I have one of Walthers Cornerstone structures. I don't know about their new structures, but this was preassembled. Well, I tried installing a light inside the office, but apparently, the inside walls aren't painted or primed, so it had that "glowing walls and roof" effect. I'm afraid to try to remove the roof or floor without ruining the building. The exterior detailing is nice, including weathering, but I think I'll stick with kits in the future.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
I prefer kits also, but both Woodland Scenics and Walthers have made some pretty decent looking small pre-assembled strcutures that have caught my eye.
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I am not ruling out the possibility that these little gems could make an appearance on my layout.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I have an older version of Woodland Scenics' Lubener's General Store, which came without a light installed, unlike the newer ones. Either the older versions had thicker walls, or were molded in darker interior colors. I was able to install a light inside without that glowing effect.
Wow Marlon, looking at your pictures you seem to be really handy at buildings. Nice work.
I have the Walthers ("Built-ups") I think it's called, HO yard office building, and the bottom is wide open, there's just a narrow band that forms the base. It must differ from building to building.
Mike.
My You Tube
mbinsewi Wow Marlon, looking at your pictures you seem to be really handy at buildings. Nice work. I have the Walthers ("Built-ups") I think it's called, HO yard office building, and the bottom is wide open, there's just a narrow band that forms the base. It must differ from building to building. Mike.
Thanks, but yours really look nice, too!
For me, half the value of a kit is the "play value" of building it. It takes me a month to put together a four-walls-and-a-roof kit, and before it's done there will be no light leaks glowing. The viewer's eyes are invited to peek through the windows, and the signs on the building will make it something other than what it says on the box.
I'm not the target market for built up kits, I guess.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I agree that removing the floor or roof entirely could be a disaster (but guys have done it, and I seem to recall Tony Koester's book on kitbashing has a discussion about using and taking apart pre-built structures to use as fodder), but the entire floor does not have to be removed to allow you to address the problem, does it? I have seen the preassembled Walthers structures (there is a cart full of them for sale at the Walthers showroom/sales counter, at least last time I was there) but I never turned one over to look at the floor/base. So it is a solid sheet floor going from wall to wall.
I suspect a substantial amount of the floor could be cut away without doing the structural integrity any harm -- for their "modulars" for example the base/floor simply follows the walls and is a bit wider than the walls -- but then, I "suspect" a lot of things and not all of them pan out. It might be worth the risk if interior lighting is that important to you to drill out the center of the floor and then nibble away at it. I'd be tempted to clamp the walls (with bits of cloth or paper to protect the exterior finish from the clamp) while doing so to minimize sideways stresses on the structure as you attack the center of the floor/base.
Dave Nelson
Marlon, which Walthers built-up structure are you referring to that is causing the problem?
Rich
Alton Junction
I've found with some low-profile background buildings that when lighting the interior isn't feasible, adding exterior lights will suffice. Adding a light under the awning over a loading dock for example, a lighted sign on the roof, or a 'gooseneck' light over an entrance. With the super-small LEDs available now, you can sneak a light in a lot of tight spots.
richhotrain Marlon, which Walthers built-up structure are you referring to that is causing the problem? Rich
Rich, it's the Drumlin Lumber Company
OK Marlon I took the opportunity to today to inspect carefully the two structures included in the Drumlin lumber set. I think it would be safe to remove much of the "floor/base" from both with the proviso that you want to keep it intact near the open door of the larger building because you can "see" inside. And on the smaller building the floor also provides the elevation as you no doubt have observed. But I still think it should be possible to remove a fair portion of the floors away from the edges.
However it also seemed to me that this kit sides are reasonably solid plastic and not all that thin. I think the ultimate answer may be a lower voltage light inside. This kind of industry would not have had brilliant interior lighting.
Even though it is a built-up structure and factory painted, the exterior could easily be repainted and that alone might keep the light from bleeding through the walls and roof.
I have yet to find any built-up.....structure or vehicle that could not be taken apart and or redone with lights/interior......it requires a lot of patience and some knowledge of how structures/vehicles are assembled. Most any building I have found that they don't use a lot of adhesive when they are assembled...especially styrene. Castings are another story, along with cast resin.
I wanted an older type switch tower that many Mfger's used to make in kits, like Revell made at one time.....could not find any kits. Got a built-up from Walthers and after some fine cutting managed to get the roof off, along with the chimmny. Then added a detail first floor...made out of Northeastern strip wood/siding with a 1.7mm incandesant bulb in ceiling and full interior on second floor with shades full interior including pot belly stove, all through the roof. Also an incandesant on the second floor with brass lamp shade......wiring goes down the chimmny. Repainted the stairs by brush and some trim with a darker Grey.......no light bleed through of any kind. Patience and the proper tools...most anything is possible:
Good Luck, take care!
You can do it!
Frank
Frank, that is an excellent example and a job well done.
I have very few Walthers Built-Ups, but the Interlocking Tower is one of them.
What you did shows that it can be done.
Good tips. The two buildings use different materials, which is why the store didn't bleed light through. It uses cast walls. I have the lumber yard buildings, bashed into a pinto bean coop. They're standard styrene and thinner, so that's the difference in the light shining through.
Reducing the glare has already been mentioned. Adding some resistors will solve that, especially if it's LED, but you'll have to calculate whether to use a 1/4 watt rated resistor or higher if it's a bulb. Often better to just turn the supply feed voltage down for bulbs. Generally, lights are often run too bright on layouts and dimmer is better anyway.
You can add a shade to a light, again LEDs make it easier because they're not hot. Black construction paper works well. With a little folding and some CA, ouila! a lamp shade however you need it. Not really recommended for bulbs, although you could use sheet brass instead of the black paper.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL