Best source for scratchbuilding materials --particularly for details

Hopefully, you have a hobby shop within driving range, otherwise shopping online for such things will be difficult. The first thing one need for scratch building is a source for sheet styrene and structural shapes, like I-beams, angle irons and strap. Evergreen Scale Models makes a wide variety of both, and is commonly found in most hobby shops. Brass and aluminum tubing, made by K&S, is also found at most LHS. The next thing one needs is to start a spare parts box. Never throw away any leftover parts, you never know when or how some weird leftover is going to be useful at some time in the future. Other useful bits include a roll of .020 electronics solder, useful for all sorts of applications, such as wiring, hoses, etc. Sheet lead is another useful product. It can be obtained from wine bottle hoods, toothpaste tubes or bought at your LHS. Always look outside of your particular modeling interests for parts from other fields, such as model railroad parts, wooden ship parts, doll house fixtures, etc. Check out artist supply stores, you never know what sort of things you might find that could be useful. Join a local modeling club, you will surely find others who can help you with your projects.

Kykeon-

EXCELLENT response and advice!

I'll look int ALL the above!!.

Not a good hobby house selection in town, but maybe if I start pestering them to get /stock some of the items I need, maybe theyt will expand a little.

I will also check the local art supply store as well.

Thanks again for the helpful info!

Qwik-

Those of us who have been scratch building for a while have a huge spare parts box, as this is your single greatest source for detail parts. Part-out old models that are broken, early attempts that no longer look quite as nice as you thought, buy junker models at garage sales or swap meets, anything you can do to build up your inventory of parts. Aftermarket conversion kits and photo-etch sets are another good source for small details, these you will most likely have to find from an online hobby retailer.

Qwickduster, your hobby shop may not stock Evergreen plastic shapes because no one has asked for them - but they should if there is a demand (hint, hint).

And Kykeon is right, never throw anything away when you complete a kit. It's amazing to me what can be used in another kit, or a whole other type of model. One tip - it is very easy to get carried away in the Evergreen section; I keep a list of what shapes I already have, so I don't go home with, well, another one  

Let me also second (or third as the case may be) what Kykeon has said.

 

Futhermore, look around the house for other shapes. For example, I use parts of dead pens extensively, for everything from weapon barrels, to plumbing pipes. Once you train your eyes to see shapes and not complete items, you will find that half of the things that might end up in the trash suddenly become solutions to your modelling problems.

 

 

"Ow!..I just stepped on some darned broken kid's toy in the yard..Why I'm gonna chuck that...

...Hey, that bit looks like it might be a good intake valve..and that chunk could be an engine...Hmmm... Now let's just bring this bad boy to the vice and find my razor saw.."

 

 

 

Food for thought. 

As an alternative to Evergreen, there is Plastruct at

http://www.plastruct.com/

They sell an enormous variety of modeling shapes and related items. You can order from them online or get a paper catalog.

 

Mark 

A year or so ago there was an Article in FSM on resin casting.  The author talked about a carve-able foam that he used to create a new cowl for a C-130 variant, then he cast 4 for his kit.  I've got the mag somewhere, but can't lay my hands on it right now.

Does anybody know the name and source of this or another similar product?  The only source I could find any was from the mfr, and they sold in bulk, not modler sized quantities.

I'm looking to back date a 1/48 F-16 to the prototype and need a new nose.  Any ideas are appreciated.

 

 

That was Paul Boyer's article, and I did the casting for him. I believe the material he used was balsa foam. It carves easily, but it needs a lot of priming and filling before it's smooth enough to use as a casting master.

Others will undoubtedly offer suggestions, but I'd probably start with a block of basswood. It's great to work with and has a fine, even grain.

Matt @ FSM

For making a complete model or small detail pieces the best wood is Mahogany.
Its hard enough to take any shape and has a great smooth texture. 

The "ultimate" trick for shaping good semi-hard woods is the use of very good
sharp "files" from a very broad one, for  general main shape of the model or parts to
very small ones to shape "anything". I mold complete fuselages from square block to
final broad shape with them...

The use of "Files" for general and detail molding of wood in scratchbuilding is a very
old British Technique which once used  it becomes  the "only way to go" for
woodworkers..............

If you're still looking for a place to purchase scratchbuilding materials, check out www.towerhobbies.com  .   They have almost every shape, in every size, in every material that you can think of.  I've gotten styrene rod (square and round) and sheet and brass rectangular tubing from them.  The prices are very reasonable and the shipping is quick.

-Fred

 

Kolschey wrote:

"Futhermore, look around the house for other shapes. For example, I use parts of dead pens extensively, for everything from weapon barrels, to plumbing pipes. Once you train your eyes to see shapes and not complete items, you will find that half of the things that might end up in the trash suddenly become solutions to your modelling problems.     "Ow!..I just stepped on some darned broken kid's toy in the yard..Why I'm gonna chuck that... ...Hey, that bit looks like it might be a good intake valve..and that chunk could be an engine...Hmmm... Now let's just bring this bad boy to the vice and find my razor saw.."       Food for thought.

The esense of "scratchbuilding" is what our friend Kolschey says......................

Forget Hobby Shops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and perfectly done plastic pieces sold at outrageous prices!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........ just Look around thinking " could I make that from this"!!! and suddenly you will "See" materials for your project...Go to a hardware store and "See" possible "pieces" and "bits" that are what you need!!!!.....The O-ring area in the store is your supply of WW1 and Between the Wars tyres!!!!!, with the incredible "acrylics" you find in all kinds of jars in the Paints and supplies , you can "make" anything.....I buy 5 pounds of "Plaster of Paris" for 2 or 3 bucks, lasts me about two or three years, and I make Radial engines, wheels, and even propellers from it........need some engine covers in the fuselage?..just
cut them from regular filing folders........need plastic card?..well just buy a "For Sale" sign at the drug store or if you like the one that says " Beware of the Dog" its ok too!!!!!..they can be found in various thickness....need to make a ribbing effect on the fuselage, no sweat, just
carefully cut long strips of regular 8 x11 writing paper, carefully glue them to the fuselage
and very slowly with a sharp round fine file, file just a little between them to get some corvature...whala!!!!, no one will tell what you used for the effect after that fine paint job!!!!!
....I have even found "special materials" at the supermarket!!!!!...................
You might need the Hobby Shop for paints.....but even that is not absolutly essential, have you seen the "modern" paints around art shops, hardware stores????, they abound.....my wife sews and where she buys thread, they have some very interesting and cheap paints!!!!!!!...................So my friend  DO NOT believe all he Gurus that tell you that scratchbuilding is a mistery...and that you need "special materials".....its a lie!!!!!!its fantasy...those that do are trying to scare you!!!!!! ...................
The great fun of scratchbuilding is that everything around you is possible material for your  project!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can build, and you too, any scale model totally Free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you don´t have to spend a penny to do it, just use the stuff you got at home......some day I´ll take the time and make an aircraft with what´s around me and show you.....
.....Yep, anyone can scratchbuild and do a good job at it.......I keep telling young people that back in the 30´s and 40´s (of the last century!!!) there were no " assembly kits"...all Kits were a "scratchbuilt" project......and know what?...every kid in the block made them!!!!!....no mystery then no mystery now!!!!!!!!

Solid, I have seen quite a few of your planes and now having read your filing comment I would love to see you at work, have you ever thought of doing a short video for say youtube.com?

I used to have a problem when I was trying to recreate something that it "had" to be made from the correct material, metal for metal wood for wood that kind of thing, a friend who is just a great modeler said who cares what its made out of does it look right. End of discussion how could I argue.

I would love to see some of your techniques/steps on how you use the plaster to make parts, since this is an older thread maybe you have already shown it somewhere? I'm a model railroader whp pretty much builds his own structures from scratch in HO 1/87th scale, any tips you could share about how to EVENLY make  something the same way on the left as well as the right? I usually draw one side on a piece of graph paper with a .3 mechanical pencil then fold it on a center I've created and then draw over the lines from the back I've just drawn and it imprints the design onto the blank side( it just transfers some of the lead from the side that I drew)?

Like you I now look at everything with the eye of a modeler, I even go to Michaels arts and crafts store there I look thru their bead section and charms for bracelets, file off the the little loop and paint sometimes thats already done for you as well and you can use them for details, I have bought things like ship steering wheels, a boot for the front of a shoemakers shop and the list goes on. 

I hope someone finds some of this info useful, thanks for any help you can give me, Pat. 

 

Electronic equipment, too-always strip a piece of electronics, before you might throw it out.  Radios, computers, lamps, stereos and speakers-all contain fine-gauge wire and bits of metal and plastic.

And resin casting blocks, from any resin pieces that come with any kit you build.  If you don't just sand the pour stub down, but cut it off, throw it into a jar.

Did we mention to save jars, too?  I use plastic peanut butter jars for storage, and not just on my modeling workbench, but also on my big workbench in the garage.  I use them to sort and store fasteners (nails, screws, nuts and bolts), and all kinds of odds and ends.  On the modeling bench, they hold my groundscaping materials (Celluclay mix, baking soda, used tea leaves), small bits of sprue, spare parts.

Save little jelly or mustard jars, too, like the ones that come in gift boxes.  I use the glass jars for mixing paints, holding small amounts of solvents or spirits for cleaning brushes, etc.

The upshot-we're packrats.

Regards,

Brad

When you shop at your local grocery emporium are you looking for modeling resources or just filling the cart with munchies?

A while back I blogged about scale dimensional lumber. Sure you can get this stuff at the local craft or hobby shop but did you know it can be source affordably at your local grocery store? 

Take a peek down the aisle with the coffee and teas, there amongst the flavor additives and filters you can find wooden stir sticks such as these.

 

Perfect for many modeling scales and applications. Hey they work for stirring coffee too! 

I'll second that, I got a box of them free from the man who delivers coffee to my office (see?  Your mother told you to be nice to people, and it will be repaid you )

I've built tavern tables out of them for 54mm figures, decking for Luftwaffe revetments in 1/72, and I think they might be about the right width for US carrier deck planks in 1/48th, that's the next project.  By contrast, the basswood strips from Michael's are the equivalent length of maybe 6 or 7 coffee stirrers laid end to end, and they cost about $2 apiece.

I think they're the right size for clapboards, too, in 1/72 or HO scale.

Regards,

Brad

  Quikduster -- Just one little bit here . You can stretch sprue to any thickness you want too . tankerbuilder

Awesome ideas, i have just recently started thinking scratchbuilding when i started to super detail my snowspeeder, and have used old electronic parts, watch parts, and various bits of styrene. My thought now is articles on how to do more. Other than model magazines and this forum any other sources for articles and howtos on scratchbuilding?

modelmaniac1967 wrote:

Awesome ideas, i have just recently started thinking scratchbuilding when i started to super detail my snowspeeder, and have used old electronic parts, watch parts, and various bits of styrene. My thought now is articles on how to do more. Other than model magazines and this forum any other sources for articles and howtos on scratchbuilding?

 

This fellow has some good info. As a caveat, you should know that he is VERY opinionated on the subject of what specifically constitutes "model building" versus "kit assembling", but when it comes to the actual craft, he definitely knows what he is talking about.

http://www.culttvman.com/scratchbuilding.html