Semi-detached house

spitfire

Active Member
After searching online for a Toronto-style house with no success, I have decided to scratchbuild one.

There are a lot of nice house kits out there, but they all seem to be wood, clapboard, etc, and in Toronto, virutally all houses are brick. In fact, I can recall from driving trips to the US, that the minute you crossed the border, houses changed from brick to frame.

Anyway, here's the prototype. I like this style of house because it's not too fancy, and they can be found all over town. Gotta love the real estate biz, where "semi-detached" actually means "attached"!!!!

Val
 

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spitfire

Active Member
I spent yesterday afternoon working on the components. The first story is brick and the second story is siding. I was planning on using materials that I have on hand, but had to make a little trip to the LHS for a few more windows and shingles for the roof.

Couldn't find the shingles. It seems there's lots of cedar shakes and ratty tarpaper, but nothing that actually looks like standard shingles.

Any suggestions?

Val
 

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TrainClown

Member
You can make shingles out of sand paper. Just go to Canadian Tire and pick a few sheets that look to be the right texture. If you mix the grits you can get quite a nice effect, just like are on some roofs. As for cutting them out, that would depend on what look you wanted. A little experiment would help you decide.

TrainClown ;)
 

60103

Pooh Bah
Val: I was working on a model and the suggestion was wet-and-dry sandpaper for shingles. You can get it in a dark grey colour that looks like shingles.
Cut it into strips with scissors and then cut slots to look like the individual shingles.
Don't use your mother's best scissors -- Home Depot sells a nice pair with orange handles for a few dollars.
 

shaygetz

Active Member
spitfire said:
In fact, I can recall from driving trips to the US, that the minute you crossed the border, houses changed from brick to frame.

Val

...that's cuz us folks down here in Floridia hafta make our homes kinda semi-disposable :p

I make my shingles from 400 grit sandpaper cut in scale 1' strips and notched every 9".
 

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Tyson Rayles

Active Member
Well it's later today, where are them pics at ???? :D :D :D There are 2,000 people here on the edge of their seats with anticpation! :D :wave: :D Your project is looking great so far, looking forward to the end results! :)
 

spitfire

Active Member
Hey there Tyson - hold your horses!!!!!!

As promised, here is my progress so far. I've made the pillars for the front of the house, finished cutting all the holes for the windows, and painted the brick, and dormer. The left side of the building won't be seen, so those poor people don't get any windows on the side.

Val
 

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spitfire

Active Member
Thanks Gary!

I came back from dinner out, and decided to put the four walls together. The next step will be creating front and back porches.

Val
 

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Matthyro

Will always be re-membered
Very nice Val. This one is going to be a real charmer. With real estate values going through the roof do I dare ask how much this one will be worth?
 

Nscalemodeler

New Member
Wow, it looks great. You're an inspiration to those of use just starting back into the hobby. It's amazing what can be done with so little. :thumb:
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
Wow Gary, that fire escape is fantastic!!!!!! Did you actually make it strip by strip? I can only dream about having that kind of patience.
Val,
I think you already have that kind of patience, you just haven't recognized it yet.
The house is looking good! can't wait to see it completed. :thumb: :thumb:
(I guess I don't have THAT kind of patience) :D :D
Pete
 

Arlaghan

Member
Val,

That's looking great! I, too, am awaiting progress eagerly. :)
I also agree with Pete - I can tell you have it in you to do wonderful scratch-made items... Why not give it a shot for your next project?
 

spitfire

Active Member
Thanks a lot my friends! Your encouragement is really helpful. I just got home from work and will have some more progress to report soon. :)

Val
 

spitfire

Active Member
Well, I spent quite a lot of time tonight making the enclosed porch for the house on the right. A lot of fitting around the pillars was required. I'm not sure if it's going to show up in this shot, but there are 2 kinds of siding used - which, believe me, is very prototypical!!! :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Anyway, I just discovered my white paint has dried up, so I can't do any more on the porch until I get some more.

I also need scale 2x4s for the back porches, and sandpaper for the roof.

More to come.....

Val
 

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