"Making Loose Bricks For 15mm, HO, 1/72 Rubble Piles, Etc.?" Topic

Either for your Alien Invasion games, Post Apocalyptic scenarios, etc.? Or for making sewers and other things?

Then check out what this fella here did. I'm sure the same could be done for 15mm (1/100 or so), HO (1/87) and 1/72, if the measurements are right:

Now THIS is what I call dedication . . .

QUESTION #1: Anyone know what that tool is in the second pic?

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What do you guys think of that technique?

"Whats the average size of a red house brick?
Brick sizes vary depending on the country, the manufacturer and the purpose for which they are intended.
In the United States, modern bricks are usually about 8 × 4 × 2.25 inches (203 × 102 × 57 mm).
In the United Kingdom, the usual ("work") size of a modern brick is 215 × 102.5 × 65 mm (about 8.5 × 4 × 2.5 inches)"
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QUESTION #2:

So, for 1/72 (which is not too big for 15mm) the US bricks would need to be about 3mm by 1.5mm by .75mm. Can that gizmo cutter cut cork liner into bricks that small?

Dan
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This is close to the tool you showed.

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Or this one

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I like that.

I used a similar technique for pantiling a temple roof (with half round tiles from cocktail sticks) … the effect was excellent – but I began to lose the will to live by the time it was done.

This is a similar tool:

link

I've been thinking of getting one for some time. But in that instance I can't help thinking that the plastic accessories made by Wills and Ration would have served just as well.

NW Shortline make the duplicutter which is similar to that tool in 2. nwsl.com

He'd have got the same effect by scribing on card or foamboard. A light sanding would give all the texture needed, no need for the putty either.

WOW! THANX FOR TUTORIAL! VERY helpfunl!

You guys might enjoy this other tutorial too:

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Though I wonder if that one could be done easier with 14 mesh plastic canvas* (with the squares cut into rectangles) pressed onto a thin layer of Sculpey.

Here's another very dedicated fella. He doesn't make his own bricks, but I like how he makes sure they lay straight:

Source (about 1/4 of the page down):
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For small scales like 1/72 and HO, I imagine that thin card might work just as well, right?

Dan
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I got a rectangular hole punch from Michaels and I punch rectangles out of those colored foam sheets that they also sell. Works out great for me. You can see some on the base of this dreadnought:

Chuck

Chuck, I wish those hole punches were small enough for 15mm (HO or even 1/72).

As mentioned above:

"In the United States, modern bricks are usually about 8 × 4 × 2.25 inches (203 × 102 × 57 mm). In the United Kingdom, the usual ("work") size of a modern brick is 215 × 102.5 × 65 mm (about 8.5 × 4 × 2.5 inches)"

So, for 1/72 (which is not too big for 15mm) the US bricks would need to be about 3mm by 1.5mm by .75mm . . . or thereabouts.

Dan

It's called a Chopper.

They sell them in the railroad hobby stores.

Hadn't thought about making bricks out of cork, but that'd work.

I figured styrene strips of the appropriate scale, instead, which would also work, but the cork has a nice texture to it.

We used to use them when I was making archectual models back in the 20thC.

Can easily make one at home with a Razor/scapel blade attached at a pivot to a base with a guide.

Etranger has hit it on the head again.

I have been using the Chopper for many, many years.
Love it, huge timesaver.

I've used cat litter and foamcore offcuts to represent rubble: link

It's not absolutely realistic but it's suggestive enough for wargaming IMO.

Hard to believe somebody doesn't make textured sheet in a brick pattern in HO scale. That would be faster for walls. Loose bricks for rubble and filing gaps can still be made with the chopper tool as described above.

Think one company does sheets of bricks I will check my local model shop as they some of the older ranges.

regards

Plastruct has a Brick pattern embossed sheet suitable for HO/15mm. link

I just ordered 1000 Juweela bricks off eBay. 1/72 scale.

I love making my own stuff, but dang if I'm going to spend hours chopping up bricks!

Thornhammer,

Take before and after pics of what you make, including concept drawings. I'd love to see how it goes. I bought some 20,000 from them and can't wait to get started on something too.

Thanks,

Dan

By the way, Evergreen styrene strips #134 are the right thickness and width for 1/72, or thereabouts, as long as they are cut into pieces that are about 3mm long.

Another option for making a short brick wall for 1/100, 1/87 or 1/72 could be to lightly sand each of the four corners of a long strip (the #134 strips) so the corners don't look so sharp. Then cut the styrene strip into 4 inch sections, stack the sections one on top of the other and clamp together (or tight rubber band).

Using a ruler, place a mark every 4mm on the two outer sections of the stack. Then go back and use those marks as a guide to make light grooves across all the sides of the strips (using a small triangular metal file). When that's done, stagger the sections and glue them with super glue.

I think that could work, in theory, to make sure that each row of "bricks" looks nice and straight, and that each facing side ends up around 3mm between each groove.

What do you guys think of that idea?

Dan

I use small balsa and/or bass wood strips, don't know the exact size, and simply cut them with a hobby knife without measuring so I am sure there is variation. Then they go in a diluted brick red craft paint bath where they stain up with color variation. I like the effect for the effort/price involved and I am only using them for rubble in 1/72 scale for what its worth.

You can actually buy HO scale bricks.

Hmm. Do you know specific sources?

Other than Juweela, I can't think of a single manufacturer of loose HO scale bricks.

Dan

I was wrong. There is one other but, if I remember correctly, they didn't ship to the US:

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Dan

I've scored balsa wood to make bricks before and it doesn't really take that long once you get started.