Carpenter Matt's top ten things learned on first scratch building project.

[Anonymous]

I've been working on three boxcars "planbashed" from GR and a book I have on the Waynesburg & Washington R.R. Kind of following Phil's boxcar build as well.

10. Phil makes it look easy.[bow]
9. Changing dimensions to fit prototype rolling stock take's alot of time and
thinking.
8. Retraining Carpenter's brain is hard. Running plywood in a direction so it
is scorable instead of direction of structural strength.
7. Scoring boards on car ends is easier when pieces are still square. Cut
gable or arched roof line after end is scored.
6. Always make extra parts. I think my wife threw some out.
5. When miling material mill a lot of extra. Many of the cars use the same
basic construction. AND YOU JUST KNOW Phil will come up with a good
one before your finished with the last. You'll have a good jump on the next
one if you have extra stock around.
4. Call Ozark Minitures while having internet page up while discussing part
order.
3. Senco fastner corp needs to make a nail gun that shoots 1/4" to 3/8 pins
to fasten models together quicker than watching glue dry[:(] adapting all of
my arsenal of tools at these projects was challanging. It's alot different
working with little itty bitty pieces without wacking off a finger.[B)]
2. Cut as many pieces as you can ahead of time so that you can glue stuff
several times in a day to make progress. Before work, after work and
before bed etc.
1. Build more than one car at a time. If you know you'll want more than one
eventually, mass production is easier and more rewarding in the results.

Share your learning with the rest of us!

[Anonymous]

6. Always make extra parts. I think my wife threw some out.
excuse [:D]
5. AND YOU JUST KNOW Phil will come up with a good one before your finished with the last.
that is the truth [:p]
4. Call Ozark Minitures while having internet page up while discussing part
order.
I take it you loved there new catalog [B)] that I hope they will change back to old one
3. Senco fastner corp needs to make a nail gun
Now, now we also need one that shoots tie nails down 2 [:p] I have changed to making my own track so it would help on fingers[:D][:p]

[toenailridgesl]

"9. Changing dimensions to fit prototype rolling stock take's alot of time and
thinking."
Matt, no it doesn't. If you know the original (prototype ) dimensions & you want to convert to your particular scale the solution is as close as your nearest calculator (Start Menu...Programs....Accessories...Calculator.)
ie...10ft6ins actual measurements= 128ins=(128X25.4)mm=3200mm
Divide by your particular scale....
ie 1:20.3...
3200/20.3=157.6mm
1:22.5
32/22.5=142.2mm
To get back to Imperial measurements from mm, divide by 25.4 to get inches.
So in 1:203 scale we get 157.6/25.4=6.2 inches
in 1:22.5 scale =142.2/25.4=5.6 inches.
Clear as mud? :)

[bman36]

Hey Matt,
Thanks for the laugh! So true, so true. My first realization on scratchbuiding was "Now that's ugly"...improvement has come with age....and practice! Keep at it buddy! Phil's goal is to see us succeed...and succeed we will. Speaking of the wife throwing things out...she just did a major cleanup here. Oh no...not sure what I lost this time. Probably some happy guy at the dump going..."Now who would throw this out???" Later eh...Brian.

[Anonymous]

Phil, Math was never one of my strong points. However I've learned what I need to know to get by. This ones for Vic, I worked with alot of architechural drawings that say do not scale and they don't include dimensions, then how do I build it?
Then the architech looks at me like I'm stupid.

[vsmith]

Matt, Dont you know ? [X-)]

Your supposed to gather the correct dimensions telepathicly from the rays of light gleaning off the Architects shining forehead! [bow][bow][bow]

Those were not my plans, I dimension the gazoo out of everytihng, and it still gets built wrong !!! [banghead][D)][%-)][censored][:-,]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

Matt, Dont you know ? [X-)]

Your supposed to gather the correct dimensions telepathicly from the rays of light gleaning off the Architects shining forehead! [bow][bow][bow]

Those were not my plans, I dimension the gazoo out of everytihng, and it still gets built wrong !!! [banghead][D)][%-)][censored][:-,]

Vic, this is[#offtopic] but I would say fire the builder/carpenter. Last week I demoed a porch that was built with Poplar[%-)][X-)][banghead][D)] it was only up for three years. The boards were soaked with water and carpenter ants had moved in behind them. Another year and they would have eaten through the band board[:0]! I've been at 15 yrs and it still suprises me who people hire to do the work! Often times it's a brainless wonder with hammer and a saw.

[vsmith]

I usually spec Structural Cardboard or Select Balsa myself....[bow]

Before I got back into Architorture some years ago, I was a Building Inspector with the City of L.A.'s Housing Dept. We did safety and code enforcement inspections on apartment buildings in the city and Boy! did I see some Scary [censored], both condition wise and construction wise. Stuff that would turn yer hair WHITE!

[Anonymous]

And you wonder how they sleep at night. My Co. doesn't advertise, It's 99.9% referal.

[jmozz]

Hi Matt it's jmozz or john been sick for a while slowed me down big time any way I sent to ozark for boxcar parts and I'm a little confused with mounting the doors I,m not sure how to hang the top bar to hang the doors any help would be great if you have a picture even better jomzz

[Anonymous]

Jmozz, Sorry to here you've been ill, I hate being sick, although if I get sick for about a week soon I might be able to quit the smokes!
I have to admit your futher along then I am, car body's are done other then building the doors and the roof. I might get them done by the end of the weekend. From what I can tell the long flat top strap mounts above the doors with glue or small nails or both. Then the hangers mount to the door, on the bottom edge of the car you would mount the guides that merely keep the door from kicking out away from the car. Don't mount the bottom guides till last and mount them in such away that in what ever position the door is in while being slid open or closed it can't kick away from the car.
Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

carpenter Matt scratchbuilding is a skill ,if you have the ideas it's endless.Glad you share with other's
AL

[jmozz]

matt thanks and by the way it's been 2 years since i quit used the patch thanks