PLEASE SOMEONE, SCRATCH BUILDING BIBLE NEEDED!!!!!

I did/do a fair bit of scratchbuilding but I doubt that I could put it down to a few techniques and such.

Often the build will be changed due to material availability, change of plans, etc.

For me doing scratchbuilds usually involve working of my own ideas and drawings and thus rely a lot on trial and error during the build.
Most of what i scratchbuild has no equivalent in real life or is only loosely based on it.

How about books about beginning scratchbuilding? Any suggestions there? I've considered experimenting for years, but have no idea where to begin as far as materials, techniques, etc. ( still been limiting myself to the occasional aftermarket upgrade or conversion kit )

For me it really depends on what I want to scratchbuiild.

1.) Fictional stuff anything goes and in addition to the spares box I raid the rubbish bin and look for other stuff that I can use or will strike me as useable.
I have found the Games Workshop books on Dio and Terrain making quiet inspiring.
Here materials will also depend on how much and what shape I need, anything from Balsa wood, Foamboard, Metal, Balsafoam, plastic, etc

2.) Recreating stuff to make a kit more accurate, mostly will go with putty, styrene and a few AM like parts.

I can't think of a single book that covers the area of scratchbuilding very well at all. A lot of my SB work was done through trial and error. Materials were anything that would do the job. Tools, lots of sharp blades, and a good steel ruler.
Most of all ..... patience !!!!!

As the other folks said, there is no one book. Shep Paine's Modeling Tanks and Military Vehicles has some good pointers, but mostly to specific projects.
For, scratchbuildingh, first, be sure the model you want to do do is not available in the scale you want and not coming out soon. NOthin's more frustrating than going through the major effort of a scrathc project then finding the kit on the shelf of the LHS.
Next, go to the design table and lay out your plans. Can you work with sheet stock or will you need to carve a master and cast/vacuform the parts you need? WIl you be turning metal? Do you have the right toolds for the job?
Learn how to scale from line drawings and photographs. Scratchbuilding is really like engineering without the team.
I'd strongly suggest doing some detailing froms scratch before moving to a scratch conversion or full scratch project.
Some basic tools beyond regular modeling stuff may include T squares, miter boxes, razor saws, lathes, straight edges, tube benders.

I think the best way to get into scratch-building is by starting to mod/customise/enhancing existing kits.

No, I don't mean adding AM parts, but by lets say replacing the supplied plastic hand grips/rails with wire ones(self made) and similar.
Also doing custom bases is a good starting point.

Next would be to mod a few simple kits, example:
taking a motorbike kit and lowering the suspension, raking the forks, etc.

This will set a foundation for skills and the eye for what works and what doesn't.
As for material selection I think this is rather an aquired skill.

I often use wires designed to tie flowers onto sticks to make Pipes for SF Diorama/conversions.

Add to that a basic skill in sculpting, paper models, etc and you are well on your way.

All my scratch building has come from loosing a part to the rug monster. It falls into the balck hole so I gotta make another one. Same as everyone else has said, trial and error. (mostly error)

hey I know what you mean about the dreaded rug monster.As for scratchbuilding I would start by using wood ,the most versatile material.If you are doing dioramas get Shep Paines book and start by doing a few modest pieces such as workbenches etc for aircraft or ships fittings for boats etc.. That way you can learn the skills and still avoid putting too much pressure on yourself and have a finished piece made up of some scratchbuilt items.Good Luck. Cheers! John.

QUOTE: Originally posted by sahickerson All my scratch building has come from loosing a part to the rug monster. It falls into the balck hole so I gotta make another one. Same as everyone else has said, trial and error. (mostly error)

Hehe, my new place will have wood flooring in all the rooms, and a rubber mat/anti-static underneath the work-bench.

For foiling the rug monster I use a small handheld vacuum cleaner with a piece of white cloth behind the nozzle to catch whatever it sucks up.

Worked so far for me.

I don't know of any one book that tells it all on scratchbuilding.

But, if you can find an old copy of the Kalmbach Publishing book.

"Building and Improving Vacuum-Formed Model Aircraft"

This is a great place to start. It is not a "catch-all" of every scratchbuilding techniques, but it does cover some of the basics.
Many of the building techniques for vacu-formed kits apply to scratchbuilding.

Also, Mike Ashey's book "Model Aircraft Tips and Techniques" has several "step by step" sections as he scratchbuilds an interior for the old 1/32 Revel Wildcat.


The next best method is "trial and error". Start with an easy part to get your feet wet and go from there.

Good Luck! It's really not that hard.

Hi All; This is a topic I have been interested in vicariously. I have some of my Dad's old hand built wood models that he built as a kid back in the 1930's. I have always been impressed with how he did these. It is too late to ask him now, he is gone, but I am still fascinated with this. In pursuing this, I recently acquired a pamphlet published in 1942 on building scale models from scratch in wood. The point of the pamphlet was to be a guide and to recruit high school kids to build models to be sent to the forces for recognition training purposes. They are extremely adamant with accuracy of shape and form for this purpose and these models would actually be judged on this and the ones accepted would be used and sent to the forces overseas. Amazing. The plans rely heavily on templates which could be acquired back then, but really required exceptional shop skills on the part of these students. Good stuff. I have seen some of these old templates on ebay still unused and they don't go for a huge amount. Although you wonder about their historical value and using them at this point.

What would be cool is if anyone knows of modern sources of accurate templates for these techniques.

Dave

There are a lot of books out there (some mentioned above) that touch on the subject, and often that is the best place to start.

I find I have to think outside the box when I want to duplicate some prototype, and decide on materials and methods before I begin. I don't think I could point to anything that has not been covered somewhere else and say "this is always how I do it ..."

Since FSM is looking for new subjects, why shouldn't the magazine consider either a 'scratchbuilder's corner' column, or consider publishing SB tutorials submitted my modelers as feature articles?

My 2 cents,
Bruce

Thanks guys!!!! But what about materials, and I don't mean the basics!!! No styrene is available to me, no PE or Resin, just good old fashion creativity!!!!!

All that stuff is available on line. Go to Squadron.com. If, as with another person, you don't have a credit card, they'll take a check or a postal money order.

Glenoak,

Try this website http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/

Not only do they have a ton of sheet styrene, styrene rod and tube, but on that webpage look under "what's new" and they offer a how-to book on modeling with styrene. I haven't read the book but it probably has a lot of what you are looking for.

Another good source of styrene is Plastruct. I'll get that website in my next post.

DJ

Plastruct http://www.plastruct.com/