kits

KIT BUILDING
ED SCHULTZ
KIT BUILDING
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FIVE BASIC MATERIALS:
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PLASTIC (STYRENE)
WOOD
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LASER CUT & STANDARD
PLASTER
METAL
RESIN
ADDING DETAILS
PLASTIC KITS
 TYPICALLY
PLASTIC
 DPM
 WALTHERS
 BACHMANN
 CON-COR
STYRENE TYPE
PLASTIC KITS
PLASTIC KITS
PAINTING PLASTIC KITS
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WASH ALL PLASTIC PARTS BEORE
PAINTING/ASSEMBLY
USE ANY TYPE OF SPRAY PAINT (SPRAY
BOMBS)
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RED PRIMER MAKES EXCELLENT BRICK COLOR
WATER BASED PAINTS ALSO WORK
WELL (POLLY S)
CRAFT PAINTS CAN ALSO BE USED
GLUING PLASTIC KITS
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ENSURE SURFACES TO BE BONDED ARE NOT
PAINTED.
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CLEAN ANY PAINT AT THE JOINT TO BE GLUED
IF MODEL HAS BEEN PRE- PAINTED.
SURFACES TO BE BONDED NEED TO BE
FLUSH AND CLEAN
HOLD PIECES TOGETHER AND APPLY GLUE
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DO NOT USE BRUSH THAT COMES WITH LIQUID
GLUE
USE MICRO-BRUSHES FOR GLUE APPLICATION
GLUING PLASTIC KITS
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ONLY ONE TYPE OF GLUE SHOULD BE USED FOR
PLASTIC KITS
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STYRENE COMPATIBLE GLUE (SIMILAR TO MEK)
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TENAX 7R
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TESTORS LIQUID
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TAKES LONGER THAN TENAX
TESTORS GEL
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DRIES IN LESS THAN 10 SECONDS
COMES IN A TUBE
NOT A LIQUID
TAKES ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES TO DRY
LEAVES SOME RESIDUE WHEN DRY
APPLY LIQUID GLUES WITH A MICRO-BRUSH
USE ANY OF THE ABOVE WITH ADEQUATE
VENTILATION!
PLASTIC KITS
PLASTIC KITS
A WORD TO THE WISE…VOICE OF EXPERIENCE!
BUILD SOMETHING SIMILAR TO PREVET GLUE
BOTTLES FROM TIPPING OVER
PLASTIC KITS
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DRAFT ANGLES
USED ON MOLDS TO ENSURE PARTS ARE
EASILY RELEASED
 MOST NOTICABLE ON DPM KITS
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WALL CASTINGS ARE FAIRLY THICK SINCE
DETAIL PARTS ARE CAST ON THEM
DRAFT ANGLE
CASTING
DETAIL SIDE OF
CASTING
MOLD
DESIRED MOLD & CASTING
DRAFT ANGLE
CASTING
DRAFT
ANGLE
DETAIL SIDE OF
CASTING
MOLD
ACTUAL MOLD & CASTING
DRAFT ANGLE
BUILDING SIDE
LARGE GAP.
INADEQUATE
GLUING
SURFACE.
BUILDING FRONT
DRAFT ANGLE
BUILDING SIDE
SAND SQUARE
BEFORE
GLUING
BUILDING FRONT
WOOD KITS
WOOD KITS
WOOD KITS
WOOD KITS
WOOD KITS
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TWO BASIC TYPES OF WOOD KITS
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HAND CUT
 EARLY WOOD KITS HAD TO BE HAND CUT
 NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN SCRATCH
BUILDING
SOME HAD CUT LINES DRAWN ON WOOD. OTHERS
CAME WITH CLEAR ACETATE TEMPLATES
QUALITY CRAFT
GLOOR CRAFT
JL INNOVATIVE (EARLY)
N SCALE ARCHITECT (EARLY)
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WOOD KITS
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TWO BASIC TYPES OF WOOD KITS
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LASER KITS
 LASER, OPERATED BY A CAD PROGRAM,
PRECUTS ALL WOOD PARTS
NORMALLY EXCELLENT FIT
BAR MILLS
NORTHEASTERN SCALE MODELS
AMERICAN MODEL BUILDERS (LASER ART)
CREATIVE DESIGNS
BRANCHLINE KITS
GC LASER
BLAIR LINE
JL INNOVATIVE
N-SCALE ARCHITECT
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WOOD KITS
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PAINTING
TO PREVENT WOOD FROM WARPING USE
PLAIN SPRAY PAINT
 PRIME BOTH SIDES WITH SEVERAL
LIGHT COATS BEFORE ASSEMBLY
 USE AN AUTOMOTIVE GRAY PRIMER
 IF SPRAY PAINTING CANNOT BE DONE,
USE SEVERAL LIGHT COATS OF WATER
BASED ACRYLIC PAINT
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DRY BRUSH EACH COAT.
USE INTERNAL BRACING
WOOD KITS

INTERNAL BRACING
1/8” BASS WOOD WORKS WELL FOR
BRACING.
 USE CAUTION WHEN ADDING BRACING AS
IT MAY INTERFERE WITH A WINDOW OR
DOOR ON AN ADJACENT WALL.
 CHECK ON ALIGNMENT IF TABS ARE USED
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INTERNAL BRACING
WOOD KITS

PAINTING (CON’T)
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AFTER PRIMING, BUILDING CAN BE
PAINTED USING ANY TYPE OF PAINT
 CAN BE PAINTED BEFORE ASSEMBLY
 APPLY LIGHT COATS OVER THE GREY
PRIMER TO GET AN AGED LOOK.
 USE SMALL AMOUNTS OF PAINT IF
BRUSHING WITH WATER BASED PAINT
WOOD KITS
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GLUING
USE WOOD GLUE
 EITHER WHITE OR YELLOW WILL WORK
 YELLOW SETS FASTER AND HOLDS
BETTER
 SUPER GLUE
 WALTHERS GOO
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WOOD KITS
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TRIM ASSEMBLY
WOOD KITS
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WINDOW/DOOR ASSEMBLY
WOOD KITS
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ROOFING MATERIALS
PAPER SHINGLES
FROM PAPER
CREEK. NO
LONGER IN
BUSINESS. MAY BE
ABLE TO STILL
FIND.
WOOD KITS
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ROOFING MATERIALS
BLACK PAPER
STRIPS TO
REPRESENT
ROLLED TAR
PAPER. USUALLY
COMES WITH
MOST KITS
PLASTER KITS
PLASTER KITS
PLASTER KITS
PLASTER KITS
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TWO MANUFATURERS
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DOWNTOWN DECO
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MAKES NICE LOOKING “ACROSS THE TRACKS”
KITS
MONROE MODELS
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VARIOUS KITS INCLUDING HIGHWAY
OVERPASSES
PLASTER KITS
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GLUING PLASTER KITS
YELLOW GLUE
 EPOXY
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PLASTER KITS HAVE DRAFT ANGLE
SIMILAR TO DPM KITS
WALLS NEED TO BE SQUARED OFF
BEFORE GLUING
 USE SMALL DIAMETER TUBING TO
REPRESENT DOWN SPOUTS AT WALL
JOINTS
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PLASTER KITS
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PAINTING PLASTER KITS
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PRIME FIRST
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PLASTER WILL ABSORB PAINT IF NOT PRIMED
NO WINDOW OPENINGS
PLASTER WALLS TOO THICK
 PAINT WINDOW OPENINGS BLACK BEFORE
INSERTING WINDOW FRAMES
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METAL KITS
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MICRO-STRUCTURES by MILLER ENGINEERING
MICRON-ART
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DIFFICULT TO GET RAISED TEXTURE ON ETCHED METAL
COMPONENTS
ACC (SUPER GLUE) IS RECOMMENDED BY MANUFACTURER
RESISTANCE SOLDERING WILL ALSO WORK
NEEDS TO BE PRIMED BEFORE PAINTING
RESIN (URETHANE) KITS
 EARLY
MAGNUSON MODELS
 PERIOD MINIATURES
RESIN (URETHANE) KITS
RESIN (URETHANE) KITS
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NOT MADE ANYMORE
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RESIN KITS SIMILAR TO DPM
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CAN BE HEATED ON OVEN (125°F) AND THEN FLATTENED
CASTINGS TENDED TO HAVE AIR BUBBLES
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ALL ITEMS ARE CAST ON
DRAFT ANGLE ISSUE
TENDED TO WARP
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AVAILABLE ON AFTERMARKET
NEEDED TO BE FILLED, SANDED
SUPER GLUE OR EPOXY WORK
MUST BE WASHED AND THEN PRIMED FOR
PAINTING
ADDING DETAILS
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ROOF DETAILS
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MOST ROOFS ARE VISIBLE ON LAYOUTS
AFTER-MARKET ITEMS AVAILABLE
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VENTS, CHIMNEYS, PIPES, A/C UNITS, DUCTS
MOST LARGE BUILDINGS HAVE WATER TANK ON
TOP
TAR LINES
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ADD TAR LINES AT WALL/ROOF JOINTS, WHERE TWO
DIFFERENT ANGLED ROOFS COME TOGETHER OR WHERE
ROOF DETAILS ARE ATTACHED
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MIX POLLY S ‘STEAM POWER BLACK’ AND WHITE GLUE TO MAKE ‘TAR’. DO
NOT USE YELLOW GLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
APPLY WITH A TOOTHPICK
TV ANTENNAS FROM GOLD MEDAL MODELS
ADDING DETAILS
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BUILDING DETAILS
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FIRE ESCAPES
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ADD FIRE ESCAPES MADE BY GOLD MEDAL MODELS TO ANY URBAN
SETTING BUILDING
ADDING DETAILS
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BUILDING DETAILS
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CLUTTER
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ADD PALLETS, BOXES, FUEL TANKS, BARRELS, FORK LIFTS AND PEOPLE TO
INDUSTRIAL AREAS.
IN URBAN AREAS ADD SHOPPING CARTS TO STORE FRONTS
PARKING METERS
CURBSIDE TRASH CANS
SIGNS
WINDOWS
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ADD WINDOW TREATMENTS TO WINDOWS
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FILL IN STORE FRONT WINDOWS WITH CURTAINS OR PHOTOS SCALED DOWN
BUILDING SIDES
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CURTAINS, BLINDS, SHADES
ADD SIGNS OR BILLBOARDS
ADD SMALL DIAMETER TUBING TO REPRESENT DOWNSPOUTS
APPLY A WASH OF INDIA INK AND ALCOHOL TO AGE THE MODEL
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WORKS ESPECIALLY WELL ON WOOD KITS
BUILDING KITS
 QUESTIONS