Tuesday 26 March 2013

Suffolk Pink Tiled Cottage & Garage

This is the Suffolk Pink Cottage and garage included in my free PC Windows program, N Gauge Model Planner. (Completely free, download below)

Download N Gauge Model Planner for Windows
Get it from CNET Download.com!

Instructions for making this are as follows:
 
Not recommended for small children without Adult supervision

To build this you need the following:

1. A fine sharp craft knife
2. UHU hart adhesive or similar (quick drying)
3. Bostik Quick Stick glue stick or similar
4. Metal rule

Firstly you need to print the plan and the texture sheet out on A4 paper. Using the glue stick, fix the wall texture to some thin card (preferable plain on one side). Lay the wall plan section over this and lightly glue on some waste areas so that the paper doesn't move while cutting. Cut along the green lines and lightly score the red ones for bending. Do this for all the parts of the plan.

After removing the windows I added some clear plastic to the inside and on top of that glued the window decoration. Then I glued the walls together using the end wall inside strengthener. Once dry I added the floor section inside for added strength. I cut the door texture out a little larger than the door space on the model and just glued this inside. The porch is an added option and built the same way.

For the chimney, fold along the scored lines carefully and fix together. Then glue this to the main building over the side with the joint running from top to bottom of the wall. I used the glue stick on the top side of the roof piece, once cut out. Then I stuck it to the back of the roof texture so that it was in the centre and also the texture was overlapping on all sides. I cut around the texture, glued and folded the overlapping pieces onto the underside of the roof. Once the roof is stuck in place on the walls I added a small central piece of roof texture to make the ridge. I finished the chimney with a small card block and rolled two pieces of paper between my fingers, plus a little glue on the end for chimney pots. I painted the pots with water colour before attaching to the chimney stack.

Garage
The garage walls and doors are already printed onto wall texture, so just cut around the outline after sticking to card. Score the three vertical lines where the walls need bending and cut out the front doors and the back window. I then glazed the back window by gluing a small piece of clear plastic inside across the back. Cut out the small green block next to the roof texture and cover with wood plank texture to form a bench. This workbench then glues underneath the back window and forms support for the two side walls. For the doors I fixed them to the main walls in the open position after covering the reverse with the same door covered paper. Make the roof the same way as for the main cottage.

For both models you can use a little water colour paint and a fine brush to cover any little errors.

Get this model plan in a pdf download at my Etsy shop


Thursday 21 March 2013

English Village Thatched Cottage

Using my N Gauge Model Planner mentioned in my previous post, this is what the thatched cottage looks like when completed.

Download N Gauge Model Planner for Windows
Get it from CNET Download.com!

To build this you need the following:
  1. A fine sharp craft knife
  2. UHU hart adhesive or similar (quick drying)
  3. Bostik Quick Stick glue stick or similar
  4. Metal rule
Firstly you need to print the plan and the texture sheet out on A4 paper. Using the glue stick, fix the wall texture to some thin card (preferable plain on one side). Lay the wall plan section over this and lightly glue on some waste areas so that the paper doesn't move while cutting. Cut along the green lines and lightly score the red ones for bending. Do this for all the parts of the plan.

After removing the windows I added some clear plastic to the inside and on top of that glued the window decoration. Then I glued the walls together using the end wall inside strengthener. Once dry I added the floor section inside for added strength. I cut the door texture out a little larger than the door space on the model and just glued this inside. The porch is an added option and built the same way.

For the chimney, fold along the scored lines carefully and fix together. Then glue this to the main building over the side with the joint running from top to bottom of the wall. I used the glue stick on the top side of the roof piece, once cut out. Then I stuck it to the back of the roof texture so that it was in the centre and also the texture was overlapping on all sides. I cut around the texture, glued and folded the overlapping pieces onto the underside of the roof. Once the roof is stuck in place on the walls I added a small central piece of roof texture to make the ridge. I finished the chimney with a small card block and rolled two pieces of paper between my fingers, plus a little glue on the end for chimney pots. I painted the pots with water colour before attaching to the chimney stack.

Get the model plans as a pdf download in my Etsy shop

Monday 18 March 2013

N Gauge Model Planner

I decided to make my own program for planning my card n gauge scratch built models. The result is my PC Windows, N Gauge Model Planner program. I have made it available for download for anyone else who is interested. It is a completely free and full program.

Download N Gauge Model Planner for Windows
Get it from CNET Download.com!
(recommended minimum screen resolution 1024x768)

It is a very easy to use application to design and plan n scale or n gauge card models. It can be used immediately without any learning curve. Simply drag lines and snap them to a grid. Measurements are shown in real size and clip art is included. Plans are easily saved with labels and notes if required. 4 model plans are also included. An English Suffolk pink tiled cottage, a thatched cottage and separate detached garages for each. Textures include walls, brickwork, tiled roof, thatched roof and more. See screen shots below.



Tuesday 12 March 2013

N Gauge Railway Modelling

I recently decided I needed a hobby away from the computer. When I was a boy I created a OO Gauge model railway layout in my bedroom on shelving one foot deep around the entire room with a removable section across the door. My dear old Dad helped me with the shelving but I created the layout and all the added accessories myself. It was a double track layout with sidings, two stations, moulded cuttings made from gyproc coving adhesive and a tunnel. I made many buildings from card kits, had a road system, farm and a helicopter pad with working helicopter (well the blades were motorised but it didn't fly). I also completely lit the layout with small lampposts and Christmas fairy light bulbs.

When my sons were younger, I created a smaller OO Gauge layout for them and me to enjoy, which included many of the locomotives, coaches and accessories from my own childhood layout but on a single board which could be slid under their bunk beds.

Now much older but still a boy at heart I thought that I would give railway modelling another go. Not having so much space I decided that N Gauge might be better as it is roughly half the size of OO Gauge.

I have now bought a Graham Farish junior starter set to get the size required for my baseboard. I plan to start building the actual layout when the weather gets a bit warmer as I will be creating it in the garage on a pasting table. In the meantime I am creating some model buildings from card kits and my own scratch built creations.

So far I have built the Metcalfe PN109 N Gauge card kit red brick style station buildings and the platform kit . I created my own newspaper kiosk, benches and telephone boxes seen in the photos below.







Some careful water colour brush work covers the white corners shown when the card is bent. I also made the steps up to the station as none were included with the platform kit. Close up photos don't really do N Gauge justice as the models viewed in real size by the naked eye give a much better impression. Zoomed in photos seem to just highlight errors and glue streaks :)