Scratchbuilding How To Books?

[P5se Camelback]

I considered getting a craftsman kit, even checked out Labelle's website-problem is they all seem to be early 1900's models and I'm modeling the early 50's. I could get one and make it up to be some ancient MOW car or something but I feel the skills needed to scratchbuild a wood boxcar, while similar, are different enough from those needed for a steel one that I'd still need some help. I'll check out the other ideas suggested though, thanks.

As someone with my first name once said ... "I feel your pain." I don't know what your skill level is or what your budget is. However, there is a manufacturer of "craftsman kits" that span a number of years, from the thirties to the fifties somewhere, that would give you experience building "not-shake-the-box-kits" that might interest you. I have thoroughly enjoyed their kits - I was challenged when I first took one on a number of years back.

The company is Westerfield. Every one that I've built has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Their kits are not cheap, but if care is taken in their construction, a very nice piece of rolling stock is the result. (BTW ... the MOW outside-braced box car I posted with the rusty outside bracing in the Weekly Photo Fun a few weeks back was my first Westerfield kit, built back in 1988.)

There have been magazine format "books" on scrath-building in the past, back when modelers built things from scratch as a matter of course, but in this day of instant "I wanna run trains ... right now," when "shake the box" kits are too much trouble and the extra cost of moderately-well-detailed RTR models is acceptable to so many, scratch-building is falling out of style and such books are now oddities picked up at flea market tables if they can be found.

Best of luck to you, but Sumpter250 had it right ... your best source of help is RIGHT HERE!!!