scratch building

[doctorwayne]

A scale rule, X-Acto knife and an idea is all the planning that I normally use.

Wayne

[UNCLEBUTCH]

 I'm like Mike, I don,t use plans, somtimes a picture but most times just a picture in my mind of the end results. Like grandpa said ''if it looks good ,nail it''

To me; if you need a plan and instructions, buy a kit

[j. c.]

there are so many many measured drawings of structures  around 2 to 3 thousand on the library of congress site under the HABS/HAER tab that one dosen't need a cad program , also older issues of model magazines have them if you go to the MTF you can see photos of some i've built from them.

[jjdamnit]

Hello all,

The cad program I loved; Canvas for Mac, has been discontinued for OS X.

Since then I have gone analog- -Graph paper, a scale ruler, mechanical pencil and a BIG eraser!

Hope this helps.

[mlehman]

mrrdad

I want to get started in scratch building. Do any of you use autocad or any software to design your structures first?

Ed,

I don't, but I tend to be a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants sort of modeler. I do tend to calculate critical dimensions to get spacing, clearances, etc right, but I will usually jump in and start cutting and gluing after some preliminary thought. But I've also built 1:1 scale buildings this way and I do know my way arund a plan.

So nothing against developing new skills here, I'm certain it will be useful. I'd encourage you to think of these as two tracks that are somewhat related but also independent. Planning and design are only a couple of the many skills involved in scratchbuilding, so there are plenty of other places to make progress as you develop CAD to support those aspects of this skill set. You'll find satsifying results quickly.

[RR_Mel]

First 

 

I’m a long time CAD user and have used my CAD from layout design to scratch building structures.  My favorites are homes, I get blueprints off the internet and have at it.

 

I found AutoCAD out of my price range many years ago and went with Pro Design in 1983, that became DesignCAD and now is IMSI Design/TurboCAD.

 

It worked out very good for repairing a Rivarossi articulated locomotive with a cracked frame.  I drew up a new frame using K&S brass strips that turned out better than the original frame.

 

 http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-9-2014-remotoring-rivarossi-cab.html

 

This is my first scratch built using my CAD.  I have several more on my blog.

 

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2012/12/my-first-scratch-built-building.html

 

 

 

 

Mel

 

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[mrrdad]

Hello MRR community,

 

New member to the forum here. My history is with O scale trains. My layout always had kit buildings. The O scale stuff has now been handed over to my nephews. I'm switching to HO scale.

 

I want to get started in scratch building. Do any of you use autocad or any software to design your structures first?

 

Thanks,

Ed