# Scratch building plans in N scale



## gary60s

My specialty is making plans for scratch building structures in N scale. I call them "Scratch Sketch Sets". The name came from the CAD drawing program that I use (Sketchup). A Scratch sketch set is a collection of 3d drawings, step by step assembly sketches with directions and materials, some photos, and precise printable templates in N scale. These sets make it easy to do a scratch structure of your choice. 

When I first did a set of N scale plans for scratch building a structure, it was a crude collection of 3d sketches done with google's "Sketchup". The "sets" included overview sketches, dimensioned (drawn to nearest 1/64 of an inch) parts layouts, and assembly sketches. These sets resembled what I had seen online, but lacked an easy way to cut out parts.

I had the beginning scratch builder in mind, so an improvement was in order. The main solution was the creation of parts templates drawn precisely to scale. Changing to decimal dimensioning allowed me to get to the nearest ten thousandth of an inch. With totally accurate printable templates, dimensioned parts layout sketches became unnecessary. Ten thousandth of an inch accuracy is needed when dealing with material thicknesses in the .010 range. The newer templates are not dimensioned, so you won't see it, but the precision is there.

The other thing that was lacking, was an easy way to print the templates.The answer to that was creating PDF's. All of my sketch sets now include PDF's. All you have to do is print them, cut out the parts outline, use rubber cement to glue to your building material, and cut on the lines. The paper peels off easily.

This whole process makes scratch building fun and easy. BTW...my sketch sets are all public domain, so they are FREE. Sadly, I haven't done any new ones in over a year, and now lack the energy to do any more.

I have made 108 sets and cover a wide range of structures from loading docks, to depots, to homes, to railside industries, etc.

Unfortunately Sketchup won't allow me to fit most HO scale structures on one standard sheet of paper, so I haven't done any in that scale.


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## DonR

Gary what you describe seems to be what a lot of N scale 
modellers could put to good use. It ain't easy to work with
things that small.

Are you planning to make your plans available at no cost or
will you be selling them? If free, your post in this structures
forum would
be correct, but if you are actually selling them you would want
to establish a new thread in the MARKET PLACE Product Promotion
section of the Forum. That is a free service.

Don


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## gary60s

Thanks for the advice Don. All my plans are absolutely free. I have never charged for any of them. Many, many modelers have built some fine structures from my plans (some have modified them, which is in the spirit of scratch building).


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## gary60s

The below link will allow free access to view and/or print any of my sketch sets with no obligation to register or join the site (therailwire). They have been called "a tough crowd" by many others, so i would not recommend joining anyway.

http://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31109.0


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## gary60s

hmm...are links to other sites allowed here? My above posted link isn't working.

Ah...you have to allow popups.


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## DonR

gary60s said:


> The below link will allow free access to view and/or print any of my sketch sets with no obligation to register or join the site (therailwire). They have been called "a tough crowd" by many others, so i would not recommend joining anyway.
> 
> http://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31109.0



Gary

Your link worked fine for me.

Don


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## gary60s

The beauty of these sketch sets, is that there is no measuring or scaling required. That is all done for you. All you have to do is print the templates from a PDF, paste on your building material, and cut out the parts. Assembly blowup sketches in 3D make building fun and easy.

To pick from the 108 FREE projects just scroll thru the list.


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## gary60s

If anyone finds this useful, please let me know.


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## Gwpapa

gary60s said:


> If anyone finds this useful, please let me know.


I haven't used one yet but I did download several for use later. I model HO so I will need to try and enlarge them. Thanks for your work here.


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## Big Ed

Hello garys60s, aka CNJRR over on the "other" site. By the way the "other" site looks to be going under like the HO site is.  Serg just doesn't seem to care. 

Welcome here, to the site.
You need 10 posts to receive pm's.


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## DonR

Gwpapa said:


> I haven't used one yet but I did download several for use later. I model HO so I will need to try and enlarge them. Thanks for your work here.


If the drawings have real feet and inches dimensions you can use an
HO scale to measure out your materials in HO feet and inches.

I confess, I haven't downloaded any of Gary's work.

Don


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## Gwpapa

DonR said:


> If the drawings have real feet and inches dimensions you can use an
> HO scale to measure out your materials in HO feet and inches.
> 
> I confess, I haven't downloaded any of Gary's work.
> 
> Don


Yep I read something indicating that to get the scale right the printer needs to be set to 184% to print from N to HO. If not 184 it was close to that but I will check again before I print one up.


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## gary60s

Good to see you Ed. Thanks for the welcome! I'm not a bit surprised about NSO...many others have told me the same thing.


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## gary60s

Don, Some of my earlier sketches have feet and inches dimensions (in N scale) but going to printable templates made it so much easier to scratch build a structure. Unfortunately I wasn't thinking of the HO guys at the time. Going back to add the dimensions on over a hundred sketch sets would be a bear. Sorry.


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## gary60s

According to "Model Railroad Conversion Charts" the scale factor for N to HO is 1.837 or 183.7%.


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## gary60s

I forgot to mention, there 11 of the 1908-1940 Sears kit homes included and some have interior walls.


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## 68v

Thanks for the link will try building some this winter season!!


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## PMOC

This is awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your hard work, very much appreciated!


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## gary60s

Number of available FREE sketch sets is now 117, with one more to be added each month, until total is 129.


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## The New Guy

gary60s said:


> Number of available FREE sketch sets is now 117, with one more to be added each month, until total is 129.


Do tell, why 129? Seems to specific to be random, and quirky enough for a good story.

Looks like 250% scaling to S? anyone know if that's correct?

I think I'll give a few of those craftmen houses a whirl. Thanks for sharing.


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## RonthePirate

Is there a way to use the computer to scale these beauties up to O scale?
I run O, but would love to use some of these.

I tried just using the zoom feature, but that only shows the 3.333 increase on the screen.
It printed in the N scale.


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## gary60s

The New Guy said:


> Do tell, why 129? Seems to specific to be random, and quirky enough for a good story.
> 
> Looks like 250% scaling to S? anyone know if that's correct?
> 
> I think I'll give a few of those craftmen houses a whirl. Thanks for sharing.


 
129 just happens to be where I ran out of steam doing sketches. I may pick up more sketching steam later.

Yes ... 250 % is correct for N to S. Be aware that you will have to find S scale windows and change openings accordingly.


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## gary60s

RonthePirate said:


> Is there a way to use the computer to scale these beauties up to O scale?
> I run O, but would love to use some of these.
> 
> I tried just using the zoom feature, but that only shows the 3.333 increase on the screen.
> It printed in the N scale.



I don't know. I didn't realize there was a problem changing to O.
Maybe by using a photo editor ?


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## gary60s

Number of free sketch sets is now up to 120.


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## Subsailor

*Wow!*

I just came across this blog, and wow am I impressed. Thanks for all the info and the link to the drawings. I just downloaded Sketchup on my pic so I will attempt to draw an scale building. Thanks for all the pdfs of the various buildings. :appl:


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## DonR

The most handy tool that a scratch builder can have
on hand is a multi scale ruler such as the Excel Deluxe
Model Ref ruler:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Excel-Delux...5&pid=100005&rk=5&rkt=6&sd=401295654783&rt=nc

You can take actual measurements then use the ruler
to draw them out in the scale of your choice. Or you
can use N scale measurements and using the ruler
draw your project in 0 scale, or S, or HO.

Don


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## Lemonhawk

Their under $11 on Amazon.


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## ninjarobert

RonthePirate said:


> Is there a way to use the computer to scale these beauties up to O scale?
> I run O, but would love to use some of these.
> 
> I tried just using the zoom feature, but that only shows the 3.333 increase on the screen.
> It printed in the N scale.


Since going from n-scale to O is such a jump (adobe_1.png), the pattern will need to be tiled across multiple pages (adobe_2.png). I have not tried this yet. User beware! lol :
- In Adobe Reader DC (2018.009.20050), select File -> Print
- Select the "Poster" button under "Page Size & Handling"
- Enter new percentage under "Tile Scale"
- Set overlap to 0 in (should make it easier to tape pieces together after cutting)

This is the most direct way I can see to do it. Hopefully, it works!


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## J.C.

RonthePirate said:


> Is there a way to use the computer to scale these beauties up to O scale?
> I run O, but would love to use some of these.
> 
> I tried just using the zoom feature, but that only shows the 3.333 increase on the screen.
> It printed in the N scale.



go to the library of congress site http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/ in the search type in what type of structure your looking for with the word drawings , there all listed in real feet and inches no need for conversions.


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## ninjarobert

J.C. said:


> go to the library of congress site http://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/ in the search type in what type of structure your looking for with the word drawings , there all listed in real feet and inches no need for conversions.


Wow, that's an awesome resource. Thanks.


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## gary60s

Number of free Sketch Sets is now up to 131.


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## gary60s

FREE sketch sets is now up to 135, and I am adding one per month. Enjoy.


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## ClarkW

Gary, could these plans be printed out on a 3D printer?


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## gary60s

I dont know Clark. I've never tried it.


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## CTValleyRR

Assuming that it is a true wireframe mesh model, and not just a 3D drawing, it should be printable in 3D -- provided you get the .stl file and not the .pdf.

I don't know about your printer, but mine won't print something that won't fit on an 8-1/2 × 11 sheet of paper. My print bed is only 3.5" × 5.5" x 6.8". You may have to slice these into smaller pieces, unless you're thinking about sending it to Shapeways or someone like that for printing.

Try downloading a file and running it through your slicer software and see what happens.


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