Can anyone tell me a good place to find windows for Scratchbuilt structures?
Lisa
Here you go !!
http://www.grandtline.com/architectural_parts/quarter%20inch/quarter_inch_arch_index.htm
Thanks, John
Lisa,
Here is a good link to just about anything.
http://users.foxvalley.net/~osn/Find2-RailOScale.htm
John and John - This is great! Thanks ever so much!
You both are
I placed my first order with Grandtline about three weeks ago. Top notch items - very good quality.
- Luther
I think Grandt Line is not only the best but It seems to be the only place for windows & doors now, at least I can't find another place that sells windows & doors. Years ago there used to be a lot of them in bulk at train shows but I can't remember the name of them now !!
John - Grandt Line is top notch. I faxed them an order about 10:30am (eastern time)today. Asked that they acknowledge receipt by email. Received their email at 1:50pm which said my order was on it's way!
I am impressed!! Thanks again for the tip. Think this needs to be in the Newbie/FAQ index - will post it there.
That's great Lisa !! Be sure & let us know what you're building !! I'm going to order some of the factory windows to build a factory & it's great to know they are so good to deal with !! I'm using 1/8th baltic birch again. The last one I tried to make, I never ordered the windows for it thinking I'd substitute something else for them & I scrapped it !!
John - I am building some mill houses that were built around 1900 in an old cotton mill town called Avalon. The mill there burned in 1911 and the whole town was moved "down-river" to Mayodan - where I was born and raised. These houses are still standing today. This area is where I first became fascinated with trains as a child, walking the tracks with my grandfather, hoping Norfolk Western would come by and blow the whistle for us. Here's my first try.....
Just getting started and have a lot of work left to do. Kinda making it up as I go, based on the pictures I've made of some of the houses and a book on the old town.
Below is a current picture of the old mill that I also want to build. I want it to look more like the original, before they took out all those gorgeous old windows and bricked in the openings.
If you have any suggestions on either of these projects, they would be most welcome! Would love to see your factory as it may give me some ideas!
Thanks for the help on the windows!
Lisa : that is some mighty fine work you have started there !! Looks great & I see you have been doing your homework, documenting everything & taking pictures & all !! That really pays off. My one factory I built, I tore it all apart & am starting over when I get the new windows. I'm really not to good at buildings & hope some of the other guys can help with factory building !! I think for your brick factory idea, you may be able to use some of the brick paper or computer generated paper they have out there. I was also going to have a flat roof with small ballast on top like you see on some factory roofs. The only thing I built that came out halfway descent was my grain elevator. I'll take a picture of it & put on here next. Hope others post their factories here for you !! Oh, I use 1/8th." baltic birch & balsa wood a lot of times.
Lisa : here is my attempt at a grain elevator !! I may improve on the colors later & add windows & vents to it. I epoxied the PVC pipes together. I used balsa for this one also.
Nice work on the little workers house! I wish I could recommend something quick and easy for the windows that didn't require you ordering pre-made. I tackled building my own for my scratchbuilt gas station ( 3 doors too ) using thin strips of wood they sell at good hobby shops. Honestly, it's a real pain doing it this way but it allows you to make just about any custom size you wish. If you get really good at this method you can try double hung windows that actually open! But if you're like me by the time you've made 3 or 4 you're looking for some kind of shortcut.
As for the factory windows....if super detail isn't of great concern you could try fabricating the window mutins out of wire mesh cage material. The type that comes in 3/8" square openings that are soldered at each cross joint can be found at Home Depot and other such stores. This closely replicates the style of metal framed windows commonly used in old factories. Cut the window openings in the building to fit the mutins rather than the other way around, frame in the openings with strip wood, add the mutins then simply glue the appropriate size clear plastic behind the frame. Quick, easy, cheap...and they look relatively realistic from a short distance.
Bruce Webster
Bruce : that's a great idea !! I just happen to have a roll of that wire cage material & mine is 1/4" square ! I thought I could make a fence out of it !!
I also have this plastic knitting stuff a friend told me about that he makes factory windows out of with good results, putting clear plastic behind it !! I don't know what they call it but it's in the craft Dept. at Wallyworld !!
John,
That's exactly it! And if it's 1/4" squares then all the better! Perfectly scale sized for 1' glazing. Great for heavy railing type fence work too. Hey, just a thought, John. How about tight rolls of this material made to represent prewelded rebar grid? I see another operatunity for a great looking gondola load!
The plastic knitting web looks kinda over thick for window usage. Give me a few days to ponder this one...I'm sure there's a use for it somehow. Thanks for posting the clarifying pics, John!
I used these Grandt line windows for my last factory. I bordered them with a stip of 1/8" styrene to make them easier to place and give them some added presence on the outside of the building:
I am using them on my latest factory project as well, but I am going to use a different technique around them, recessing them into block walls.
Wow !! Now that's a great idea I'm going to have to steal !! Those are the same windows I'm ordering, a masonary type I think !! I may just cut balsa strips if I don't have any styrene !!
I'm having the biggest problem figuring out which doors to order. I've cut some out of old Plasticville building pieces & windows too, & used them !
I think I can slot out some brass tubing & use for the pole in making a fence !!
Bruce - Good idea on the wire - think if have some of that around here! The first thing I built was a barn and I made those windows - really tedious work and didn't turn out the greatest.. but here's a picture..
John- Great job on the grain elevator. Not sure if it's the same thing, but I used some plastic needlework squares for my chicken coop fence
Frank53 - thanks for joining in - You are an inspiration! When is your sister going to be there? Will you be ready? Sure looks like it!
Thanks guys - as always a real learning experience here!
Lisa : that barn looks like it has everything but the kitchen sink !! Really nice job on that !! Yes, I think that's the name of it, plastic needle work you used on your fence !!
Like 53 said, you're doing pretty good !! Ha !! I think you're up there with the
best of em" !!
Lisa-n-NC wrote: Frank53 - When is your sister going to be there?
Frank53 - When is your sister going to be there?
too soon - Easter weekend
Will you be ready?
not a chance.
but thanks for the kind comments.
Well, took some advice from locomutt and John (csxt30) and used the cross-stitch plastic. Cut out some of the squares to give me a frame and a 2/2 style window. Didn't do too good a job on cutting the pieces out - it sort of left these little nubbies - they don't show up just looking at it, but do show up in the pictures. Anyway - Here it is.
Looks like a fascia board is needed to cover up some termite damage!
Wowwee !! That's 1st. class !! Good job Lisa !! I wish I could do that good !! We'll all be looking for your layout now in CTT !!
Thanks for sharing !!
John
Thanks John and Frank - coming from you guys, it really means something. As far as CTT - will never get that good!
Frank - yes, I did scratchbuild the steps. The hard part was trying to hold it together to glue it and keep them square.
I made the roof out of heavy construction paper. Finally figured out how to make the "V" channels by taking a small hacksaw and cutting a groove in a piece of wood, deep enough so that only about 1/16 of the back of the blade was left above the board. Then used a spare blade, teeth down, in the groove. Then, using two 1/4" sq dowels, creased the paper over the blade. It doesn't take long at all to make a roof - just forever figuring out the way to do it!
I guess you can see that I used some 1/4" project board I got from Michaels (floral and craft store) caught it on sale a few weeks back for $1 for a 20x30" board - usually $2.79. Made the house out of that - it glues really well and fast with the Quick-Dry tacky glue I use from Wallyworld. - THAT IS SOME GOOD STUFF! Used the strathmore paper for the siding and grooved it with a clay-carving tool - painted and glued it on.
Well - 1 down and several more to go!
Frank - BTW - on your rockface you did from broken ceiling tile - what did you use to coat it - had read about this and think they said use a mix of latex paint and something - but can't remember what it was. I used this for a tunnel for Christmas but just spray painted it lightly with a clear matte sealer and sprinkled on snow.
Lisa-n-NC wrote: Frank - BTW - on your rockface you did from broken ceiling tile - what did you use to coat it - had read about this and think they said use a mix of latex paint and something - but can't remember what it was. I used this for a tunnel for Christmas but just spray painted it lightly with a clear matte sealer and sprinkled on snow.
actually I didn't coat it., however, I sprayed it with diluted glue to place the various ground covers, so it is quite secure.
Again nice job on the steps.
After experimneting with lots of different ways to make steps, I found this version is quite easy:
I took two strips to make the sides and clipped them together before meaursing the angle and cutting the top and bottom to match.
Once I had two matching sides, I measured the rise - which is about 3/16" in O scale and using a hacksaw, I cut about halfway in, creating a broad notch. I then using pieces of 1/16" thick softwood and cut the steps to about 1.25", although you can make them as wide you like.
Then you just press the steps into the notches and it lines up square every time. Because I used softwood for the steps, they have some "give" as far as pressing them into the notches. Once they're in, they're in - you really don't even need to glue them.
Frank - good idea for the steps. Thanks!
Lisa-n-NC wrote: Frank - good idea for the steps. Thanks!Lisa
Now if I can only remember that trick !!
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month