Last Updated on June 29, 2023 by Dave Farquhar
In model railroading, a craftsman kit is a model kit consisting of wood and sometimes paper, and detail parts cast from soft metal. There is usually a fair amount of measuring, cutting, and gluing involved to build the model, and it usually requires a fair bit of patience and skill. That’s where the name craftsman kit comes from. You could get kids to build structures and even model railroad rolling stock.
Craftsman kits lost some prominence due to the widespread use of plastics, but they are starting to see something of a resurgence in modern times. Here’s why.
Craftsman kits described
A typical craftsman kit consists of wooden pieces, often basswood, with components printed or scribed into the surface, for the hobbyist to cut out and then glue together. The whole thing comes in a bag or a box without glue. The simplest kits don’t necessarily even come with instructions. But many craftsmen kits are comple enough that they do require detailed instructions. Some kits, especially older kits, required so much cutting and measuring that it was possible to use the instructions after assembling a kit to build additional models using wood from a hobby shop and the instructions.
In the early days of the hobby, craftsman kits were the norm. Wood was economical. And people tended to have more leisure time. Television and radio were in their infancy and provided less competition. Also, extended work weeks beyond 40 hours weren’t necessarily expected as commonly as they are today.
Buying inexpensive kits and clamping and gluing them together on the kitchen table and assembling a kit over the course of several evenings to then place on a layout was commonplace.
Craftsman kits became less common over the course of the 20th century as plastic kits rose to prominence. The plastic kits lacked the detail of the best craftsman kits. But they provided a better level of detail than the simplest kits, while being easier to assemble. Some of the kits even snapped together without the need for glue. The level of effort required to build them led to the nickname of shake-the-box kits.
The resurgence thanks to technology
In recent times craftsman kits have experienced something of a resurgence in the 21st century, due to technology. 3D printing gets a lot of attention, but other computer-aided manufacturing methods are also in play. Thanks to these technologies, small scale production of craftsman kits far more practical than it used to be. Computer controlled cutting machine are surprisingly affordable and available, which means anyone who can learn to draw a design on a computer and can afford a $200 machine can produce their own craftsman kits if they so desire.
This means the barrier for entry to produce kits at scale is much lower than it was a century ago. A cottage entrepreneur can design a kit, have the computer cut it out of thin basswood, then sell the kit online, say, via eBay or Etsy.
The same technologies that produce competition for model railroading as a pastime ironically are bringing the hobby back to its roots. Technology is making what was old new again.
David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.