This GENERAL STORE UNDER CONSTRUCTION is an easy print saving you many hours of tedious scratch building. After printing remove the door and bay door thresholds. The concrete foundation is not printed, simply use light card stock or sheet styrene and cut to size. You will notice what I call BRIM BUTTONS, some call them BRIM TABS or BRIM DISCS, are added to the outer edges of the roof trusses and ridge beam. These prevent the print from lifting up, especially when an object is long and thin. They are easily removed with snips. Print as many roof trusses as you want the project to display the degree of construction progress. You can space the trusses 16" O.C. or 48" O.C. IMPORTANT NOTE: When gluing up the walls, make sure the short front and rear walls are on the inside of the long walls. This is to ensure the ridge beam is aligned properly, otherwise it will appear to be too short. Print 2 ridge beams if you decide to use the clearstory section. Notice the ridge beam is notched for no measuring the spacing between sections. Keep in mind you can cut away any part of the building lumber to represent more of an unfinished project. One wall does not have to be standing up, lay it flat on the concrete slab as if it would be raised into position later. There is also included a rock chimney that can be placed in any location, the only thing you need to do is open up the roof rafters to allow for the chimney space. Fireplaces and their chimneys are always constructed first and then the building surrounding it come later. You can represent any stage of construction.

This chimney is printed flat then folded to shape using a hot wire cutter:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BL7ML3K1?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

This step requires great patient care, heat the folds, not cutting them, just heating them enough to allow 90 degrees bending. Mount the hot wire tool in a sturdy support so both your hands are free to hold the chimney walls that you want to bend. Heat from the inside touching the model gently to the hot wire for about 10 seconds and then very quickly bend. Experiment on some scrap material so you can get the feel for the process. Do not cut all the way through. You simply want to heat the bend gently so you can bend it to 90 degrees.

I exclusively print with PLA and have found that ordinary clear lacquer thinner (Nail polish remover) is a wonderful glue. Make a small test for yourself of two pieces of scrap PLA and give it a try. Let sit for 20 seconds and then try to break it apart. It leaves no residue and is applied with a small brush. I've been using lacquer thinner as a glue on styrene and PLA for years. No sloppy or messy glue to show when finished.

I have always painted my models with oil paint, specifically Windsor and Newton Griffin Fast Drying Oils. They dry overnight. I never liked acrylics because they obliterate fine detail, and they always look chalky to me. Oil colors are made from the finest color pigments available; color saturation and permanence are proven throughout the history of art. Thinned with Mineral Spirits you will get the most remarkable weathering and aging finishes you have ever seen. I feel reasonably assured that once you try Griffin Oils you will never go back to water based acrylics.

Here's an interesting point for me to bring to your attention. Every model that I have designed is based on real world measurements and therefore each building is interchangeable with other structures. Simply bring the .stl file into any CAD program, even the wonderful TinkerCAD and combine to make a completely new design to 3D print.

If you would like me to design a custom model for you contact me directly at:

[email protected].

It is totally free, but I will post it on Thingiverse for others to print and enjoy.

Happy modeling,

Gary Lavarack - 3Designer