# Scratchbuilding/kitbashing help?



## ScreaminEagles (Nov 13, 2013)

Hey everyone, so I'm new here and I'm trying to get started on a model railroad. I'm trying to get the benchwork and track and electrical system set up at some point, but I still have a ways to go on that, so I'll ask questions on that later-I'm still trying to draw up a track plan. Right now I am trying to purchase locomotives and rolling stock and plan out the roster of my railroad. I seem to have an idea of what I want; however, I have an incredibly small budget and only 2 locomotives and some assorted rolling stock so far. 

So my dilemma is this: I would like to make both locomotives look more prototypical. One is a plastic IHC 2-8-0 Consolidation, the other is a die-cast MDC/Roundhouse Harriman 4-4-2 (sorry for the lack of pictures). I would like to cut the 2nd sand dome off of the Consolidation and make a totally new boiler for the Atlantic, but I have no idea how to do either of these things at all. So does anyone have any beginner's tips for scratchbuilding/kitbashing? Like how to modify a plastic shell or scratchbuild a boiler and domes? I would greatly appreciate any help I can get. Thanks.


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## waltr (Aug 15, 2011)

Best suggestion I have is to google the web and read. There are a number of web sites that show how a kitbash was done to a particular model. 
Then start with an older (non-valuable) model to try out techniques.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

A full scratchbuild of a steam engine boiler is a pretty advanced project. 

You might want to work your way up there with a smaller detailing project, or some simpler structure builds. Just saying.


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## ScreaminEagles (Nov 13, 2013)

cv_acr said:


> A full scratchbuild of a steam engine boiler is a pretty advanced project.
> 
> You might want to work your way up there with a smaller detailing project, or some simpler structure builds. Just saying.


Sorry for this late reply. Anyway, I figured that making a regular, flat (not tapered/sloped) boiler would be simple; I've read instructions online that say you can make a simple boiler by bending a sheet of styrene around a PVC pipe of whatever width you need (in my case, 3/4 of an inch), dip it in water, and microwave it for 5 minutes. I think that's within my capability, I just need to acquire styrene. The hard part for me is to be able to make domes to put on top of the boiler, putting said domes on the boiler, and then making things like the smokebox door, stack, etc. and applying those. I have a link that tells me how to do a lot of that (right here), but I'm not sure what equipment and tools I would need to pull this project off, outside of styrene and PVC pipe. I would like to know what materials I need to be able to accurately measure, mark, cut and glue. (And also any shortcuts)

As for the Consolidation, I just want to chisel off the 2nd sand dome. Can that be done easily and accurately on a plastic shell _without_ causing much damage to it? If so, how would I then cover up this theoretical "scar" that I left on the locomotive? Also, would moving the other domes across the top of the boiler be a possibility? And what kind of tool would I need?


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