I volunteered to help my buddy Michael (Motley) build a replica of the Coors Family Mansion for his layout. Photos of the actual mansion can be found in this thread.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/254115.aspx
Michael may have thought that it was an act of kindness and generosity on my part but, truth be told, I needed the experience to scratch build my own structures, so why not do it on his dime.
I am not quite done yet, but here are photos of the mansion before painting and before installing the shingle roof.
Some suggested that I start with a small simple structure, but never one to readily take advice, I saw no reason to start small. It's not perfect, by any means, but I am pleased with this first time effort.
The model measures 16" x 10.5", compressed from an HO scale size of 27" x 18" for the prototype mansion.
To ensure stability of the styrene sheet walls and roof, I used .040" styrene sheet as a base and then laminated .020" clapboard to the base. I will do the same with the roof shingles. I used Plastruct Plastic Weld as the adhesive to perform the actual lamination.
The windows and doors are from Grandt Line. I used a nibbler to cut out the openings. In my experience, the nibbler is essential for cutting out window and door openings.
To fill in openings on the roof peaks, I used J-B Weld Waterweld Epoxy Putty which dries white.
I will update this thread as I complete the model.
Rich
Alton Junction
Looks pretty good to me, Rich. Especially for a first attempt.
Wayne
Rich, the Grandt Line windows and doors are indeed exquisite castings but don't overlook the somewhat similar Tichy Line, in particular the two boxes that Tichy offers that basically give you "one of everything" in their line. This is a valuable resource for the scratchbuilder or kitbasher. You don't use what is in the box - you use it to decide what to order in quantity. Sometimes MicroMark offers those boxes on sale.
When scratchbuilding a structure it sometimes pays to think along the lines of "what would a commercial kit designer do?" I remember one of my early projects had at least two challenging issues that had me totally stymied and all progress ground to a halt. I then had vivid dreams that helped me resolve both issues.
So one advantage (maybe the only one?) of being over 60 is that you can dedicate your dreams to resolving model railroad issues because there is no sense in dreaming about other stuff ... if you catch my drift.
Dave Nelson
Rich,
I agree with Wayne, an impressive first effort. It should give you confidence that you can build it if you want it. It really is a great feeling to know you're not dependent solely on the decisions of others in what appears on your layout.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
doctorwayne Looks pretty good to me, Rich. Especially for a first attempt. Wayne
Since you won't give me Bertrams, I need to gain experience so that I can scratch build it.
The roof lines alone are impressive, for a first project.
Seams like only yesterday you were asking how to do it.
Excellent job, you might want to read doc waynes comments about styrene sagging in the thread of the same name, while you are still under construction.
I understand the desire for realism, but for my taste, Adolf Coors had the cooler house.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Looks great, yes as mentioned you may want to add some added bracing.
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
Great job, for a first timer.....told You I had confidence in You..I'll bet You even surprised the hell out of Yourself!...LOL.
Take Care!
Frank
Wow Rich, looking great! I guess you do have a lot of ridges and valleys to do! And don't forget the flashings around the chimneys.
I can't wait to see more up-dates.
Mike.
My You Tube
richhotrainbut I am pleased with this first time effort.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
mlehman Rich, I agree with Wayne, an impressive first effort. It should give you confidence that you can build it if you want it. It really is a great feeling to know you're not dependent solely on the decisions of others in what appears on your layout.
zstripe Rich, Great job, for a first timer.....told You I had confidence in You..I'll bet You even surprised the hell out of Yourself!...LOL. Take Care! Frank
richhotrain but I am pleased with this first time effort. And that Rich is the most important thing. I can’t speak for Motley, but I’d be over the moon to have that structure on my layout. Well done. Cheers, the Bear.
richhotrain but I am pleased with this first time effort.
It is going to be difficult to thank so many people for their kind words, so thank you one and all.
Incidentally, I am surprised that no one mentioned the off center dormer on the main roof. Michael and I debated whether to center it, or whether to add another dormer on the right side but, ultimately decided to go with the prototype mansion on which the dormer was situated on the left side of the main roof.
richhotrain Incidentally, I am surprised that no one mentioned the off center dormer on the main roof. Michael and I debated whether to center it, or whether to add another dormer on the right side but, ultimately decided to go with the prototype mansion on which the dormer was situated on the left side of the main roof. Rich
It gives the structure a sort of ironic "raised eyebrow" look - charming.
Well done Rich!
Where do we place our orders.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
You realise Rich that I’m thinking you’ll now find scratchbuilding a reasonable facsimile of this will be a cakewalk. Just don’t want you getting bored or resting on your laurels, don’t cha know. Cheers, the Bear.
Rich:
You have done an excellent job!! As UNCLEBUTCH mentioned, getting the roof to look right is an accomplishment in itself. I really like the different pitch on the two front wings. It makes the building look wider than it would if all the roof slopes were the same.
The building certainly looks like a mansion. The skylight is done very well. I like the offset dormer. I think it adds character.
If that is your starting point for scratch building structures there will be great things to come.
Regards
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Rich if I am looking at the right picture is the house surrounded by concrete walls ? Is the view the backnofvtge house ? The entrance if that is the entrance seems small and uninviting. What is the roof type ? Is that snow gaurds that extend almost to the peak of the roof ?
YGW
Great job, Rich!
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
Medina1128 Great job, Rich!
richhotrain You realise Rich that I’m thinking you’ll now find scratchbuilding a reasonable facsimile of this will be a cakewalk. Just don’t want you getting bored or resting on your laurels, don’t cha know. Cheers, the Bear. Hey, Bear, you got your finger on the pulse. That's all that I have been thinking about. The C&EI inbound freight house at Dearborn Station. It sure seems like a cakewalk at the moment. Rich
Hey, Bear, you got your finger on the pulse. That's all that I have been thinking about. The C&EI inbound freight house at Dearborn Station. It sure seems like a cakewalk at the moment.
As long as JaBear brought this subject up....It may give You a better understanding of what I meant by saying in one of My posts about Your first scratch build that..''I hope the game is not going to be called account of rain". LOL.
BTW: Even if the dormer would have been upside down....the main thing is...You made the attempt to accomplish what You started out.....and did a great job! Also You are right...''patience'' is a key.
yougottawanta Rich if I am looking at the right picture is the house surrounded by concrete walls ? Is the view the backnofvtge house ? The entrance if that is the entrance seems small and uninviting. What is the roof type ? Is that snow gaurds that extend almost to the peak of the roof ? YGW
The mansion is surrounded by high walls, setting it off from the adjacent railroad tracks on one side and the tall silos on the other side. And, yes, I agree with you that the front entrance is less than magnificient. For this reason, we decided to model an unpretentious entrance as well. We believe that those are snow guards on the roof.
Here is a photo which can be credited to www.railpictures.net.
zstripe BTW: Even if the dormer would have been upside down....the main thing is...You made the attempt to accomplish what You started out.....and did a great job! Also You are right...''patience'' is a key. Take Care! Frank
And, of course, my reply was, "Do you think that may be a possibility?".
Anything is possible and by that I mean, the scratch build could have turned out to be a disaster or a masterpiece. I feel that it wound up somewhere in between. But patience is as important as skill.
Last night, I constructed a styrene base and added styrene strips onto the base to lend bracing to the walls of the mansion. i haven't glued the walls in place yet on the base, but when I do, it should provide a lot of additional support for the overall structure.
I started experimenting this morning with fabricating a ridge cap by cutting strips off the full sheet of shingles. The shingles are made of adhesive backed paper. They stick extremely well to the styrene plastic but not so well to each other. So, it won't work to overlap them.
For that reason, I will just abut them and leave it for the time being. Maybe a solution will emerge later. Or, simply leave it as is. Being HO scale, it won't be that noticeable anyhow even if we did install a ridge cap.
I get that, Rich. You have a lot of ridge to cover, and depending on where this structure will sit on the lay out, I'm sure it won't be noticed. You have enough to do just adding the shingles!
You post on the base, and strengthening the walls. I my experience, this will help a lot. As I worked on any of the buildings I have scratch built, (mostly industrial buildings) before attaching it to a base, I made sure the walls and roof were supported good, and I added any interior bracing as I thought necessary, like what Wayne has shown in his pictures. I always wanted to be able to pick up and move any of my structures without worry about caving in any walls, or a roof.
The entire mill and food plant in this picture can be easily picked up, in 2 peices, and moved to gain access to the track that runs underneath it.: