I think I will build a small weathered shed for an On30 Shay from cardstock. Any questions or comments are welcome.

First I draw a crude drawing of what I want the finished shed to look like. In this case it's a backwood engine shed to put a On30 Shay in to get it out of the weather. This style of shed was inspired by John Allen and has been copied many times.

Next I measure a shay and mark the critical sizes so that a Shay will actually fit in the finished shed. This is a very importaint step. I'm making this shed a tight fit.

Next I draw out the walls on the cardboard I will be using for this project, this time it's a Frosted Flakes box. Why did they stop putting the word sugar on the boxes? Remember Sugar Frosted Flakes, and Super Sugar Crisp? I mean really?

Then I cut loose the first board and the alignment board from the right. I could be a purest and make the beams from cardboard, but I have some balsa stock laying around and it will make the job go quicker. I glue two stips of 1/8 by 1/16 balsa cut about 3/8 inch longer than the building to the first cardboard "board" and the alignment board. Notice how the bottom balsa beam is 1/4 inch from the bottom. This will allow the structure to set on it's founation.

All right we get to see a step by step structure build .
You go Fred

Sitting on pins and needles waiting for more, going to look great.

Thanks,

I then start cutting my boards freehand with a snap blade knife. I like doing old boards freehand so they don't come out perfectly straight, it adds to the old weathered effect. I do mark the tops of each board so that I get them on in the correct direction. After I got three boards in place I came to the door. I then added a third beam to the level of the top of the door. I then continue adding boards as I cut them, leaving the smallest of gaps between them.

After completeing one wall I start on the next. When done I remove the alignment board and will then trim off the extra beam.

Lookin good, Fred.

Fred is On30 going to be the same scale size as HO or is it bigger. I think dawg has gone thru this before with me and the scarey thing was I think I understood it. LOL Or is it O scale on the HO size rail with the bigger rolling stock.

Heya Lynn,

It's the latter. O scale running on 30" rails, which is by happy mistake, standard HO rail. So the people, buildings and scenery are O, the loco's and rollin' stock are O, but a little narrower (usu. 7 o r8 scale ft), and the track is gauged at 30", so you can use HO track.

Jon just outta curiosity and not to change the subject of this fine thread. I have a drawing for miners shack thats in O scale but I'm modeling in HO scale dawg gave me a link for down sizeing or up sizing scale to scale so for O scale to HO scale I simply had to set my all-in-one scanner printer to 55% reduction as per the conversion chart but I figured what the heck why reduce it by 55 % when I could do the same reducing by 50% and the size looks more manageable for the scratch build . In fact for the 2x4's I'm actually going to use 3x6 ( more manageable) Is this typical for sratch building? I mean I can't see it throwing everything off I've got a grab bag of grant windows and doors in HO scale.

I have a scale ruler, but I say looks good is good. Others feel differnt. I think it's the upbringing. Can you see the difference between an HO 2x4 and an HO 2 1/2 X 4? I can't. Can you visitors? IMHO: it just has to be good enough for you.

Exactley what I was thinking Jon if it works do it and easier on my fat fingers and little eyes which seem to be getting worse ( arms aren't long enough to see the print ) LOL

IMHO it's some people nit picking exact scale dimensions that stop lots and lots of modelers from scratchbuilding. They see a guy building something "finescale" who is using scale 1X6 which cost 4 or 5 bucks for a bitty bag and say to themselves "geese, there's no way I can afford to scratch build." They see somebody work 6 months on a building which looks great, but took 6 months to build by a scratchbuilder who has been doing it for 40 years. So they never pick up a knife and get started. You just have to pick up the knife and start cutting. Then you can learn to do this stuff. It's not about exact scale sizes, it's about the look. We are model railroaders, not professional architectural modelers, which by the way turn out some pretty poor models sometimes, but that's another story. What better way to learn on than an empty cerial box that was on its way to the landfill? At worst you might delay it a few days. At best you learn how to scratchbuild models, use a knife, learn to paint, learn about glue, learn to draw, learn to plan, and make some friends happy as the watch you make something nice, or a pile of rubbish.

Now scratch building isn't for everyone. You have to want to do it for the right reasons, the most importaint being it gives you pleasure. If it don't do that you should stick to kits, kitbashing, or buying RTR. Please don't try and use the excuse that it's cheaper, because it really isn't if your time has value and you don't really like doing it. Scratch building to a level of craftsman kits would be expensive for materials and detail parts and would take 10 times longer than just buying a craftsman kit and assembling it. Same with low end stuff, some nice HO scale model buildings can be purchased for under $10 and assembled in 2 hours or less, and look damn nice. In fact, as a side note, plastic model building are a super bargain if compaired to what model cars, planes, and ships cost.

So remember to have fun and learn if you want Model Railroading to be a fun hobby. Don't let it become just another chore. Fred

Thanks guys input is well taken and absorbed I am indeed in it for the pleasure and my time cost zero dollars