Craftsman skills

[Bergie]

Do you ever scratchbuild or kitbash models (structures, freight cars, etc.), or do you stick with kits and/or ready-to-run models? Vote and then share your comments.

Kitbashing Taking one or more model railroad kits (often structure kits) and changing the construction process or combining parts to make a unique model.

Scratchbuilding Making a model from raw materials and parts, not using kits.

These definitions and others can be found in ModelRailroader.com's Glossary of terms article: http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/000/396xoacs.asp



Polls on Trains.com are not scientific and reflect only the opinions of the users who have chosen to participate. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of Internet users in general, the readers of our magazines, nor the public as a whole. Bottom line, our polls are meant for fun and to stimulate conversation amongst our forum users.

[Bergie]

Do you ever scratchbuild or kitbash models (structures, freight cars, etc.), or do you stick with kits and/or ready-to-run models? Vote and then share your comments.

Kitbashing Taking one or more model railroad kits (often structure kits) and changing the construction process or combining parts to make a unique model.

Scratchbuilding Making a model from raw materials and parts, not using kits.

These definitions and others can be found in ModelRailroader.com's Glossary of terms article: http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/000/396xoacs.asp



Polls on Trains.com are not scientific and reflect only the opinions of the users who have chosen to participate. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of Internet users in general, the readers of our magazines, nor the public as a whole. Bottom line, our polls are meant for fun and to stimulate conversation amongst our forum users.

[vsmith]

(This is a copy of my posting from the Garden RR magazines forum, I do 1/2" indoors and this was my reply, updated for this forum:)

Well, given the lack of choice (in G guages) vs other gauges I have no choice but to kitbash if I want any variety. Besides kitbashing is a lot of fun.

So far I have kitbashed:

1. A Bachmann combine and Aristo bobber cupola into a Drovers Caboose,

2, Used a MDC speeder chassis to built a yard critter,

3. Scratchbuilt a goose from a spare Hartland Mack cab and hood and a NWSL magic carpet drive,

4. Scratchbuilt a Dunkirk type shay from a Bachmann flatcar, a 1:25 General plastic kit, and 2 Aristo powered trucks (it looks pretty good, but the rivet counters might sneer, but hey, no gallery so..?)

5. kitbashing a plastic model of Stevenson's Rocket into a non-powered museum piece thats suppposed to be my lines 1st loco (but I'm not happy with it)

6. Shortened a Bachmann bobber caboose into an even shorter mining caboose. and will be building an interior for it.

7. Currently I (have) finished with kitbashing a Bachmann 2-4-2 into a 2-4-0 plantation type locomotive based on the loco operated by the Hawaii Suger Cane Train tourist line by removing the rear trailing truck and moving the cab forward about an inch. Mine will be more Colorado in apperance though. (It looks great, wish you could see it , but with no photo gallery ............)

Future projects include:
8. a Climax type shay based on a Hartland flatcar, Aristo trucks and ???,

9. I plan to cut a Aristo PA1 in half, using the front so I can have a streamlined loco for my "express train" and using the second truck for a future Diesel engine yet TBD,

10. Also cutting up my Bachmann Passenger coaches in to "shorties" one truck long so they will look at home on my R1 curves.

11. I will also be building a "Casey Jones" type railcar and another MDC critter if I can ever find another speeder for sale.

Plus a few other Psychotic ideas floating around the old attic like Professor Fate's rocket powered railcar from the movie "The Great Race". :-)

P.S. I should shate that I define "kitbashing" as taking a model or kit and converting, adding, subtracting, or changing it into something thats a modified form of the original, and "scratchbuilding " as using raw materials, spare parts, other kits, and similar detrius, constructing new parts or mixing new and old, and combining them into something very different or unique new combination. Not NMRA definitions but hey, I'm not a member...

KeepSteaming,
The Old Alligator-mouth

[vsmith]

(This is a copy of my posting from the Garden RR magazines forum, I do 1/2" indoors and this was my reply, updated for this forum:)

Well, given the lack of choice (in G guages) vs other gauges I have no choice but to kitbash if I want any variety. Besides kitbashing is a lot of fun.

So far I have kitbashed:

1. A Bachmann combine and Aristo bobber cupola into a Drovers Caboose,

2, Used a MDC speeder chassis to built a yard critter,

3. Scratchbuilt a goose from a spare Hartland Mack cab and hood and a NWSL magic carpet drive,

4. Scratchbuilt a Dunkirk type shay from a Bachmann flatcar, a 1:25 General plastic kit, and 2 Aristo powered trucks (it looks pretty good, but the rivet counters might sneer, but hey, no gallery so..?)

5. kitbashing a plastic model of Stevenson's Rocket into a non-powered museum piece thats suppposed to be my lines 1st loco (but I'm not happy with it)

6. Shortened a Bachmann bobber caboose into an even shorter mining caboose. and will be building an interior for it.

7. Currently I (have) finished with kitbashing a Bachmann 2-4-2 into a 2-4-0 plantation type locomotive based on the loco operated by the Hawaii Suger Cane Train tourist line by removing the rear trailing truck and moving the cab forward about an inch. Mine will be more Colorado in apperance though. (It looks great, wish you could see it , but with no photo gallery ............)

Future projects include:
8. a Climax type shay based on a Hartland flatcar, Aristo trucks and ???,

9. I plan to cut a Aristo PA1 in half, using the front so I can have a streamlined loco for my "express train" and using the second truck for a future Diesel engine yet TBD,

10. Also cutting up my Bachmann Passenger coaches in to "shorties" one truck long so they will look at home on my R1 curves.

11. I will also be building a "Casey Jones" type railcar and another MDC critter if I can ever find another speeder for sale.

Plus a few other Psychotic ideas floating around the old attic like Professor Fate's rocket powered railcar from the movie "The Great Race". :-)

P.S. I should shate that I define "kitbashing" as taking a model or kit and converting, adding, subtracting, or changing it into something thats a modified form of the original, and "scratchbuilding " as using raw materials, spare parts, other kits, and similar detrius, constructing new parts or mixing new and old, and combining them into something very different or unique new combination. Not NMRA definitions but hey, I'm not a member...

KeepSteaming,
The Old Alligator-mouth

[Anonymous]

A better question would be "do you ever build a kit exactly as directed"? Bet you would get a big fat 0% on that one. Here's a challange, buy a kirbi, faller, or cornerstone kit, throw away the instructions, remove all the parts from the sprues, then fit it together like a 3d jigsaw puzzle using only the pictures on the box. You'll love it! FRED

[Anonymous]

A better question would be "do you ever build a kit exactly as directed"? Bet you would get a big fat 0% on that one. Here's a challange, buy a kirbi, faller, or cornerstone kit, throw away the instructions, remove all the parts from the sprues, then fit it together like a 3d jigsaw puzzle using only the pictures on the box. You'll love it! FRED

[Anonymous]

I'm working on a neat idea right now. I bought an old boxcar at a sale because I wanted the trucks. Now I'm using the box itself as a fast food place. Like the kind often seen as a caboose. My place is "Handcar Hank's". Its scratchbuilt from imagination!

[Anonymous]

I'm working on a neat idea right now. I bought an old boxcar at a sale because I wanted the trucks. Now I'm using the box itself as a fast food place. Like the kind often seen as a caboose. My place is "Handcar Hank's". Its scratchbuilt from imagination!

[Anonymous]

Never got the chance to scratchbuilt any structures but been thinking about it here lately since some kits are somewhat expensive.

[Anonymous]

Never got the chance to scratchbuilt any structures but been thinking about it here lately since some kits are somewhat expensive.

[Anonymous]

If a good model of something is available, I'll use it. But usually, a structure won't fit where it needs to go, or needs to be bigger, or just... different. Before LBF and Walthers gave us 65' mill gons, I had two, made from a pair of AHM 40' gons, and a pair of Athearn 50' gons. EMD didn't make a GP-40T-2, but I did. And yes, several figures were disfigured to find roles as drivers, engineers, and other workers. This is called, "FUN."

[Anonymous]

If a good model of something is available, I'll use it. But usually, a structure won't fit where it needs to go, or needs to be bigger, or just... different. Before LBF and Walthers gave us 65' mill gons, I had two, made from a pair of AHM 40' gons, and a pair of Athearn 50' gons. EMD didn't make a GP-40T-2, but I did. And yes, several figures were disfigured to find roles as drivers, engineers, and other workers. This is called, "FUN."

[thor]

I like to build structures, scenery, buildings and my favorite material is paper or thin card partly because it's cheap but also because with a computer one can easily print quite complex drawings which once tinted with watercolors look much more realistic, in my opinion, than plastic.

I use paper and white glue (like Elmers) extensively for scnery. I make contour vertical formers then drape a criss cross pattern of paper ribbons across it, which is finally covered with torn newspaper and liberally coated with the same white glue or sometimes emulsion paint which is pretty much the same thing.

These structures are quick to make, dry fast and are surprisingly light and strong. I built a cantilevered design bridge out of card stock, intending to reinforce it with thin ply roadbed and various wooden blocks strategically placed but once painted and dried, to my surprise, it turned out to be more than rigid enough without further reinforcement. Where papers hygroscopic properties might be a problem or where the water content might cause distortion, such as in the bridge, instead I use flat white enamel paint sprayed on and built up until the material has become effectively waterproof.

I'm sure this is not news to many modellers but one rarely finds paper and card being recommended as a construction material, compared to styrene, but its almost as satisfactory and in some instances, superior.

[thor]

I like to build structures, scenery, buildings and my favorite material is paper or thin card partly because it's cheap but also because with a computer one can easily print quite complex drawings which once tinted with watercolors look much more realistic, in my opinion, than plastic.

I use paper and white glue (like Elmers) extensively for scnery. I make contour vertical formers then drape a criss cross pattern of paper ribbons across it, which is finally covered with torn newspaper and liberally coated with the same white glue or sometimes emulsion paint which is pretty much the same thing.

These structures are quick to make, dry fast and are surprisingly light and strong. I built a cantilevered design bridge out of card stock, intending to reinforce it with thin ply roadbed and various wooden blocks strategically placed but once painted and dried, to my surprise, it turned out to be more than rigid enough without further reinforcement. Where papers hygroscopic properties might be a problem or where the water content might cause distortion, such as in the bridge, instead I use flat white enamel paint sprayed on and built up until the material has become effectively waterproof.

I'm sure this is not news to many modellers but one rarely finds paper and card being recommended as a construction material, compared to styrene, but its almost as satisfactory and in some instances, superior.

[Anonymous]

I'm working on a very large N scale layout. Unless you can accept seeing the same kit repeated many times over, kit-bashing and scratch building are mandatory. I love making small additions to buildings. This expands their size and also creates a "history" for the building. I also have a preference for large industrial complexes. N allows you to create some very large structures. I find that most available kits result in highly compressed versions of the prototype. I often use two or even six or more kits to create a single structure. HO kits often scale out to correct prototype size for N scale (except for doors, railings, etc.). Bernie Kempinski's use of the Walthers HO steel mill is a good example. I've discovered the Walthers HO western flood loader is almost dead on to scale for N while the N scale kit is woefully under-sized and I plan on modifying the HO kit for my layout. To create a cement manufacturing plant, I'm using several HO kits or parts of kits combining them with scratch built structures. Once you begin looking at structures as being composed of a number of shapes and then look for those shapes as parts in existing kits, the possibilities for kit-bashing are nearly endless.

[Anonymous]

I'm working on a very large N scale layout. Unless you can accept seeing the same kit repeated many times over, kit-bashing and scratch building are mandatory. I love making small additions to buildings. This expands their size and also creates a "history" for the building. I also have a preference for large industrial complexes. N allows you to create some very large structures. I find that most available kits result in highly compressed versions of the prototype. I often use two or even six or more kits to create a single structure. HO kits often scale out to correct prototype size for N scale (except for doors, railings, etc.). Bernie Kempinski's use of the Walthers HO steel mill is a good example. I've discovered the Walthers HO western flood loader is almost dead on to scale for N while the N scale kit is woefully under-sized and I plan on modifying the HO kit for my layout. To create a cement manufacturing plant, I'm using several HO kits or parts of kits combining them with scratch built structures. Once you begin looking at structures as being composed of a number of shapes and then look for those shapes as parts in existing kits, the possibilities for kit-bashing are nearly endless.

[Anonymous]

Most of the time I have to ba***hings to get them to represent the item that I want. Even with all the RTR stuff on the market, I still have to add the Mars lights to the nose of my EMD locomotives to represent the Grande. When I do build buildings, they are not always representitive of the photo on the box. Mostly depends on the research that I have done for the model.

[Anonymous]

Most of the time I have to ba***hings to get them to represent the item that I want. Even with all the RTR stuff on the market, I still have to add the Mars lights to the nose of my EMD locomotives to represent the Grande. When I do build buildings, they are not always representitive of the photo on the box. Mostly depends on the research that I have done for the model.

[aussiesteve]

I had to answer no as I am yet to start assembling the many kits I have aquired but in the hopefully not too distant future it will be yes as not all of the rolling stock and buildings I need are readily available. BTW I intend to model Victorian Railways (with all their Clyde/EMD locos) in the present day with some aspects freelanced.

[aussiesteve]

I had to answer no as I am yet to start assembling the many kits I have aquired but in the hopefully not too distant future it will be yes as not all of the rolling stock and buildings I need are readily available. BTW I intend to model Victorian Railways (with all their Clyde/EMD locos) in the present day with some aspects freelanced.

[Anonymous]

I ALWAYS make my own models! The great pride of my FOUR railroads is that I've built everything (but the trains and the mechanics) on them. Though they're not always as realistic as the models available, they're cheaper and I find them much more relaxing to design and create.

[Anonymous]

I ALWAYS make my own models! The great pride of my FOUR railroads is that I've built everything (but the trains and the mechanics) on them. Though they're not always as realistic as the models available, they're cheaper and I find them much more relaxing to design and create.

[Anonymous]

Most of my structures are scratchbuilt, a few are kitbashed or extensively modified. All are based on prototype structures. My period is the cusp of WWi so a large number of constuction and materials styles available without violating the period.

I never use RTR rollingstock. I buy kits or scratchbuild.

[Anonymous]

Most of my structures are scratchbuilt, a few are kitbashed or extensively modified. All are based on prototype structures. My period is the cusp of WWi so a large number of constuction and materials styles available without violating the period.

I never use RTR rollingstock. I buy kits or scratchbuild.

[dmikee]

Need more craftsman articles regarding buildings including plans, options, materials and especially, animation options. Secondly, good kitbashing articles are a delight. It helps the imagination and keeps the layout from looking just like every other layout.

[dmikee]

Need more craftsman articles regarding buildings including plans, options, materials and especially, animation options. Secondly, good kitbashing articles are a delight. It helps the imagination and keeps the layout from looking just like every other layout.

[Anonymous]

I mostly buy and use kits., but I do sometimes modify a kit to fit a particular space or to my personal liking

[Anonymous]

I mostly buy and use kits., but I do sometimes modify a kit to fit a particular space or to my personal liking

[tmackinator]

I have no purchased structures on my layout. For me, the fun is making your own pieces. I made a nice oak gallows turntable (O scale) fully functional to go with my stick framed round house. The skill levels I have seen from other folks work is most impressive. The beauty of this hobby is there is no wrong way to approach it. - T.M.

[tmackinator]

I have no purchased structures on my layout. For me, the fun is making your own pieces. I made a nice oak gallows turntable (O scale) fully functional to go with my stick framed round house. The skill levels I have seen from other folks work is most impressive. The beauty of this hobby is there is no wrong way to approach it. - T.M.