Structures & Scenery

[robert.]

When a building is mounted on Masonite. How do you blend it into the rest of your scenery? How you keep Masonite from rolling up on the edges?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

When a building is mounted on Masonite. How do you blend it into the rest of your scenery? How you keep Masonite from rolling up on the edges?

Everything is on pieces of Masonite in the town - fits together like a jigsaw puzzle - not much a need to blend anything together except at the seams - a little bit of Turf and Grass from Woodland Scenics and done. Elsewhere, it's Hydrocal up to a defined boarder where the Masonite ends. Blend to what's on both at the seam. Rolling up on the edges? Never seen that happen.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

When a building is mounted on Masonite. How do you blend it into the rest of your scenery? How you keep Masonite from rolling up on the edges?

Two answers, Robert, from me:
1.)I usually use sheets of black (sometimes white, when available) acrylic, 3/8" thick. From time-to-time, I have dremmeled-off the odd corner for unusual plaecements, but just as Rufus said for his uses, the sheets, rectangular or square, line up nicely, and their seams are easily obliterated with foliage or other details.

2.) When I use Masonite, it is usually for something that has a minimum of water-based glues on it, often just Gorilla-glued under buildings. Then I screw the Masonite baseplate down to the layout. For example, in the photo of the rural homestead, bottom photo below, if you look very carefully you can see the color and edge of the Masonite, visible just forward of that black Chrysler. The baseplate has been screwed in place, under the detritus, which is not entirely glued down. All of the scene under the house and as a backyard is affixed to the baseplate, except for the driveway.

In the vignette with the more extensive garden, you can see the edges of the two Masonite baseplates involved, protruding in the foreground of the second photo below, which were screwed down onto the plywood of the layout as soon as I had finished gluing down all the soil and plant details. Once dried fully, the Masonite would remain flat and stiff, IMO and experience. Of course, the exposed edges were detailed later.

A sheet of white acrylic has its edge exposed, in the photo immediately below, awaiting the next vignette to be married to it. No screwing-down of the acrylic scenes has ever been necessary - they lie flat permanently.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

2.) When I use Masonite, it is usually for something that has a minimum of water-based glues on it, often just Gorilla-glued under buildings. Then I screw the Masonite baseplate down to the layout.

When I do the scenery around the building mounted to the Masonite rough side up, the first thing I do is to paint the exposed surface with a layer of Carpenter's glue to apply the 1st layer of scenery material. When the unit is completed, it goes into place but it's not attached to anything; held in place by gravity and the surrounding units. I can lift out just about any of my structures; there are a few exceptions.

[Roy]

Guys, this is a very worthwhile thread you've started here. However, it doesn't belong here. Do you think Bill would be averse to adding a structures and scenery subforum?

[webenda]

Thank you Murph, for showing your fascinating scenes again. I love scouring them for interesting details.

So you would not want to visit your old haunts. Seems you have done so in miniature.

Where is Murph?

There he is in his white suit checking out the local scenery (girl on motorcycle.)

[webenda]

Where is Murph?


There he is. He's taken his coat off but where is he going and what is he carrying in that black bag?

[webenda]

[webenda]

Leave it to the twisted mind of Rufus to find or make a perfect model of the Twisted eucalyptus.


The tree looks too good to be a model. Tell the truth, Rufus, did you use a "shrink ray" to shrink a real tree down to 1:48 scale?

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Guys, this is a very worthwhile thread you've started here. However, it doesn't belong here. Do you think Bill would be averse to adding a structures and scenery subforum?

Lots of things - subjects - get discussed in a Club Car. The topics range as far as the gentlemen desire conversation to go. This subject belongs here because we have brought the subject up here for discussion. Those interested will gather around our spot and contribute something interesting, with goodwill and friendly intention. We seem to be enjoying this. Can't you let us have this bit of fun, here, where we frequent each other's company so often, Roy? Please.

[Roy]

Guys, this is a very worthwhile thread you've started here. However, it doesn't belong here. Do you think Bill would be averse to adding a structures and scenery subforum?

Lots of things - subjects - get discussed in a Club Car. The topics range as far as the gentlemen desire conversation to go. This subject belongs here because we have brought the subject up here for discussion. Those interested will gather around our spot and contribute something interesting, with goodwill and friendly intention. We seem to be enjoying this. Can't you let us have this bit of fun, here, where we frequent each other's company so often, Roy?

At first, I thought everyone should have easy access to this information. But, this is really old stuff, isn't it? Is there anyone who doesn't know these tricks already?

[sleepmac]

Roy, I am enjoying this discussion. No matter how far it drifts off topic. That's what friends are for!

Dan Weinhold
Lancaster, PA.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Do you think Bill would be averse to adding a structures and scenery subforum?

You could ask him.

At first, I thought everyone should have easy access to this information. But, this is really old stuff, isn't it? Is there anyone who doesn't know these tricks already?

If you go over to OGR you might find that there are crowds that apparently have no clue when it comes to doing anything with scenery at any level.

But, I guess if you already know everything I'm wasting my time here. Perhaps you should show all of us how it is done.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Perhaps we both are wasting our time, then, given Roy's particular persepctive.
Well, it seemed and felt pleasant for a while - a very short while.

Wayne, I much appreciate your playful and positive input. It was particular fun hearing from you regarding my modeling. Thank you.

Robert, I trust I answered your inquiry in a way that gave you helpful information via my photos.
Murph

[Mitch]

Murph, thanks for posting those two pics of club car lounges. Which would you prefer? I'd opt for the 1940s style every time. It just has that air, that nostalgic ambiance, that would appeal to folks who would gather in such a car for relaxation and conversation.