Glue Tips,
Use waterproof glue suitable to your climate and available in your area. As with
all glues excess is best cleaned up before it sets. If you will be doing a clear
finish, we have found that small glue mistakes don't show if clear setting glue
is used. Still it is best to clean up, especially areas where a hardened glob
interferes with further construction. (Easier to remove a soft lump than a hard
glob) Cutting Tips, A razor saw or band
saw with a fine tooth blade works well. For fine tuning a piece of sandpaper laid
on a flat surface works great, holding the piece vertical and giving it a few
strokes with light pressure across the sandpaper will shorten a board up just
fine. With all tools, caution and safety is important. Remember this is a real
wood product. There might be some warping. Material if not being used for a while
(overnight) should be wrapped or bundled together. So when you stop for the day,
wrap it up. If you do get some warped pieces, carefully bend them in the opposite
direction and you can temporarily remove some of it. Once it is glued together
as a composite structure it will become stable. Most material is shipped in 18"-20"
lengths, that is equal to 36-40 feet in real dimension. I don't think you will
find many real boards that long without some warp. Always cut longest elements
first and use the leftovers for the smaller items. Work
area, Use a flat smooth surface to work on. We recommend you use
wax paper laid on the plans and on your layout board to keep glue from sticking.
So on with the show!
Use a sharp pencil. You can mark most elements right off the drawings with very
little measuring. The Ticket booth is built first as you may need to make adjustments
to the base of the platform portion to fit your ticket booth as construction results
can vary.
Start by laying out 2 sidewalls, front and back walls with 2x4’s standing
on edge per the drawing #1. Use the plan as a pattern marking, cutting, and laying
them on the layout drawing for gluing. Use common sense and think ahead. Start
with a few elements and add more until the walls are finished.
All 4 walls complete.
Assemble all wall sections together, keeping them square. Notice that the side
walls door should be closest to the front wall so they end up over the covered
platform. See placement example drawing on plan sheet #3.
Sidewalls should be inside the front and back walls, (see layout drawing #1 for
detail on this).
Build the ticket booth trusses with 2x4 laid flat. The front and back ones are
made with more elements and blocking to give more attachment points for the siding.
You will need 2 made from the far left pattern for the ends and 4 from the center
truss pattern. There are extra truss patterns on plan sheet #3
Add the front truss to the top of the front wall. Place the structure front wall
down on a flat surface and glue the truss in place. After the glue has cured,
flip the structure over and add the back truss.
On the top plate of the side walls mark the truss locations spacing them evenly.
Ours ended up being about 1 3/8” apart. Then add the center ones making sure
the rafter ends line up front to back and put pieces of 2x4 between them at the
peak for added strength.
Start adding vertically 1x12 siding at one corner of the front wall. Place them
as tightly together as possible. Trim around door and widow openings as you go
and use up short leftovers in these areas if possible.
When you get to the side walls the tops of the siding boards should extend above
the top plate of the wall so they will contact the bottom of the roof board that
will be installed later. Trim around rafter ends as shown here.
Use 1x6 for door and window jambs making sure the front edge is flush with the
siding.
Build the base platform framing with 2x6 standing on edge per drawing #2.
Adjust the center opening to fit your ticket booth. Ours ended up being 9 1/8”
wide.
You will have joints in the longest front platform base joists. Shown here a scrap
of 2x6 glued on the backside for extra strength.
Platform base shown here completed.
Place the ticket booth temporarily in place and place a piece of 2x6 on top of
it to mark where the trim stops at the bottom of the side doors on both sides.
Window and door trim is then applied using 1x4. Also a small piece of 1x12 gets
trimmed to fit below the door opening to fill in the framing in that location.
We usually leave the top trim piece extend a little over each side. 1X4 under
the window ledge adds a nice detail.
On the ticket windows we used a scrap of 2x6 to form a counter at the bottom of
the window.
Add window dividers made from 2x2 to all windows except the ticket windows on
the bottom of the front wall. Measure them to fit your openings as the drawing
doesn’t include the jamb material and construction results can vary. We use
the drawing just as a square reference.
Dividers shown in top windows of the front wall. Their backside should be flush
with the back of the 1x6 jambs.
Make 3 doors per drawing #3 with 2x4 laid flat. Adjust door size as needed to
fit your finished openings.
1x6 applied to the back of the lower half to fill it in. We placed ours vertically.
2x2 window dividers if desired. The doors should be attached later if you plan
on gluing them in an open position as this will make it easier to attach the ticket
structure to the covered platform.
1x12 is used for the roof boards. The first one to attach is the bottom one on
each side. They should overhang the ends of the truss rafters by 1/4” and
the ends 1/2” beyond the siding on the front and back walls.
Use the spacing strips from drawing #3 by cutting them into long strips. Glue
them to trusses as needed with the end tight against the top of the bottom siding
board. A line at the top should line up close to the peak.
Closeup shown here of the spacing strip. Use the strips as needed except don't
use them on the end trusses as they may show between the siding and the bottom
of the roof boards.
Then line the top of the next board with the next line. This will give you a slight
overlap resulting in a 11” scale inch exposure. If your trusses were built
correctly you should end up correct at the peak with a line on the spacing strips
being at the peak. If not you will have to adjust spacing slightly to fit your
construction results.
1x4 is used as a ridge cap. There is a drawing example of this on drawing #3.
6x6 is used for 1 long post assembly and 2 back side post structures per drawing
#2.
Shown here completed. The joint at the top beam center however hasn't been glued.
It will be easier to install it on the platform deck later.
Attach the center booth to the platform framing. The bottom of the walls should
be flush with the bottom of the platform framing. Start adding 2” (either
2x6 or 2x12 is recommended for the end piece because of the overhang) thick decking
material at one end leaving 1/8” overhang on the side and ends. Use a combination
of 2x4, 2x6 & 2x12. There are 12 of each in the material bundle for this.
So you need to use the 3 sizes evenly.
Work your way to the other end. You can use some full length pieces, but it will
be necessary to use some short pieces as you go for better use of material and
it does make for a more realistic appearance.
Trim as needed around the ticket booth.
After you have completed each side fill in the center.
Trimming the last board as needed.
Build the platform roof trusses with 2x4 laid flat per drawing #3 14 total are
needed.
Add the 6x6 post assemblies. The corner posts should be spaced back about 1/8”
from the edges. The right half of the front post assembly shown here with an assortment
of blocks to hold it in place and a square used to keep things plumb.
Then the left half added.
You may have to adjust the length of the back post assemblies so the position
of the end post has the same spacing from the edge of the platform base as the
end posts on the front post assembly and the tops need to be 7” across so
your trusses fit correctly.
Add 6x6 to the between the front and back post assemblies at the top see reference
end view of the platform on drawing #3. This piece should be 6 1/2” long
so your 7” wide trusses will fit correctly. A rubber band used to hold it
in place.
Structure upside down to make it easier to put in the end 6x6 diagonals.
Add
the roof trusses. One will be attached directly to the siding of the ticket booth,
then attach the end ones.
Next the center ones spaced evenly between apart. Same as with the ticket booth
make sure the rafter ends all line up. Ours ended up approximately 1 5/16”
apart.
Per drawing #3 make 5 short center trusses with 2x4 laid flat. Adjust the length
so they match up well with the other rafter ends. You may have to adjust the length
as seen here depending on your construction results.
Hold a straight edge across the opening on top of the side trusses and draw a
line on the front wall siding where the tops of the short trusses should go. Attach
them directly to the front wall siding evenly spaced apart. Ours ended up approximately
1 7/16” apart.
1x12 is again used for the roof boards. You can use full length pieces for all
the ones that stop at the siding of the ticket booth if you want, but using short
sections would look more realistic. Overhang is 1/2” on the ends and 1/8”
over the end of the rafters. Start as you did for the ticket booth by attaching
the bottom ones.
Again the spacing strips are used. Our roof boards ended up being 9” long
On the long roof side you will have to piece them together to get the length needed.
Stagger the joints so they don't all line up. Notice the trimmed 1x12 joint below
the center window.
A closeup of the corner where the board is trimmed to fit.
1X4 is again used for ridge cap.
1x6 is used to fill in the ends of the platform trusses. See reference drawing
on plan sheet #3.
Start at the center and work you way to each edge.
Trim the last end ones as needed.
Add 1x6 corner boards to all 4 corners of the ticket booth so the front and rear
facing ones cover the edge of the side one. Trim as necessary to fit around rafters
and platform parts.
Bottom view of corner board placement.
There is enough planned material for 2 benches in the lumber bundle. You may end
up with enough leftovers to build more. Per drawing #2 use 2x4 laid flat to make
6 bench frames.
Attach 1x4 as back and seat area slats leaving about a 1/16” overhang on
the ends. Start with one as shown here.
Add the center frame and other slats.
A few photos before paint.
If you didn't attach the doors earlier, do so now. Open or closed your option.
Now
it's ready for finishing and detail. Notice we added a scrap of 2x4 to form ticket
slots at the bottom of each ticket window with a 4” scale opening height.
Shown here painted. A sign made from scrap leftover lumber with lettering printed
on paper with an inkjet printer then glued to the sign backing.
Finish
with exterior paints, as you would a real outdoor building and seal inside and
out with a good clear exterior sealer. We recommend buildings be taken in over
the winter months.
Good Luck
and Happy Railroading!
Thanks,
Mark
& Sue Smith Smith Pond Junctions Railroad
Products Team@spjrr.com
Use a sharp pencil. You can mark most elements right off the drawings with very little measuring. The Ticket booth is built first as you may need to make adjustments to the base of the platform portion to fit your ticket booth as construction results can vary.
Start by laying out 2 sidewalls, front and back walls with 2x4’s standing on edge per the drawing #1. Use the plan as a pattern marking, cutting, and laying them on the layout drawing for gluing. Use common sense and think ahead. Start with a few elements and add more until the walls are finished.
All 4 walls complete.
Assemble all wall sections together, keeping them square. Notice that the side walls door should be closest to the front wall so they end up over the covered platform. See placement example drawing on plan sheet #3.
Sidewalls should be inside the front and back walls, (see layout drawing #1 for detail on this).
Build the ticket booth trusses with 2x4 laid flat. The front and back ones are made with more elements and blocking to give more attachment points for the siding. You will need 2 made from the far left pattern for the ends and 4 from the center truss pattern. There are extra truss patterns on plan sheet #3
Add the front truss to the top of the front wall. Place the structure front wall down on a flat surface and glue the truss in place. After the glue has cured, flip the structure over and add the back truss.
On the top plate of the side walls mark the truss locations spacing them evenly. Ours ended up being about 1 3/8” apart. Then add the center ones making sure the rafter ends line up front to back and put pieces of 2x4 between them at the peak for added strength.
Start adding vertically 1x12 siding at one corner of the front wall. Place them as tightly together as possible. Trim around door and widow openings as you go and use up short leftovers in these areas if possible.
When you get to the side walls the tops of the siding boards should extend above the top plate of the wall so they will contact the bottom of the roof board that will be installed later. Trim around rafter ends as shown here.
Use 1x6 for door and window jambs making sure the front edge is flush with the siding.
Build the base platform framing with 2x6 standing on edge per drawing #2.
Adjust the center opening to fit your ticket booth. Ours ended up being 9 1/8” wide.
You will have joints in the longest front platform base joists. Shown here a scrap of 2x6 glued on the backside for extra strength.
Platform base shown here completed.
Place the ticket booth temporarily in place and place a piece of 2x6 on top of it to mark where the trim stops at the bottom of the side doors on both sides.
Window and door trim is then applied using 1x4. Also a small piece of 1x12 gets trimmed to fit below the door opening to fill in the framing in that location.
We usually leave the top trim piece extend a little over each side. 1X4 under the window ledge adds a nice detail.
On the ticket windows we used a scrap of 2x6 to form a counter at the bottom of the window.
Add window dividers made from 2x2 to all windows except the ticket windows on the bottom of the front wall. Measure them to fit your openings as the drawing doesn’t include the jamb material and construction results can vary. We use the drawing just as a square reference.
Dividers shown in top windows of the front wall. Their backside should be flush with the back of the 1x6 jambs.
Make 3 doors per drawing #3 with 2x4 laid flat. Adjust door size as needed to fit your finished openings.
1x6 applied to the back of the lower half to fill it in. We placed ours vertically.
2x2 window dividers if desired. The doors should be attached later if you plan on gluing them in an open position as this will make it easier to attach the ticket structure to the covered platform.
1x12 is used for the roof boards. The first one to attach is the bottom one on each side. They should overhang the ends of the truss rafters by 1/4” and the ends 1/2” beyond the siding on the front and back walls.
Use the spacing strips from drawing #3 by cutting them into long strips. Glue them to trusses as needed with the end tight against the top of the bottom siding board. A line at the top should line up close to the peak.
Closeup shown here of the spacing strip. Use the strips as needed except don't use them on the end trusses as they may show between the siding and the bottom of the roof boards.
Then line the top of the next board with the next line. This will give you a slight overlap resulting in a 11” scale inch exposure. If your trusses were built correctly you should end up correct at the peak with a line on the spacing strips being at the peak. If not you will have to adjust spacing slightly to fit your construction results.
1x4 is used as a ridge cap. There is a drawing example of this on drawing #3.
6x6 is used for 1 long post assembly and 2 back side post structures per drawing #2.
Shown here completed. The joint at the top beam center however hasn't been glued. It will be easier to install it on the platform deck later.
Attach the center booth to the platform framing. The bottom of the walls should be flush with the bottom of the platform framing. Start adding 2” (either 2x6 or 2x12 is recommended for the end piece because of the overhang) thick decking material at one end leaving 1/8” overhang on the side and ends. Use a combination of 2x4, 2x6 & 2x12. There are 12 of each in the material bundle for this. So you need to use the 3 sizes evenly.
Work your way to the other end. You can use some full length pieces, but it will be necessary to use some short pieces as you go for better use of material and it does make for a more realistic appearance.
Trim as needed around the ticket booth.
After you have completed each side fill in the center.
Trimming the last board as needed.
Build the platform roof trusses with 2x4 laid flat per drawing #3 14 total are needed.
Add the 6x6 post assemblies. The corner posts should be spaced back about 1/8” from the edges. The right half of the front post assembly shown here with an assortment of blocks to hold it in place and a square used to keep things plumb.
Then the left half added.
You may have to adjust the length of the back post assemblies so the position of the end post has the same spacing from the edge of the platform base as the end posts on the front post assembly and the tops need to be 7” across so your trusses fit correctly.
Add 6x6 to the between the front and back post assemblies at the top see reference end view of the platform on drawing #3. This piece should be 6 1/2” long so your 7” wide trusses will fit correctly. A rubber band used to hold it in place.
Structure upside down to make it easier to put in the end 6x6 diagonals.
Add the roof trusses. One will be attached directly to the siding of the ticket booth, then attach the end ones.
Next the center ones spaced evenly between apart. Same as with the ticket booth make sure the rafter ends all line up. Ours ended up approximately 1 5/16” apart.
Per drawing #3 make 5 short center trusses with 2x4 laid flat. Adjust the length so they match up well with the other rafter ends. You may have to adjust the length as seen here depending on your construction results.
Hold a straight edge across the opening on top of the side trusses and draw a line on the front wall siding where the tops of the short trusses should go. Attach them directly to the front wall siding evenly spaced apart. Ours ended up approximately 1 7/16” apart.
1x12 is again used for the roof boards. You can use full length pieces for all the ones that stop at the siding of the ticket booth if you want, but using short sections would look more realistic. Overhang is 1/2” on the ends and 1/8” over the end of the rafters. Start as you did for the ticket booth by attaching the bottom ones.
Again the spacing strips are used. Our roof boards ended up being 9” long
On the long roof side you will have to piece them together to get the length needed. Stagger the joints so they don't all line up. Notice the trimmed 1x12 joint below the center window.
A closeup of the corner where the board is trimmed to fit.
1X4 is again used for ridge cap.
1x6 is used to fill in the ends of the platform trusses. See reference drawing on plan sheet #3.
Start at the center and work you way to each edge.
Trim the last end ones as needed.
Add 1x6 corner boards to all 4 corners of the ticket booth so the front and rear facing ones cover the edge of the side one. Trim as necessary to fit around rafters and platform parts.
Bottom view of corner board placement.
There is enough planned material for 2 benches in the lumber bundle. You may end up with enough leftovers to build more. Per drawing #2 use 2x4 laid flat to make 6 bench frames.
Attach 1x4 as back and seat area slats leaving about a 1/16” overhang on the ends. Start with one as shown here.
Add the center frame and other slats.
A few photos before paint.
If you didn't attach the doors earlier, do so now. Open or closed your option.
Shown here painted. A sign made from scrap leftover lumber with lettering printed on paper with an inkjet printer then glued to the sign backing.
