Play-Doh Challenge #1

Play-Doh

Member
Allright, im new to scratchbuilding, and perhaps this one is a little more advanced than I should start with...but im in. Im always up for a challenge. I will begin friday...and ill post pics of my progress.

This is a building called "Mt Scott Funeral Home" I work here, and live here (which makes getting scale measurments easy. My mission is not to win this, just to throw myself in headfirst into scratchbuilding, and to make something that is truley to scale.

Heres a drawing of the building (couldnt find a pic, but im getting the digital tommorow)

mts.gif
 

cnw1961

Member
Play-Doh, that is the right attitude towards this challenge. You will see, scratchbuilding can be much more satisfactory than building kits. Go ahead :thumb: .
 

Play-Doh

Member
I think I just scared the hell out of my boss...I want to do everything as close to scale as possible...and I just asked to get on the roof so I could measure the peak....He didnt seem to excited about that...I think im just gonna have to eyeball it.
 

Play-Doh

Member
Well, im off and running on my first ever scratch building...I guess now is as good as a time as ever for an update. So far things are going great!

Here is a pic of the actual vestibule that I am modeling. Im doing the whole building, this is just my starting point.

vestobulereal.jpg


Today I completed the front panel. Doesnt look like much yet, still a little ruff...and I again had to use the camera phone...the camera doesnt do it justice and makes it look ruffer than it actually is...but its a good start. Of course its not painted yet...but its complete with accurate window panes and "Glass" that I cut out of an old CD case.

vestibule1.jpg



Suddenly im addicted to scratchbuilding

TJ
 

Play-Doh

Member
Makin Progress...I finished the vestibule (well, except the painting and smoothing out the edges...it looks really run down here) ...here is a yet another fuzzy pic
 

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Play-Doh

Member
I did my best to flex my creativity muscle and created some shingles by cutting strips of paper and then gluing them to the roof in a stagger. I then peeled up a few to show some warpage and then clear coated them followed by flat black. The results were great!
 

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Play-Doh

Member
cnw1961 said:
You made a good start to your first scratchbuilding. Your shingles are looking great :thumb: .

I think I may re-do the vestibule...it looks allright..but going at this blind and without any experience has been a learning experience. I ended up splitting the foam board to insert the glass and that leftt the whole structure lookin rickety...but I learned from that and put it aside and started on another section and it look far far better...so I may just redo the vestibule, but tear off the roof cause those shingles look soooooo good!
 

Play-Doh

Member
I havent given up on this one...in fact ive made some great progress. Ill post pics soon...the girlfriends folks have the digital camera and I am sick of posting fuzzy pics from my camera phone...ill post progress soon.
 

Play-Doh

Member
Still hard at work with this. Here is an update.

I have cut all but one of the four sides of the building. This has been quite a tedious process since there are 20+ windows in this building.

I re-did the vestibule and it looks alot better. I attached some HO brick sheets to the entire outside stucture and painted them red. As soon as I get back from vacation its back to the craft store for more supplise. Im closer to done that I thought...just have to add the roof and shingles. I know this thread should have pics but my digital is out of commision till monday. Once it gets back I will post pics of the model and the real thing.

Take it easy guys...im on vacation for a 5 days.

TJ
 

Play-Doh

Member
Allright Guys,

Ive been slacking in my photo updates because stuff has just been looking so ruff without paint I feared it would be emberassing to show, but it gotta look ruff to begin with right?

So here is some pics of my progress. I will post pics of the actual thing tonight or tommorow.

HPIM0162.jpg

This is the back of the building. I have not yet completed the second story between the two main structures. As you can see, ive had it up to here with cutting windows.

HPIM0166.jpg

Here is the south side of the buiding. Ill add the details to the doors soon.

HPIM0167.jpg

The front of the building (left side)

HPIM0168.jpg

Same side, but with painted shingles.


Like I said, it looks really ruff right now but as soon as I finish the second floor, touch up the paint, and add the roof I think its really gonna come together. And luckily this is almost an exact duplicate of the building in HO scale...Ive spent alot of time measuring the different window frames and spaces between windows. If anything else its been a learning experience.

More to come.

Play-Doh
 

Play-Doh

Member
I just couldnt get that vestibule to look right, but the good news is I found pic of the building from what I believe to be the 1940s, (the era I model) and it didnt have a vestibule! Whoo hoo! So I removed that, finished the roof. Now I just have to add the entryway. Pics coming soon!
 

Play-Doh

Member
With the deadline fast approaching I am nearing completion of this.

What an amazing learning experience this has been. I threw myself into scratchbuilding with this project. The inexperience shows, but ive learned some lessons that have been very helpfull in my other projects.

But back to this one.

Finished the new entryway. NOt too bad....needs a little more work.

entryway.jpg




And like I said, this has been a learning experience. I never even knew they made HO windows...and here I was making window pains with thread and dental floss.
windown.jpg


Oh well, Ill know for next time.

Ill report back soon with progress.

TJ
 

Play-Doh

Member
Well, I guess time is up... Im still without my digital but im going to borrow the neighbors this weekenend and post some final pics. Even though it didnt turn out nearly as well as I would have liked, it was a very fun learning experience and I look forward to sharing my future projects with you guys as well!

Thanks for the challenge!
 
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