Page 20 - NMRA Roundhouse September October 2020

- Wheels ;
- Couplers ;
- Light bulbs & electronics ;
- Trucks ;
- Brake fittings ;
- Marker lights & drumheads ;
- Paint, decals, etc. ; and
- Basic shapes of wood, plastic, metal, etc. ("Basic shapes" are
things that the builders of the prototype would have used as raw materials. For example, an "I" beam would be a basic shape; a commercial door or window casting would not.)
Something that you should remember if the idea of 'scratch building' intimidates you: there is very little difference between scratch-building and building most craftsman kits. The big difference is that in a kit, the manufacturer has assembled the materials that you will need for you. Only the construction needs to be done from scratch.
If you take someone else's plans and instructions (even those from a kit), go to the hobby shop, buy the materials yourself, and assemble them, that qualifies as scratch- building. On the other hand, if you do develop your own plans, make sure that you tell the judges that, as it will earn you extra points.
You must earn a score of at least 87-1/2 points on four of the eight models either in an NMRA sponsored contest or in AP Merit Award judging.
Note that only four of the eight must earn 87-1/2 points. The others do not even have to be judged! They do all have to be described on the Statement of Qualification (see below).
You must submit a Statement of Qualification (see SOQ below), which includes the following. An attachment should give a detailed description of each of the eight models, including:
- Identification of all scratch-built features;
- All commercial components used;
- Materials used in building the model;
- If the model is a kit, whose kit is it?
- Verification of the Merit Awards (photocopies of the certificates); and
- Photos of the model are helpful, though not required.
Remember that your eight cars do not have to be from the same era, or part of the country. They do not even have to be the same scale. You also don't have to earn your four Merit Award certificates at the same time - you can earn one this year, another two years from now, and another the year after that.
Let us now look at the five categories of scoring.
Construction (0-40 Points)
The construction category focuses on the quality of workmanship as demonstrated by proper handling of materials, applied workmanship, modelling skill and craftsmanship as demonstrated by the finished model.
I think the definition says it all. Almost half of the total points required come from your skill in building your model, whether it be scratch-built, kitbashed or supe-detailed.
The judges will consider the quality, skill, workmanship and complexity of the model. Another important point is the proper handling and selection of the materials you use. A wooden siding looks best if it is also built with scale lumber. Although you may distress and score styrene to look like wood, it may require another level of skill. In addition, a steel tank might be easier to build using styrene, than wood, although again, this is not impossible, but requires a lot more sanding and priming to get rid of the wood grain. What I want to say is, do not make life harder than it really is. I used wood where wood was required and styrene for all the rest.
Another very important point to watch out for is the quality of assembly of all the components and pieces. Better double check if your model is square and the parts are properly aligned. The ladders and steps should be square, the roof walks centered, eaves and roof overhangs are even. If you use scribed siding, take care the grooves are not mismatched or off in any direction.
When using scale lumber, a bit of extra care should be given to cuting the parts straight. Avoid saw or file marks and unsanded, fuzzy wood.
Doors, windows and hatches should be straight and square. The grab irons and handrails should be evenly spaced and straight also. These are the most visible errors you probably could make. Use a drilling template or jig to help you in these steps. Cut windows and doors roughly to size and achieve the final fitting with a file or sanding stick, taking care that everything is square and in line.
Use adhesives sparingly. If you press the parts together, capillary action makes excessive glue ooze out of the joints. These are hard to eliminate. In most cases, the glue smears the surrounding surface, and this is even harder to remove. When gluing window glazing, try to avoid any solvent-based adhesives. Super glue or ACC tends to craze your glazing unless you do want milky glass. I use canopy glue for most of my windows, because it dries up clear and does not attack the glazing material.
Watch out for open joints. Try-fit the parts before gluing them together. If necessary, sand the parts until they show no gaps.
ROUNDHOUSE - September/October 2020 - 75th Anniversary Issue
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