# What's your favorite window building technique?



## hans911 (Jan 9, 2008)

I'm in the process of building a few foam board structures to add to this years front yard Christmas layout. I've got Santa's workshop and perhaps parts of Whoville planned. Windows and doors have always been a tough spot for me. I'd like to scratch build simple ones from styrene.

Can anyone advise me on their favorites tips, techniques, tools and tricks to scatchbuilding windows and doors on their layouts?

Thanks
Paul


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul

You might check out the most recent postings by Ron in his topic linked to below.









Buildings Forum/Topic: Grist Mill project with plans[/b]

Here is another reference that you may find helpful. It is a compilation of postings by MLS member Peter Bunce in PDF file format, feel free to download a copy if you like.

Bunce's Buildings Vol. I - Peter Bunce (PDF 10.98MB)[/b]

Bunce's Buildings Vol. II - Peter Bunce (PDF 1.95MB)[/b]


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi

Additional entry

Steve beat me to it! The small article below is almost certainly in the PDF which he has very kindly done of my buildings, in the PDF is much more; all my building are scratch built. I use what in the USA is called 'Sintra board' or plastic corrugated as used in political signs etc; my main thickness is 5mm. 

Main article

I make mine the same way as Bruce Chandler does, from two layers of Styrene - here is my method for my 1/20.3 scale Windows

My windows are not totally ‘true to scale’; they are, in fact, slightly less deep than they ought to be, making the construction a bit easier. The difference is not very noticeable in the setting for which they are being built which is the garden. 

To make the window glass I use the clear part from the so called ‘Jewel Cases’ for CD’s, these are rigid clear styrene, and almost (add a couple of pieces of scrap top & bottom, they will be covered up by the frame) large enough for the 11.5 ft height for shops etc. For shops though you will have to buy new cases, otherwise damaged clear fronts can be used. 

Before any ‘glass’ is needed, however, the window hole needs to be cut. I add to the size of the hole sufficient for the internal edges to be covered with plastic card strip. My cabin is 1.5mm thick, so that is the width of these edge strips. They are cut from .030 (.75 mm) so 1.5mm is added to the window size on both dimensions (sides and top/bottom). In addition there are 4.5mm wide strips added to the outside of the window hole covering up the edges of the strips just added. All of these strips are cut are from .030 (.75mm) strip, and in the case of board & batt (en) buildings before the battens are added (they will come up to the window facing outer edges). What you are doing is finishing off the window frame. Smooth the joins between the two strips to ensure that there is no overlap. To mark out the window hole, I drill a small hole at each corner (of the hole) whilst the wall sheet is flat on the bench; then the hole can be cut from both sides of the sheet quite easily. The windowsill will fit onto the lower part of the window opening later.

For small closed (non (prototype) opening) windows, I added about ¼ to 3/8ths inch added on all 4 sides – this is to allow for gluing the window to the inside of your walls. For ‘sash style’ windows halve the vertical dimension and cut a couple of pieces with the extra on three sides only. To cut the clear styrene I marked each side of it with a scriber then partially cut on the marked line, and deepen the groove with an ‘Olfa’ cutter (or skrawker), used gently. Do this on both sides of the cut line; there is no need to cut right through the sheet, with a couple of grooves (front & rear of the sheet), it can be gently snapped apart. You will know when the grooves are deep enough, as it will flex easily. Do not try cut deep as you will mark the inside of the styrene – it will leave cracked flakes showing; gentle cuts are required.

If possible, paint the window frame at this point, then the glass can be fitted. For ‘sash’ windows mark the window opening with a line that is half the depth and glue one of the two pieces of ‘glass’ to the top half of the window; you can use the semi viscous style plastic cement and it will dry quite quickly. When dry, it is time to fit the window frame, the outer frame made from .030 (.75mm) thick plastic card and is 3.75mm wide (scale 3”). For fixing, I use the water thin plastic cement, applied very carefully from the rear edge (you can practice here); check the cement has got far enough by looking from the inside. With practice you can also add more cement on the inner edge, BUT be careful, as too much will mark the surface. The width mentioned is a terrible measurement I agree, but I set it on a pair of small screw dividers, and then use those to mark out strips that will be needed all at the same time. That way you can have as many as required easily. Fit these strips all round the (upper) window, and paint the lower underneath edge of the window glass on your window frame colour now. The strips between the glass sheets are next; the cabin windows have 4 small sheets per sash section; later and with larger windows these were reduced in number. I suspect these cabins were done the cheapest way possible, quite understandable really, they were ‘company housing’ at the time. 

These cross strips are 1.25mm wide, or possibly 1.5mm I am not certain, (suggestion make these 1.5mm, later Victorian windows would have had the thinner ones – they will look better!), again from .030 plastic card. Cut them the same way as above, and do all that you require together. When cutting fine strip like these do not cut plastic card from end to end in one cut – that way it will have a ‘curl’ on it. After marking it out, start and end the cuts through the plastic card about ½ an inch in from the end, when cut through finish each end off to free the strip. That way should stop most of the ‘curl’. Mark out the centre of the sides and top/bottom, and fit the strips as above, (AFTER your practice session), be careful as these are much thinner.

You now have the upper part complete, congratulations! For the lower half, which in sash windows are fitted behind the top half, first add and glue from clear styrene scrap 3 pieces around the window hole. These are spacers are to ensure that the lower half is ‘set back’. The lowest piece can be fitted with about 2mm standing up from the base, this will be partly covered with a windowsill shortly, meanwhile, paint it the same colour of your window frame. Now the bottom ‘glass’ half can be glued onto these spacer pieces, and just touching the lower edge of the top piece. Now edge the glass that you fitted as the upper part BUT the top outer frame piece is only half the depth of the rest of the frame: the other half is hidden. Mine are 1.5mm deep here. Continue with the crosspieces as before.

For the windowsill, add a piece of the same strip used for the window facings but 1mm wider. Trim the ends to fit, so that the windowsill extends to the outer edges of the window frame. This is, in effect, a plank that has been fitted on top of the lower edge of the window frame to act as a ‘sill’. The windowsill needs to be fitted at a slight slope, to get this slope I fit a small piece of .030mm square plastic card strip close against the bottom scrap clear styrene strip fitted below the main window that was fitted earlier which will make the windowsill slope forwards. That is the intention, as otherwise water will lie there Also slightly ‘round off’ the front upper edge of the windowsill to assist the water to leave. Do not forget that this cabin is intended for garden use. In ‘better’ properties the windowsill would be much thicker. Adding an extra strip underneath could show this. Drawings I have looked at seem to show flat windowsills, but my sloped design, will I think, cope better with garden conditions.

On the final straight now; to finish off add a .030 square strip around the sides and top outside the top section – this will leave a gap between the lower section and the newly fitted strip; that is correct – it is the slot that the upper window slid in. It is painted the same colour as the window sections. 

That’s it, you have now constructed a sash window; add some curtains (folded, painted (choose your colour) paper, glued inside if required. An alternative is a roll blind, which is even easier, a single sheet of paper with a folded and glued lower edge glued on the inside. The ‘ochre ‘colour of American envelopes is in my opinion perfect for this purpose. No, I didn’t have any so I had to do my own.

I have taken a couple of ‘horrible close ups’ with that ‘all seeing’ camera eye. These show all the details of my sash style windows.

Here are the photos 




















Two close ups of the early windows - the top and bottom sections are made individually then joined, and the frame made around them - i do not add the extra vertical bits now.









The matrix that are used - many sizes now, into the slots are fitted the pieces that will make the half thickness frame, that when dry is removed and doubled in the opposite direction- the frame has two layers of .020 making a frame thickness of 1mm.

After painting the 'glass' is from the clear plastic packaging that is everywhere now, glue the pieces in after sanding the inside, that is then painted a darkish grey, if desired curtains can be painted on before the grey. or they can be made from styrene or thin (4 thou) metal, when done varnish inside and out for protection.

Doors are easy an outer layer and an inner layer from .020 styrene, glass panel doors are basically the same as windows with clear styrene for glass - here is one of my building made recently with the shop window style front made in just this fashion - the windows,. Partly seen is a panel door that was made as above. For door handles use glass headed pins, with the projecting part (inside) cut off and a' blob' of glue to hide the bit left from snagging your fingers! 










Hope the above helps, windows are somewhat fiddly but can be made and look quite good.

Yours Peter.


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## hans911 (Jan 9, 2008)

Gentlemen, 
These are both great solutions. I'll have to read, re-read a few times and digest these articles in order to get it and build my windows and doors. 
Amazing work and details on all the above articles. 

Paul


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Simply wonderful models, Peter. Learning so much from you! 
===> Cliff


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## hans911 (Jan 9, 2008)

I am using Peter's methods on my current Santa House project that I started a post on in this forum. Running into two questions....

1. My building core is 1/2 inch thick pink foam giving a 1/2 inch deep window. I'm not too worried about this but I am sure some that are more exact on their scaling have dealt with this. in 1:24 this would be a 12 inch deep window. Not a big problem but curious how other's deal with this or just live with it.

2. I'm using corrugated plastic sign material for the roof, not the whole building. I have an abundance of this after cleaning up a few corners after the last election. When this is cut cross wise against the grain it leaves an edge that is full of openings. How are others handling this? I've tried filling the edge with paintable caulking with fair results but it doesn't leave a clean edge.

Paul


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Hans,

Half inch is I think a bit thick, you could use the corrugated board?

I think my method would work in both materials though the insulation board will need some care due to the weakness of it when thin.

So all the following is re corrugated board, or could be Sintra board, or its copies.


I guess that you are talking about the corners of buildings, or the door or window openings in plastic corrugated board of about 3 to 5mm thick?



If so the quick sketch may help









One wall has all the corrugations removed and one (flat) wall - that will leave you just the front wall : I do it on my 5mm thick corrugated board with a knife and take care. the side wall is then fed into the gap created with plenty of glue, and then inside add (from scrap) a stiffening piece in the corner; it can be 8in two pieces leaving a space for a triangular stiffener in the gap. On the outside is some plastic angle (it could be two pieces glued together 'in situ'. I use cut down PVC angle section from the DIY chains, cut to 10mm each side on the outside; sand off (with a sanding drum the 'draft on the inside of the corner to allow it to sit in tight. The approx thickness is 1mm.

Windows and doors I add a right angled shape (two pieces this time - its only 5mm wide) around the window and that window + edges fits into the hole. With doors add the frame then on the rear add the door to the inner side.

Use plenty of glue, other flat pieces are used at the underside of the roof panels to the side also 1mm thick, and a weatherboard (like a skirting board on the bottom of the walls, The lower edge of the walls is cur to be flat using a vertical corrugated join between the side and corrugation..

Lightly sand the front face to give a 'key' for the paint.

Hope that helps!

Yours Peter.


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

i find making lots of windows too much work, so I mold them.

I make one nice window using wood strips, varnish it then make a two piece silicone mold.










this window has three milk cans molded as the filler (sprue)

Here is the window installed in a small train station under construction.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

That's a great looking mold! What do you use for casting? Resin?


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Eric, I am fascinated by your molding technique, what little of the process you described. Would you mind elaborating? Oh, and what does the sprue do? Or is it there just to make use of wasted space? 

I was looking at the windows I made for my two-story house (all 15!!!) and thought," Dang, those are really nice." But the thought of going through that process again stopped me in my tracks, so maybe molding is the answer. BTW, how long does it take to cast a window?


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

Paulus and Joe-- 

I mold the windows from resin, the mold itself is silicone. I purchased all the products from micromark. They come with instructions which i followed sortof. 

I started by making one wooden window. I set it in a peice of plywood with cut to fit the window as you would insert it into a house, with the trim sticking out and the rest set in. I then also cut two little pieces to backup the "glass" portion of the window. I set a rectangular frame onto the first peice of plywood , sealed up any cracks and poured the silicone in. it filled the frame about 1/2-3/4" over the window. 

when the silicone cured over night, I removed the plywood peices -2 "glass" and the "wall" so that the window was left in the mold. I placed a second frame over the first, sprayed everyting with mold realease and poured a second layer of silicone. when that cured, I could take the mold apart and remove the window. 

you can see that now I would have a hole the exact shape of the window. the "sprue" can be added with a knife at this point or formed with clay at an earlier point. the sprue makes it so i can pour liquid resin into the mold. a small vent lets the air out. The mold holds the window at an angle so that the air can run to the top as the resin flows in. it can be tricky to get all the air out otherwise.


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## rpc7271 (Jan 2, 2008)

I buy my windows off of Ebay from Az Garden Trains.


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