First wood kit...HELP!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Ok, I just bought my first wood structure kit (a Santa Fe depot), and this is going to be one of the most important structures of my layout. I looked at the pieces and I am scared. Are there any special tools/adhesives/techniques that I should be using that are different than those used on styrene/plastic kits? How about painting (airbrush)? Is that any different?

[Anonymous]

just have an x-acto knife on hand. probably the most important tool. i like to assemble my wood kits with dabs of superglue, but try not to let it dry where its visible if you can help it because of the next thing i'm gonna tell you. it's safe to airbrush, but there is also another technique i use as well to give it a weathered look. take your acrylic paint and dilute it with rubbing alcohol, probably about a 50:50 i'm guessing, and you can brush it on and it will soak in the wood and give it that worn look. then you can use your pastels on top of that to add even more. hope this helps

[Anonymous]

Yes the exacto knife will be your best friend on the wood kits. I've tried using Elmers wood glue but found I prefer super glue as well. I use corner clamps, c-clamps etc to hold the wood while working with it sometimes. It really isn't much different than plastic really. I love modeling in wood because there is nothing that gives that wood look as well as real wood. Get some balsa wood and dowels and scratch build, it's fun!

If you want a good 'peeling paint' look I have had good luck with rubber cement. You stain the wood with either paint or real wood stain (play with scraps to get the color you want) Then before you paint the model you take a brand new bottle of rubber cement. (don't be cheap, get a new one this is important) Apply it to the areas you want to be peeling. Let the glue dry about an hour. Paint you model and let the paint dry (couple hours maybe) then take a regular pencil and use the eraser to rub off the areas with the rubber cement. It will look like the paint peeled naturally. The eraser also gives the rest of the painted section a nice weathered look.

Have fun with your wood kit. You may never go back to plastic! [8D]

[tstage]

Postdog2,

Which wood kit/manufacturer are you talking about? Are you refering to one of the craftsman kits?

As far as special tools, adhesive, or techniques are concerned, an X-acto knife, razor saw, razor saw miter box, and wood glue is all that you'll probably need to put one together.

As far as painting, be sure to prime the wood first before you paint it. The primer will help to fill in the wood pores and give the paint a good surface to adhere to, as well as give you a smoother overall appearance.

Tom

[IRONROOSTER]

You might want to try a smaller, simpler structure first so can get comfortable with the techniques.
Enjoy
Paul

[cacole]

If the siding is sheets of scribed wood, beware of warping when you apply any paint, stain, or other fini***o it. Reinforcement of the insides of walls is highly advisable if this can be accomplished without becoming too visible.

[orsonroy]

First off, come up with a color plan. It's a whole lot easier to paint laser cut wood kits with all the parts still on the sprues (I'm assuming you have one of the AMB ATSF depot kits here). Airbru***he colors with either a NON-water based paint like Floquil, or with water based paints set so they go on dry. Wood kits absorb a LOT of moisture, and could warp, so once the paint is basically dry, keep the parts flat by pressing them between panes of glass (picture frame glass is great). On parts that do not have sticky backing, paint both sides, to minimize warping.

Once the parts are dry (1-2 days) zap 'em with a few light but even coats of Dullcote. This will seal the wood. On parts that do not have sticky backing, spray both sides. Once the Dullcote is basically dry, press the parts again.

Once the Dullcote is dry (a couple of hours), you can start building. Most modern laser cut wood kits have excellent instructions: follow them to the letter. Tools to have handy are a Xacto knife and plenty of SHARP #11 and #18 blades (wood kits eat up the blades, so replace them often), a pair of needlepoint tweezers (I prefer reverse-action tweezers, where you squeeze them to open), some wood glue, and toothpicks (to apply the wood glue). Fine grit sandpaper might come in handy too. Keep lots of thin rubber bands around too, to hold subassemblies together while the parts are drying.

I prefer wood glue over ACC on wood kits for lots of reasons. Mostly, wood absorbs ACC like mad, making it hard to get enough ACC on the joint to secure a good bond. Sealing the wood helps, but the ACC will then run all over. Wood glue takes longer to dry, but the bond will be better in the long run (wood is one material that ACC really doesn't work on at all; paper is another)

Once everything's built and dry, touch up any painting mistakes, add signs and extra details, add weathering, and seal the whole structure with a couple more coats of Dullcote.

I've built over 12 AMB caboose kits, five AMB structures, Two LaBelle passenger cars, and 10 Branchline wood house kits, and have used the above techniques to get decent results with all of them.

[tstage]

Postdog2,

If it IS an AMB (American Model Builders) kit - relax! - they aren't that difficult to put together.

The only thing you need wood glue on is the frame. AMB parts have adhesive and a backing on them to make assembly fairly easy. Remove the back and press the two parts together. The assembly instructions are usually very well written. Take time to study them and the parts BEFORE you do anything. (That way you familiarize yourself with everything.) All you need to remove parts is a sharp #11 X-acto knife.

I have three AMB structures on my layout and REALLY like them all. The detailing is terrific. (You can see them in my link at the bottom of this post.)

Tom

[rolleiman]

Forget the x-acto knife if you have to do a lot of cutting. Get a box of single edge razor blades, or better yet, for stripwood and the like, a northwest shortline chopper.. Xacto knives (#11 blade) leave a bevel on the cut that may be difficult to finish. Razor blades leave a much more square cut.

Jeff

[Anonymous]

Okay, found the #11 X-Acto blades, but which knife should I get?

[bikerraypa]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Postdog2

Okay, found the #11 X-Acto blades, but which knife should I get?

get a rubber coated one, with a hex nut at the end of the handle. That way it doesn't keep rolling off the table and onto the floor (or into your foot, cat, carpet, whatever).

I just got started on a wooden kit as well, a section house from JL Innovative. So far it's going together pretty well. The only change I made was to substitute the roofing in the kit with strips of 120grit sandpaper which I painted black to make rolled roofing.



Building these is a lot of fun! Good luck with yours.

Ray

[Anonymous]

I use 1/16-inch basswood. Balsa is too soft and easily cracks or breaks. The X-acto knife is a must have, so too clamps to hold sides in place when glueing them. As for glue, I prefer Testor's fast drying wood glue.

A problem you may face could center on cutting holes for windows and doors. There's a tendency to overcut thus leaving air around windows and doors. I purchase gray, plastic doors and windows from Tichy , a company in New Jersey, and they're terrific. And must less expensive than almost all other companies.

Don't forget a T-square, a triangle -- both for cutting wood. I also use masking tape on the inside portion of the wood I'm cutting to ensure against possible cracks. I use acrylic paint diluted as someone else has noted, with rubbing alcohol. I haven't tried the rubber cement trick, but I will.

Working with wood -- cutting it into shape, attaching the sides, painting and detailing the structure can't be beat. Its an acomplishment that's difficult to describe at times.

GGB

[dinwitty]

Walther's goo...

it allows you to stick parts together, but can pull them apart if you need to.

when done done you can white glue.
or super glue.

exacto knife + saw blade.

[Anonymous]

Havent built any wood kits for RR yet, but Ive built 40 or so Wood airplane kits, so this may be of some use.

Use a good CA glue like the hobby shops carry, superglue actually isnt as good a quality. Use 2 types, I use the thinnest CA they have with a very thin tube attached to it, I use to Tack weld the parts together. Its so thin it actually sucks into the crack and wood creating a very nice bond. Depending on the wood type and wieght we could stop here. Or you can use Medium or thick CA to go back and run a nice bead on the inside of the joints.

After glued I would do my rough sanding, 200grit to knock off the edges or add them. The take Lightwieght spackle compound and use it as a wood filler. Just glob it on where you need to fill in the sand it down to final shape.

Then sand the entire thing as smooth or rough as you want, paint and detail.


Oh and bikerraypa,

What type shingling is that on the little house you have? Is it trying to model rolled roofing? From the pick it looks like the roof is a steaper then 3/12 Ptich and would be better suited to having a Tin or shingled roof. Atleast in this area thats how the houses are built, and in the olden days main roof was slate or shake. Rolled roofing was used for flat or any pitch under 3/12.

[Anonymous]

One tip. Paint the inside sufaces as well to avoid warping.

[ARTHILL]

Take your time. I built hundreds as a kid and now just finished my first as a retired, long gap. As long as I controled my impatience it was fun. It is not perfect but its not for a contest. I got six more for Christmas. I love them.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by IRONROOSTER

You might want to try a smaller, simpler structure first so can get comfortable with the techniques.

if you want to get that station right on the first try, this is good advice. on the other hand, while my first structures are a bit imperfect, they are still my favorites. while repairing my mistakes, i created some very unique buildings.

to add to the contributions above:
that thicker "gap filling" cyanoacrylate glue works for me. put it on, put the sticks together, count to 20, and move on to the next step.

for cutting, i use a carpenters utility knife (stanley) for it's superior grip and quick blade change feature. minimally, a hobby knife with a grip you can control.

with your waterbased paints, use standard watercolor techniques for your initial coating and weathering.

plastic and wood buildings don't work well together. wood will be warm and fuzzy and lack the detailing found in plastic. plastic will emulate the carricature of wood, and look fine as long as there is no wood structures close by to compare.

good luck, you'll do fine.