When making a pitched roof structure, I use the end walls as a pattern to make center supports for the roof. This allows the two roof pieces to be supported at various points across the building, adding strength.
ways paint the interior of larger wood buildings to seal them from moisture. Painting the interior will prevent a lot of the warping that occurs during changes in the humidity. After the walls are craft- ed, I just use a rattle can of whatever
I use pins in my structures whenever possible. They add strength, which helps pieces hold together. Here, the foundation pieces are pinned to the walls.
dark color I can get my mitts on to blast the interior surfaces. Custom lengths of brass wire can often be used in place of pins, which can add the needed strength to many questionable butt joints. I like to cut the wire at a severe angle to give it a nice sharp point. This will allow an easier start into a pre-drilled hole, or make
plunging it into an undrilled surface eas- ier. Judiciously placed wire “pins” can aid in the accurate placement (in pre- drilled holes) of delicate substructures such as fire escapes or free-standing stairways. Make the hole slightly under- size, so the fit is a snug one. Pre-drilled holes such as these are best made be- fore final assembly when each wall is
Left: When constructing models I always think about how to maximize the surface area of pieces that will be glued together. In this case, I have added a basswood block to the building. It not only keeps the wall straight, but also provides a large area for adhesive.
Below: Brass or phosphor bronze wire can also be used to add support to structures. I often pin the building to the ground or pin large wooden beams to one another. Pins can be added after the construction of the structure is complete if you can reach the joint areas and drilling will not cause damage.
84 RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN
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