07-30-2009, 07:59 AM
Thanks for the thoughts, Pete, Steve and Galen. Some nice ideas.
I got the windows I ordered today (for the office bldg) and I'm psyched to get started. I had cut full size walls out of paper for the purpose of laying out window locations and getting a count for how many I would need. The Tichy windows I bought are just under 1/2" wide (.495) and I decided to space them apart by 1/2". Cutting openings for so many windows (96) and ensuring they line up perfectly both horizontally and vertically has always been a pain. Particularly with masonry walls, as there is no trim as on wood structures. On the Quinn Ball Bearing plant, as some may remember, I had a friend with a hobby type table saw cut spacers from plexiglass for me to use as spacers between and above and below the windows. These were edge glued together (therefore lacking much strength) and when complete, brick sheet was laminated to them, and the window openings cut out from behind afterwards. I will use this same technique for the office bldg. Instead of cutting plexi, I will use styrene strip. The 1/2" spacing between windows, and the .495 window width, allow me to use two strips of .020 x .250 styrene between and above and below the windows. Using the paper wall mockups, I determined the length and quantity of strips needed and cut them on my Chopper. The first photo below shows the bags full of pcs of each length. From left to right: Full height one story, above the windows for 1 story, below the eindows for 1 story, above the window for 2 story, below the window for 2 story, the pile on the bottom is the full length 2 story, and one of the Tichy windows rests on the pile. Kind of like making a kit!
I got the windows I ordered today (for the office bldg) and I'm psyched to get started. I had cut full size walls out of paper for the purpose of laying out window locations and getting a count for how many I would need. The Tichy windows I bought are just under 1/2" wide (.495) and I decided to space them apart by 1/2". Cutting openings for so many windows (96) and ensuring they line up perfectly both horizontally and vertically has always been a pain. Particularly with masonry walls, as there is no trim as on wood structures. On the Quinn Ball Bearing plant, as some may remember, I had a friend with a hobby type table saw cut spacers from plexiglass for me to use as spacers between and above and below the windows. These were edge glued together (therefore lacking much strength) and when complete, brick sheet was laminated to them, and the window openings cut out from behind afterwards. I will use this same technique for the office bldg. Instead of cutting plexi, I will use styrene strip. The 1/2" spacing between windows, and the .495 window width, allow me to use two strips of .020 x .250 styrene between and above and below the windows. Using the paper wall mockups, I determined the length and quantity of strips needed and cut them on my Chopper. The first photo below shows the bags full of pcs of each length. From left to right: Full height one story, above the windows for 1 story, below the eindows for 1 story, above the window for 2 story, below the window for 2 story, the pile on the bottom is the full length 2 story, and one of the Tichy windows rests on the pile. Kind of like making a kit!