Well as far as tips Ron, I build scratch built homes because I would like to have more residential areas in a layout to make it look more like a town. Some years ago I bought a book called "Houses by Mail" , history of the Sears Catalog home that I use for ideas. But now you can find a lot of house plans on the internet. Anyway two things that I do for building any structure is to first paint the inside portions with flat black paint in the event that I decide to light the interior. For buildings where you might see the interior, instead of painting the walls, I get paint sample cards from the hardware store and glue them to fit. The matte finish on these cards really simulate a painted wall and by cutting them flush to meet the corners also helps to ensure that there are no gaps in the wall to allow light to shine through.
Nice Ron.....very nice indeed.I loves my styrene and see you have the ole` Touch n flow applicator, used those for my plastic models all the time and still do for my layout scratch builds.Very nice build project ,just got finished watching the first part (several times actually).I too made a metal tray with two square sides for making building and use a variety of magnets to keep thing square and in place while gluing and waiting for the solvent cement to flash off and cure. That there is a thing of beauty ,superb building skills Ron.Keep up the fine work !!
A great video and one with tips I can use for my small layout. It's great what our community does to share the knowledge. If you have a piece of sandpaper large enough, when sanding the ends of things try to move the piece in a figure-8 pattern. That helps to eliminate any bias your hand may have when holding the work piece. Thanks Ron.
Cut a V-groove in your solvent holder to keep your applicator from rolling around. I see you already have holes drilled for your micro brushes etc. Good work!
Being in N scale since 71 I have to scratch build a lot of buildings, I just find it relaxing and end up with a one of a kind structure. I build on plate glass that covers my work bench and mat. I find solvents are a quick clean up and when I use CA I put down wax paper. I have started using the tamiya extra thin solvent... sets up quick and the square bottle is tip proof. For cutting styrene I use a large paper cutter and I also use the duplicator from micro mark making my walls. For window glazing I use the styrene bag the styrene comes in. I apply it to the window frames with Formula 560 canopy glue . I use a old carpenter's square with magnets to hold my walls at 90 degrees. looking forward to the next parts of your build. Scratch building is fun, besides the devil hates a coward!
To ensure that the surfaces of two boxes match, glue a location tab along the inside of the boxes. This is the same purpose as you see on any regular store bought models. This way the two surfaces match no matter what you do. If you still have a surface mismatch, use those same plastic strips you used as “stiffeners” above along the seam and It will hide it. If you look at most modern steel clad structures, they will have them everywhere where there is a change in surface cladding.
Ron, My horoscope tells me I could have a rather large building to scratch build from styrene in my future and needing all the help I can get I'm following this series with great interest, thank you. Cheers, Chris Perry.
Hey, Tom. I plug my lights into a 5-way floor extension. The cat came running through and ran into the cord, pulling it out of the 5-way at just the right moment. UGH!
I love this series, Ron - great precision work! Please tell me that you are planning a follow-up video, showing the detailing & completion of Victory Blue!
wow that is one intense build. and it is N scale so your attention to details will show up nicely. love the size of it also. going to look Amazing sir.
Very nice work. I think I might have used short pieces of styrene angle in the corners at each level of the towers to assure a durable connections between them. Because they are often very plain and uncomplicated buildings I think modern structures are a great place to get your feet wet scratch building. Kit bashing is another way to build confidence moving beyond assembling kits.
Agreed on all points, Jerry. As for the bracing pieces, I certainly could have, but with sections as small as these I just didn't find it necessary. On something a little larger I would have done just that.
Using styrene that's to thin for some applications is something a modeler learns along the way but it's the precision in cutting that's its big challenge. Look into scrap booking paper cutters by brands like Friskars or others because they have built in grids often to 1/16 inch and a cutting head at 90 degrees built in. Since the clear plastic it's easy to cut strips/outlines precisely and there are even versions that can cut circles since the paper can be even thicker than styrene it cuts. Matt cutters can be used too but the cost and heavy duty nature usually isn't needed for scale pieces and styrene so ability to be scored/textured makes it nearly ideal even if it's just used as cladding on a more durables substrate.
I do a lot of scratchbuilding and I'm curious: why do you make the bin in two parts. You're better than I. Making them plumb and square to make a clean joint is something I would bypass. What am I missing?
You could have put another piece of styrene to the inside of the bottom of the bins. This would give you more foot glue contact points instead of just the outside of the bin walls. Anyway nice video.
Hi Ron; Saw Pt.1 so I'm half with you and have lost re.: the bins. Extending the bins to the base is spot on. I can kick myself for the numerous structures I have destroyed and sent to the trash for piling on. When I should have spent the extra dime to build off the base. Smart move Ron. But where you lost me was to build a base section in .040 Styrene, topped by a board and batten (? ,040) styrene, the properly topped by another .040 with support strapping modeled. I re-watched Pt.2 to see if I missed something. So why not use the board and batten .040 from the base to the top of that section? Then finish off the top with smooth .040 for you finish? Also, on that top section why not base coat paint that section before adding the support ties. Then when you are ready to attach to the lower section lightly sand off the over paint or dripping on your glueing areas to insure strong contact? Am I just being a rivet counter or stupid that I can't figure out the method to your madness? Anyway, I watched the LIVE show this week. But I didn't get to the stream until you were well into the program. Maybe next time I'll get my dump together and take it on your railroad. (That came out wrong) You, JG, and Steve Brown were really rockin' the Chat. Great Job. LASTLY (I promise), I had been putting off shopping at your AMAZON page until Monday. Here's the deal. Steve has Midwest Models, I have been using local walkin store, with ebay presence, my club makes big quantity purchases from Widget Supply, & you on Amazon. So I order the same small volume items from each. Now I'm waiting for delivery. When I get all the facts back I will leave you and Steve a "DISCUSSION" page comment. SEE YA DOWN THE LINE, Jim
Hi, Jim. Here was my thinking on your questions. I didn't use the board and batten for the base because it is somewhat expensive while I have an almost unlimited supply of .040" plain on hand. The seam for this joint would be inside the structure and never seen, so I saved that amount of board and batten for other uses. As for pre painting, you cannot use solvent cement through the paint, so pre painting before installing the strapping wasn't and ideal option. Thanks for the orders you've placed through my Amazon page. I appreciate it.
I have never known anyone to build with vinyl, and I'm not sure what kind of vinyl stock is available that would be viable for building, so I guess I'm not qualified to answer that question.
I'm just getting used to styrene. Up until now, balsa has been my material of choice, but styrene is attractive. I have a question: Is that quick acting cement that you use the same thing that plumbers use for PVC pipes? That stuff is a lot cheaper than "hobbyist cement" but if it's going to chew through the structure, well, not so good. I saw that you used Acetone on the plexiglass skyscraper, and I wondered if that would also work on styrene. Thanks for the videos!
Great question. What you want for styrene is methyl ethyl ketone or MEK. You can get it at most hardware stores. The hobby cements contain it in varying strengths.
Videos like this have given me scratch itch! Between Ron's videos, Steve Brown's It's My Railroad, DJ sorry I don't know his last name (djstrains), John Abatecola and Dan Cortopassi of TSG Multimedia, Luke Towan, MarklinofSweden, and so many more have just started a fire. It's only been maybe a a month and a half since I found myself staring at Steve Brown's logging camp and now I've built several buildings from the gary60s (sorry don't know his real name) Railwire.com Scratch Sketch sets and am now in the middle of buidling my favorite deli in the world, Mario's Deli of Glendale, CA. Watching some of these guys (including Ron!) buy kits just to glean parts off them for scratchbuilding has me thinking I may never build a kit.
If you watch part 1 of this series, you will see how I got basic outside dimensions using tools in Google Earth. As for the other dimensions, I use known standard dimensions as a guide for estimating other dimensions, and sometimes you simply have to estimate and make an educated guess that look proportionally right. Here is a link to a video I did about a year and a half ago about making plans from reference photos that may help. ua-cam.com/video/8A4ZsKGN0z8/v-deo.html
See part 1 of the Victory Blue scratch build here: ua-cam.com/video/SNaIL4VOqlo/v-deo.html
Ron's Trains N Things Nicely done how to
Thanks
Well as far as tips Ron, I build scratch built homes because I would like to have more residential areas in a layout to make it look more like a town. Some years ago I bought a book called "Houses by Mail" , history of the Sears Catalog home that I use for ideas. But now you can find a lot of house plans on the internet. Anyway two things that I do for building any structure is to first paint the inside portions with flat black paint in the event that I decide to light the interior. For buildings where you might see the interior, instead of painting the walls, I get paint sample cards from the hardware store and glue them to fit. The matte finish on these cards really simulate a painted wall and by cutting them flush to meet the corners also helps to ensure that there are no gaps in the wall to allow light to shine through.
The intro was awesome 😂🙌
Part three, oh and paint and detail and on the layout! Love all Your other stuff as well!
I'm going to bet back to this project soon. I got distracted by other projects, but have not forgotten.
Nice Ron.....very nice indeed.I loves my styrene and see you have the ole` Touch n flow applicator, used those for my plastic models all the time and still do for my layout scratch builds.Very nice build project ,just got finished watching the first part (several times actually).I too made a metal tray with two square sides for making building and use a variety of magnets to keep thing square and in place while gluing and waiting for the solvent cement to flash off and cure.
That there is a thing of beauty ,superb building skills Ron.Keep up the fine work !!
A great video and one with tips I can use for my small layout. It's great what our community does to share the knowledge.
If you have a piece of sandpaper large enough, when sanding the ends of things try to move the piece in a figure-8 pattern. That helps to eliminate any bias your hand may have when holding the work piece.
Thanks Ron.
Thanks Bruce.
Lots a patience required there I think. Thanks for sharing!
😀🕺🏻🎥🏖🇦🇺
It's really coming together nicely Ron...looking forward to the rest of the series.
Cut a V-groove in your solvent holder to keep your applicator from rolling around. I see you already have holes drilled for your micro brushes etc. Good work!
I don't know Ron, im scratchy now! Holy cow, youre really good at scratch building! Thanks for your encouragement and help! Those darn cats!
Thanks, Joe. Yes, I like that cat, but he can be aggravating.
Being in N scale since 71 I have to scratch build a lot of buildings, I just find it relaxing and end up with a one of a kind structure. I build on plate glass that covers my work bench and mat. I find solvents are a quick clean up and when I use CA I put down wax paper. I have started using the tamiya extra thin solvent... sets up quick and the square bottle is tip proof. For cutting styrene I use a large paper cutter and I also use the duplicator from micro mark making my walls. For window glazing I use the styrene bag the styrene comes in. I apply it to the window frames with Formula 560 canopy glue . I use a old carpenter's square with magnets to hold my walls at 90 degrees. looking forward to the next parts of your build. Scratch building is fun, besides the devil hates a coward!
Thanks for your great tips, Will. I use plate glass in some cases as well. I always keep a piece at hand on my workbench.
To ensure that the surfaces of two boxes match, glue a location tab along the inside of the boxes. This is the same purpose as you see on any regular store bought models. This way the two surfaces match no matter what you do. If you still have a surface mismatch, use those same plastic strips you used as “stiffeners” above along the seam and It will hide it. If you look at most modern steel clad structures, they will have them everywhere where there is a change in surface cladding.
Thanks you for details video as great detail in video and thank you from Australia
Looks great thanks for sharing.
Fantastic to see part 2. I have a styrene kitbash on the go at the moment, still a fair bit to do, so the timing of this is perfect. :)
I look forward to seeing that.
Looks quite nice so far, once the details and paint are on it will look awesome. Wish I had access to Evergreen styrene here.
Ron, My horoscope tells me I could have a rather large building to scratch build from styrene in my future and needing all the help I can get I'm following this series with great interest, thank you. Cheers, Chris Perry.
That sounds very interesting.
A fine, large n scale station is being scratch built by Colin sullivan. Might check that channel.
Looks great Ron...These videos are a great help. Can't wait to see the next part...Keep the cat away from the plugs LOL...Thank You Tom
Hey, Tom. I plug my lights into a 5-way floor extension. The cat came running through and ran into the cord, pulling it out of the 5-way at just the right moment. UGH!
I love this series, Ron - great precision work! Please tell me that you are planning a follow-up video, showing the detailing & completion of Victory Blue!
I definitely will be making a video about the rest of this project and fairly soon.
Great show Ron. Step-by-step. I know that is a lot of editing. Nice modeling AND video production.
Thanks.
Pretty neat Ron! Looking forward to the next episode.
This is a really great series, I’m looking forward to seeing how you cut the windows out in the upcoming video.
Me too. LOL.
That looks pretty awesome Ron! I need me a touch-flow! Thanks brother!
wow that is one intense build. and it is N scale so your attention to details will show up nicely. love the size of it also. going to look Amazing sir.
Thanks, Sparky.
Nice job Ron, like the detail on the building. Bob, Longshadows Model Tree's
Looking good.
Thanks.
Very nice work. I think I might have used short pieces of styrene angle in the corners at each level of the towers to assure a durable connections between them. Because they are often very plain and uncomplicated buildings I think modern structures are a great place to get your feet wet scratch building. Kit bashing is another way to build confidence moving beyond assembling kits.
Agreed on all points, Jerry. As for the bracing pieces, I certainly could have, but with sections as small as these I just didn't find it necessary. On something a little larger I would have done just that.
Awesome build Ron, can't wait to see the end product.
Kevin
Thanks, Kevin.
Using styrene that's to thin for some applications is something a modeler learns along the way but it's the precision in cutting that's its big challenge. Look into scrap booking paper cutters by brands like Friskars or others because they have built in grids often to 1/16 inch and a cutting head at 90 degrees built in. Since the clear plastic it's easy to cut strips/outlines precisely and there are even versions that can cut circles since the paper can be even thicker than styrene it cuts. Matt cutters can be used too but the cost and heavy duty nature usually isn't needed for scale pieces and styrene so ability to be scored/textured makes it nearly ideal even if it's just used as cladding on a more durables substrate.
Thanks for your tips.
Great intro. Very punny... Very instructive video too. You should do a video on how to weather track.
I plan to, soon.
Great job! Those boxes looked like a pain to get square
A bit, yes.
That's where the magnetic gluing jig can be a great help.
@@jerrysmith1929 will have to get one
I do a lot of scratchbuilding and I'm curious: why do you make the bin in two parts. You're better than I. Making them plumb and square to make a clean joint is something I would bypass. What am I missing?
looking good Ron... i'll be starting a build on my live stream this Friday...vinny
Look forward to it.
Looks better all the time Ron.
Mike
Thanks Mike.
i am actually gonna make an ho ship with interiors out of Styrene
Great channel!
Thanks.
Can you make a video of maybe some beginner things to make out of styrene? Like maybe the first thing you made and how to make it?
Like / Cool demonstration & video editing 🚂
You could have put another piece of styrene to the inside of the bottom of the bins. This would give you more foot glue contact points instead of just the outside of the bin walls. Anyway nice video.
Hi Ron;
Saw Pt.1 so I'm half with you and have lost re.: the bins.
Extending the bins to the base is spot on. I can kick myself for the numerous structures I have destroyed and sent to the trash for piling on. When I should have spent the extra dime to build off the base. Smart move Ron.
But where you lost me was to build a base section in .040 Styrene, topped by a board and batten (? ,040) styrene, the properly topped by another .040 with support strapping modeled. I re-watched Pt.2 to see if I missed something. So why not use the board and batten .040 from the base to the top of that section? Then finish off the top with smooth .040 for you finish?
Also, on that top section why not base coat paint that section before adding the support ties. Then when you are ready to attach to the lower section lightly sand off the over paint or dripping on your glueing areas to insure strong contact? Am I just being a rivet counter or stupid that I can't figure out the method to your madness?
Anyway, I watched the LIVE show this week. But I didn't get to the stream until you were well into the program. Maybe next time I'll get my dump together and take it on your railroad. (That came out wrong) You, JG, and Steve Brown were really rockin' the Chat. Great Job.
LASTLY (I promise), I had been putting off shopping at your AMAZON page until Monday. Here's the deal. Steve has Midwest Models, I have been using local walkin store, with ebay presence, my club makes big quantity purchases from Widget Supply, & you on Amazon. So I order the same small volume items from each. Now I'm waiting for delivery. When I get all the facts back I will leave you and Steve a "DISCUSSION" page comment.
SEE YA DOWN THE LINE,
Jim
Hi, Jim. Here was my thinking on your questions. I didn't use the board and batten for the base because it is somewhat expensive while I have an almost unlimited supply of .040" plain on hand. The seam for this joint would be inside the structure and never seen, so I saved that amount of board and batten for other uses. As for pre painting, you cannot use solvent cement through the paint, so pre painting before installing the strapping wasn't and ideal option. Thanks for the orders you've placed through my Amazon page. I appreciate it.
@@RonsTrainsNThings No one ever claimed I was the brightest bulb. Makes dollars and sense.
More support bins to the floor
You were just itching to get started lol
Rick B aka Plastic butcher
Would it be possible to use vinyl for scratch building?
I have never known anyone to build with vinyl, and I'm not sure what kind of vinyl stock is available that would be viable for building, so I guess I'm not qualified to answer that question.
What type of glue are you using in these videos about scratch building? Need to find a better glue myself to use.
I'm using a plastic solvent cement, specifically Flex-I-File brand. Here is a link.
amzn.to/2BtExrR
Other brands work well also.
look in to M E K . 8 bucks a quart at wallmart
I'm just getting used to styrene. Up until now, balsa has been my material of choice, but styrene is attractive. I have a question: Is that quick acting cement that you use the same thing that plumbers use for PVC pipes? That stuff is a lot cheaper than "hobbyist cement" but if it's going to chew through the structure, well, not so good. I saw that you used Acetone on the plexiglass skyscraper, and I wondered if that would also work on styrene. Thanks for the videos!
Great question. What you want for styrene is methyl ethyl ketone or MEK. You can get it at most hardware stores. The hobby cements contain it in varying strengths.
Thanks Ron. And thanks even more for the video which covered all types of cement.
Videos like this have given me scratch itch! Between Ron's videos, Steve Brown's It's My Railroad, DJ sorry I don't know his last name (djstrains), John Abatecola and Dan Cortopassi of TSG Multimedia, Luke Towan, MarklinofSweden, and so many more have just started a fire. It's only been maybe a a month and a half since I found myself staring at Steve Brown's logging camp and now I've built several buildings from the gary60s (sorry don't know his real name) Railwire.com Scratch Sketch sets and am now in the middle of buidling my favorite deli in the world, Mario's Deli of Glendale, CA. Watching some of these guys (including Ron!) buy kits just to glean parts off them for scratchbuilding has me thinking I may never build a kit.
I'm glad to hear you have found that inspiration. The guys you named are all great resources. Thanks for watching and for your comment, and good luck.
Thank you for the promo code. I used it today/.
Awesome! Thanks.
Ha! Photo bombs and unplugging lights, what will your cat think of next?
I shudder to think.
Where did u get dimensions?
If you watch part 1 of this series, you will see how I got basic outside dimensions using tools in Google Earth. As for the other dimensions, I use known standard dimensions as a guide for estimating other dimensions, and sometimes you simply have to estimate and make an educated guess that look proportionally right. Here is a link to a video I did about a year and a half ago about making plans from reference photos that may help. ua-cam.com/video/8A4ZsKGN0z8/v-deo.html
I used cardboard boxes and mtn dew box
Did you really had to itch yourself?