Stoneworks 1:24 scale grist mill drawings

1:24 scale plans and construction guide for three-story mill
Stoneworks
PO Box 190
Shell Knob MO 65747
Price: $17
Website: www.RRStoneworks.com

Full-size plans and construction guide for building a three-story grist-mill structure in cement (#7116); three 24″ x 36″ sheets of drawings, photos, and instructions; one four page 81/2″ x 11″ pamphlet of stone- and cement-modeling tips; one sheet of color photos of prototype mills for reference

Pros: Complete information and drawings for building an unusual structure of cement; easy to understand, step-by-step photos and instructions
Cons: None

Stoneworks continues its program of offering drawings, construction guidelines, and parts for building models in cast cement. The company has developed this unconventional building process over several years and today it is refined and well proven.

The finished mill is a good-sized structure, measuring 9″ x 10″ at the base and standing 17″ tall. The builder has the option of a stone facing  or molding in clapboard siding. An illustrated four-page pamphlet offers general tips on cement construction. More in-depth books are available from the company’s website.

Three large plan sheets are included. Each contains full-size drawings of walls or floors. Also included are instructions for the various parts of the structure, beginning with doors and windows. These are assembled in “sandwiches” and can either be scratchbuilt from the full-size drawings provided or built up from kits offered by Stoneworks.

Mold making is discussed, as is reinforcing, cement pouring, and window/door installation. Roof construction and finishing are covered on the last sheet. Also on the last sheet are large black-and-white photos of finished models, both clapboard and stone. Included in the package is a sheet of color photographs of similar full-size mills for comparison and reference.

Building structures in this manner is both innovative and creative. It is a flexible technique that allows you to vary the building size, placement of openings, and finish. If this is your first foray into this method, I would recommend starting with a smaller structure, as well as purchasing the company’s book, Stone & Cement (#7051, $19.95), as the information supplied with this plan set is probably not enough to get a beginner up and running. However, if you’re already an old hand a concrete construction, this structure should be a straightforward build that will yield an impressive addition to your garden railway.