Ok, here’s my sharing about the “Old Kentucky Home Scale” project, kinda rambling style, just like I’m chatting with you guys.
Alright, so I got this crazy idea stuck in my head to build an “Old Kentucky Home” scale model. Don’t ask me why, just did. I guess I was feeling nostalgic or something.
First things first, research! I spent a solid week just googling “Old Kentucky Home photos”, “Old Kentucky Home blueprints”, anything I could get my hands on. I wanted it to be somewhat accurate, not just some random plantation-style house. Found some cool pictures, some historical documents, even a few sketches. No real blueprints though, bummer.
Next up, materials. I decided to go with balsa wood for the main structure – it’s light, easy to cut, and relatively cheap. I hit up the local hobby shop and grabbed a bunch of different thicknesses. Also snagged some basswood for trim, plastic sheets for windows, and a whole lotta glue. Wood glue, super glue, you name it, I had it.
Cutting the wood was a pain, let me tell you. I started with an X-acto knife, but that took forever. Ended up using a small hobby saw for the thicker pieces. Measure twice, cut once, right? Yeah, well, I still messed up a few times. Luckily, glue fixes everything… mostly.
The walls were the first thing I tackled. I built them as separate panels, then glued them together. Getting everything square was a challenge. Used a bunch of clamps and hoped for the best. The roof was even trickier – had to figure out the right angle to make it look right. Lots of trial and error there. I even used cardboard templates before committing to the wood.
Then came the details! This is where it got really fun (and really time-consuming). I made tiny little window frames out of basswood strips. The front porch columns were a nightmare – I ended up using dowels and sanding them down to the right shape. I even tried to recreate the brick pattern on the exterior using thin strips of painted cardstock. It wasn’t perfect, but it looked alright from a distance.
- Painting was next. I went with a creamy white for the main house, and a dark green for the shutters. Used acrylic paints and tried to get a slightly weathered look.
- The landscaping was the last thing I did. I used flocking for the grass, little pebbles for the driveway, and even planted some tiny fake trees.
The whole project took me way longer than I expected – probably a couple of months working on it in my spare time. There were definitely moments when I wanted to throw it all in the trash. But seeing it all come together in the end was really satisfying.
The final product isn’t perfect, by any means. But it’s my “Old Kentucky Home” scale model, and I’m pretty proud of it. Now it’s sitting on my bookshelf, a constant reminder that I can actually finish something I start!
And that’s the story! It was a long road, but I learned a ton along the way. Maybe I’ll tackle another scale model someday… but for now, I’m gonna stick to simpler projects.
