Mini-Model Making Guide
To Making Your Own Scale Details

Whether you are talking N-Scale layouts, HO Scale pikes, Armor dioramas ,a docked ship model, even full blown doll houses, the ability to miniaturize is key to presenting details that attract the eye of the viewer.

Scale model detailing is almost becoming an industry unto itself. Ever since model railroaders started adding ballast to track sides, trees and shrubs to hillsides and structures to provide destinations for their mini-railroad empires details have become increasingly important.

No less important are the furniture pieces, carpets, wallpapers and interior lighting dads everywhere provide for their daughter’s first house, err dollhouse.

It is these little pieces-parts that quickly inflate the modeler’s detailing budget.

Take something as common as a wood picnic table. I appropriate scales you are probably looking at less than 50 cents in material cost.

In N-scale you can get a 4-pack of these tables for $8.95. In HO Scale the quantity drops to four but the price per pack goes to $12.44 When you get to dollhouse size, a single picnic table with benches will set you back $24.95.

Hobo Huts from junk same as designed by original owner.

Making your own detail parts can save you substantial money. From my junk box I pieced together a row of four hobo shacks in N Scale. I modeled it after a commercial resin casting which priced out at $6.00 BEFORE shipping.

I have decided to start building my own details for the substantial savings involved, the ability to design my own details and produce them in the quantity I need…and be able to find them.

Did you ever try to find an N-Scale seagull, N Scale tires to use as boat bumpers on a dock or N Scale boat construction ribs. What has been your experience building your own detail parts? Do you have any ideas on how to make them? Does it require special tools to make a bird the size of a bead?

I’m looking for some ideas, if you’ve got ‘em, write ‘em. Use the space below. If you have pictures, please share them.

Do you have a great story about miniaturizing your own details? Share it below.

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

New to N scale scratch building  Not rated yet
I have been scratch building for about 3 months. My budget is very small. I always look for cheap alternatives to commercially available N scale kits ...

Miniaturizing An HO Scale Structure Jig  Not rated yet
There are some neat tips on this website, but getting them to scale up or down to suit your needs can task the brain cells.

I am working on a kit bash ...