Read the article in the March issue of MR page 74 about Barbara Brunette from LI NY she attaches backdrop buildings by using magnetic cabinet latches. Pretty ingenus I see no reason why you couldn't do the same thing with a full structure.
grinstuff check out the new issue march 2009, Barbara's shelve layout page 76 has a neat way to install buildings with cabinet catches..neat idea.
check out the new issue march 2009, Barbara's shelve layout page 76 has a neat way to install buildings with cabinet catches..neat idea.
i'd suggest using the cabinet catch idea, but at the same time i also live in an apartment so the event having to move it around is much more likely, even though i plan on building a shelf attached to L brackets screwed right through the walls into the studs. unfortunetly this also means i'm limited to size because i don't have a big ol suburban to haul this around in. it also means if we move out i'm going to have to invest in a little spackle. i really hope my land lord doesn't see these posts
Hi!
My "just torn down" HO layout had structures affixed in various ways, but most were put in place freely with some minor ground cover around the base.
I had a couple of major exceptions, the biggest being a kitbashed double long two bay engine house. It is reinforced inside and fairly stable, but needed to be securely held in place to allow locos free entry thru the rather close door openings.
As I had a hot glue gun handy, I marked out the perimeter and spotted some hot glue (quickly) at various points and put the engine house (again quickly) in place. It worked beautifully, and that was in 1994. Last month when I cleared off the structures, it took more time to get this one off (safely) than most of the others put together. Using a couple of new Xacto blades (# 5 and chisel point), I finally broke the seal - without messing up the structure.
Would I use hot glue on the new layout? Yes, but ONLY if it was absolutely necessary and I felt the structure would be around for years to come.
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Balsa wood.
Seriously, I build a "foundation" for the perimeter of the building using balsa wood stringers of the type used in model airplane construction. The product is available in many sizes at any hobby store. I size the "foundation" so the the building sets on it loosely. This anchors the building to the base without having to attach it permanently, takes care of any irregularities in the surrounding scenery, and blocks the interior light from leaking out cracks around the base.
Examine the base of the office annex of my hangar and you will see what I am talking about. The hangar just lifts off of the grey foundation, which itself is permanently attached to the scenery.
I have figured out what is wrong with my brain! On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!
I float my industry modulars buildings on a sheet of 1/4 inch wood land scenics foam sheet. Some buildings with interior rail bays require 1/2 inch sheet to fit properly at dock height and raildoor height versus Kato Unitrack.
I have learned to cut closely around each building. The filler material on the scenery base will help secure the buildings. If I had to remove the buildings from the layout it will be no problem at all. In fact sometimes buildings come up off the table as the work progresses on scenery and final trackside wiring.
Buildings stay in place most of the time becuase I use light model putty to glue the under plastic frames to the tops of the foam sheet.
However, foam used for scenery are glued directly to the wood covering the table itself.
I plan on using that dowel pin method that bogp-40 mentioned.
All the buildings on the layout have a foundation of sorts. The buildings are only placed not secured, however dowels or some type of locating blocks are positioned to keep the structure positioned if nudged but can be easily moved if needed.
In a situation like this scene, any buildings not held in place would be skewedall over just from a simple bump. I couldn't find ant pics of the bases showing the blocking or pins, but you should get the drift anyway
All these buildings are removable for access to the switching area for maintainence or major wrecks on the mainline. ----Not that I've been a cause for any of them----
From a recent show and yes those B&O "F"s are mine. The wreck was cleared quickly by removing the buildings. Well they came to see a show..........
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Gravity has always worked for me. Typically, I build the buildings' footprints out of stripwood (painted concrete or earth-colored as needed with the scenery base worked up to them) glued to the layout for the buildings to rest upon.
Mark
Every structure i've ever seen has a foundation under it, so when i build a model structure i put it on a foundation, usually slightly smaller than the structure's outline. I start with a base, usually either cardboard or plywood, and then i put the foundation on the base. I put locator tabs on the foundation and then place the structure on its foundation. sometimes i put a drop of contact cement in each corner. Recently i posted some photos of this at Railfan.net model railroading scratchbuilding New England Textile mill village
if a errant elbow finds a foreground house the building can roll with the punch, but isn't as likely to find its way to the floor.
You can try a product called Micro Crystal Clear. It is easily removed with a hooby knife and dries clear. Its also good for attaching people to the layout.
I don't attach my buildings, either. A few have ended up "tethered" to the base by interior lighting wires, but most of them are just sitting in place. If I do bump into one when leaning over the layout, I'd rather have it fall over or move with the least possible resistance.
I can see where you might want just a bit of hold in some cases, though. For that, I'd use a drop of Aileens Tacky Glue (craft store item) in each corner. This will keep buildings from walking around if you shake the table, but just a bit of a tug will break the glue seal and let you pick up the building.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Most buildings I just set in place on the layout (after drilling a small hole beneath for wiring for lights, if desired). I may attach shrubbery or other scenery at base to "sort of" hold them in place. This way, if I decide to move/change buildings, its not a problem. Sidewalks around a building can also help hold it in place.