Buildings from Scratch

Hi Alan;

To make roof tiles is quite simple as well.

I will assume you are making flat "Slate" type tiles first. These can be made a couple of ways.

First is the easiest with minimal tools required.

The greyish cradboard backing that comes on pads of paper works best. Take a steel ruler and draw from top to bottom equally spaced lines 1/2" or smaller works best. Next, draw intersecting lines to form the individual tiles. These can be square or slightly rectangular, your choice. Now with a sharp No. 11 blade in your hobby knife slice from top to bottom each strip. Take a pair of scissors and round" off the corners of each tile slightly but do not cut all the way through. Every so often you can "break" a tile by cutting an angled cut from one tile. Now stack your strips and you have a tile sectioned roof.

To make tiles like you see on Italian homes (Terra Cotta Tube Type)

You will need a few more items. Make a jig from scrap sprue pieces of equal diameter, approximately 6 pieces spaced apart about an 1/8" secured to a scrap piece of styrene with Super Glue. Next take a piece of lead foil or similar (Wine Bottle foil works well and can be found easily for next to nothing if you knw a wine drinker) Lay the foil over the jig and burnish (press softly) into the grooves. Once you have completed the press remove the tile section and repeat. Once you have enough to cover the area you place the tiles with one section facing curve up and one curve side down so that they overlap to form the tube like shape. Then you paint accordingly and weather as required.

Since we're on the topic of roofing. Don't forget to line the corners to direct the down run of rainfall. Look at roofing in your area and you will see what I mean. Downspouts/Drainpipes are easy made with drinking straws or tubular type stir sticks scrounged from the local coffee/tea house.

Hope this helps Allan. If you need more info let me know.

Cheers;

Gregory

Hi All

like the idea for the bricks, but do you know any for making roof tiles in 1/35?. many thanks Alan

 

making the bricks is the easy part

the hard part will be putting them together to make a building

it is like putting together  links on armor tracks for hours in (1/48) scale

but your eye doctor will love you $$$   

Glen;

That's what the forum is for. Anything else I can help you with let me know. Be sure to post pics as you progress.

Cheers;

Gregory

Greg

That is a wealth of info to get me started, can't thank you enough.

Glen

Glen;

Here are a few standard measurements for 1/35 scale to get you started. You would do well to find a copy of Roy Porter's book it is full of useful tidbits.

The first is the "true" or real life size the second is the scale size.

Door - 6'6" = 57mm

Window - 4'0" = 35mm

Brick Length* - 9in = 6.4mm

Brick Width* - 41/2in = 3.2mm

Brick Thick* - 3in = 2.1mm

* Brick sizes are subject to small regional and national variations which are not, however, apparent to the casual eye. The sizes above may be regarded as including one course of mortar.

 

Now as far as your idea with DAS modelling clay. It works quite well too. What I do is this. I first make a form of the building that I want to portray using thin plywood. I cut out the door/window openings or cut in any "missing" area that has resulted from battle damage. Once assembled, or at least cut into subassemblies depending on the complexity I drill or score the surface creating small pockets over the entire surface this allows the DAS to adhere better. I cover the surface evenly with DAS and begin sculpting my brickwork with various tools. Most importantly is that your bricks appear straight and even. Once you're done scultping allow the DAS to dry and paint the next evening.

To make your own bricks.

Take a sheet of styrene (any size will do) however it should be of a decent thickness to prevent bending. Glue strips of 2mm thick styrene spaced every 5mm (this includes the 2mm thickness of the strip) until you have covered the surface. Once done and it has dryed with a razor saw or similar cut straight across (intersecting the now horizontal strips) at every 6.5mm. What you have now created is an easy mold for your DAS brickworks. Now all you have to do is roll out the modelling clay and fill the troughs between the strips. You "cut" the bricks with sewing thread stretched across the mold and pulled down into the cuts made every 6.5mm. Depending on how big your mold is you should be able to generate a lot of bricks in a very short time. When each batch is made turn your mold over and they should pop out and your ready to begin again.

I hope this helps. Sorry I took so long in getting back to you. I had to retrieve the book from a friend.

Cheers;

Gregory

Thanks for the reply Gregory.

I've heard of Roy Porter's Model Buildings Masterclass, I'll have to get my hands on it.

I'm interested in 1/25-1/35 scale, from WW2 to present day.

The things you mentioned, standard door heights, brick sizes etc would be really useful, thanks heaps.
I'm toying with the idea of making my own bricks from something like DAS and doing some miniature bricklaying.

Thanks again
Glen

aussie1;

There are plenty of reference books out there to build your own buildings etc. from scratch.

I have two one in Roy Porter's Model Buildings Masteclass and the other is Architectural Modelling in 4mm scale by....not at home right now to check (Rowe is the last name).

Each are excellent books and full of ideas and How-To's

Now if you do not want to buy these. If you can provide me with a few more details I can give you more information as to how to build your building(s) As far as what scale you want to build in, era, locale etc. The reason I ask is most things are generic to all times locations etc. such as standard door heights, brick sizes, etc. (Architect wife) so I have a ready reference at the dinner table every night as well as the books.

 

Cheers;

Gregory