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Post by ztrack on May 24, 2017 19:59:25 GMT -5
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Post by Commodore on May 24, 2017 21:36:59 GMT -5
Thanks Rob... Those do look good...
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2017 0:47:46 GMT -5
Yes, I did mean those town buildings ; the contryside buildings are rather "japanese". In Germany they are sold under the Rokuhan name, Noch is only the distributor/reseller. PS : a few minutes ago I saw a message from Shapeways, they changed their prices for FUD.
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Post by neverland on May 30, 2017 20:49:14 GMT -5
For forced perspective for the long views I've found some micro structure kits made out of card stock on Etsy. They come pre-scored so are easy to bend & glue. They take paint well & I even glued colored cellophane on the Inside of the windows that looks awesome when lit with LEDs. You can create a small hillside village in the distance for $20.
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Post by Commodore on Jun 2, 2017 9:48:58 GMT -5
For forced perspective for the long views I've found some micro structure kits made out of card stock on Etsy. They come pre-scored so are easy to bend & glue. They take paint well & I even glued colored cellophane on the Inside of the windows that looks awesome when lit with LEDs. You can create a small hillside village in the distance for $20. I saw them, the white ones? Etsy has some different card stock models, as well.
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Post by neverland on Jun 2, 2017 21:23:38 GMT -5
Yes, they are quite easy to assemble & paint. I glue yellow cellophane to the insides of the windows & insert a warm LED light through the hole in the bottom. The seller has kits for coastal structures, Tudor, townhouses, & cottages.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 15:54:50 GMT -5
Hello again ... Now I have already built several kits : some made of plastic (Kibri, Vollmer, Faller) and some Archistories kits. I must say, all look fine once built. The only thing I mean is that plastic seems more "resistent" than cardboard (and perhaps thin wood like for other laser cuts). I wonder how laser-cuts, either cardboard or wood, will look in several years, compared to plastic ? The materials aren't they "moisture sensitive" ? This is important because the initial work to assemble a laser kit is about three times the work for a plastic kit. I don't wanna spend more time to build things which are less durable. Unfortunately I live near the Rhine, and in summer humidity goes up to 80%. I remember that in the past I lived in another village with less humidity. I spent several years to build a layout with Arnold tracks. They looked fine, realistic black, when there were NEW. But then came the problem with the ... RUST !
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Post by markm on Jul 3, 2017 16:27:44 GMT -5
So far I've been happy with my laser cuts, but I go a bit beyond the instructions. Before I start, I like to use spray shellac as a sealer, both sides. During assembly I like to add 1x1mm wood strips to key inside corners. Not only does it add rigidity but makes them light-tight.
Some of the kits also use peel-and-stick materials. You can't use the shellac on those, it would damage the adhesive. So far I haven't had any problems but I wonder how well the adhesive will adhere over the years.
A couple of kits have also used unspecified synthetic material, like a phenolic. For those I've just followed the directions and so far, so good.
Mark
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 16:56:44 GMT -5
I think I will rather "bet" on plastic ; some former houses by Kibri and Vollmer are still available on the bay, they look "standard", I must only avoid half-timbered houses ... And there is still Shapeways !
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Post by neverland on Jul 3, 2017 17:14:31 GMT -5
There's huge variation in laser kits. Some, like GCLaser & Stonebridge are substantial & fit together nicely. Others are so flimsy that a bit too much paint or glue & the components swell & fall apart. I've wasted good money on the latter. Brass structures are beautiful but I lack the skills to model these at the moment. I haven't worked with plastic yet but suspect they will hold up to heat & humidity better than some of the composite materials.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2017 17:36:28 GMT -5
I wanted to take the "scandinavian" houses by Archistories as "american" village houses, I think they could fit ... But if I take a standard Kibri house, paint it with dark red or blue and add white profiles by Evergreen at the corners, it looks almost the same !
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Post by neverland on Jul 3, 2017 18:16:47 GMT -5
I wanted to take the "scandinavian" houses by Archistories as "american" village houses, I think they could fit ... But if I take a standard Kibri house, paint it with dark red or blue and add white profiles by Evergreen at the corners, it looks almost the same ! I agree about the Archistories Scan-style houses. They fit in well on a US landscape.
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Post by markm on Jul 3, 2017 19:59:34 GMT -5
The plastic structures last forever. I have Kibri and Märklin that go back to the 1980s. You can also strip them and repaint if you get bored with them. Many of the details are oversized. I like to replace downspouts with a more appropriate size wire. Brick is also oversized and I like to cover it (or at least break it up) with vines.
I find the laser structures more dimensionally correct and reasonably durable. I augment the structures as mentioned above. If you want to try one that is inexpensive and easy to build, I'd suggest a GClaser barn or outhouse. Both are prototypical for the past 100 years.
Brass detail is great not much harder than plastic. You need a good pair of cutting pliers and most kits are designed to be glued, although some of us old guys will still solder.
I think something that helps with all my buildings, regardless of type, is that I try to build them as scenes: a downtown city block, a farm yard, a corner gas station mounted on a stabilizing substrate. Then I mount the scene.
Mark
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Post by neverland on Jul 3, 2017 20:23:28 GMT -5
I just finished the GCLaser barn & found it sturdy & easy to assemble. I did not like the paper shingles so made templates from card stock, glued them on the roof panels & then painted it with Testors silver paint. When the paint was almost dry I scribed lines to look like raised seam roofing. Afterwards applied a thin coat of matte modge podge to fill the silver.
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