Scratch building

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Scratch-building is a term used by serious scale-modelers that describes the process of creating a model by using raw model building materials like plastic, metal, cardboard, and wood, as opposed to starting with a commercial kit.

In comparison to kit-bashing, the modeler does not begin with a commercial model kit as a basis, but instead creates a model vehicle, structure or detail item using the model building stock. Building stock, in whichever material, can be plain sheets, strips, bars, tubes, rods, or even structural shapes such as L or T girders - stock can also be embossed or textured to replicate a certain prototype material (such as plastic sheet embossed with grooves to mimic a scale brick wall).

For example, to scratch-build a small board fence, the modeler could use plastic rod stock to form the vertical posts, then use plastic bar stock to form horizontal rails affixed to the posts, lay plastic strip stock vertically on the horizontal rails (perhaps 'distressed' with a wire brush to mimic wood grain, or by using thin strips of actual wood), trimming the top and bottoms of the strips to be even, adding details like nail holes (using a small pin), and then finishing and weathering (making a model look like it has been used via dust, dirt, stains, and wear).

Plastic is the favorite material of many scratch-builders because of the ease in which it may be cut, shaped, glued, and finished.

There are as many ways of scratch-building models as there are modelers, but generally the modeler obtains plans of a prototype, or designs his own, transfers these plans to paper or other material as patterns (much easier since the arrival of household computer printers and copiers), and uses these patterns to cut, trim and affix the stock together to form the model. Finishing work (such as sanding and polishing, painting, weathering, distressing by forming dents and rust, dust, etc.) is done to complete the model and (hopefully) bring it to a life-like state.

Note that it is perfectly fine for the scratch-builder of today to use otherwise-hard-to-model commercial detail parts, such as window castings for structures, or wheels and tires assemblies for motor trucks, whenever possible.