scratch built models of real buildings special to you

I did a lot of that when I had a N gauge layout: had an entire subdivision of houses - every house I lived in growing up, and those owned by my grandparents, uncles, and all of those I've owned, and my three boys have owned - over 40 in all!  It was a lot of fun.  

I haven't done any real buildings that are special to me on my current O gauge layout.  I did scratch build a model of Pie in the Sky, the restaurant from the UK detective show of the same name, and of 77 sunset Strip and Dino's restaurant next door, as in the TV show, but those aren't "special" to me.  I want to do a model of the house I live in now

What you are going to see is a Bowling Center and Sports Club.  It represents my own life and now the life of my sons.  I started this business in 1972 and have been very fortunate collecting many fond memories, lots of history and wonderful friends.

I built this by kitbashing an American model kit and Miller engineering signage.

You are far too humble! It looks very nice to me! I have yet to embark on my career as a "contractor"!

Simon

So Lee, How many Real Estate agents did you folks declare as dependents on your income tax form?!! Holy cow!!! 40 houses!!!!

Simon

I have just gotten started again after a 15 year hiatus. I used to model HO, but now model in O scale, largely due to the detail I like, and my middle-aged eyes...

Right now, I am modeling the house I live in in Merced, Ca. It was built in 1900. I used scribed basswood sheets for the hardwood floors, and evergreen styrene and Grandt Line castings for everything else. I am also trying my hand at casting some doors and windows that Grandt Line doesn't have. Here is a picture of the prototype.

Alan Rogers

Merced, Ca.

I built a model of my first house I owned in HO, still have the model but no photos.

Here's an O scale model of a Seaboard Air Line's Section Master's House I built from plans out of Mainline Modeler:

The "problem" is that most bought model buildings are compressed, this house dwarfs the other houses I have on my layout.

This is a bad photo but here it is.

Well I must dig out my N-scale diorama of the Boyce homestead in Valencia, Pennsylvania that I built about 25 years ago-before our daughters were born.  It consists of the house, a summer kitchen/pump house, garage, and the famous brick outhouse.  My elderly parents still live there.  I built the buildings from photos I had taken, and made changes so it looked as I remember growing up in the '60s.  Right now, I have it stored away in a custom box in a cabinet in our garage for safe keeping.  Now that I am in O-gauge, I do not know if it will work out as a distant forced perspective model or if I should put it on a shelf as a stand alone.  I am waiting for one or both daughters to move out to free up room for the layout.  I will take photos and post if I can move all the furniture our oldest daughter has pushed up against the cabinets.

David M.

That is a fantastic model in a very real setting.

Wood:

That model has to be very special to you and your family. Nice to have a representation of your family business on your layout. Great job.

Okay, I am replying to my own message.  I was able to get the diorama out and photograph it.  I thought I knew where the photos are of the real buildings, but I didn't find them, so you will have to take my word that I made a model of the real thing.  Looking at it you would probably say, who would think up such a place, so it must be real.

Holy Cow Dave....the hobby shop business must be doing pretty well!!! 

Alan

I agree with Simon Winter.  That looks like a classic dual occupation in a frontier

town, cabinet maker and undertaker.  "Our coffins are custom made to fit.  Come in

and get measured."  Allan Rogers, Merced, Calif.:  Are you modeling the Yosemite

Valley RR?  That is a handy place to research it.

Hey Colorado!

Toying with the idea. I am just barely getting started. About to scratchbuild my first freight car. No layout in sight in the near future....

I don't know that Dave made his money from a hobby shop. Isn't he in a band?

Patrick....thus the reason for the "wink" and "smile" in my post...  Dave also has a hobby shop called Mercer Junction and is an advertiser in our magazine....

Alan

My parents' house - it was the first scratchbuild I ever attempted.

My house - the 2nd scratchbuild that I did

(believe it or not, I lost my folder for my own house - these images are all that I have right now )

My sister's house - the 3rd scratchbuild that I did.

Not a house, but a very special structure where I met someone important in my life

my 5th scratchbuild - my Brother's house

My 6th scratchbuid, my daughter's house

My 7th and most recent scratchbuild - my son's house.  No actual available.

Walt,

Where is this pavilion at.  Looks like North Park.  Excellent job on all your houses!!

Mark: yes that is a North Park pavilion.  It's at the crossroads down by the where the lake is and the cannon/garden is (don't know the names of the roads).

Grant Grove

- wlat

I wondered when Walt would chime in. Very well done models.

30thstreet, the fact you added a sign or some other detail to a very simple kit does not make it "scratch-built"  JMHO, Dave G.

Walt,

Yes, I know where you mean, but don't know the road names either.  Growing up in Valencia, I made it to North Park a few times a year.  My favorite visits were when the company my dad worked for had company picnics at the old dance hall by the water tower.  They used to let you climb up there, but my mom wouldn't let us.  Now I drive through once in a while.

And since Im not a Face Book member, I cant even see 30ths stuff to know whether to agree, or disagree.... When you assume!(I assume you know where to put the lines)

This thread is making me want to move up to "soon" a project to build a model of my house. The those shown here look really good!

Excellent job on everything, Walt!!!!

Here is the house I live in in Merced, Ca, and a model I built for my landlord. First one in 15 years...

Adriatic-

Look in this topic about 1/2 way down and you will see his "scratch-built" Ameritowne Factory, complete with signs. Also check out his postings on the Buy/sell forum and see other examples. JMHO, Dave G.

Boy fellas- the stuff posted here makes my building look rather shabby! I am still very impressed!

Here is one I did of my house for the layout

 Here is a link to another scratch built house I did for my Father-in-law of his childhood home. It was in OGR Run 218

http://home.roadrunner.com/~st...hoto/Framehouse.html

Thanks dgauss, Do you own a crystal ball to know he would post the pics?

Thanks 30thstreet for getting it posted. While either of those would be fine by me on my own layout. I have to agree the cola plant is a bit more kit-bash than scratch. 

 I do love the tallest building being ACME. But now Im left wondering how these are "special" to you? Is the ACME building the copy of a prototype? Did, or do you work at a soda plant? Live by one? Just love cola?

Only one of the scratch buildings on my layouts has a real-life prototype,  and sentimental intentions to credit its build to. Its a crude doghouse with the name VLAD above its boarded door. (R.I.P. buddy).

Thought I had a photo in my "Bucket" but cant find it. Insignificant ,and crude "block" with a warm folk art appeal. Ill try climb up to the shelf, camera in hand, soon. Sorry.

Fantastic work, everyone!

Peter

This is one I am very proud of. The Milwaukee Road depot in Wausau, Wisconsin where I grew up. It also was used in a highly successful advertising campaign for Wausau Insurance (Employers Mutual). The building consists of basswood and plywood, plastic sheets of bricks and shingles and Grandt windows and doors. It's about 30" by 8".

I had to have that sailor waiting for the train because I was in the U.S. Navy when the Milwaukee Road still had passenger service.

For me kit bashing vs scratch is not about detailing, skills, settings. Its the about origin of the materials used, the amount used, and/or original intent of them.

Kit bashing is the assembly of premade parts from various kits, possibly modified slightly from their original appearance. But pretty much, a chimney remains a chimney if shortened. And if that chimney were to be turned into a barbeque pit? I would say the barbeque pit was kit bashed from a chimney. 

Scratch to me means each part is fabricated, normally with raw, or base materials.

I would say the barbeque was scratch built if the chimney brick texture was cut into sized panels, assembled into a square, and crowned separately. If the crown is included in the panel when cut, I think the barbeque becomes kit bashed.

In general, scratch building requires more time and effort, with fewer guaranties of success. A couple of family members made award winning custom dollhouses. They made every shingle, frame, and texture sheet by themselves. That's scratch built 

But.. I think the O.P. was really interested in us telling why each scratch built copy of a real structure was chosen by each builder. As much, or more so than if it was/wasn't 100% scratch built.

Why are those "close to your heart"?

Gosh, how the heck could I forget this scratchbuild?!

It's one of the ones I am truly most proud of.  Why?  Because my son's fiance at the time, now wife, asked if I could make a model of the gazebo on Lake Erie's shores that they were going to get married in, so that she could use it as their wedding cake topper!  Would I????  Man  I was so honored.

I made it in 1/4" scale first and both she and my son thought "too small", so I made it in 1/2" scale and this is the result.

Sorry, no images available of the actual one.  you'll just have to take my word for it: the number of floor boards is right, the number of posts in the railings is spot on, etc, etc.

- walt

BTW: these are images I captured yesterday from printed versions, thus the date showing as 6/19.

THIS IMAGE MAKES IT LOOK LIKE IT"S SLANTED. IT'S NOT, it's the way that I took the picture.