# Scratch building bricks



## uscm05 (Aug 29, 2012)

I saw in one of the magazines there was a way to make individual bricks. Is there any way you can cast your own bricks for buildings.


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

You can use the same foam used as underlayment in layouts. Just draw the bricks in with a sharp pencil lightly and then go back over the lines a little deeper to create the mortar lines.

What are you trying to make?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Here's a completely hand carved bridge section using 2" blue Styrofoam and then obviously painted.


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## beachbum (May 1, 2010)

I would ask why one would want to make individual HO bricks. Much easier to carve a stack or wall or whatever out of foam and paint it.

Are you looking to have a few loose bricks lying around a construction site or something?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Yep, creating the whole brick/stone structure and painting it clearly is easier than trying to fabricate individual bricks!


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## brylerjunction (Aug 8, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Yep, creating the whole brick/stone structure and painting it clearly is easier than trying to fabricate individual bricks!


unless you have a lot of time on your hands and you are bored..


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## gofisher2 (Jul 19, 2012)

brylerjunction said:


> unless you have a lot of time on your hands and you are bored..


Oh kill me now.:laugh:


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## Dano (Aug 26, 2012)

uscm05 said:


> I saw in one of the magazines there was a way to make individual bricks. Is there any way you can cast your own bricks for buildings.


Yes there is, I have done it in doll-house scale but not as small as HO. 
You make a grid from plastic the size and depth of the bricks that you want to make, say maybe about twenty (or more, the more the better) at a time. Your grid sits on waxed paper and you pour casting plaster into it and scrape off the extra. after the plaster sets you just punch out the bricks and start over. 
These bricks will be very small and working with them is going to be a real chore. It would be easier to make a master for a wall section and cast a bunch of them and then cut them to the different sizes wanted.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

There is a company that sells them.
They go together really fast, it's more of a cut stone look but it looks great! These are HO scale.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Nice looking bridge Gunrunner. Your work? Pete


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Nope, that's one done by Harry Henning, he's one of the Hennings that own the train store. They're they guys that sponsor our modular club. Harry is one avid modeler, he does a lot of scratch building, quite a character. The pictures of the modular club build is in his basement, right now that's our base of operation.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I think I'll have several feet of stone wall with arches on the fron of the BGC where the yard is raised. What you have is perfect for this. Pete


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

He does it with plaster, slathers it on to foam, then carves it when it gets about 80% set, and does the "final" carving when it's hard. After that, paint and you get what you see.


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