A-Frame Cabin Manual

Follow along as we build the N-scale version of our A-frame cabin kit. The HO version is of course easier to build because it's nearly twice as large. But even the N scale version isn't that hard to build. It requires a little bit of patience to get great results.

Choosing Variations

We've designed this kit with some choices so you can change the appearance of the kit (handy if you want more than one on your layout). Before you build your kit, you might want to decide where you're going to put the finished kit and change the look based on your location.

To help you with this process, we've provided a page on the different variations you can achieve with this kit: See Variations.

Applying the Finish

Before you begin assembling this kit, decide what colors you want to use with the exterior. Many A-frame cabins have a stain finish, or shades of brown. I've chose to use Minwax stain markers because they're much easier and faster to use than paints, and they produce great results.

	Using the Minwax stains is really easy. Just follow the directions to "draw" the stain on the wood just like you'd use a marker pen. Make sure you stain both sides. I like to use Early American 230 for the deck, deck railings, stairs, internal floors and walls, and the end walls. The darker color Dark Walnut 2716 is good for parts like the under frames, windows, and window frames.
	All the parts have been stained with the Minwax stain markers. You'll want to stain both sides of everything except for the following: don't stain the backs of the windows, or the sides of the roofs with the scribing on it (as shown here). The roof side with the scribing will be covered with shingles later.

Assembling the Main Floor

The first step is to the assemble the main floor, which is a fairly simple assembly with just five parts.

	Assembly begins with the floor and the frame that supports it. Remove the floor, the cross beams, and the two assemblies with the 4x4 posts from the carrier wood. This is best done with a sharp hobby knife to slice the small piece of wood holding the parts to the carrier, as shown here.
	Place a small amount of glue on a sheet of paper or small piece of wood. You can use any type of wood glue; shown here is Titebond. Use a toothpick to apply a bead of glue to the side of the cross beams with the tabs. These tabs will go into slots on the floor.
	Make sure the main floor is oriented correctly. There are two narrow slots for the rear stairs, shown at the upper left. They need to be in this orientation, as opposed to closer to my fingers, so they'll line up with the rear door. Place the tab on one end into the slot, then gently work the other two tabs into the other two slots on the floor. Hold this down for a short while to give the glue a chance to get a hold. Then repeat with the other side.
	Next glue the post assemblies to the under side of the main floor, just outside of the cross beams glued on in the previous step. You can see one set already glued on in the top photo. I started by laying down a bead of glue along the base of the beam. Then place the post assembly against this bead and work it into place. Congratulations, you have finished the main floor assembly. Set it aside to let the glue dry while you move onto building the deck.

Building the Deck

The deck is actually the trickiest part of the entire project, so don't get discouraged if it seems a little difficult. Everything after this part will be easier.

What makes the deck difficult is the beams under the deck. These provide support for the deck, helping to prevent it from bowing, and also provide a support for the railings that you'll add later.

	Deck assembly begins with the frame. There are four long beams (of which one is shorter) and two short beams. Set aside the shorter of the four long beams for use later. Apply some glue to the notches with the toothpick. Then insert two of the long beams into each notch of each small piece.
	After assembling the center four boards, you can add the other two boards to the outside of the frame, as shown here. Here you can see me adding the shorter of the four long beams to the outside. This short beam will be glued to the end wall of the cabin near the end of construction.
	Apply glue to the edge of each beam, as shown here, and place the deck on top of the frame. Note: make sure the tabs are on the same side as the shorter of the four long beams since this is the side that will be glued to the outer wall.
	Once you have the deck on, flip the assembly over and make sure the frame is centered on the deck, and that the shorter of the long beams is flush with the edge of the deck. The tabs should project past this beam, as shown here. If you look closely, you can see that the front-most beam is flush with the left and right edges of the deck, whereas the other three long beams project slightly past the edge of the deck. This is what you're looking for. Hold the frame to the deck for a little while to let the glue harden a little. Then flip the assembly over again and put a flat weight on top until the glue dries to ensure the deck doesn't curl.