Yes that is a valid point. However it does certainly create a better surface for weathering etc. something that card doesn't. As for mixing of structural methods I agree that the finer detail that scratchbuilding from plastic or wood will quickly show up the deficiencies of printed card, just as a scratchbuilt card structure will also do.Walkingthedog wrote: ↑Sat Oct 20, 2018 11:58 am I solved that problem by not mixing different types of building. All of mine are card and structures such a water tanks are plastic.
I always think the gap between bricks on plastic sheets are too deep.
In any case as I originally posted the jury is still out on how I will tackle the row (s) of terraces I need to build. I have also built a Metcalfe corner shop as well as their factory. The factory turned out OK as a build of the kit (these kits from an experienced modeler's viewpoint are no brainers) - unfortunately the achievable standard didn't approach that which I can obtain using simple scratch building, so it was removed and I'll probably sell it off. It was a combination of factors - printing process, clumsy design and the nagging uniformity of one size fits all detailing offered.
The corner shop was actually a better kit in terms of its depiction of what it represented however it also was sadly let down by the same basic faults of the factory. So much so that I completely scrapped the idea of a follow up corner pub from the same source and spent a lot of time scratchbuilding the pub I wanted from better materials, followed by planning the painting sequence of the brick surface so that the final weathering washes bought out the detail. Whether I can resurrect the corner shop by reroofing it as I did with the coal merchant's hut is something I'm considering. The jury is out on that as well.
One thing that does really stand out with the card kits is the problem of corners. Time after time we see otherwise well thought out electrically and operationally complex layouts with buildings that have those exposed cardboard corners. Now that is an easy fix - simply use commonly available fine grain poly fillers, normally used by carpenters and DIY people. This will bond with the card and cures quickly. Then a quick rub down with fine sand paper followed by an equally quick dry brushing with the appropriate colour using acrylic paint will fix it. Simply put, colouring the obvious step at the corner doesn't because the ugly non-prototypical step remains. One wonders in this day of computer controlled cutting methods if the cut at the corner on the external surface could be replaced by a double chamfered cut on the interior side which would replace that ugly step which requires a quite visible remedy in card which is a far less forgiving medium than plastic or wood.
Anyway we all differ as modelers so perhaps I am being overly critical. I had hoped that use of these kits would speed up the process of creating the landscape but their fundamental problems rule that out.
