Show us your...plastic structures

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W

West Virginia Midland Man

Member
Let's see those everyday commonplace off the shelf kits that you've turned into something really great! Kitbashes or straight from the box and while you're at it, a little about how you made that kit into a great piece.
 
I only have two plastic kits on my layout straight out of the box.

The water tower is a Tichi. I just spray painted it with a can of flat black and weathered it lightly with rusty and brown chalks and sealed it with dullcoat.

The old Grand Trunk speeder shed is a Sylvan kit I believe made out of styrene. I just hand painted it and weathered it with chalk and ink. It really doesn't belong on my layout; it would have been seen on the other side of a provincial border on my layout. Some day I'll get around to replacing the moulded roof with a roof with shingles.
 
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Walthers HO "Al's Victory Service Station":

HOGasStation.jpg



The hanging flags were pretty low cost, but I think they add a lot. Dental floss for the string (needed a rectangular string), and the flags are plastic confetti stars with their points cut off for the flags.

I'd like to redo the "Standard" sign into the more era appropriate Standard Oil of California. Just have to find a good color image of a sign.
 
Here's an old DPM kit my daughter bought for me.
I took an old Volkswagen key and stuck it into the wall and now it's "Stivmac's Imports".
It has since been relocated and has a full interior with hoist, bug parts, and greasy floors.
I think it might need some of those nifty dollar store flags now!
 
Plastic? I've got alot of that. Didn't know where to begin. First is looking up at Neenah Marine with the city's plastic skyline behind it. Next are two projects completed in the last year.
 
Not sure about the “something great” part, but I at least have a pic of it.

A DPM kit who’s name has been lost was modified slightly by removing some of the façade brick, iirc. Since the town has seen better days and the shop is on a busy street, the owner used plywood (painted evergreen styrene) to cover the windows, he got tired of them being broken all the time. The roof is simple roof paper (grimey black on masking tape) rolled and nailed into place (over sheet styrene), a few sloppy wipes over the years with tar (grimey and glossy black) patched whatever needed patchin’… The local vandals still took the time to tag the plywood back in ’92 (the date I built it coincidently…). An interior painting booth needed a vent so the owner, being a handy type anyway decided to add one himself (something plastic, maybe a sprue? from the scrap bin). Some appropriate-sized wire makes a handy support. IIRC the gas meter is Details West, excess paint by, well, someone with the gas company evidently. A painted black brass or music wire "conduit" runs power from somewhere to somewhere else along the lower exterior wall.

It’s a busy street so trash seems to collect endlessly….

Macro photography will take what you think are your adequate modeling skills down a notch…or 2. It’s amazing what looks so good at 3-4 feet looks so pitiful at 3”.
 
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Here is something I threw together with Evergreen sheet styrene, Plastruc 1" diameter tubing and Tichy windows/doors. I originally wanted the Walthers Central Gas Supply kit but it was discontinued by the time I went looking for it, and none available on "the bay", so this was my only option if I wanted a propane dealer on my layout.

Star_Propane_01.jpg


The propane delivery trucks are kitbashed Athearn Ford 'C' cabs, originally they looked like this:

SmallTankWarehouse.jpg


...until I removed the stake bed, shortened their frames, and stuck-on some homemade propane tanks made from 3/4" diameter Plastruc tubing & ends:

platform_and_tankers.jpg
 


It occurs to me that Ye Olde Patient Modeller can really make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Some kits are essentially toys, something to be slapped together under supervision by a 10 year-old. But, someone determined to make a real go of it can turn such a simple model into something special. Nicer window, curtains, blinds, some cornice moldings, extra painting and weathering of bricks, taking care to make the edges straight and using clamps properly,... they all go a long way.

My problem is impatience, and I really dislike building models. But, I am trying to unlearn that tendency. I built a nice craftsman kit steam era water tank a couple of years ago and actually enjoyed it. I also enjoyed scratching my trestle, although I didn't get it 'right'...needs better engineering.

-Crandell
 
Here's a little General store from my hometown. Scratchbuilt in styrene with Grantline windows and doors from my scrap box, signage was copied from old newspaper clippings and colored
Fords.jpg
 
Outstanding modeling, fellas.

This is Walther's Columbia Feed Mill with the Quonset hut from Interstate Fuel and Oil.

P1030172.jpg


This is Walther's O.L. King & Sons Coal Yard with the tanks from Interstate Fuel and Oil.

P1010418.jpg


DJ.
 
Eastern Lucubrator ("For all your lucubration requirements") is bashed from a City Classics Smallman Street Warehouse kit--taking the kit for a smallish 4-sided building and making it into a large low-relief building with only one side. The loading platform was scratchbuilt.

The station on the left is also plastic, though it was built quite a few years ago. It's a compressed version of the Point of Rocks MD station on the B&O. The clock really works, using a wristwatch mechanism and an electric motor.

e_lucub.jpg
 
I want one of each! :D
Very nice fellows. Posts like these always make me want to build more...and more carefully;).
 
RexHea said:
I want one of each! :D
Very nice fellows. Posts like these always make me want to build more...and more carefully;).
Click to expand...

Rex,

I love that diesel house you have, that is perfectly detailed!!!

I'm going to get one of those kits myself, but I probably won't even come close to how yours looks...;)
 


I feel that this thread is really what model railroading is all about. :) Put the goods out and lessee what we got. We have so many talented and kind people on this forum it isn't funny. :)

The last five-or-so posters with scenes to share do such great work!

-Crandell
 
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