# F-scale building kits from Banta



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Any thoughts on Banta Modelworks F-scale structure kits? Their ad in the latest Gazette mentions a country store kit (estimated price $325 in F, $165 in On3/30), plus a water tank ($145), carpentry shop ($135), and hotel ($145). These are craftsman kits, which means you're in for some serious modeling. But they are of the quality you see in say, HO, and very much what serious large-scale modelers yearn for. The country store is kinda pricey, but even if you bought all the material yourself, you'd still be spending some serious change. Oh, as the ad points out, they are "big," as you'd expect F-scale (1:20.3) to be. Personally, my hat's off to Banta for being adventuresome enough to test the large-scale waters. There ain't much in the way of kits in our league. Many large scalerers seem to prefer "plug-and-play," meaning they don't care about model building. Just an observation...


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

A link and some pics would be helpful. 325 for a kit that had pre-cut materials and a plan for a good sized structure sounds fair to me


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## R Snyder (May 12, 2009)

This is really good news for those of us who like to build things.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

OK, two R-guys, hope these work. 

http://www.bantamodelworks.com/


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Here's some detailed information, but I couldn't figure out how to paste in the image of the store. If I saved it in Pictures, I couldn't figure out how to get it into my MLS post. If I clicked "Copy" with my right mouse button, I couldn't find a "paste" function when I had my MLS post open. Maybe you can tell me how it's done... 


Everest Country Store 



The kit is composed of a laser cut plywood core overlaid with laser cut clapboard and strip wood. Corrugated metal is included for the roof, a sheet of signs chosen speciically for this kit, the gas pump, and a large bag of white metal and resin detail parts help make this a great kit. the addition of the car port round out a fine addition to your layout. The kit has wide appeal and will fit any model railroad from narrow gauge to standard gauge modern themed railroads. Figures and vehicle not included. Overall foot print is 9" wide by 8" deep. NOTE< the HO AND S version WILL include detail packs... S scalers, please reserve if you want one! 


O scale BSC-6134 $165.00 
HO scale BSC-2134 $98.00 coming soon 
S scale BSC-4134 $140.00 coming soon reservation only. 

banta modelworks 
802-258-3869 (BS line) 800-653-8214 (Orders) 
E-mail: [email protected]


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

At least one of the laser cutters we use at work (for SS and other steel knives) prices by cutting time or by inches cut by speed of cut. Thus the alrger the model the longer it takes to cut...price is probably in the ball park. Nice looking structure too! 

Chas


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Certainly sounds like a fair enough price. I'm still a bit gunshy about putting thin plywood/wood veneer structures outdoors. There was a series of similar (though nowhere near as detailed) kits produced in the mid 80s that used 1/8" plywood as a base. Even with soaking the pieces in polyurethane resin for protection, then painting, they literally fell apart within a few years. I'd really hate to pay all that money, put all the time and effort into the building, and then watch it age 20 years in one season because of a little bit of rain. 

I must admit I'm surprised to see Banta in the 1:20.3 market. I chatted with them a few years ago at the narrow gauge convention about some potential products based on their smaller scale stuff, and the overall tone of the discussion was that they had little/no interest in 1:20.3. Hopefully we'll see this trend continue. 

Later, 

K


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm told that I bought the very last Banta Shay cab kit in Fn3 scale available in the yUK. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I would have to agree about the thin plywood and this is based on experience. Although with a temporary building structure in !' to 12" scale.









This structure was constructed over one day the original plans were to use thin actual plywood but the gentleman purchasing the materials decided that Floor Luan was cheaper and lighter weight. Sadly it was delaminating before we even cut it. We built it anyway and disassembled and painted it. Hauled it 5 hours from their house to Pennsic and set it up for 2 weeks in the elements. 









This tower was 15 foot tall overall and was not "structural" in that we dared not get up on the turret. At the end of 2 weeks it was decided that the panels had delaminated so bady we'd need to start from scratch the following year. We built it on the same pattern only using 3/8 exterior plywood. That version still exists today although the folsk that we built it with no longer go to Pennsic I simply do not want to haul all the pieces and put it up by myself. 









this also was only set up for those 2 weeks. Another note, the large panels were transported on top of an enclosed trailer in the wind. the smaller ones inside the same trailer. It took 3 or 4 of us to assembled it laying on it's side and 6 to 8 of us to stand it up. The rest of the year it was stored inside a garage. Anyone interested? It's free for the taking some assmebly required. Make a great deer stand! Pick up near the Alstom plant in Hornell NY!

Chas


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Chas, if at these events you chase people around on broomsticks hitting each other on the head with plastic wands, please dont tell me ....


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## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

I must admit I echo Kevin's surprise. I have attended narrow gauge convention for a great many years, and am always amazed at the quality of structure kits available for O scale and HO. I have talked with a great many builders, kit makers , manufacturers and more about doing the same stuff in 1:20. There is always a great deal of resistance, or just indifference. Some simply stated that if they were to do it, it would be in 1:24 for large scale, as their existing plans will scale , and they consider 1:20 as not a real scale anyway.( Quote : 1:20 is a ******* scale, unquote- stated at the Portland Oregon event a few years ago) I guess if anyone would , Banta is the most likely, simply because they have had large scale success before . 

jonathan/EMW


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## Russell Miller (Jan 3, 2008)

Joe,
Buy the kit and use the plywood parts as a template to cut acrylic parts. It is usually the interior wood that rots out first since the exterior wood is protected by *House Paint.* 

Russ


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Russ, I'd love to have that kit. But $325 estimated is a lot to pay for patterns. Where do ya think I get my money to spend at TAP? Besides, I have plenty of general stores. I need houses, an engine house, and a factory (remember, that's the design you and I discussed that has the cool chimney). After seeing the latest Gazette, I decided that I have the prefect spot in our garden for a mine--like the one on the cover and featured inside. It's pretty straightforward--just a bunch of tall walls with a few windows and for fun, a tipple out back. Shucks, I could knock that puppy out in a few evenings, said the guy who has yet to completely finish four other structures.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

1:20.3 is a real scale, as much as any scale is a real scale. It is also a true representative scale of really, in which 15mm equals one foot. 45mm = 3 feet - the track gauge. So how is that a '*******' scale?

British 00 scale certainly is a '*******' scale - 4mm to the foot using 16.5mm gauge track instead of 18 point something, and so is the popular 1/29th scale with its slightly out of kilter track/scale ratio - but 1:20.3?

It's a true scale.

tac
http://www.ovgrs.org/


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By vsmith on 27 Jul 2011 02:50 PM 
Chas, if at these events you chase people around on broomsticks hitting each other on the head with plastic wands, please dont tell me ....








Vic, Not even close.There is a whole group that dress up in real medieval armor and re-enact famous medeval battles. 
Thre are others that use period bows and arros to shoot target archery and some of us throw knives adn axes. The gentler sciences are represented in sewing Calligraphy and illumination and many other pursuits that would ahve been found in medieval times (for the nobility of course)...

My point in posting was really to show how badly thin plywood can react to the weather and my experience with it. 

Chas


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

I couldn't find any F scale structures on the site. Is a future plan of theirs?


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Richard, Banta's ad on page 31 of the July/August Gazette shows the Everest Country Store and lists prices for the HO and On3/30 kits, with a line that says "F-scale Reserve...est $325." This means they are taking orders, I'm guessing to see how many people pony up the money. But in the same ad, it shows the Branchline Water Tank, $145 in F-scale, the the Carpentry Shop at $135, and the Hotel at $145. It doesn't specificall mention Fscale, but if you look at the serial numbers of the large-scale kits, they are in the 8100 range, which is large scale, whereas HO serial numbers are in the 2100 range, while O are in the 6000s. Capish? 

BTW, I'm guessing that since the hotel, which is not shown, is one of those false-front buildings that's only one story tall, since the price is so low.


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