This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "Scratch building" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR(January 2010)
Scratch building is the process of building a scale model "from scratch", i.e. from raw materials, rather than building it from a commercial kit, kitbashing or buying it pre-assembled.
A scratch-built Warhammer 40,000 Land Raider in 1/18 scale utilizing paperboard and cardboard.A 7cm long scratch-built model of 1/700 scale Japanese gunboat Fushimi (1939), built out of paper and copper wire.A scratch-built 1:87 scale model of an old Vespa garage in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong 1950s, mainly built out of Foamcore and plastic card.A scratch-built 1:150 model of Hong Kong's 'Tong Lau' tenement building.
Scratch building is easiest if original plans of the subject exist; however, many models have been built from photographs by measuring a known object in the photograph and extrapolating the rest of the dimensions. The necessary parts are then fashioned out of a suitable material, such as wood, plastic, plaster, clay, metal, polymer clay, or even paper, and then assembled. Some purists consider a model not to be truly scratchbuilt unless all of the parts were made from raw materials. However most modellers would consider a model including commercial detail parts as scratchbuilt. Scratchbuilding a new body onto an altered ready-to-run chassis is also acceptable.
The reasons hobbyists scratchbuild may vary. Often a desired model is unavailable in kit form in the desired scale, or entirely non-existent. Sometimes the hobbyist may be dissatisfied with the accuracy or detail of kits that are available. Other times a hobbyist will opt to scratchbuild simply for the challenge. A hobbyist may also scratchbuild out of economy, as often the raw materials cost less than a packaged commercial kit.
Techniquesedit
Most hobbyists develop their skills by building kits, then progress to kitbashing, where various kits are combined to create a unique model before attempting to scratchbuild. Sometimes scratchbuilders utilize discarded parts of other models or toys, with or without modification, either in order to speed up the building process or to allow the process to continue in spite of certain parts being difficult to make. Some companies sell parts that are of little use to anyone but scratchbuilders.
Building stockedit
Building stock, in whichever material, can be plain sheets, strips, bars, tubes, rods, or even structural shapes such as L or T girders. Stock can also be embossed or textured to replicate a certain prototype material (such as plastic sheet embossed with grooves to mimic a scale brick wall).
For example, to scratch-build a small board fence, the modeler could use plastic rod stock to form the vertical posts, then use plastic bar stock to form horizontal rails affixed to the posts, lay plastic strip stock vertically on the horizontal rails (perhaps 'distressed' with a wire brush to mimic wood grain, or by using thin strips of actual wood), trimming the top and bottoms of the strips to be even, adding details like nail holes (using a small pin), and then finishing and weathering (making a model look like it has been used via dust, dirt, stains, and wear).
Methodedit
There are as many ways of scratch-building models as there are modelers, but generally the modeler obtains plans of a prototype, or designs their own, transfers these plans to paper or other material as patterns (much easier since the arrival of household computer printers and copiers), and uses these patterns to cut, trim and affix the stock together to form the model. Finishing work (such as sanding and polishing, painting, weathering, distressing by forming dents and rust, dust, etc.) is done to complete the model and (hopefully) bring it to a lifelike state.
Referencesedit
A J Madison (2011-04-14). "Scratchbuilding FAQ". Retrieved 2021-10-02.
January 01, 1970
scratch, building, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclea. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations January 2010 Learn how and when to remove this message This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Scratch building news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2010 Learn how and when to remove this message Scratch building is the process of building a scale model from scratch i e from raw materials rather than building it from a commercial kit kitbashing or buying it pre assembled A scratch built Warhammer 40 000 Land Raider in 1 18 scale utilizing paperboard and cardboard A 7cm long scratch built model of 1 700 scale Japanese gunboat Fushimi 1939 built out of paper and copper wire A scratch built 1 87 scale model of an old Vespa garage in Causeway Bay Hong Kong 1950s mainly built out of Foamcore and plastic card A scratch built 1 150 model of Hong Kong s Tong Lau tenement building Scratch building is easiest if original plans of the subject exist however many models have been built from photographs by measuring a known object in the photograph and extrapolating the rest of the dimensions The necessary parts are then fashioned out of a suitable material such as wood plastic plaster clay metal polymer clay or even paper and then assembled Some purists consider a model not to be truly scratchbuilt unless all of the parts were made from raw materials However most modellers would consider a model including commercial detail parts as scratchbuilt Scratchbuilding a new body onto an altered ready to run chassis is also acceptable Contents 1 Motives 2 Techniques 3 Building stock 4 Method 5 ReferencesMotives editThe reasons hobbyists scratchbuild may vary Often a desired model is unavailable in kit form in the desired scale or entirely non existent Sometimes the hobbyist may be dissatisfied with the accuracy or detail of kits that are available Other times a hobbyist will opt to scratchbuild simply for the challenge A hobbyist may also scratchbuild out of economy as often the raw materials cost less than a packaged commercial kit Techniques editMost hobbyists develop their skills by building kits then progress to kitbashing where various kits are combined to create a unique model before attempting to scratchbuild Sometimes scratchbuilders utilize discarded parts of other models or toys with or without modification either in order to speed up the building process or to allow the process to continue in spite of certain parts being difficult to make Some companies sell parts that are of little use to anyone but scratchbuilders Building stock editBuilding stock in whichever material can be plain sheets strips bars tubes rods or even structural shapes such as L or T girders Stock can also be embossed or textured to replicate a certain prototype material such as plastic sheet embossed with grooves to mimic a scale brick wall For example to scratch build a small board fence the modeler could use plastic rod stock to form the vertical posts then use plastic bar stock to form horizontal rails affixed to the posts lay plastic strip stock vertically on the horizontal rails perhaps distressed with a wire brush to mimic wood grain or by using thin strips of actual wood trimming the top and bottoms of the strips to be even adding details like nail holes using a small pin and then finishing and weathering making a model look like it has been used via dust dirt stains and wear Method editThere are as many ways of scratch building models as there are modelers but generally the modeler obtains plans of a prototype or designs their own transfers these plans to paper or other material as patterns much easier since the arrival of household computer printers and copiers and uses these patterns to cut trim and affix the stock together to form the model Finishing work such as sanding and polishing painting weathering distressing by forming dents and rust dust etc is done to complete the model and hopefully bring it to a lifelike state References editA J Madison 2011 04 14 Scratchbuilding FAQ Retrieved 2021 10 02 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Scratch building amp oldid 1212813977, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
