Building's.......

<font color="336633">I have had a break from loco and freight car building at the moment, and have built a batch of 8 small town USA buildings, I have only done the basic building at the moment, but I will be adding full interiors with lighting.

I will post some pics when I get some more work done on them.

Also as soon as I manage to get my layout up I will work out just how they are going to be placed and if I need any more.....</font>

 

Can't wait to see the pictures and a layout diagram.

Haven't seen you much on here??

 

<font color="336633">I have had a major computer crash and can only get on by using someone elses computer

means I get more time to do rail projects tho.... well ones that dont cost much</font>

 

There sure have been a lot of computer crashes lately. I am expecting my to go anytime as I have had very little trouble with it.

 

<font color="336633">I have put the building on my layout and found out that i need another 4 smalltown size buildings...... might use dpm this time for a bit of a change, I dont want them all the same style</font>

 

DPM kits are great, especially for kitbashing. I've built a hotel from 8 M T Arms kits that is 8x8x20 with 144 windows on each street side. The Small Town kits are great for small building, but if you want build concrete canyons, nothing beats DPM. The kits are sturdy and are very forgiving for kit bashing. It's really easy build a 7 story office or apartment building in a day or two and the cost is less than most good kits these days. City Classics kits are also good for quick city building. Both George Sellios and Howard Zane have used these quite successfully. Small Town is aptly named and their kits give that feel. However, if you want that urban atmosphere you gotta go with the DPM and City Classic kits, especially if you are on a budget.

John Bursi

 

Stickymonk,
DPM makes about 4 different window'd walls.
using different color for the brick, they bear no resemblence to any other building, if that's what you want.

The other side of the coin is; maybe your town has a very rich developer and built 3 or 4 commercial sites that look alike. Walk around your town I'll bet you'll find the same thing.

 

<font color="336633">I havn't got round to buying the other ones yet, I have just started on the detailing inside the shops, just finding some people to populate them now...... at a price I can afford!

Then I can get them painted and then add the lighting.

I am going to use a car battery to power them, as its 12v and almost unlimited amps.</font>

 

<font color="336633">Sure, so far all I have is got them all built, and am now working on one of them. all it has is its fist floor in place (removable) and the ground floor.

sometime today I hope to get a few of the shop details in place. I will put a couple of pics up tonight. </font>

 

<font color="336633">Well here are some pics of the first building to get some attention.

so far I have added only the basic details inside, the counter (which is awating a cash register) and some shelving (awating some stock!).

on the first floor all I have added so far is the stair well.

On the ground floor I have added a back wall to shut off the end of the shop, this will have a simulated door in it.







I shall add more as soon as I get past the very basic stage.

Oh just so you know this is going to be a Radio Shack.</font>

 

Stickymonk,

As you progress through stages of building, you will reach a point where you want to do something in wood. Nothing looks as good as a wooden structure.
I started with Walthers, then DPM and now I've finished my first 'craftsman' kit a Campbell model of Dewitts Depository.


this took weeks, and it looks like it's been part of my layout for years.

 

Chris, I've been modeling wood kits and wood scratchbuilt for years. The only time I use plastic is for brick or stone walls. The only time I build a plastic kit is because someone asked me to do it for them!!

 

<font color="336633">I have thourght about building a wood kit, but I cant really find one that will look in place, my layout is set on the edge of an industrial district and the edge of town. Most of the buildings are DPM steel sash window jobs, with a few more modern metal sided ones.

When I do extend my layout it will curve away from the town area and into the country side so one or two wooded structures may just pop up........</font>

 

Matthew,
What are you using to detail your interior for the shelves? What size styrene? Thanks
Matt

 

<font color="336633">I am using 020" rod and 010" sheet for the shelves.

I will be using painted bits of balsa wood for the products on them.

I have decided to add working chimneys on some of the buildings. Not sure if I will add one in each building or use a large smoke unit under the layout and pipe it into the buildings yet.</font>

 

Since you said you want to light these plastic structures you should paint the interiors black so they don't glow. You also should consider dividing floors (w/ walls) so light will only show through some windows in residential or rooming house/hotel usage, otherwise you will get unreal appearance as well.

 

Hi Matthew, That shelving looks great. You mentioned waitng on a cash register, do you know of one commercially available? I was looking for one for a store I'm building but have come up empty in my search. Thanks for any advise.

Gary