Cardboard Structures everywhere

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davidstrains

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Aug 29, 2002
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I started to do a "how I do windows in my cardboard structures" for this project but as I got more involved in it I forgot to take the photos to go along with it. So I will try again on the next one.

This structure was a bit of a challenge as it has 6 and 10 ft windows that have an arch at the top. I took most of last week and 2 days this week to do it. I made the support for the water tank out of individual pieces of my business cards and the chimney is made out of the "invitation stock" The basic building is from the cardboard back of a paper tablet. It is patterned after the Heljan "Brewery Malt House" kit that I found in the latest Walthers THS mailer.

It took me more that a week to get all the windows cut and the arches done right.

I am calling this building "Tyson's Malt Products" and placing it in the background with the Matthyro Freight building. I am going to have a pretty large "Gauge industrial area before long:) :) :)
 

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and here it is placed next to the Mattyhro Freight building. A cut of Blatz beer refers have already found it and are sitting in front of the loading doors. I need to talk to Errol about his shipments of "malt" and "malt products".:) :) :)
 

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Very nice David. How did you cut the curve in those windows. I have tried doing that and found it difficult. A busy looking structure that is a great addition to your railroad. Thanks for naming your freight building after me. It's fun using names from the Gauge as much as I do using NARA members names
 
Originally posted by Matthyro
Very nice David. How did you cut the curve in those windows. I have tried doing that and found it difficult.
Click to expand...

Thanks Robin. I have been following your coal loader thread and am very impressed with your detail work.

I did the curves a couple of ways. (1) cutting them with the xacto blade was unreasonably difficult so I gave that up. (2) I cut the windows up to the arch with a rectangle cut and then used a round file in my cordless drill to file the arch. (3) same as 2 on the cut then I used a half-round hobby file to make the arch.

I could not hold the piece steady enough for the drill & file option to work accurately. Wasted a piece of cardboard learning that. the hobby file method was the one that worked best. Took a little time but it gave a rather consistant arch I believe.
 
Gary - good Idea. I hadn't thought of the pipe option. I am going to look for some 1/4 - 3/8" pipe for these windows and maybe a couple other sizes for other uses.

Tyson - the brick is another paper pattern that I downloaded from somewhere. I believe this one came from Tom Fassett in a post here on the Gauge last year. I just reduced it in size to look right then copied and pasted the image in MSWord to fill a page and printed it on the Epson ink jet. I used a spray adhesive this time to put the sheet on the cardboard and did not have the warping like I did using the Elmers glue.
 
David,
If you have a set of wood carving or wood turning chisels that should cut a nice radius for you, I tried the tubing method and I found that it did cut, but it also crushed the cardboard
 
.....or you could try clamping an exacto knife in a pencil compass.

.....or try this: use either a forstner or brad-point bit (if you can find one of the correct diameter) in the drill press. Turn the chuck by hand as you feed, don't use the motor. (This will take three hands if you don't have the work piece clamped down.)

Bill S
 
Thanks for sharing

Thanks for sharing.


I have used a lot of cardboard, and foam core for large structures on my RR (Over in the logging , mining and industrial division); but have covered them with balsa to represent wooden structures. I have also used cardboard and foam core structures as mock ups, or place holders, for more elaborately constructed models that I plan for in the future.


Bill Nelson
 
I do cardstock-cardboard modeling for projects other than MRR and care to pass on one of the techniques-tools I find handy.

I have several different sized 'ink-depleted' roller-ball tip pens I use to score materials before cutting with a traditional blade, the steel or ceramic ball-tips work best so keep those dry pens in your toolbox for fine detail use.

With so many 'nib' sizes available (.5mm, .7mm, etc) one should serve your needs nicely.
 
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