A 1:87 model staircase, that is, not a lifesize one. When you first came upon the “House under Construction” kit that Meredith and I are using to build our current project, you probably realized how this kit was different from all other kits that I’ve shown: instead of containing entire walls, staircases, and so forth, it contains their component parts, which you would literally use to build the house. The manufacturer was attempting to simulate the actual process of building a house.

There is absolutely no way that I would have been able to do this myself, largely because of the staircase! Fortunately Meredith has the necessary dexterity that I lack. But first she had to solve the problem of how to keep holding the partially built staircase while she inserted each new step and lined it up perfectly in all three dimensions.

“Aha!” the solution presented itself. Meredith took a hunk of polymer clay, which she happened to have handy (as one does); inserted at an angle the initial set of components, which now were temporarily but firmly anchored; and carefully but firmly positioned each step where it needed to go. Somehow she lined each one up perfectly in all three dimensions, which, as I said above, I could never have done.

Then it was “just” a matter of inserting the entire staircase into the stairwell that you saw in last week’s post. Here is a photo of the result, which may be a little difficult to see because of the shadows. You should try to imagine what it will look like when all the walls are in place instead of just the framing.

Fortunately I never went to architecture school, or I would really be building such models from scratch: take some wood, some styrene, and the appropriate tools; wave my hands over them; recite the appropriate blessing; and lo! the building would be done. But I think I’ve left out a step or two.

Categories: Model Railroading