Cardboard mock-ups

[papa smurf37]

We will shortly start laying track on the first part of our new HO sectional layout and the first two industries will be laid out: a local coal & oil dealer using two spurs and a feed & grain mill along a creek. We will again make and use a cardboard mock-up of each structure in both scenes, so we can do them right the first time, saving money and manhours on tracklaying/scenery.
Was curious about how many others make use of mock-ups in laying out their industries and scenes. Maybe you could share tips also, on this.

 

[farmer ron]

Tom, I just posted one on the idea thread, what I do is take the parts of my building, front back and sides, and photocopy them. I then glue these onto a piece of styrofoam. This way I have an exact footprint and view of the building. Very easy to move around so it can be viewed and used to the best advantage. If you have a large complex make several styrofoam parts with the photocopies glued to it, makes it easier to move around.
This gives you a great idea as to how the building will look and the best spot/angle to place it. Another good point is if you have several of them fills the area up and it does not look so vacant, also you can build the building or parts of a complex and add the real one as you go. I have used cardboard mock ups for years and they work great, have changed to the photocopy ones now.
Also works great for kitbashing, just alter the photocopy one until you get it the way you want (or don't want) without ruining anything. If I am adding extras to a building just photocopy them and alter as you wish, when happy just throw origional building plus add on into a plastic zip lock type bag until you are ready to tackle the real one, this way you will not loose the extra parts or use them on another project. Just a thought. Ron..

 

[papa smurf37]

WOW! What a GREAT idea, using photocopied views on foam blocks! THANKS FARMER RON! Since I have a scanner on my pc which gets very little use, I guess I'd better familiarize myself with the operating manual and try this idea!
The grain mill scene will be tricky as there will be old stone mill with operating waterwheel, small lcl loading shed for boxcars, covered auto bridge over creek which will give road access to mill and, of course, rr spur servicing the industry, probably with a grade crossing. TTFN....

 

[farmer ron]

Tom, what I would suggest is that you make the grain mill in sections, do the stone mill in one piece, cut a round piece of styrofoam and glue a photocopy of the water wheel to it and then you can set the water wheel beside the stone house or stick a nail through the center of the wheel and into the stone house and you have a mock up of a working one, ,then do the small lcl shed separately as well as the rr servicing industry of your choice. Good luck and keep us posted on how it going, Ron.

 

[farmer ron]

Forgot to add that we have a scanner and that is what I use to copy my buildings. Just place the building parts (or plans one to one) on the scanner and press copy. As long as the setting is on 100 percent which it normally stays on, you have your copy. If your piece that you want copied is a little larger than what you can scan just do the four corners of what you want scanned then do the middle piece and cut and glue accordingly.
I have made up use of old pencils at various lengths for chimneys, and hydro poles, use pieces of wire if you have a larger buildings and you want to show pipes or connect a couple of things with pipes, awnings - a cut paper clip pushed in on each end and colored paper glued on, if you do not have your track in position as yet use a scrap piece of strait flex track and place a rail car ( usually your highest box car or container car) this will give you not only your clearances but will give you the chance to jockey everything around so everything works and looks the best. Sorry for rambling on but just a few ideas that I use, Ron.

 

[MasonJar]

I have been making a few mock ups to get an idea of how much real estate I need for ceratin buildings. I basically make boxes to the right dimensions for the buildings I want.

Walthers site and/or catalog is good for this as there is often a picture and dimension of the structure you can print out.

I recently made a single-stall engine house by photocopying a scale drawing from one of Kalmbach's books (permission to do so is included in the purchase price of the book!!) and gluing it to box board (cereal box). When dry, I cut it out, sanded the corners to 45 degrees and put it together with hot glue. Added some details like smoke stacks made of straws, and voila...

Two problems with this approach if you do too good a job -

1) You get lazy and never replace the mock-up with the real thing, and

2) Wife won't let you buy the real thing, because the mock-up looks good to her!

Andrew

 

[NYCentral]

I have actually seen many a layout with mock ups that have been there for years!! I think they work very well.

 

[farmer ron]

Forgot to add that we have a scanner and that is what I use to copy my buildings. Just place the building parts (or plans one to one) on the scanner and press copy. As long as the setting is on 100 percent which it normally stays on, you have your copy. If your piece that you want copied is a little larger than what you can scan just do the four corners of what you want scanned then do the middle piece and cut and glue accordingly.
I have made up use of old pencils at various lengths for chimneys, and hydro poles, use pieces of wire if you have a larger buildings and you want to show pipes or connect a couple of things with pipes, awnings - a cut paper clip pushed in on each end and colored paper glued on, if you do not have your track in position as yet use a scrap piece of strait flex track and place a rail car ( usually your highest box car or container car) this will give you not only your clearances but will give you the chance to jockey everything around so everything works and looks the best. Sorry for rambling on but just a few ideas that I use, Ron.

 

[60103]

I mentioned this once before. On a layout tour last year, I saw a freight shed mockup that was made with the extruded plastic foam -- three rectangular pieces, bottom one larger to provide a platform, and a cardboard roof. Paint tuscan or brown. It took me a few viewings to realize what had been done.

 

[MasonJar]

Source for Scale Drawings?

I have done some searching on the Internet for scale drawings of Victorian and other buildings appropriate to 1920s and 1930s Canada and I can't find much.

Does anyone know of a good Internet source for this kind of material? I'd like to be able to make mock-ups as noted above, but without investing in the kits themselves right now.

Thanks.

Andrew