Barn scratchbuild


49fordv8f4

Well-Known Member
I am building a copy of my wife's Grandfather's barn for the layout. The barn was built 1945-50 from southern yellow pine and was never painted. I have to order some strap hinges for the doors, but I will install them after they are weathered and the barn is weathered. Here are a few photos and a couple photos of the prototype. Thanks!
Alfred.jpg
Alfred's Barn 2.jpg
Alfred's Barn 3.jpg
Alfred's Barn 5.jpg
Alfred's Barn 6.jpg
Alfred's Barn 7.jpg
Alfred's Barn 8.jpg
Alfred's Barn 9.jpg
 
Oh how I like to see something out of the ordinary. Not something seen often on layouts. Not only individualistic, but means a lot.
Will follow with interest.

David
Thank You! I really do enjoy scratchbuilding copies of local buildings. So far, I have built my wife's Great Grandparents house, a church and a country store. This is probably the last building for the layout. Thanks again.
 
A detail on the original structure I really think stands out: The vertical opening (maybe 18" to 24" tall?) held in place by the slat-rotating pin on the right (and I therefore assume is hinged on the left, but on the other side. Given that the other three hinges just above are visible out front.

I built a structure 30-odd years back which had a similar remnant of a door (using a stone sill) above what was later a wider garage door--incorporating a wider stone sill). Hoping to find someone who can tell me where I found the plans for it, but I still can't find it.

But this kind of thing you are doing here is part of why we even scratchbuild structures like this one in the first place, right? Because they are all ones of a kind.

----

Like the others here, I look forward to seeing the rest. Go, man, go!
 
A detail on the original structure I really think stands out: The vertical opening (maybe 18" to 24" tall?) held in place by the slat-rotating pin on the right (and I therefore assume is hinged on the left, but on the other side. Given that the other three hinges just above are visible out front.

I built a structure 30-odd years back which had a similar remnant of a door (using a stone sill) above what was later a wider garage door--incorporating a wider stone sill). Hoping to find someone who can tell me where I found the plans for it, but I still can't find it.

But this kind of thing you are doing here is part of why we even scratchbuild structures like this one in the first place, right? Because they are all ones of a kind.

----

Like the others here, I look forward to seeing the rest. Go, man, go!
Thank You! That 24" space is actually part of the front of the barn between the lower feed room door and the two hay loft doors above it. The piece of wood at an angle that looks like a turn latch for a door is a batten that has come loose. My oldest son owns the property with the barn now and is planning on repairing it. I really enjoy scratchbuilding one of a kind structures like this. Thanks again.
 
I added door latches to the doors and primed the barn walls Saturday with Testors flat grey enamel. I will brush paint the roofing with Testors flat aluminum enamel. I received the hinges Monday and the Vallejo weathering paint for the wood today. I am looking forward to painting in the next few days. Here are a few photos. Thanks.
Alfred's Barn primed 1.jpg
Alfred's Barn primed 2.jpg
DSC08453 (2).JPG
Vallejo paint.jpg
 
Good luck with the wood, I have seen some ship modelers do a wonderful job on plastic wooden decks. Both the greatest quality of styrene is its smooth neatness, but also its greatest drawback to overcome. Maybe the best old structures I have sen were from individual wood strips. Of course these buildings weren't always old, something to remember building a period scene.

Love doing scratch work fro it's one of ness. Cheers: Tom
 
I also like scratch building and also believe it does require a certain skill and one that is an art. I also don't care how "good or bad" the scratch built building is, so long as it is authentic. And, in my honest opinion, the only authentic scratch building material is wood, and wood is the only material that offers that realistic look and feel on the end product.

Styrene is little more than a quick and easy fix material and I defy anyone to show me any "real structure" built from styrene ;)
 
Styrene is little more than a quick and easy fix material and I defy anyone to show me any "real structure" built from styrene ;)
Maybe not Polystyrene - how about poly carbonate? Daughter got one of these for storage - had to put it together which took more time that she expected. Went through winter with 4' snow on the roof ( no heat ).
Storage.jpg

Suspect she will heat somewhat this winter.

Later
 
I knew going into this build that it was going to be a lot more challenging than my other scratchbuilds since I was not going to paint the structure but try to replicate bare, slightly aged barnwood. I realize that wood would have been a better, easier, choice of materials to use to replicate a building like this,that is not going to be painted or for a painted building that is modeled as a run down or dilapidated frame building, but I used a material that I was comfortable with. All of the scratchbuilt buildings on my layout are modeled to look as though they are well maintained, but maybe showing a little age. I don't believe that making them from wood instead of styrene would have made them any more realistic. On a well painted real house with clapboard siding, you will see very little if any wood grain thru the finish, so it would be impossible to see any grain on a 1/87 scale model of the real thing. I do need to do some more weathering on my builds, like adding more dirt and grime on the paint. I also realize that there are no real buildings out there made of styrene, but I also wouldn't want to have to try to source 1/87 scale clay bricks and build a building from them either. Realism doesn't come from using the "correct" materials, but from the artistry and finishes that one uses to make the materials used to simulate something that they are not.
 
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