Hi all

All the buildings on my proposed layout St Michael (nee San Miguel) have been purchased from Lcut creative (lcut.co.uk) a manufacturer of laser cut models. The reasoning behind this particular idea is that the layout is intended to give me lots of building time (the same reason for purchasing Airfix or white metal cast rolling stock, and the Tim H baseboards) when i finally get to live in Spain and reduce the amount of time sampling  the Rioja.

I dont know if many members are aware of Lcut but they are constantly improving their range and have just introduced a full interior kit for the signal box at a very reasonable price and are well worth a look.

Laser cut buildings are coming into their own nowdays but I do feel the painting/finishing requires  careful attention (I myself intend to clad them in Scalescenes sheets) so if any member has any suggestions I think it would make interesting reading.

Regards Ian

Sounds like a good plan. It'll certainly give you a good strong building.

I haven't heard of them Ian but I'll certainly have a look.  Sounds like a good idea. :thumbs

I had a look yesterday and (I'm probably being stupid but), I couldn't figure out what material they are using to make these models.

Is it laser cut, card, wood, plastic, or what


Ed

They made of fibre board. Click on the link for instructions and it will explain all.

Should have guessed I need to download the manual in PDF format to find out what they're made of! Silly me.

Noticed someone on 'that other forum' commented they're like a "cross between balsa and card", so you need a sharp knife.

Be interesting to see how Ian gets on with the ones he's bought.


Ed

Hi Ian, have a look at "Petite Buildings" on Google, they are an established firm doing dolls houses that have branched out into model railway buildings, they have also put an advert in one of the monthly,s not sure which one, memory's not so good these days, anyway they publish a book that describes in detail how to finish the laser cut buildings they make.  Hope this of some use to you.
Cheers, Pete.  

Thanks Pete/all I'll check them out, I started on the GWR shelter conversion (see my photos) whilst on holiday recently (until the sirens lured me on to the Riojas) and you certainly need a good quality blade to cut the pieces. Overall though the build is interesting enough make you concentrate and when the serious build starts I will include step photos in my feeds.

Ian

I've done a couple which I'll explain later but first I must comment on Ian's, "Laser cut buildings are coming into their own nowdays but I do feel the  painting/finishing requires  careful attention (I myself intend to clad  them in Scalescenes sheets) so if any member has any suggestions I  think it would make interesting reading.

Yes Ian painting must be done with care and I found a light wash (several if necessary) before assembly is the best way as the material is a form of card which if soaked tends to distort. Also, covering them with any form of paper destroys one of their best features imho as the brickwork etc is nicely embossed and its relief stands out nicely when painted

My first attempt was the medium signal box. Nicely packaged in a stout box but my first observation was that some of the pieces had deformed no doubt due to the heat process during manufacture but I was unable despite trying several methods to rid them of the curved form they had taken - I had one piece in a later kit that was pressed under two house bricks for a week and it was still curved when released from the press, making them damp prior to pressing didn't improve things and I just had to work my way round the problem during assembly.

The kits went together reasonably well apart that is from the bits that slot together. LCut suggest pushing them together on a flat surface 'VERY CAREFULLY' but on a box like structure you still have one corner that can't be done this way and which will require manual manipulation - which is not easy, the miniscule protrusions are very, very fragile and easily deform or break if anything but the slightest pressure is applied. Multiple dry runs are not recommended (by me) as the same thing can happen so, put them together once whilst dry and glue down the inside only. The protrusions are not completely square on the ends - more rounded slightly, and I wasn't happy with the corner joints when done (see images).  They are also slightly short on length so don't fully reach the thickness of the adjoining wall piece, Lcut suggest filing the joins with neat PVA to 'fill' the small gaps but I found this to be of little use.

My main concern with the box was when partly complete it appeared considerably under scale - more of a TT or large N scale product which didn't sit well with my 00 stock;-





I may be wrong but whenever I've been in a signalbox I always seem to be looking down at loco crew and not as would be the case here - up at the footplate.

An e-mail reply re this query from the manufacturers stated they had researched sizes and their product was generally accepted as being of the correct dimensions for a medium box - my opinion is that whilst this may be true of the floor size the box round it was definately too small, however, I must stress this is only my opinion and you would have to decide for yourselves.

Overall impression was that it was a nice kit requiring considerable finesse to paint and assemble but further development is required to make it a great kit. Further extended research is also needed with the tape measure.

My second attempt was an alternative canopy for a scalescenes kit as I didn't like the one supplied;-





This was undoubtedly the most problematic of the two kits regarding curving pieces. The kit is in two sections which ultimately you glue together end to end but both roof top panel sections had become warped as had the two front valances and required considerable surgery, extra constructional material, plus the brick presses mentioned earlier, to get them anywhere near flat. The above two photos show it completed and fixed to my ham fisted adaption of the scalescenes low relief warehouse/dock. I'm still not 100% happy with it as there is a slight 'sag' in the roof line which can be seen in the second photo (the front right end corner of the canopy).

Overall I'd give them about 8 out of 10 with curved pieces and signalbox dimensions losing them points.

Oh and should you wonder - the signalbox went in the bin as, despite what the manufacturers said, it was way out of proportion with everything else on my layout…..

Well that reads like a fairly damning report to me ……………..:roll::roll::roll:

I don't think they'll be getting any of my hard earned cash ……….:thumbs

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

Well that reads like a fairly damning report to me ……………..:roll::roll::roll:

I don't think they'll be getting any of my hard earned cash ……….:thumbs

It wasn't intended that way Peter and they are only as fiddly as getting flashing off of white metal kits to get them fit for assembly, however they do require a certain amount of finesse - no bull at a gate rushing here…

I was simply trying to give an honest opinion detailing my own personal experience with these kits and some of my problems may have been due to old age, too many thumbs and poor eyesight, however, others may have a different experience. I feel if LCut went about it in the right way and learned from comments made by customers (they may do, I don't know) they would end up with quality products - a few adjustments with their processes could iron out these rather irritating but small issues.

As a customer I recieve regular e-mail updates on their product lines which they do seem intent on increasing rather than rectifying existing issues such as those mentioned but, due to the rather negative reply I had re the sizing of the signalbox, I didn't bother e-mailing them about the distortion issue as I, maybe wrongly, assumed their reply - probably should have dropped them a line…..

Thanks Mike an excellent report, when I was a mechanic in the army fixing tanks the instructions manual for one job stated; 'this is a job requiring patience and dexterity' meaning it was a **********!! It probably sums up the kits so a glass..? ..bottle .. of Rioja might steady the ship. As I said I'll file regular posts when I finally get started. Question; do Metcalfe post abroad?

Ian

Ps give my regards to 'the Trip to Jerusalem' me being a Woodhouse Eaves lad

Seems a bit of a shame ,but given your experience with these kits ,i would not chance buying one.   There are plenty of kits out there ,so why risk a dodgy one.  
Thanks for your review of these.

Most of us are getting old, with all the associated problems Mike, and it's reports like these that we need - not sales waffle from the manufacturers.

As Reg (Sparky) said, there are plenty of kits out there so why waste time and money on something that's less than "ideal" ?

I think my time would be better (and easier) spent with Ian's battle tanks, rather than flattening out warped kit panels ……….although somehow, "patience and dexterity" are not images that would immediately spring to mind when talking about tanks …………:shock::shock::shock:

Hi Peter, most jobs on the engines are done upside down and even using mirrors, drop a spanner and it's goodbye till the next engine change, so when the manual recommends 'patience and dexterity' time for a stiff swig of hypoid oil!

And I always thought the key to good military vehicle design was that not only would they do what it says on the tin, but also that  repairs could be carried out simply and in the field …………exactly where the darned things are needed !!! :roll::roll:

Later tanks are much modified by fitting engine/gearbox packs that can be taken out and test run but even the Chieftain was a nightmare in the field as you still had to lie underneath to take out the clutch bolts, not ideal in mud etc… still better than submarines!

Ian