a row of houses built wall to wall. And by that, the strips on the back wall came out too bulky. All in all, the back wall is now quite basic but with the concrete (?) shades and the door it has just enough detailing, at least for now:

The building is finished and set in a temporary dio:


And with a last picture of the front side, I finish this quick build thread / review. This Sankei kit is very simple, but well made, precision cut and fun to build. With some imagination, it can be turned into something that fits in with other kits on an US themed layout.
In retrospect, I would have added acetate for the windows. More detailing can be added. I might take a shot at some careful weathering with powders. This figurines are a nice extra, I'll keep those for another project. Could come in handy when modelling an interior.

But for now, this was a fun couple of hours.


Matt

 

….. a few of these super detail items are in route to Matt as we speak. Well, let’s just say a couple of gas meters, and some evap cooler units which would need to be mounted at top and ground level to service such a building.

Otherwise Matt, excellent review and demonstration of building this kit.

I almost think it’s an injustice to call these kits cardboard. They have a different look and feel of cardboard in the traditional sense. I almost wished we were calling them “pressed material kits”, or something to that effect. I guess Rob‘s got it right by calling them “card-stock”.

 

I love Sankei kits. Most of the buildings on Hakuho, my Japanese exhibition Z scale layout are by them with a few from Advance as well. I find them very relaxing to assemble. You can't rush them.

I tried a few of the downloadable Z gauge buildings you can print off yourself but they look hopeless alongside the Sankeis. I think a lot of it is to do with the quality of the card stock they use

Part of Hakuho town in the foreground. The bathhouse is too vulnerable that close to the baseboard edge



carry on!

Kev

 

Matt,
Nice SBS and great kit building job!
I really like the mods you did, they do give more of a US feel.
Are you a surgeon by chance?

Scott

 

Thanks, Scott. Surgeon? Well, that is something I've never ever been asked before. No, sorry, just a geographer with a hobby here
Are you? I do know that there's a few dentists in the modelrailroading hobby, btw.

Matt

 

Matt,
No, I'm not a surgeon, it was the scalpel in your posts that caused me to wonder.
Geographer, that sounds like an interesting job. my wife and I like maps.

Scott

 

Right, I understand the assocation. Well, yeah, I found scalpels are great for precision cuts. If you get the replacement knives via medical wholesalers the are very affordable too.

Yep, I love maps as well. But currently I am mostly working in urban planning and urban policies on housing, well being and economic incentives for startups.

Cheers,
Mat