Scratchbuilding: What's your philosophy?

[Dr. Cranky]

Then you get people like me that seem to screw yourself up somehow

Andy, you've got to cut yourself some slack and also give yourself a pat on the back for not only trying but for being here learning everything you can. When I was your age (I know what you are thinking, OH NO NOT ONE OF THOSE STORIES!) there were not such places as forums, and so whatever we learned as model builders we learned mostly through trial and error, by ourselves. Sometimes with an older family member, dad, uncle, teaching us what they knew. Now the learning curve is sped of because of this wonderful forum community where you can pick up all sorts of tips, techniques, and inspiration round the clock, 24/7.

[Chuck Doan]

Good info Virgil. I use that Dremel pistol tool all the time.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Chuck Doan

[Dr. Cranky]

Thanks for tuning in, Chuck, and you are one of those builders I know who is constantly fabricating stuff that doesn't exist!

The Dremel Stylus is tool Art as far as I'm concerned. What can I tell you? It was love at first sight!

[Casey]

A perfect post for the Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials section. Box stock builder's gonna hate!

[Chuck Most]

All the tools I have ever needed (besides the organic ones Dave pointed out earlier) are the basics- Xacto blades and handle, a cutting mat, metal rulers, a good set of shears, and of course raw materials- styrene, aluminum, adhesives, etc.

Never owned a lathe, but I've found my trusty old Black and Decker cordless drill can be improvised into one when the need arises.

[Dr. Cranky]

Chuck Most, you mentioned shears and it's the one tool I seem to be missing in the lot. I guess a good metal shear will also work on styrene sheet. Or a pair of scissors.

Did you see Chuck Doan's dremel turned lightbulb? Boy, I love this hobby! Sometimes it's just pure eye candy!

[Chuck Most]

My Dremels (one multispeed and one single speed) get pressed into service as makeshift lathes every so often as well, though I do have to say I've never tried whittling a scale light bulb with one. Since that particular project has been done already, maybe I'll try making a CFL in 1:25.

[Dr. Cranky]

And let me also clarify that Scratch-building is not just strictly defined by that which you build out of metal, wood, styrene. Case in point, here's one of those instances when you hit your head and say: Why didn't I think of that?!

Again, to a great source of information and eye candy, Mr. Ken Hamilton. Check this out:

http://public.fotki.com/khamilton/models/model_how-to/how_to_make_a_mexic/

Edited February 3, 2012 by Dr. Cranky

[Bernard Kron]

Great thread. I hope it expands to reflect the experiences of lots of other builders.

Just a general comment on scratch building along the lines of what Dave was saying. Too often, in many things, not just scratch building and/or modeling, people wait around for the "official" things to come into their lives in order to try something. This is hardly news, we all do it. I was reminded of this when I saw all those lovely tools. This is a trap we all must be careful to avoid, as much fun as acquiring great new tools and materials can be.

Scratch building starts when you need to put something into your model that isn't in your box of parts or your kit stash, and isn't on the instruction sheet. But it is most definitely in your head and heart and needs to come out. The tools on your bench are really secondary, although it would be naive and disingenuous of me to claim that anything can be done with just spare chewing gum and scraps of lint. It's always a battle between what you want to get done and what you're able to do, but progress comes from trying, not waiting.

All of which is to encourage everyone to make something from what you've got at hand and add it to your build. You'll be amazed at the excitement you'll feel of having added your own dimension to your model, of having stepped beyond the confines of the kit designer's vision, and perhaps knowing that you were able to create your own "model within a model". The tools and techniques will come as time and budgets allow, but the excitement may very well never depart.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Bernard Kron

[car-man666]

mine is hooked on a old sewing machine pedal, it give me the ability to get the speed i want to my dremel tool, the only modifs i made is to change the terminal that plug in the sewing machine to a wall electrical unit, picture please:

it make the tool almost to a stand still, of course you will need to master you're feet to give the right pressure for the right speed

Edited February 3, 2012 by car-man666

[Dr. Cranky]

Amen to that, Bernard!

[MikeMc]

mine is hooked on a old sewing machine pedal, it give me the ability to get the speed i want to my dremel tool, the only modifs i made is to change the terminal that plug in the sewing machine to a wall electrical unit, picture please:

it make the tool almost to a stand still, of course you will need to master you're feet to give the right pressure for the right speed

A dimmer switch is much easier to set to one speed.

[Bernard Kron]

I thought I'd share some scratch building from the dark ages before I had an income and before car modeling became the sophisticated endeavour it is today. I've showed this before so apologies to those who've seen it. It's from when I was a kid, the only model to have survived the decades, which I leave untouched as a reminder of a bygone age. It's a small block Chevy powered dragster made from both chassis in the Revell Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit, because wheelbases were getting longer literally by the month. But what's important here is that I made the body from index cars using a pair of scissors. I know, the result is hardly show quality, even during that period, but I was fiercely proud of the result at the time, and in its way, it still resonates with me today.

I was big into index cards at the time. Here's an old picture of a race team setup I made using index cards and sprue:

[Dr. Cranky]

Bernard, love the pictures and the background story. One of my biggest regrets in this hobby (I could not help it) is that I didn't keep any of the first models I built when I was a kid. I either destroyed them or my mother threw the last of them out when I went away to college. She gave away my entire collection of N gauge locomotives, but that's another story.

I think keeping your first build around is a great morale booster and a constant inspiration.

By the way the last photograph in black and white, is that a model you still have in your collection? I ask only in that I would love to see recent pictures of it now.

[car-man666]

A dimmer switch is much easier to set to one speed.

i already have the dimmer on the tool, i use the pedal as a sculpting method,

[jerseyjunker1]

here is my main customizing tools.

[Rob McKee]

Thanks for the idea of jack stands Doc.

I am going to make some of those this weekend. I have seen them used in magazines before and have been looking for them for years. All along I could've just made them myself.

Great thread. I look forward to seeing more projects like the jack stands.

[Bernard Kron]

...By the way the last photograph in black and white, is that a model you still have in your collection? I ask only in that I would love to see recent pictures of it now.

No, I only have three b&w Instamatic snapshots of the build, two of the rail and the one of the set you see. The SBC dragster is the only build that survived, and that only because my mother liked it and kept it after I left home. Unfortunately, she's the one who bought the plastic case and glued the model to the base! (A "Survivors" thread might be an interesting idea, 'though...)

BTW, I promise to contribute more current scratch building comments and experiences to this thread, honest!

Edited February 3, 2012 by Bernard Kron

[Old Sprinter]

I scratch build most everything and don't have a big assortment of tools. Cordless drill, X knife,Dremel tool, compass, architectual scale, sissors, soldering gun and some pencils is the extent of what I have and use. The fun part is figuring out how you're going to make something look real. The illusion. I don't even own a airbrush, I just rattle can all my stuff or hand paint it. I don't enter contest so for me, it's just about having fun creating something from nothing. Plus there's no instructions to have to follow or rules about what you can or can't do. The more you scratch build the more you find usefull little stuff around the house or garage. Like I build my tires and wheels out of PVC water pipe, some of the time. The sky is the limit as to what you can build from scratch.and it is cheaper than a kit. Example is the late model I'm building, posted in the Big Boyz section, I will at the end have about $80 invested in the whole car. Impossible to buy a kit in 1/8 scale for less than that and it's different, not a T-bucket. So I say if you never tried; jump in with both feet, make some mistakes and learn how to build from scratch. It's rewarding

Edited February 3, 2012 by Old Sprinter

[Eshaver]

Virgil, would you beleive I just use a Mitre box , a couple of Zona saws , and a lot of Bondo ???????? Ed Shaver

[pharr7226]

Cont.

Step 5:

Step 6:

Results:

It took all but 20 minutes and it was some of the best fun I had on the bench.

Oh Yeah! I gotta try that. Thanks Dr. Cranky.

[wgflatliner]

I like to do some metal tube work. Most of it is to simulate intercooler pipes or intake pipes, custom exhaust, velocity stacks, etc.

I like my tube benders and also a tube cutter, both from k&s engineering.

http://brodak.com/tools/tubing-bender/k-and-s-tubing-bender-kit.html

http://www.ehobbies.com/k-s296.html

I also use miter boxes and razor saws for angled cuts.

Not a vivid imagination by any means, but it works.

[Erik Smith]

All the tools I have ever needed (besides the organic ones Dave pointed out earlier) are the basics- Xacto blades and handle, a cutting mat, metal rulers, a good set of shears, and of course raw materials- styrene, aluminum, adhesives, etc. Never owned a lathe, but I've found my trusty old Black and Decker cordless drill can be improvised into one when the need arises.

I agree with Chuck. You really don't need to spend a lot of money to scratch build. Here are a few items I built with Chuck's list of tools plus a few files, which are pretty indispensable when shaping styrene:

Oil pan for Hemi:

Start with the basic shape (I laminated some strips to get a larger piece)

Careful filing and constant checking

and you can make

Here is an ejection seat I am making for a T-Bird:

Again, basic tools - scissors, pliers, files, and an x-acto knife:

This engine is a 1/32 scale Nissan engine. Exhaust manifold was cut to shape with a jewelers saw (mini coping saw) and files:

The biggest limitation is your own apprehension. If you really want to build something, you can.

Also, don't be afraid to make mistakes. What you often see is the final product - you don't see all the failed attempts another build did to get the desired result.

[W-409]

Here's one very easy scratch-building project that I recommend everyone starting out try, and trust me, it will put a big, BIG smile on your face.

So I show you this, the basic components:

That's great idea how to scratchbuild that thing (don't know, what it is called in English). Needs to try, my Junkyard Mustang project could be lying on those parts...

[LAone]

im liking this thread. wheres the "like" button??lols

you can add this to the list of needs

scale calculator

http://jbwid.com/scalcalc.htm

i found this very helpful when i made my MSD box and coil for my 510.