# Structures I have scratch-built on my layout.....



## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

The mini-factory. This is my latest creation, combining parts from a bigger warehouse, some balsa wood (cut to size and painted), as well as some dowel for the steam pipes.









Gas storage cylinders. Modeled after similar cylinders not far from where I live, I made these using thick dowel, electrical wire for the smaller pipes, some basswood (rear retaining wall), and some plastic parts left over from an old model kit.









Helipad. One of my first scratch builds, the pad is made from a blank switch plate, painted black, with an 'H' decal I found on eBay. Small lights sit on the screw holes of the switch plate to light up the pad, while painted corks from the supports underneath.

-J.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Nice work!
I particularly like the helipad. Very creative. 
Bob


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## J.C. (Dec 24, 2016)

your off to a good start , my only suggestion would be to plant the structures , meaning build up something to hide the edges where they sit on layout like weeds , grass , trash , dirt , etc. etc.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Poor you, having to drink all those bottles of wine just to get the helipad supports. The things we have to do for the sake of our hobby.
The lights look rather over scale, I guess due to the enthusiasm for providing the aforementioned supports. Never mind.


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## Overkast (Jan 16, 2015)

Awesome builds Mr. Buchholz! I like how you used electrical wire for the smaller pipes on those gas cylinders. I might steal that idea 



Cycleops said:


> The lights look rather over scale


Cycleops has a point, if you care about prototypical at all. One solution is that you can make 4 small squares of that same balsa wood and drill holes through the center of them. Glue the balsa pieces under the landing pad and align the holes you had for the lights, and then put the lights back through -- the bulbs should still make an appearance at the top but not protrude so much. Just food for thought


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

Cycleops said:


> Poor you, having to drink all those bottles of wine just to get the helipad supports. The things we have to do for the sake of our hobby.
> The lights look rather over scale, I guess due to the enthusiasm for providing the aforementioned supports. Never mind.


:laugh:

LOL! Actually, I scavenged the corks from a parts bin in my dad's workshop some time ago. (I'm not a wine person)

-J.


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## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

Overkast said:


> One solution is that you can make 4 small squares of that same balsa wood and drill holes through the center of them. Glue the balsa pieces under the landing pad and align the holes you had for the lights, and then put the lights back through -- the bulbs should still make an appearance at the top but not protrude so much. Just food for thought


Only one hole for all four wires to the lights. Also......they were the smallest bulbs I could find at the time, and they are supposed to stick out. There is a helipad next to the highway I travel to work every day, and all of the lights stick out and up almost the way mine do. Except the real ones are green.

-J.


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