I agree with the other posters that commercially available windows are the way to go. However, to answer your question of "how", this is how I did it for years...
1) Make sure the window openings have straight sides and and square corners.
2) Frame the window with pre-painted strip stock of plastic, basswood or card stock. To frame the opening, do the top and bottom first, then add the side sills. The framing may extend beyond the outter wall surface depending on the style of window and the perimeter trim. Be sure the framing is flush with the inside of the siding material if you plan to glue the glasing material across the inner wall.
3) Use painted-to-match chart tape on the glasing material to represent 3D window panes and glue it to the inner wall ori nserted into the rear opening, depending on how thick the wall material is or the effect desired. The glasing material should be either glass slides or flat plastic Rolled plastic will eventually regain its curve... don't ask why I know this!
Jim
I have purchased several window casings from Tichy and RIX Products and this is the way I would go. However, for large factories such as the Rayon Industry that I mentioned in my first post, it would be more cost efficient to print the panes on clear sheets. Here the WOW factor is the size of the industry and not the detail of the window casings.
A November 1963 Model Railroader article by Joe Kunzelmann (a prolific scratchbuilder in his day) entitled "Taking Pains with Panes" remains probably the best published article on building your own windows. He had a similar article not long after on doors: December 1965 MR "Doorways to Detail."
Dave Nelson
Also note: If you wish to do it, Lok into getting those little glass slifde covers. Real glass, right size of HO
-Morgan
wm3798 It would be useful to know what kind of windows you're looking for. I've done N scale windows using the printed transparency trick with great effect. You can purchase transparency sheets at an office supply store, I believe they're available for either laser or ink jet printers, and simply run them out on your printer. I prefer to have mine done at the local copy shop, where they run a high quality laser printer.I use Evergreen strip stock for the larger frame members.I've also used Evergreen to build up windows for special cases for which a commercial casting isn't available, such as the first floor windows on this hotel.I'm also working on another project that requires a large quantity of specialized windows. I'm working with a guy who does metal etchings to do them. I don't have anything to show on that, yet, other than the holes I need to fill! Lee
It would be useful to know what kind of windows you're looking for. I've done N scale windows using the printed transparency trick with great effect. You can purchase transparency sheets at an office supply store, I believe they're available for either laser or ink jet printers, and simply run them out on your printer. I prefer to have mine done at the local copy shop, where they run a high quality laser printer.
I use Evergreen strip stock for the larger frame members.
I've also used Evergreen to build up windows for special cases for which a commercial casting isn't available, such as the first floor windows on this hotel.
I'm also working on another project that requires a large quantity of specialized windows. I'm working with a guy who does metal etchings to do them. I don't have anything to show on that, yet, other than the holes I need to fill!
Lee
Try to keep in mind the OP is in Sweden and may not have access to all the brands of detail folks here and definitly not the back issues of MR etc. I would agree though that printing on clear sheets is a very good way to go and most modern equipment can handle that unless he wants white mullions.
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
Yes, it's possible and I've done it on occasion but I find that ordering premade windows is much simpler and not as taxing on my hair.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I use really thin pieces of glass microscope slides and Balsa. They work great.
electroloveIs it possible to build HO scale windows? How did you do it?
Sure. It was SOP before 1980 or so. Look in any older magazine construction article and you will find descriptions on how to build windows. King, Wesoloski (sic), Schopp, Moore all built their own windows. It just takes patience, precision and little itty, bitty pieces of wood, styrene or cardstock.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
As someone who has scratchbuilt any number of large HO structures, when it comes to making your own windows, I would also ask, "Why?" With the great assortment of commercial HO windows available from firms like Grant Line, a "close enough" choice is almost always possible off the shelf. Even if going for more exact renditions, the most unusual windows can generally be cobbled together from parts of commercially available windows.
While with considerable experience it is indeed possible to scratchbuild your own fairly realistic looking windows, even working ones (!), they rarely look half as good, or delicate, as similar items ordered through the LHS. I've seen the general appearance of more scratch models ruined by including homemade windows than were improved.
CNJ831
Sure you can build anything if you have the patients, skill and imagination but my question is why? You have so many companies like Titchy & Grant line just to name two that make great window castings. The only reason I can see doing it if it's for some specialty window but hey what ever trips your trigger I guess.
There was an article in MR magazine where the guy who build the Nylon/Rayon industrial plant complex, printed the gridded window panes on a computer and then somehow printed them on the clear thin plastic sheets. Each gridded section was then cutout and glued to the back of the window opening. I don't remember the month of the MR publication. Maybe someone else has this information. I would like to try it, but my PC is probably not set up for this unless I could use the table function and equally space the grid lines, reduce the panels and then have a printing business print out the gridded window sections.
Larry