Help needed scratch building!

[Anonymous]

I'm planning on scrath building the newspaper that I work for. In the 50's (which is the time frame I'm modeling) newspaper recieved their paper by rail instead of though trucks like today. So I feel since I work for a newpaper my model should have one also. I really don't like the kits that are out there, so I want to scratch build the newpaper that I work for. So the question I have is does somebody make a styrene sheet in the shap of concrete blocks? I have seen the styrene sheets that are brick, but no concrete. So does anybody have any ideas what I could sure. Oh btw I'm modeling HO.

Thanks in advance to everyone

[cwclark]

There is a company in the walthers catalog called Faller that makes rolls of "stone" paper that you can glue to the styrene to simulate concrete blocks...another way is to etch them out with a hobby knife...it is very time consuming to do it that way and if you do it that way, make sure the cuts are deep enough and wide enough so that when you paint them they won't disappear under the coat of paint....Chuck[:D]

[Anonymous]

I'll check that out and see if it will work for me. Thanks

[orsonroy]

Plastruct also makes thin sheets of brick material in several scales and patterns. Plastruct sheets are approximately 8x10, meaning you'll be able to do a lot of wall with one sheet.

Build the basic box of the building out of thicker plain plastic (.040" or so), cut out the window and door openings, and glue the Plastruct sheet to the box (MEK or any other liquid plastic cement will work, as will rubber cement). Cut out the brick sheet that covers the window openings, and add the windows. Trimwork can be built up with dimensional plastic or more brick sheet.

Don't worry too much about getting the windows and doors exactly right. Instead of trying to scratchbuild dozens of them, look at Tichy and Grandt Line's offerings: they're the nicest windows & doors on the market, and you should be able to find something close enough.

[Jetrock]

You might also look at some of Design Preservation Models (DPM) products--they produce a line of modular brick building sections with various window and door styles. Just pick out the features you need, select the appropriate modular parts, glue them together, paint & add windows and there you go! It still requires some planning but is simpler than cutting out a lot of window holes...but Plastruct, Faller and Walthers all make plastic brick sheets.

[Anonymous]

But it looks like everything that I can find is brick, but I'm looking for concrete blocks. Hmmm am I just not looking hard enough? Thanks everybody again

[Anonymous]

Hello. Why dont you try using bricks sheets in larger scales, say O or G? maybe theyll work fine.

[Anonymous]

Try using a product called Heki-dur. They have 8 differet types of stone.You can also use this , and scrib the back with a dull blade to make your blocks.
AL

[Anonymous]

plastruct makes cinder block sheets, 7x12 inches, .020 in. thickness, unpainted. 1 sheet is $4.75. Two is just over nine bucks. Go to www.plastruct.com and do a search for "block sheet". Good luck.

[Anonymous]

That is it. Thanks yankeejwb.That was what I was looking for.Alright great Thanks everybody for all the ideas.

[Anonymous]

MicroMark also has Cinder Block sheets to attach to a plastic backing. Item # 83105 in their catalog or go on line at www.micromark.com.

[Anonymous]

Paper isn't good for my project because on the porotype building (the newspaper I work for) has cinder block walls, but they have been painted over the years. The building we are in is very old. It is only the 2nd building my paper has had since its opening in 1886 (yes that is right 1886...LoL). They are looking into building a new building for us, so before they do I would like to model the one we are in now. Now we haven't had any delivers from a train in many many years, and if they do build us a new building it won't be near any tracks. If fact they just built new tracks to take trains away from the downtown area that we are in, so I haven't seen a train near my work in a couple of years. Well anyways enough of my going on and on about our building and leaving the point of this thread out totally, so anyways thank you everybody for the replies.