Its elegance is in its simplicity

The elegance of Jason's solution is in its simplicity. Many times the unsightly seams are visible on structures in photos of other people's layouts. One can only assume they tried their best with a great deal of sanding to align the panels for best fit yet the seams are still there. Jason's approach is not only more effective it is also much less labor intensive. I can easily see adding additional quarter round and similar shapes on more ornate buildings.

Your next task Jason is to solve the same problem at the bottom of structures. It seems more layouts have buildings without foundations than those that do. The gap at the bottom of a structure ruins the whole illusion for me.

Thanks Alan...

The only simple solution I have for that so far is...  Lots of weeds!  

Jas...

While adding trim pieces can

While adding trim pieces can help to improve the look of any building kit, not to mention hide any unavoidable imperfections, I respectfully disagree that the trim is an attractive and faster (as stated in the caption to photo #4) alternative to a well fitted seam.

I've been scratchbuilding a massive (20"x40") factory with Walthers N-scale modular walls. As with your HO-scale walls, the gap was an issue at first, but I've found that beveling the bottom / top edges and a liberal use of Testors' liquid cement to soften and essentially melt the two parts together created a sufficiently tight seem that, once painted and weathered, is invisible regardless of whether it's a two-story wall on the factory, or a five-story one on the company's office tower.

The work in progress: http://trains.rockycrater.org/wnrp/bakelite-plant.php

Yes, sitting at my workbench and sanding all of those countless edges took a lot of time, but I would guess that it would have taken me just as long to measure, cut, and apply scores of strips of styrene (and probably a few more hours to find all the pieces that land on the carpet amid the dog fur). I think it's been worth it. The only regret I have is that they discontinued the kits before I discovered them, so finishing the complex has been a labor of patience - especially when it comes to finding the caps-n-columns kit!

~AJ Kleipass

Time consuming in N scale

I enjoyed your article but it is very time consuming in N scale, as AJ Kleipass above also mentions. I purchased a large number of the N scale modular kits a while ago when they were on sale. I have since built a few structures and, as stated, it is great to be able to contruct a different and unique building.

For a while now I have also used strip styrene in exactly the way described in the article but what a fiddly job it is in N scale!  Trying to glue the tiny strips onto the brickwork without the glue affecting the underlying surface of the modular was a test of patience in itself. I tried different glues but found Tenax the easiest to work with but there was always some slight run over. Air brushing afterwards hid some of the smaller 'errors'.

I also tried bevelling the small modular pieces and with care it gives reasonable results. However, a combination of both methods works quite well. I take time applying the styrene strips and then ensure I use that side as the 'facing' side/s of my structures. I am satisfied with the results achieved but as mentioned it is very fiddly and time consuming.

I sometimes think the modular construction is actually a hobby within the hobby 

Thanks,

Roger

Brick & Sheet

I've had good success using plain styrene strips to connect the modular wall sections.  I attach flat styrene strips to masking tape, paint the front concrete color and peel it off after the paint dries.  The masking tape keeps the paint off the back of the strips where the glue will be used.  I use a thicker piece between floors and at the roof line to reinforce the walls and keep them straight.  Angle styrene is used at the outside corners of the building.  Any glue errors are covered with vents, drainpipes, signs, weathering or ivy.

If you need extra pilasters or corners, you can still find Walthers Modulars kits on eBay from time to time.

The strip method is very good

The strip method is very good and works for a while, but if you have many higher buildings with seams, they begin to get a uniform look to them with the strip method.

AJ's method sounds great and I'm requesting a Youtube video on it AJ!

I guess N Scale would be a little bit more of a fiddle...

AJ I guess each is to his own, and that what makes this hobby so wonderful.  If I was to do these kits in N Scale, and offer you a possible solution that would aid the installation, and make it that little bit more easier to accomplish and provide a good looking result that you may like.  

You could like I did, make a small cutting jig out of scrap styrene sheet to cut the lengths of styrene that are all a common size (the dimensions across the modular sections don't really change), this would certainly speed up the laborious task of cutting the styrene. 

Then once cut you could put the same size pieces in a container and have them marked, this would certainly save precious time or them ending up in the dog fur like you mention.  I'm impressed by the size of your complex, it certainly screams that it needs to be rail served.

I also share your pain with trying to find Modular Kits now that Walthers has discontinued the entire line in both N & HO scales.

Thanks for the feedback,

Jas...

I agree Roger...

Its one of the reasons why I have adopted this method for building structures on our layout, it is another hobby.  A form of easy scratch building, and it also allows for each of the structures to be somewhat unique.

I always try and alter a "off the shelf" kit in some way to at least change its appearance so it doesn't look to generic.  I know i'm on the right track when someone asks what sort of kit is that.

Jas...

Some great idea's Bruce...

Thanks for sharing, could be used in all scales!

I really like the idea of using the angle pieces, if I had time to revisit the article I would have liked to show a few different ideas with different profiles of styrene even doing "L" shaped ledges of varying thicknesses on one structure.

I used a wider strip of styrene on two of my structures to simulate a concrete pillar, this was needed because of the angle of the walls and the fact I couldn't use the normal Modular 90 degree corner.

Test fitting before adding the styrene strips...

With styrene strips added, the wider styrene strips replace the Modular Corner Cap...

I really like the idea of using ivy to hide the glue runs, I have ordered some of this and may have ti put some on one of our structures.

Thanks for sharing your ideas,

Jas...

This is only limited by your imagination...

Like I mentioned above, you only have to add different profiles of styrene or change thicknesses and you could virtually have every structure look different.

Evergreen have enough variation in their styrene strip range to be able to achieve a wide variation of combinations.

Jas...