Sunday
Nov012009
November free model
Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 11:05AM The free crossing tower (actuallt two towers) is now available in the freebies section. these are realy nice kits. we are going to keep it available for the entire month. As always the kits are free. We do ask that if you wish to support our efforts to continue to post free kits, that you make the $1 dollar donation if you can.
Thank you for your support and enjoy the build (send pix)
Thom & Dave
Reader Comments (7)
As always Thanks in Advance
Although there aren't any printed instructions, per se, I can tell you how I might approach building this model.
First, I print out copies of all the pages and plan to spend an evening just making notes. I sit down with a blank pad and jot things down, as I examine the parts (i.e., how much layering, do I want to cut out the windows and put in clear plastic or acetate, should I print out one more of these or one more of those, etc.).
Without having done my note taking, I think that my first step would be to score the folds, then cut out the main structure sides (note to self, print an extra copy and cut out one of the white stiffeners for the middle of the building) [oops, never mind, there's one already printed on page 4]. Before folding the sides and making the building, add as much window and door detail (or any other surface dimensions) as you desire (since I printed out an extra side for the extra stiffener, I now have some extra parts to make the lower window sills a little thicker with an extra layer). If you are going with the board and batten sides, you will have to figure out how to apply the battens. Although the extra layer is printed as a single piece, my own inclination is to take the extra time to cut each one out individually and apply them; it's tedious and takes extra time and skill, but well worth the effort. Then you can begin to fold and create the main structure and make sure to add that central stiffener from page 4. Once that's completed, and ff its O scale, I usually add a shirt-pin (just drill a hole at the spot where the doorknob is printed and insert the pin with a little CAA on the shaft) , at this point, for a door knob and paint it some subdued color.
Planning the stairs and the roof wind up being the same process. You might make a note to yourself, here, for example, to leave a couple shinges out, so that the tarpaper underneath can be seen. There isn't any order other than the logic that you apply to the construction. I have found, for example, that folding the stair treads doesn't work for me. I cut them in half, glue them together, and then edge-paint them with acrylic driftwood and then install them after the paint is dry.
Start with the main body (that should take a couple of evenings, anyway); either page 1 or 2 and see how it goes. Tell us how it is going, then, and what problems you have encountered and I am sure that more suggestions on proceeding will be made by Thom or Dave or any other readers.
Jim
Thanks Jim
Scott, Since Thom and Dave designed the page (as an 8 1/2 x 11) already scaled to HO or O, you should set your Adobe Acrobat Reader to "shrink to printable area" or "fit to printable area" (both do the same thing) rather than normal. As far as I can tell, you won't have the problem and it should scale out correctly.
Jim
Dave