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"Beginner" Laser-cut Structure Kits

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  • Member since
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  • From: The Villages, FL
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"Beginner" Laser-cut Structure Kits
Posted by tcf511 on Sunday, June 13, 2010 8:59 AM

I'm working on my second Branchline laser kit. Both are just small, simple buildings. I'm really enjoying them and as I build out my layout, I plan to use a lot of them. I'll start working my way up to a little larger buildings next. My question is what manufacturers that you all recommend for "beginners". I want to stay away from craftsman kits for the time being but am not afraid to spend better money on a kit as long as it isn't board by board. I'm modeling rural NJ in the 1950s in HO if that matters. Thanks.

Tim Fahey

Musconetcong Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR

 

 

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Posted by Milepost 266.2 on Sunday, June 13, 2010 9:07 AM
AMB Laser kits are pretty straightforward, go together pretty quickly, and make a nice structure. The new Walthers laser kits look like they'll be pretty basic as well. When you're ready, Bar Mills makes some really wonderful kits.
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Posted by galaxy on Sunday, June 13, 2010 9:33 AM

Hopefully Simon will chime in here.

He is big on wood models and even did a tutorial or two here on the forum for beginners in the wood kit field.

I thought I had saved some links to those cheaper, easier kits, but I can't find them now.

GOod luck in your endeavours.

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by simon1966 on Sunday, June 13, 2010 11:46 AM

In between World Cup games here Big Smile

Some of the best beginner style laser kits that are not going to cost an arm and a leg can be found at

http://www.jlinnovative.com/

http://www.foslimited.com/HOME.html

http://www.laserkit.com/

http://www.railroadkits.com/

There are a bunch more small companies making great kits, but these are some of the best that offer some beginner style models.  I have several build threads on my picture trail site link below if you are interested.

Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum

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  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
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Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, June 13, 2010 12:31 PM

Some years back, I bought a true "craftsman" kit, Branchline Trains's "Weimer's Mill."  I opened the box, looked at what was involved and slowly closed it again.  The kit sat on a shelf for a couple of years before I felt "worthy" of trying to construct it.

Hogwash.

These kits seem intimidating, but you really only need basic modeling skills.  You need to be patient and careful, and take your time with every step, but they are well-designed and the instructions are clear and detailed.  Once I got started, I really enjoyed every step of the process, and I was very happy with the results.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by markpierce on Sunday, June 13, 2010 1:22 PM

Laser kits are not synonymous with craftsman kits but are often mistakenly thought so.  Laser parts make things easy because the parts fit.  "Craftsman" usually enters the picture with a box of sticks, such as to build wall frames and walls from individual parts which must be cut/created from sticks.

Laser kits, made from unpainted wood, require painting, windows have more parts, and their roofs usually have strips of paper/shingles applied which is a simple process but takes some time.  That's why laser kits take longer to build than most plastic kits but don't necessarily require difficult skills.  The general rule is that the more corners and windows a structure has, the longer it will take to build.

A completed Foscale kit:

 

 

Mark

  • Member since
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Posted by tcf511 on Sunday, June 13, 2010 3:09 PM

 Thanks very much for the reply, your tutorial is amazing. It doesn't look like you seal the wood before hand. I have to start bracing buildings to prevent warping. I bookmarked your site.

Tim Fahey

Musconetcong Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: The Villages, FL
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Posted by tcf511 on Sunday, June 13, 2010 3:12 PM

Thanks, that is a nice building and what I'm wanting to achieve. On my layout, for brick, metal and stone buildings I'll use plastic kits. But if the building was wood, then I'm going to try to build it from wood.

Tim Fahey

Musconetcong Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR

 

 

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  • From: New Brighton, MN
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Posted by ARTHILL on Sunday, June 13, 2010 5:42 PM

I have just started the first of two FOS kits. I have done several Bar Mills. None are too hard if you take your time. It is just a matter of putting the right pieces together many times. Bar Mills has great directions. None are too hard for a patient modeler who likes to build models. I did my first FSM this winter and that was hard because it was so complicated with pages of directions. It took two months but is the nicest model I ever build.

MY SUGGESTION. Pick any kit you like the looks of and get at it. The more you spend the longer it will take, not the harder it is.

Now Campbell kits and JV kits are different. You have to cut things to fit and build off blueprints. It can be done, but the Campbell coal tower was a real challenge for me.

If you think you have it right, your standards are too low. my photos http://s12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/ARTHILL/ Art
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  • From: Southeast Texas
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Posted by mobilman44 on Monday, June 14, 2010 8:26 AM

Hi,

I've been building railroad models (also planes/ships/cars) since the mid '50s and got very comfortable with plastic models and kitbashing.  I built some Campbell wood, Woodland Scenic metal, and Magnasum "composite" (forgot the material name) models and while I didn't enjoy building them, they came out pretty nice as well.

Soooo, about 10 years ago I decided to pick up one of those new fangled laser kits.  I believe it was a Bar Mills freight station.  Well, I soon found out that the wood was too thin, and the laser outlines were not deep enough, and I split a couple of parts just getting them separated.  After two or three attempts, I decided that I was no match for that kit, and ultimately gave it away.

I have not touched a laser kit since then, but I definitely will give it another try.  I have the impression that the earlier kits were just not the same quality as today's - but look to "you guys" to validate that.

Obviously laser kits are the "big thing" now, and I am interested in this set of postings so as to determine "which are best" quality wise and construction wise, before I spend the bucks.

Hey, if this ol dog can successfully convert to DCC, he should be able to put together a laser kit!

Mobilman44  

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

  • Member since
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  • From: Langley BC
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Posted by Coquihala and Rock Creek on Monday, June 14, 2010 12:13 PM

A Canadian company that makes mostly Canadian prototype models is Kanamodel, http://www.kanamodel.com/ .  They make beginer to advanced kits.  I have built a couple of the smaller ones and have really enjoyed them.  According to their web site they are starting to do American models now as well.  Who's to say you couldn't get one of the Canadian kits and kit bash it into what you want or need.  They have very reasonable prices as well for what I have seen.

Dan

If you cannot fix it with a hammer;

You have an electrical problem!

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, June 14, 2010 4:23 PM

mobilman44

Hi,

I've been building railroad models (also planes/ships/cars) since the mid '50s and got very comfortable with plastic models and kitbashing.  I built some Campbell wood, Woodland Scenic metal, and Magnasum "composite" (forgot the material name) models and while I didn't enjoy building them, they came out pretty nice as well.

Soooo, about 10 years ago I decided to pick up one of those new fangled laser kits.  I believe it was a Bar Mills freight station.  Well, I soon found out that the wood was too thin, and the laser outlines were not deep enough, and I split a couple of parts just getting them separated.  After two or three attempts, I decided that I was no match for that kit, and ultimately gave it away.

I have not touched a laser kit since then, but I definitely will give it another try.  I have the impression that the earlier kits were just not the same quality as today's - but look to "you guys" to validate that.

Obviously laser kits are the "big thing" now, and I am interested in this set of postings so as to determine "which are best" quality wise and construction wise, before I spend the bucks.

Hey, if this ol dog can successfully convert to DCC, he should be able to put together a laser kit!

Mobilman44  

 Got to carefully slice them out, a fresh #2 blade or a single edge razor blade works well  I buy razor blades by the box of 100 so there's no excuse not to use a fresh shrap one. Dull blades will tear the wood. The single edge razor blades are also small enough to slide the fine plastic grabs in P2K and Branchline kits.

 I wouldn;t try snapping anything out without cutting through. Even those old cheap balsa gliders and rubber-band planes, sometimes a piece would break in the middle instead of snapping off at the score line, then you'd end up with a plane with half a tail fin.

                                                 --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
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  • From: Martinez, CA
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Posted by markpierce on Monday, June 14, 2010 5:08 PM

Regarding Foscale kits (I'm on my fourth this year), some kits have thin cardboard for the roof base but have no bracing underneath.  Suggest you have a supply of 1/8'-square stripwood on hand and apply bracing every two inches or so to support such roofs.  Also, while the kits had vertical interior bracing, they didn't have any horizontal bracing.  I would add horizontal bracing if the kits don't have a base to secure the walls.

Mark

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: The Villages, FL
  • 515 posts
Posted by tcf511 on Monday, June 14, 2010 7:48 PM

 Thanks very much for the tip. I'm actually at FOS for my next kit. They have a few I like.

Tim Fahey

Musconetcong Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR

 

 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Metro East St. Louis
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Posted by simon1966 on Monday, June 14, 2010 9:03 PM

mobilman44
Obviously laser kits are the "big thing" now,

Mobilman, much as I like laser kits, I think they are still rather a niche market.  In many respects they are the antithesis of the headlong charge towards ready-to-run that seems to be the trend these days.

Any of the companies mentioned so far make good quality kits.  The laser has significantly improved the fit of the models compared to the older methods.  Window holes, for example now fit with little or no sanding necessary.  As others have mentioned, bracing is very important. 

For my money, the JL Innovative line are IMO the very best value.  Almost all their kits come with a nice selection of cast detail parts to help flesh out the scene.  Anyway, after so many years away from the wooden kit, it is time for you to give one another try.

Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum

  • Member since
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  • From: Southeast Texas
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Posted by mobilman44 on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 7:59 AM

Hi again,

  When my "under construction" layout is at the structure stage, I will definitely give the laser kits another try.  It sounds like the quality is improved, as evidenced by the popularity and number of manufacturers out there.

The ones I tried many years ago were just too delicate for my taste.  I expected them to be of the wood quality as Campbell kits, and they were not.  Yes, I used new blades and "restraint" but - to me at that time - they were just too much work for the expected result.

I've done a bit of plastic kitbashing, and have recognized the need to brace and support those structures for extended walls and roofs.  Plastic definitely can warp over time!   So obviously (to me), wooden structures would need that even more so.

When the time comes, I'll make sure to let you all know how it goes. 

Mobilman44

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: The Villages, FL
  • 515 posts
Posted by tcf511 on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 7:32 PM

 Thanks very much for the tip. I hadn't looked at JL's website before. They have a lot of kits that would fit into my layout plans.

Tim Fahey

Musconetcong Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • 599 posts
Posted by Milepost 266.2 on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 9:33 AM
simon1966

mobilman44
Obviously laser kits are the "big thing" now,

Mobilman, much as I like laser kits, I think they are still rather a niche market.  In many respects they are the antithesis of the headlong charge towards ready-to-run that seems to be the trend these days.

At the last Timonium show, there were tons of guys with laser kits. It's getting to be a crowded market.

  • Member since
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Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 5:22 PM

 Laser cutters are getting cheaper all the time. Now - the skills to draw the parts and lay them out in a logical fashion so the cutter can make it, that's a different story.

                                          --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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