[Ozzie21]

As pointed out by a poster on a previous thread we wandered off track and started a topic within a topic. So I've started a new topic Kit building! fun or torture!! How many of us have heard about a particular kit of such and such a model, bought it, got home only to find that it's thousand parts with an instruction sheet that reads " Fit parts 1 to 1000 and see picture". I can remember back when kits came with exploded diagrams and written instructions on how to put them together. Now you get a picture with lots of little symbols and arrows and a picture of a finished product and you build it and it looks nothing like the picture. The Dapol kits are fairly simple although they are starting to show their age as the moulds are starting to wear. The Cooper Craft kits are really good with excellent detail, Romford wheels, brass bearings but the instructions could use a little work. Parkside are similar in quality and both have an excellent range. Walthers and IHC, both american, have an excellent range of building kits that could be modified to suit for say industrial buildings and if you want a massive turntable Walthers have one though I doubt that any English modeller would need a 120' turntable. So how many kits do you build? Plastic, card, metal? No need to limit this to plastic buildings and rolling stock as there are quite a few metal kits out there.

Ozzie21

 

[Ozzie21]

Dennis, It wa quite common for me when I was teenager and getting 2quid a week to scratch build a building from carboard, actually artist board which is a bit thicker and better quality, and cover it with brickpaper. I used to make buildings from plans in MRC and RM. I built a lot of Alan Downes plans from RM. I think the series was called " In Search of Realism " in the early seventies.

Ozzie21

QUOTE (Dennis David @ 4 Apr 2006, 13:03)I've build kits by Piko, Kibri, Pola, Vollmer and Faller, Vollmer had the best instructions but I end up buying the buildings I fancy from whoever makes them. Never had any need to resort to cardboard for buildings though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

[Ozzie21]

Yes you have to love those ancient Airfix kits, their like a Timex take a beating and keep on ticking along. I'm in the process of bashing together a couple of water tanks to make a larger version and at $12 each they are a bargin. Ahh Superquick I see from your post they haven't changed still as much fun as ever. I'll have to get one now as it's been over 30yrs since I've built one and I like a challenge. As for the European stuff well Heljan and Faller I remember and Kirbri was a bit expensive so I didn't build them. Maybe I'll find something like Bath Green Park In amongst that lot.

Ozzie21

QUOTE (cig1705 @ 4 Apr 2006, 22:11)Kit building. Depends on manufacturer!

I hate Superquick kits. Every time I build them, it says something about some part of which I'm unsure, and then it takes me five minutes to scour the sheets for the correct part. By then, I've lost where I was on the instruction sheet (Normally, there are about four "instructions", each containing 30-odd sub-parts

)!

Plastic kits- love 'em to bits. A lot of the buildings in my possession have been hacked about from Airfix kits- they go together really well, and are the "other side" of kit building. I'm modelling a preserved rail centre at the mo', and the Airfix prairie is ideal- particularly when you add a bit of detail, and knock it about to make it look like a "bog standard" 5100 class tank, ex-Barry (of course!).

German HO kits are also a joy to build. They can be quite complex, but are very satisfying, and so long as you just keep on doing what it says in the instructions, you'll get what you want...

Kind Regards,

RM
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

[Ozzie21]

Spongebob, The DJH kits aren't difficult to build but they are time consuming depending on the method of construction you use. There are two ways to build them by a combination of glues usually epoxy and superglue, and by soldering. I don't like the glue method so I solder everyone. Now soldering a kit is not without it's hazards as you can use two methods either standard solder or low temp solder. Standard solder works great on brass etchings though you have to be careful of the size of the etching as the bigger the part the more heat it'll take to get the joint to solder but it's to hot for whitemetal and will just melt it away. Kits with whitemetal and brass etchings require both types as white metal has to low temp soldered. For that you need a good temperature controlled iron and a good non acid flux and some basic hand tools including a taper reamer. DJH instruction sheets are okay though not as concise as the Australian kit instruction sheets. The NSWGR AD 60 Garrett, of which I've built two, has about 25 pages in it's instruction sheets and would probably be the most time consuming one to build. The most difficult one I've built is the NSWGR 57class heavy mountain 4-8-2. This was a 3 clyinder loco with Gresley conjugating valve gear mounted on the front of the footplate. This is replicated in working form. One major difference between kits for both countries is ours come complete with wheels, Markit/Romford RP25 drivers, Motor usually a Mashima and a gearbox usually NWSL and of course ours are to HO scale and not to OO though in terms of loading gauge ours isn't that much bigger. And yes get get off your butt and have a go. Ohh and if you do get a small glass fibre brush, great for cleaning castings and etchings prior to soldering.

Ozzie21

QUOTE (spongebob @ 5 Apr 2006, 08:07)I got the metcalfe kits a couple of years ago but after the superquick footbridge incident decided against assembling them. I reckon I'll need a fair few platform kits as I would love to run a full length HST and 225 set. With coaches a foot plus in length it may have to remain a dream.
I have seen the 2 DJH starter loco's and wouldn't mind having a go at one of them. Maybe have to get off my butt and go do some modelling soon.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

[Ozzie21]

Yes that can happen. My first attempts were all rolling stock, guards vans, s & k trucks and like. My first kit was an 18 class similar to a 3F jinty. Then I just kept going. Sure the first couple had some minor hassles but you can always go back and fix that. The most fun is fitting DCC but that's another story.

Ozzie21

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 5 Apr 2006, 10:31)Whether a kits any good or not really depends on the manufacturer and whether they can be bothered putting in decent instructions.

I've found the German plastic kits Vollmer Faller, all pretty good. The Walthers plastic ones are good but DPM are a bit vague on instructions.

Metcalfe are pretty good, Superquik are a bit lacking instructions wise. Hornby and Peco kits are pretty easy but they are also pretty basic. The Town street models are straight forward to assemble. The main issue is getting plaster to stick to plaster.

I only ever attempted one loco kit which was an Australian one. Can't remember the makers name, was from somewhere in New South Wales though. That pretty much put me off. It was awkward to assemble and ended up costing more than

a ready to run and to be honest it doesn't look that great. At the end of the day while I enjoy making kits, I am going to spend more time running a train than building it. So after that experience I no longer bother with Loco kits. While after building a few you may gain the skills to make perfect kit loco, I don't have the money to waste with the first few attempts going wrong.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

[Ozzie21]

I've bought two Skaledale buildings, Goods shed and the latest signal box.I find them really good and excellent value for money. I'll also save me time building things. baseboards and rolling stock no problem but I find building construction a bore and something I'd rather avoid.

Ozzie21