Modeling "pigeonholes"?

[Ray Dunakin]

Can someone suggest a reasonable way to model "pigeonholes", suitable for 1/24th scale? Here's an example:

[Malachi Constant]

I built one in O scale ... but danged if I can find pictures of it now ... pretty sure I built mine from styrene strip since that was the easiest to glue ...

-- If you want to build it in wood, use styrene strip as spacers for the pigeonholes ...
-- If you want to build it in styrene, use wood strip as spacers ...

If you want to mimic the dadoes in which the dividers rest, then build it up from styrene and laminate thin pieces on the top and bottom of the horizontal surfaces between the dividers ... leave a tiny gap either side ... and it will appear that you've done miniature carpentry ...

Or get Dave to laser cut an assembly set!    -- Dallas

[Malachi Constant]

Aha!  Found a few photos ... after a little digging ... these pix are so old ... (queue Ed McMahon) ... shot 10 years ago on FILM on a Nikkormat FT-3 that was 24 years old at the time ... no macro lens ... thus the crummy quality.

Anyway, this was the interior of an O scale post office ... pigeon hole rack was scratchbuilt from styrene strip.  

I accept full responsibility for the hideous blue wainscotting ... but wish to claim some credit for addressing the tiny envelopes and putting stamps on them!  If you look real close, there may be an inverted jenny. 

PS -- I think making the vertical dividers a little shorter than the width of the horizontal shelves helped a bit to create the correct look.  Even in 1:24 scale, that detail alone might do the trick.

Cheers,
Dallas

[Malachi Constant]

If I were doing it "fine scale" in 1/24 ... I'd still use styrene, because you can mimic the fancy woodwork (dadoes or routed slots for the dividers) by LAMINATING the styrene.  Hopefully, the sketch below conveys the ideas.

If the shelf is laminated from a core of .010" styrene with .005" pieces added top and bottom, the resulting .020" thickness represents a 1/2" thick board in 1/24 scale (close approx.)

The dividers could be .005" or .010" thick to represent 1/8" or 1/4" material accordingly.  (I'd guess that the ones shown in your photo are 1/8" thick, but the .005" actual thickness might be more delicate looking than you'd like -- the .010" would probably "show up" better and still look okay in terms of scale.)

If you do this, allows the laminated styrene pieces to DRY COMPLETELY (24 hours or more is good) before sanding or distressing the material.  A brass scratch brush used very lightly will add some subtle texture.  A fiberglass scratch brush will help remove any resulting fuzz (which will be much less than you'd get with stripwood).  Just an idea ...  

Cheers,
Dallas

[marc_reusser]

Hate to say so  .....but I agree with Dallas and his styrene approach.

Marc

[finescalerr]

Heck with their approach. Use mine: Start with a block of wood. Drill holes with a square bit. Paint. Glue in place. -- ssuR

[Philip Smith]

  yep......sniffing tenax again

[Ray Dunakin]

Thanks. I was just hoping someone had a less labor-intensive way to do it.

I'd try gluing sections of square tubing together, except no one makes square tubing with walls thin enough.

[Malachi Constant]

Oh ... you want the EASY way ... cardstock ... smaller version of what's shown in photo.  

If you happen to have a thin razor saw (or photo-etched blade, etc), you could actually cut the grooves in some slightly thicker stock (plastic or wood) to nest the pieces together.  -- Dallas

PS -- Forgot to say that the inspiration photo shown at the top of the thread is a great shot!  If you're going to fill the pigeon holes with all sorts of cool, interesting stuff ... then a simple assembly would be a suitable "prop"

[finescalerr]

I think the best way to obtain a cardboard lattice using Dallas' method is to buy a case of wine, Scotch, bourbon, brandy, Calvados, or Cognac. I suspect the contents of the box are somehow the key to great modeling and creativity. I plan to visit the closest liquor store to find out. -- ssuR

[marc_reusser]

Thanks. I was just hoping someone had a less labor-intensive way to do it.

Chicken.

M

[eTraxx]

Why not combine Dallas' nesting and Dave's Laserboard. It's 0.0145" thick. In 1:24 that would be about 3/8" (.348) thick. He is also showing new 1:48 and 1:24 manhole covers in a 0.0215 brown Laserboard which would be  about 1/2" (.516).

[lab-dad]

I used 1/64" plywood and the nesting technique Dallas has shown.
I did this in 1/48 and the "holes" were about 1/4" square.
-Marty

[Frederic Testard]

Couldn't Dave cut vertical and horizontal "walls" with thin intermating slots so as to assemble the thing as shown in Dallas pic?
Maybe it's exactly what you meant, Ed...

[DaKra]

That's how I made the shelf and storage bin kits for Ander's garage, like a cupcake box from the bakery.   But the photo shows randomly placed dividers, the method doesn't work so well for that.  Could be done, but even I would go with the styrene for a random pidgeon hole cabinet.   

If you space the horizontal shelves the width of a piece of stripwood cut at right angles, you can use the wood to square everything, and slide it between the shelves to provide a right angle brace for the dividers as you glue them in.         

Dave