Molded windows versus printed windows

[chicken45]

The station is pretty beat up and gritty in my era as pictured below.
It looks like the doors and loading dock doors are recessed a bit more than the windows.
DKS, I know your comments were coming from not seeing the prototype so, let's fix that. Here's a pic! Do you still think the roof trip is too thick and the grain too prominent? I'm thinking the grain helps it look more used.

I don't know if there's a standard recess measurement, but I think I'm gonna have to eyeball this one for the doors.



If I haven't said it yet, this model was John's "stunt" prototype proof of concept. I'm building the "hero" version.  The pics are in no representation of any finalized model.

[Lemosteam]

Especially beat up GRAY siding and trim!

[DKS]

Do you still think the roof trip is too thick and the grain too prominent?

Yes. Sorry. Furthermore, look at those windows--they are nearly flush with the wall surface. The battens look narrower than the model's, and that trim around the bottom is smaller and shaped differently.

Not bashing, just answering your question. You asked.

[peteski]

Those windows with multi-pane top sashes would be perfect candidate for photo-etching.

[Lemosteam]

Agree and I am seriously considering a etched design.

[chicken45]

Yes. Sorry. Furthermore, look at those windows--they are nearly flush with the wall surface. The battens look narrower than the model's, and that trim around the bottom is smaller and shaped differently.

Not bashing, just answering your question. You asked.

No need to appologize! I expect nothing less from an OG 
This forum is not the place for the butthurtees.

So I know conventional wisdom points to this being a board and batten station, but it doesn't look like that to me. To me, I don't see exterior battens on the station photo. I don't know jack about construction, but are there ever battens on the inside, or exterior battens so wide they look like the boards?

Would plastic really look better than wood for a wood station?

[randgust]

Years ago when I scratchbuilt the Hickory Valley structures I made every stinkin' window from individual basswood stripwood pieces.   I only had about three 'conventional' buildings to do with nonstandard windows.   Pretty proud of myself, actually, all-wood windows in all-wood structures.   How much better could that get over the thick, plastic, injection-molded stuff!  Edward Tweezerhands, victory!

Then I saw the Pithole model and began to slap myself furiously on the forehead.  It looked better than mine, basically for similar-era buildings.   This was also before Tichy and Grandt Line windows were available (and that's another point, you want to get one of everything they make just so you have one on hand).

I won't defend any approach, although the prospect of etching windows for a 'one-off' structure makes me shudder.  To me the lesson was to be open to other nonstandard solutions, and be aware that the end appearance doesn't always reflect the effort expended to get there.

When I did the two hotels in Flagstaff - Commercial and Monte Vista, had lots and lots of windows, but what swung me around back to start was the fact that I wanted the glass reflectivity, curtains behind the glass, and to be able to illuminate the structure for night operations.  I adjusted the windows to the 'nearest available' Tichy ones, and that did well for me, and I also cut up a lot of nice injection molded windows and reglued them for odd situations and dimensions.

I think for me that might be the kicker on this project, if you planned to do the interior and illuminate it.

Another thing I'll point out is that very often you may find yourself putting in windows from the BACK, and doing your own framing, as the thickest and ugliest part is the framing around the outside edges.  The basic window may be OK but put it on the front suface and it looks like crap.

[engineshop]

Maybe not an option since it is done with a laser. I used thin basswood sheets which can be stained or painted easily.

[peteski]

Roland,  the shallow angle of the lighting in your photo brings out the flaw we have been talking about: The brick frames around the windows are way too thick to be in-scale.  They are beautiful, but very thick. At least that is how I see it in that photo. I also suspect that when viewed in-person, straight on, the look really good.  But in close-up photography the scale realism is diminished.

[jimmo]

So I know conventional wisdom points to this being a board and batten station, but it doesn't look like that to me. To me, I don't see exterior battens on the station photo. I don't know jack about construction, but are there ever battens on the inside, or exterior battens so wide they look like the boards?

Would plastic really look better than wood for a wood station?

Maybe conventional wisdom points to this structure being board and batten but above and beyond that, the text accompanying the pics clearly says it is.

I tried to take a closer look at the pics so I could check out the "rough wood grain" but they are so coarse from being scanned off a printed piece that it's impossible to tell what is making it look so rough. I think what we are seeing more here is rough, deteriorating paint than rough wood.

In my experience, I have yet to see (in real life) a wooden structure (still standing) that is so badly deteriorated that you could see the grain of the wood from (what we would consider) normal N-scale viewing distance. Splits, cracks and broken boards yes, but grain like we see on real wood model siding? I don't think so.

One problem I noticed in your printed windows was the inconsistent width of the muntins. If you are going for finescale, those have to be as close to perfect as humanly possible. To me, it ends up just looking like a low-res laser print. At normal viewing distance, it appears that there's missing muntins.

[chicken45]

One problem I noticed in your printed windows was the inconsistent width of the muntins. If you are going for finescale, those have to be as close to perfect as humanly possible. To me, it ends up just looking like a low-res laser print. At normal viewing distance, it appears that there's missing muntins.

I'm not sure what happened there, but one of those lines is definitely thicker than the others. That will be addressed for sure. The vertical mullions are 2 pixels wide, and the horizontal ones are 1 pixel wide.

It certainly is a worn, peeling paint, neglected station. I was hoping the grain would aid in the neglected look instead of saying "hey! look at my grain!"
Looks like I got something to test out on some scrap.

[engineshop]

Roland,  the shallow angle of the lighting in your photo brings out the flaw we have been talking about: The brick frames around the windows are way too thick to be in-scale.  They are beautiful, but very thick. At least that is how I see it in that photo. I also suspect that when viewed in-person, straight on, the look really good.  But in close-up photography the scale realism is diminished.

Sorry I don't see the problem.

[DKS]

Sorry I don't see the problem.

Indeed. This is interesting: European architecture certainly diverges from North American in many respects--especially with the depth of the windows!

[jimmo]

I'm not sure what happened there, but one of those lines is definitely thicker than the others. That will be addressed for sure. The vertical mullions are 2 pixels wide, and the horizontal ones are 1 pixel wide.

It certainly is a worn, peeling paint, neglected station. I was hoping the grain would aid in the neglected look instead of saying "hey! look at my grain!"
Looks like I got something to test out on some scrap.

Architectural lesson: Mullion is the part between windows, like when they are paired. Muntins are the dividers between the individual lights (or panes of glass). Very common mistake.

My point about small scale structures made from wood look more realistic (to some modelers) because they recognize it as wood because of the exaggerated grain. Is it to scale? Not even close. I can usually spot a model made from real wood because it has a "fibrous" look--especially the ones where the modeler stains the wood to make it look more aged. Buildings in 1:1 scale rarely ever look fibrous.

[Alwyn Cutmore]

John,
I would certainly go with the etch system .

These are etches I have and they are done on 10 thou half hard brass.



The great part about this they can be given depth with half etches. For instance if you want to give your mullions profile you can half etch the edges and give yourself a raised centre on the mullion. These examples have half etches on the face. The doors especially to give the door knobs. I can display a larger pic if you want. but they are actual size.


Regards

Al