I've purchased and nearly completed a SierraWest boiler house kit and have come to a point where I'm not sure which direction I would like to proceed. I am debating whether or not to put a removable roof on the model or continue to build it as the kit directions instruct. I'd like to built a removable roof but am not sure quite how to go about it. Any suggestions?
From the photos, it looks very nicely done....What scale is this? "O"?
I personally am not a big fan of removable roofs...I like looking into a structure from the scale human p.o.v. Most all the lift-off roof work I have seen was somewhat ill fitting, or didn't age well over time (ie warped, or broke in some way". But then that's just my own wierd opinion....I'm a guy that likes "basics" ...and not all kinds of "gimmicky" things on models. (gimmicky not meant in derogatory manner towards your idea.)
If you do go with a removeable roof, your biggest challenge will be to work around the stack, and keep it fittig/sitting correctly all around, over the long haul.
I guess you could always make only a portion/section of the roof removeable, and make it so that it blends on with the fixed section....this way the stack could remain/be located in the fixed section. and you would avoid the problem of how to remove the roof around it.
Somewhat of example of what I am suggesting was done by Chuck Doan on his Locomotive Repair shed Dio.
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rbadesign.net%2FTERRAPIN%2FDoan%2FCD_RepairShed_Forge1.jpg&hash=2170c129468244cb7bf81b2e045eac0b34a5cb09)
Marc
I think I would go with Marc on this. Looking at this from a human scale p.o.v.. I went back to SierraWest Web site and looking at the finished model with the roof on, makes it feel that your there looking inside. Your doing a very nice job on that model.
Jerry