Wood Block buildinge

[jerryl]

  In the Sept. issue of RMC there was an article on making buildings with a solid wood core. I've also seen a similar story a few years back.
  Seems to me that because of the volume of wood involved, there is more of a chance of warping.  It seems to me that large blocks of wood are more prone to warping & cracking than smaller cross sections.
  Has anyone had any experience with this construction method & how long have your buildings been in use.   Thanks,   Jerry

[Jim Banner]

I don't know about warping and cracking, but they must drive the electrician nuts when he tries to install lighting.

Jim

[ebtbob]

Jerry,

       Not having any wood block buildings,  my opinion may be flawed.   When thinking about the size of most HO scale buildings,   a block of wood probably will not warp.    Now that being said,  I saw a four inch piece of 2x4 yesterday that was warped,   but that is because the longer length of 2x4 was already warped when this piece was cut off.  I cannot imagine how much moisture would be needed in one area to do much damage that would not also be very dangerous to other things on the railroad including the benchwork etc.
       One last thought,   the adhesive used to keep the siding materials attached probably would be a sealent for the wood.

[jerryl]

Thanks for the input. I make furniture etc. & have seen many short pcs. of scrap break in half after being cut off. You really don't need a lot of warping to affect an HO structure.  Also, you have to cut the siding & roofing plus cut the window / door openings anyway plus you have to hollow out the space behind the openings & can't detail the interior.
  If you already have all the pcs. cut, why not just Glue the corners together, add a few pcs. of interior bracing & be done with it?  Plus you can detail the inside.   What am I missing?   jerry

[CNE Runner]

I can fondly remember my first model railroad layout in the mid 1950s. Being a farmer's son, there wasn't much money to spend on hobby items...buildings were too expensive for a kid on a dollar/week allowance. My dad and I made all sorts of structures out of common objects (oil storage tanks out of coffee cans, etc.). We resorted to using solid blocks to create most of the buildings on the layout. After painting the block, we would glue on some printed paper (I seem to remember a book of building prints that one cut out and assembled like paper dolls). Dad and I found that if we just assembled the paper buildings, as is, they were very weak and much too light. By wrapping the paper around a suitable block of wood we had a stable and durable structure.

I have only built one wooden block building in recent times. Using a piece of 2x4" block (cut to size/shape), I hollowed out the areas behind the windows (neatness does not count as all will be covered). I then sealed the block with polyurethane and painted over that with flat black. The final step was to laminate some printed paper from Paper Creek Models and add a couple of windows and doors I had in my scrap box.

While wooden block models can be quite realistic; you still cannot easily add interior details (as Jerry pointed out). These types of structures are best utilized as background or distance models. An easier technique is to use foamcore and paper overlays...shorter construction time and quick assembly using a low-temperature hot glue gun.

Ah, the memories,
Ray

[Woody Elmore]

Thanks for the input. I make furniture etc. & have seen many short pcs. of scrap break in half after being cut off. You really don't need a lot of warping to affect an HO structure.  Also, you have to cut the siding & roofing plus cut the window / door openings anyway plus you have to hollow out the space behind the openings & can't detail the interior.
  If you already have all the pcs. cut, why not just Glue the corners together, add a few pcs. of interior bracing & be done with it?  Plus you can detail the inside.   What am I missing?   jerry

Jerry -most solid wood buildings I've seen have paper or card overlays with the windows and doors printed on. They are very good in the background. I doubt that anyone would want to take a block of wood and then cut for doors and windows.

could a guy who uses nothing but solid wood block buildings be called a "blockhead?"

[jerryl]

 That is my point. Seems like a lot of extra work without the detail.

[CNE Runner]

I think it depends upon what kind of structure you are trying to replicate. In a recent RMC, a chap wrote an extensive article on 'building' and decorating wooden block buildings. If I remember correctly, he needed to construct a number of logging camp cabins (log base with a tent for side walls and roof). I would imagine this type of structure is almost impossible to find on the market. The only other option was either to scratchbuild one from separate pieces - or carve one from a block of soft pine.

On the Monks' Island Brewery project, I need to replicate 1/2 of a car ferry. Finding a car ferry is hard enough - without trying to 'bash' it to the size required. To solve this conundrum, I will use some layered lattice which will ultimately be covered with a stripwood (plank) laminate. The point is that special structures require special methods...the modified wooden block method will work well in this application.

In summary, I would reserve wooden block buildings for hard-to-replicate structures and go with laminated foamcore for other background buildings. Jerry is right...wooden block structures aren't worth the effort (or at least that is my opinion).

Ray