Note: I am adding this note after I completed this kit. If you are thinking of making one of these hotels or are looking for thoughts on the kit I ended the thread with an Observations, thoughts and suggestions post. So go there first to learn what I learned and then enjoy making this great, challenging kit.
I decided to treat myself to build one of the more complicated kits for the Holland Odessa R.R. Every small town in the early 1900's had a hotel, often it was the social center for the community. I saw this kit and knew it would be perfect for the small layout I am creating. To help keep me focused I decided to attempt a thread as I build this extensively laser cut kit.
I have for the last couple of years been building smallish kits, often making significant modifications so they fit the layout better and to help me improve my building skills. With this kit we are going to stick to the directions as much as possible. I want to see how well I can make a 'clean' kit with the finished product as close to what the designer intended.
So Here is the box the kit came in:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200720224423-44964714.jpeg)
The kit comes in several packages for the various sections of the building. There is a lot of laser cut parts, especially detailed windows and railings:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200720224423-449802411.jpeg)
The horses in the picture are for another project, they got in the picture by mistake. The full length fireplaces are resin and look very well detailed. There are no metal castings as far as I can see at this point.
The directions are extensive on how to proceed for each step but offer little in the way of tips and suggestions for various building techniques. They clearly state this in the introduction saying the kit is complicated and you need to know what you are doing as far as technique goes since the directions need to focus on helping you carefully build the structure correctly.
It is a little jarring reading each step. The kit has been out for a few years but the stapled black and white (except for the colored cover page) directions contain quite a few misspellings and incorrect grammar. I would have thought they would have been corrected over time and they certainly are not what I expected of a high end builder like Bar Mills. No matter, it looks like an exciting kit to make. I plan to take the directions apart from the stable and place them in a three ring hard cover binder. Other then being in black and white the two sided printed directions are clear and well organized.
More in a minute.
The first step is the foundation made of laser cut brick with wide veranda steps that will lead to the hotel entrance. The directions make it clear that while this step is not very hard it must be exactly correct since everything that comes depends on this section being in perfect alignment and flat.
Construction is straight forward with slots and corner bracing supplied for correct alignment and ensure the parts are placed exact. Before gluing the parts together I carefully sanded the lasered edges of the parts to remove the slight angle that occurs when the laser cuts the wood. The missing material from the cut is called Kerf. When a laser cuts wood it loses focus slightly as it cuts deeper creating a very slight angle. Using a 600 grit emery board I trued up the sides and confirmed they were at 90 degrees. In the past two years I think I have tried about every glue out there. It seems everyone has their favorites which often differ. For me I have gone 360 degrees. I started with Elmers White Glue (not the school white but the real Elmers), tried every other PVA glue and ended back with Elmers. I like the consistency and the wiggle time it gives me. I put the glue in a craft thin tip bottle (stainless tip) and apply direct to area I want glued. The small bottle and narrow tip allows you to 'suck' the glue back in if it is coming out too fast. For really tight areas or were I want total control I use a micro Q-Tip (used in cosmetics). I remove the Q-Tip part which leaves a plastic stick that comes to a very fine point. I like it better then using a regular toothpick as the handle is longer and the tip sharper. You can get them cheap on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Shintop-400pcs-Disposable-Applicator-Brushes/dp/B01M7TJPT0/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&hvadid=78065377658779&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=micro+q+tips&qid=1595305043&sr=8-7&tag=mh0b-20
Following directions carefully I put the parts together without gluing. Once I had confirmed the parts were in the correct place I used the Elmers and glued the parts together from the inside (non lasered). A thin bead was enough where the foundation parts locked together. I made sure only a very thin bead was applied and that no glue was on any part of the lasered brick facing. The same was done with the steps. Both finished sub-assemblies had steel blocks placed on them to ensure they remained flat and perpendicular where needed.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200720224423-449811705.jpeg)
When all was glued together it looks like this:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200720224423-44982507.jpeg)
Finally, here is a picture of where the hotel will be located on the layout and gives you an idea of the size it will be.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200720224537.jpeg)
That's it till next time.
Following along Jim! That looks like an interesting structure/kit.
Darn those sneaky horses photo bombing you like that to get their picture taken. ;)
This looks like a challenging kit, looking forward to seeing the progress. Appreciate you sharing the build.
-Steven
I have that one put away, so I'll be interested to see how this goes!
dave
I'll be following. Looks great so far.
I'm in.....have fun with this one Jim. :)
Hey Jim,:
That's A great kit. I have the whole Cundy Village kit. I built A few of the building on the internet for Arty some years back but not the Hotel. have fun with it.
Karl
That's a beauty of a kit. I was looking for real estate (didn't find any) when it came out.
John
Thanks Bob glad your on board. I have tried to learn a bunch from your well written build threads. If you see me getting ready to fall off the tracks, and that goes for everyone following along, please let me know.
Jim
PS: had to put the horses out to pasture.
Welcome aboard Steven;
I joined this group a couple of years ago. This is my go to place for learning, so what you see was learned most likely from somebody here. I have scratch built a couple of things but this is the most intricate kit I have attempted. With most kits I screw around with them, changing them to look like what I want and use as an opportunity to learn new techniques. Not this time. I am going to do what I feel most comfortable with and hope it is enough.
Jim D
Welcome Dave;
I hope you point out ideas as I move along. You are a wealth of knowledge.
Jim D
Hi Curt;
Time to find out if I can simply build a kit. This one needs no mods or changes, I have read the directions, such as they are, and it is indeed intricate, more like a 3D Puzzle. The next step after foundation has 100 parts. Clime in if you have an idea, I can use all the help I can get on this one.
Jim D
* Since this original post I have decided that a lot can be added to this kit and I will do so.
I talked to Art Fahey about getting a set of plain wood walls (rather than the siding in the kit), thinking this would look great as a brick structure. Jim Mooney asked, "But what about that tower and arch? You wouldn't have all that brick depending on some wood posts to hold it up!" Jim (as always) made a good point. If I ever solve that engineering problem (I'm thinking stone archway :-) ), I might go back and ask Art to do the plain sides. But that's a project for when I get to the city part of my layout.
dave
Welcome Greg;
I have been watching your new kit, looking great. Let me know if something doesn't look correct for real world or any ideas you
might have.
Thanks
Jim D
Dave you are going to have to post that build when you do. I am hoping just to get it together and looking right!
Jim
Karl;
Welcome. Hope I can show you some of the stuff you have provided in your build threads. Hop in with suggestions anytime.
Jim
Hi John;
This kit is to be right in center of the main street action for my little layout. It really looks cool and perfect for period I am modeling.
Jim
That is a sweet looking kit, Jim. I'll certainly be following along.
--Opa George
Quote from: Jim Donovan on July 22, 2020, 09:10:46 AM
Dave you are going to have to post that build when you do. I am hoping just to get it together and looking right!
Jim
Don't wait up! :-) :-) It'll be quite a while before I start on the city structures. I'm working from the ends of the RR towards the city in the middle, it seems...
dave
Popcorn is locked and loaded for this one!
Here is a video build that I was watching that might give you some tips etc. if you are interested and have not already seen it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivbbJWAt8g4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivbbJWAt8g4)
Cheers!
Welcome George good to hear from you. I have grandkids coming and going so the pace of the build is going to be slow for a while.
Jim D
Daryl
Thanks for the video, that is going to be very helpful. From the video I think I will make sure the weathering is a lot less, I want the building to the star of City Central. I learned a lot and I am sure will watch several more times. I have found the directions very haphazard, in the video you see the tips on building the kit, on page 26 of 38. I guess they want to make sure you read them before starting.
Well back at it, thanks again.
Jim D
I finally found time to get the foundation finished. For painting I am going to be sticking primarily with airbrushing. I like the control and fine smooth application. I use craft acrylic paints that I mix with a homemade paint thinner. The thinner is 70% cheap vodka, 25% Clear Armour All Window Cleaner (any clear window cleaner works, just don't use the blue stuff it contains ammonia) and 5% Golden Brand Paint Retarder. Usually I find 1/3 paint and 2/3 thinner provides the 'skim milk' look needed for airbrushing. In the past I would filter the paint after mixing the thinner using a badger paint stirrer. I have eliminated this step, instead I upped the air pressure to 30 psi from the 20 psi I normally like to use. The added pressure keeps the paint flowing and for general painting the extra pressure does no harm. For fine airbrush detailing, or painting on nonporous materials I only use airbrush paints and lower the psi back down to 20-22 psi.
I first used a gray primer from Badger to spray paint both the outside and the inside of the foundation. By keeping the strokes light and building up the color it dried about as fast as I applied it. I let it sit overnight to completely dry. Next day I spray painted the brick first with Delta Ceramcoat Barn Red and then with Brick Red. I varied the amount of the spray to create some contrast in the bricks though the wood sucks the paint up, even after priming. Finally, I used Yellow Ochre for additional contrast. I let this again dry overnight. The next day I airbrushed the entire brick foundation with Dullcote. This step is very important as we will be putting water on the foundation in the next step and do not want the paint to run. When done this is how it looks:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270720214908-451821270.jpeg)
The next step is to make the grout lines stand out.
With the foundation completely dry (I waited another day) I moved on to grouting the bricks. The laser cuts forming the bricks are nice and deep. This allowed me to use a technique I have done in the past for brick roads. Using sanded tile grout, a soft cosmetic brush, a small cup, a tray to catch the excess grout and lens cleaning solution we will mortar the bricks.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270720214908-45184641.jpeg)
This step is messy so I suggest you wear your painting apron. In addition, if I was to do this again I would first tape off the top and bottom of the foundation. This will keep any grout adhering to it and eliminate the need to carefully sand it off these surfaces afterwards. I did not use the tape and DID get to carefully sanded the grit off :o.
Fill the small cup with two tablespoons of the tile grout. You don't need much, a little goes a long way. With the foundation on its side I carefully tapped out of the cup a small line of grout across the surface. Taking the soft cosmetic brush I gently spread the grout into the cracks between bricks. The excess grout I dusted off the surface so the vast bulk was in the cracks or had fallen into the tray I had placed under the foundation to catch it. It will look something like this:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270720214908-45185964.jpeg)
Once in place I lightly sprayed the lens cleaner fluid onto the bricks. Wet water would most likely work as well but somewhere in the past I used lens cleaner and liked the fine spray produced along with the quick bonding that resulted. I repeated the process another two times replacing the excess grout into the cup that had fallen in the tray until I was satisfied with the look. Make sure the catch tray does not get in the line of the lens cleaner when spraying. When all of the foundation was completed it looked like this:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270720214908-451861573.jpeg)
Once dry (about an hour) I again airbrushed the bricks with Dullcote to lock the grout firmly in place. I used a hairdryer to speed up the Dullcote drying, took about two minutes this way. Then I used three different colored fine point markers and at random, colored individual bricks. I had a light brown, a dark red, and a gray. I only did a few on each side of each color and kept it as random as possible. I did the marking after the grouting as it makes the individual bricks much easier to see and color.
If I had taped the top and bottom the only thing left would have been to remove the tape. Instead I sanded all the grit off where it did not belong. It only took about a half hour but... SO here is the finished result. Next off to building the front tower.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270720215146-451882295.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270720214908-45187915.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270720235016-451891051.jpeg)
The brick foundation looks awesome Jim! Thanks for sharing the step by step. I've always wondered about airbrushing craft store acrylics. For the homemade thinner you mentioned retarder. I'm only vaguely familiar with that term. Where do you find it? Cheap vodka and distilled water are easy to locate. ;D Nice tip on the mortar lines as well. I'm learning new stuff on this forum all the time! ;D ;D ;D
Very nice results on that foundation brickwork, Jim.
--Opa George
Foundation looks great Jim.
-Steven
Very nice job on the foundation.
Damn, that looks really nice.
Hey Jim:
the foundation looks just great so far. I'm following along with great interest.
Karl
Thanks to everyone on the nice compliments for the foundation. The laser cut bricks really lent themselves to using the sand tile grout, glad it worked out.
Bob, I am can't believe you have a question, cool! I use your threads more often than not to figure out how to do something, I hope we get to meet someday, perhaps at the mighty A&S central offices. I have been airbrushing with acrylic craft paint for almost two years now. The biggest issue I encountered is clogging but the formula I discussed (I miss spoke on one item, I will correct that post) eliminates most of this issue. Having a pre-moistened q-tip with paint thinner ready to go is the final piece of the puzzle. If you sense the airbrush starting to clog, use the moistened q-tip and gently clean the nozzle. The dried paint is removed and you are back in business. The correct formula is:
70% Cheap 80 proof Vodka
25% Armour All Clear Window Cleaner (any clear window cleaner I am sure will work, just not the blue stuff, the ammonia can eat up the rubber gaskets.
5% Golden Acrylic Paint Retarder
Amazon carries the Retarder as do most hobby shops online that carry airbrush paint. I found this formula in MRH magazine and then again in a war game painting video. Because of the relatively high pressure used to spray the craft paint and the high alcohol content to ensure smooth flow, the retarder is needed to slow the drying down, otherwise the nozzle will clog and the paint dry before attaching to non-porious surfaces. Almost every video that mentions paint retarder says to get Golden so there must be a difference. Give it a try, it really opens up options on color mixing when airbrushing.
Nice brickwork, an interesting technique using the grout.
Jeff
Great work with the brick Jim..... 8)
This kit is going fast, I had no idea how easy it is. Why look I am practically done. Just a couple of odds and ends to finish up:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040820222458-45345894.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040820222458-453432250.jpeg)
Sorry, I just had to do that! I am taking the Boss on a trip up and around Michigan tomorrow so I wanted to show what progress I have made and more importantly share some thoughts on this kit before I forget.
To start, a big thanks to Darryl Jacobs for sharing the link on the Cundy Hotel video done by a modeler previously. Here is the link again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivbbJWAt8g4
I highly recommend you watch it at least once before you start this kit. He does a good job of showing his method and also shows things to watch out for as you build the kit.
I often read or hear a person talking about making a model and saying they don't read the instructions. It must be a right of passage thing or something. I guess I have not hit that point yet because I read them cover to cover then put them up on the wall to re-read as I am doing each step. This is one of those kits you really need to study the diagrams carefully and test fit everything until it fits exactly right. I noted in the video the directions were followed, sort of.
The directions are big on diagrams, short on directions and methods. However key points:
1) Page 26 or so has a listing of the keys to making the kit correct. Why it is in the back half of the directions I do not have a clue. Make a copy of them and put them where you can see them. Really helps.
2) As I said Art does not say a lot in the directions BUT everything he says IS important. I am making sure I understand exactly what he means when he gives direction help prior to working on that step.
3) Really study the diagrams before proceeding. The tolerances on this kit are extremely tight as Bar Mills used the laser to its fullest on this kit. Also, parts that look interchangeable often are not. While this is a tab and slot construction, the width of tabs are one of the keys to make sure you have the right parts.
4) Art recommends Elmer's Yellow Glue for this kit. I have been using the strong version of the white Elmers and it seems to working. The reason I mention this is both Elmers allow for a little longer working time then the Aleene's Tacky Glue. I am finding the extra working time a big help.
Finally, I am going to have to re-think my promise not to make changes to the kit. Art strongly recommends to make no changes but the entire back is BLANK, no windows, doors, porch, electric box, well you get the picture, nothing. I guess he thought the kit would be up against a wall or something so no need to properly finish the backside. I certainly do not want to screw up the kit but it is begging to have the back brought to life.
So that is it on thoughts, here is progress update.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040820222845-45354370.jpeg)
First up I decided on the following colors for the hotel:
Medium Gray Primer made by a firm I can not begin to pronounce. It is made for plastic and war gamer modeling. It is very smooth, a little goes a long way (lots of pigment) and needs little or no thinning when airbrushing.
Delta Ceramcoat Light Ivory as the color for the clapboard siding and corner stripping. For airbrushing I go 50/ 50 paint / thinner, using my good old vodka paint thinner formula.
Folk Art #4663 Crocodile Green for the vast majority of trim. I find the Folk Art a little more runny then the Delta product so I go 55 paint/ 45 thinner. The key I have found to air brush with craft paint is use a good thinner, make small batches, do not store any left over on the batch, just a pain to use next time. Finally, use a Badger battery operated paint stirrer. About ten seconds and the mixture will be smooth. Hand mixing just chances getting lumps , clogging the airbrush and making a mess.
Folk Art Barn Red and Harvest Red for the chimneys
For the floors I am going with Hunterline Barn Red. I will then follow up with Hunterline Medium Brown. This mix seems to produce a nice Cedar Floor look. The porch and floor laser cut boards look like they have the grain going in correct direction for this to look right.
Delta Ceramcoat Charcoal Gray for chimneys and inside walls where blacking out is needed.
I will be primarily airbrushing and using a hand brush only when I must. Airbrushing allows me to slowly build up the color, apply far smoother then I can paint with a brush, avoid most if not all of the warping that can happen using acrylic water based paint and frankly I can see the difference. I am just not a very good hand painter.
As you can see from the paint bottle picture I airbrushed most of the parts prior to assembly. The kit comes with the various sub assembly parts bagged together. It makes finding parts easier. The directions provide life size templates of the various laser cut wood with all parts numbered.
The directions indicate not much needs to be done for the hotel entrance as it is not seen much. I decided to go the other direction and make the entrance look like a 4 star hotel. This is where I decided to make the flooring stand out like it would in a top resort. I also used the false front for the door section to place a photo of a top grade lobby sized to scale and mounted on the back tower wall. The Hunterline washes were hand painted resulting in some wicking up the back wall. However, this area will not show so I did not fix it.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040820222733-453531145.jpeg)
The doors were part of a sub assembly built up from laser cut tack board and wood. I made my first mistake here, putting the tab backing for the doors upside down. It is hard to see the needed direction from the plans. The correct way allows all the windows to show. By doing it wrong the bottom two windows have wood behind them. I used copper to highlight the frame and doors so I think it turned out OK. I will be lighting both on the inside of the doors as well as in the foyer.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040820222733-4535264.jpeg)
To complete this area I had first put a decal across the top announcing the name as B. Alan Hotel. It is hard to see and if I did it again I would use a cream colored background to help bring the name out, but it works and will not show much in any case.* (I have changed this further along in the build. I covered the sign with a 1 x 12 that was stained per the flooring method, then I put 2 x 6 stringers from the front ceiling to 1 x 12, placed 2 feet apart and also stained.) Here is end result of changes:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820215046-455331446.jpeg)
You will note that I am using real glass in the doors. I intend to use glass for all windows as well. With the doors and windows laser cut this is a great kit to learn to use glass. It is easy to cut the glass to the needed shapes using the acetate versions provided with the kit as templates. I think the glass adds a touch of better realism that can be seen.
So that is as far as we have gone so far. Until next time.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040820222458-453461523.jpeg)
Jim D
Beautiful work so far on this, Jim. Colors are excellent choices, and I really like the idea of the red floors. Very classy.
--Opa George
I like your lobby photo! Are you going to do any interior lighting?
dave
Hey Jim:
I agree the Lobby Photo is very nice. Great job on this so far.
Karl
I really like the lobby photo, nice touch!
-Steven
Hi Opa George;
Great to hear from you. I want to have the hotel look like the bell of the party, thus the varnished floors. I hope I can do this kit justice, the more I work on it the more I am amazed at the detailing and overall look.
Jim D
PS: Hope you are getting your grandkid hug fix this summer. We are. They are coming over today and Wednesday. Being called Papa is the best!
Dave, thanks for stopping by. You are right, this kit cries out to be lite. I will at a minimum be lighting the interior of tower so that glimpses of the lobby photo are possible. The foyer will have hidden ceiling light and I picked up two wall entrance lights (Woodland Scenics, not cheap and need to be re-painted) to lite the front of the tower. I am thinking of more interior lighting along with a controller to turn rooms on and off to produce 'lived in' look. I have never done that so we will see when I get to that point.
Jim D
Karl and Steven thanks for hopping in and the compliment. I have watched the video Daryl provided several times as well as reviewing the directions and seeing other versions of this kit that have been made. I think a lot can be done to bring out the grandeur of the hotel so I hope to add a lot of items like the hotel photo and lighting.
Jim D
Quote from: Jim Donovan on August 09, 2020, 09:12:34 AM
Hi Opa George;
PS: Hope you are getting your grandkid hug fix this summer. We are. They are coming over today and Wednesday. Being called Papa is the best!
Thanks, Jim. Indeed I am. We live less than a mile from them, so I am very fortunate. In fact their proximity is the reason I am redoing my layout, to make it more grandkid friendly (lower height, simpler track plan for operations). I imagine they will also help with some of the planning and simpler building).
--Geo
Jim: For your thinner formula, do you make it large batches, or as needed? Does it deteriortate at all after some time?
LB
Hi Larry;
Thanks for checking in. I make a quart of the thinner at a time. So far I have seen no change in it after it sat but I make sure to shake it before using it. I have had real good luck with it so far.
Jim D
Well I have made enough progress to share.The tower being a focal point I want it to look complete. I studied the drawings for some time to determine possible uses for each floor as the directions do not offer any ideas. The second floor is a connector for the two wings. While I still need to figure out how people get from the first to the second floor I decided to make the tower's second floor a foyer complete with carpet, back wall tapestry, wallpaper and even a ceiling mural. I may put a couple of chairs and a table in area once completed. I spent a couple of evenings looking on the internet for appropriate background photos. For this floor I found wifelife photos for the tapestry and ceiling. Fabric samples worked great for the floor and walls. Here are the photos I came up with to use. All are open source. If I have done this right they should be sized correctly if you wish to use them.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820223356-45543715.png)
Back Wall Mural
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820223356-45544441.png)
Carpet
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820223356-455451738.png)
Second Floor Wallpaper
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820224431-45550310.png)
Ceiling
The third floor took some thought. The main two wings of the hotel are positioned so this part of the tower is forward of the wings and only connected by one wall. I decided a picture with a door surrounded on either side by books would work best glued to the back wall. It would make the area look like a library and the door in background connects the room to the rest of the hotel. I used the same ceiling mural, a different wall paper scheme as well as a different carpet.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820223509-4554891.png)
Back Wall
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820223356-455471950.png)
Wall Paper
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820223356-455461556.png)
Carpet
I will be putting a staircase in so that the third floor leads to the 4th (Observation Room) so it too is connected to the rest of the hotel..
Finally the 4th Floor is a Gentlemen's Cigar/ Observation Room. The construction of the top of tower has two laser cut sections that slide into each other to form an X shape. I found a picture of a view from a real B&B observation room that looked similar. The center window may look a little too close to the front but for interior enhancement it will work.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820223509-455492040.png)
More in a minute
After completing shingling of the four roof panels I set them aside. Next I adjusted all the photos and designs selected for use on each of the floors. I use Inkscape for this purpose as it is a vector program (allows for much clearer designs when printed) like Photoshop but is open source and free. It has more than enough features to handle any work I need accomplished and there are plenty of YouTube videos and how-to postings to educate you on how to get what you want. I suggest you set your preferences to millimeters in order to make your shapes as exact as possible, also eliminate the 'snap to' function, it is annoying. I find the metric system so much easier to use then the English system I almost always convert to it whatever I am doing, modeling or 1:1 work.
To print the final designs I used a brother inkjet printer using premium grade letter size paper. Make sure the ratio is set to 100%, sometimes (especially if the printer thinks there are boarders) it will 'fit to size' making the picture smaller then needed. Set print quality to the best and hit print. I first test print each design to test make sure they are the right size and provide the look I want. These are just black and white draft quality and cut using a pair of scissors. After more corrections then I want to admit I was ready to print for real. I combined the designs onto two pages. I make sure I print enough to complete the job and at least one extra of each picture, just in case. Using an exacto knife and ruler I carefully cut out the various pictures.
I took three of the four observation deck pictures and using Elmer's Rubber Contact Cement put a picture into a quarter panel using a concave manner. I did not put a crease in the middle, rather let the photo be rounded and centered. Make sure the three panels selected are the front and two side panels. The rear panel is going to have more electric and needs more work done before the photo can be applied. I don't normally use contact cement but it is a must in order to glue the photos in place and not have them wrinkle (trust me I know :o). To use contact cement correctly you must spread glue smoothly on BOTH surfaces in order for it to adhere correctly (again, trust me I know ::))
Next I installed lighting for section using four, 3 volt, warm LED lights. I drilled a small hole in the top of each center quarter panel and ran the bulb wires through the quarter panel and then through center hole of the rear quarter panel. I made sure the bulb was snug to the hole opening. To keep the bulbs locked in place I used UV activated CA glue. Used primarily by fishing lure hobbyists I was put onto this great product by Daryl Jacobs. It is a CA glue that remains a liquid until UV light is applied, then it hardens in seconds. It is great for applications like this as it allows you working time to get things lined up and then hit it with the light. I don't use the manufacture type Daryl recommended any more, I find using the same stuff as made for lures works great and the light that came with it is much more powerful and faster. You will see a photo of it below and it can be bought on Amazon. With the three lights in place that already have the photo glued into the panel I glued the 4th light into the rear panel near the hole with the wires coming through. Then I placed copper tape 'pads' on the wall and wired the four lights in series, soldering them together at the copper pads. I will need to figure out how best to bring the wiring into the main building and keep it out of sight but that will wait till the main walls of the hotel are up. So here are the pictures which hopefully show you better what I did.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820215046-45537502.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820215046-455382409.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-160820215046-455361663.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820002433-455511009.jpeg)
Well computer out of power. I will post more tomorrow.
Jim D
Jim,
Absolutely fantastic bit on the interior designs and lighting. I have bookmarked this page for future use and inspiration. I really like the designs you chose for interior wallpaper, carpets and such.
Your hotel reminds me of the old hotel we stay in when at the seashore. It was built as a "grand" style hotel in the 1880s (I think) and the lobby, hallways and rooms have been maintained in that old, beautiful style. I am always particularly impressed by the huge floor to ceiling mirrors encased in rich dark wood frames in the lobby.
Anyway, thanks for indulging me in some reminiscences. Your build triggered lots of nice memories.
--Opa George
Awesome work on the interior! I can't wait to have a go at lighting an interior, I think it really adds to the build.
-Steven
Wow, the build is going to be incredible.
Opa George;
Great to hear from you and thanks. I'm like you, I love the old Victorian age / style hotel over the new square block buildings. When the Boss and I travel we always try to find a unique hotel or B&B.
Jim D
Thanks Steven;
Appreciate the compliment. I like what lighting does for a building, adding another layer of realism and depth. Slim at Micro Lumina has some great articles on his site, must reading before lighting something up. One thing to watch is the voltage, since the LED's operate on only 3 volts (more or less). He addresses this issue very well.
Thanks Again
Jim D
Hi Curt, thanks!
Glad you like it so far. Have a long way to go but just taking my time and enjoying the ride. It is a great kit, hope to due it justice.
Jim D
Really nice job lighting up and detailing the interior Jim. I'm dabbling with something similar at the moment myself. It's going to look great when you're done! :D
The 4th floor (roof) of the tower is not added till further in the construction so I used Krylon Matt Finish and sprayed the photos then set the assembly aside. I have not glued the roof panels in place, they are just placed to make sure scene looks right.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820134922-45555873.jpeg)
The next section to work on is the third floor. The 4th floor has slotted walls that lock into a slotted floor. The floor is also the ceiling for the 3rd floor and they lock into each other when assembled. You can see what I mean in the pictures. Prior to applying any of the following prints I used a gray colored Sharpie pen and carefully slid the edge of the paper across the side of the tip so that the design has a finished look and you do not see the white edges. One of the members on the Forum taught me that trick and it really makes a difference. Be careful as you color the paper edge or you will slip and mark up the printed design (yep I know, that's one reason I make extras).
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820134923-45558687.jpeg)
I put one of the 'ceiling murals' on the ceiling side of 3rd floor using contact cement. The back wall gets the picture of bookshelves and door. HOWEVER, rather than being glued completely only glue the center of the picture at this point. We are going to use the area where the corner bracing meets the picture to hide some wires in a few minutes. For some reason the jpeg I uploaded does not have the books on left side, if you cut and paste it will fix that. Finally, the animal print pattern is glued to the sides and front. I sized the print (about 3.5 cm) so it pretty much covers the corner bracing. I did not worry if the bracing is seen a little, with windows in place it will be hard to see corners. AFTER the contact glue fully dries, yes I know ::) I used an exacto knife with a NEW blade (the paper dulls these blades in no time) and carefully trimmed out the window and doors.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820140516-455601708.jpeg)
I again used the gray Sharpie. The ink bled a little on the wall patterns which actually turned out great. The inside of door and windows looks trimmed out. Here is view when back wall wall glued in place.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820100112-4555479.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820150048.jpeg)
I had some cornice moulding bought for another project and decided it to use it to trim out the ceiling and more importantly act as a shade so the LED lights would provide soffit lighting. Using my little modeling table saw I cut the moulding to the correct length and then miter cut each so the four sides would align like real moulding. Frankly this was over kill and I did not accomplish a very good fit (but it works). You can use a 1 x 12 board cut to length and accomplish the soffit look needed. In either case the wood trim was stained using Hunter Red Barn, followed by Hunter Medium Brown (like the flooring). The brown wash really brought out the shades in the wood, too bad it is up next to ceiling and will be seen only briefly. When dry, and key, glue the trim pieces to the corner braces at the point just below the ceiling so that a gap is left between the trim and the outer wall.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820134922-45556119.jpeg)
Now I drilled the two small holes (just big enough to allow the LED to pass through) for the LED lighting. Each hole is about 1 cm from corner of the bracing on the back wall and located behind the cornice moulding. The LED lights were put in place and the wires are run down either side behind the back wall photo. Two notches are made in the bottom of the back wall so the wires can come out at the floor and then go into the main building. The lights are locked in place using UV activated CA glue and then the picture is completely glued in place using contact cement. Sounds like more then it is. One thing I did forget was to coat each picture with the Krylon Matt Finish. Since the walls are in place the matt finish needs to be applied prior to attaching to inside walls. I plan to use my airbrush and use Dulcote to accomplish the same thing.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820134922-4555713.jpeg)
The lights are on the left side in this photo.
Here shows where to place the lights and glue them in place:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820145758-455611585.jpeg)
The two nano lights are connected in series and will eventually be hooked up with all the other lights. To test each series I have a Plug and Play module from Woodland Scenics. Using it with their connectors is great as it is essentially a voltage regulator. I start at zero and turn the knob until (hopefully) the lights turn on. This way I can test without current limiters or resistors and not burn out the LED's. Those will go on when we finish up connections.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820134923-455592072.jpeg)
That covers the third floor library.
Hi Bob;
Thanks for following along, if you have any ideas I am all ears. Have you posted your interior work? I would love to see it.
Jim D
So the general method of how I completed the interiors has been covered. For the second floor foyer I put the Heron Tapestry (bottom edges not glued to produce a slight hanging effect) on the back wall. The other walls are a stripe wallpaper and I again put two LED lights hidden behind the stained cornice on the back wall. However, this time the wires were put through the wall and soldered to copper tape. Two more lights were put in same spots on back wall of the first floor. No cornice is needed for the lobby due to the doors and photo already in place. Here are the results:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820190446-455631652.jpeg)
I previously modified a post to show I replaced the hotel name and added ceiling bracing.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820190446-455652169.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820190447-455672076.jpeg)
The directions say not to glue the various floors together yet. However here is how the four floors look at this point when assembled and lighted. The one picture shows how I have connected in series the lights for each floor. We will figure out how they all work together when I get the main building put together. I will be sealing the various holes on the back so there is no light 'bleeding'.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820190615-455702300.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820190447-455681804.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-170820190615-45569168.jpeg)
We are caught up now and back to following the directions. Hope to get more done soon.
Jim
I'm just getting caught up with your build - what a great thread. I love what you are doing with the interior - I'm taking notes. I bought this kit when it first came out and I know exactly where I'm going to put it on my layout. Keep up the great work - I will be following along.
Looks awesome Jim.
WOW!
Agree with the comments on the tower--wonderful work.
--Opa George
Excellent!!!! Great looking tower!
-Steven
Welcome John;
Thanks for checking in and for the encouragement. Please send any ideas you have as this kit moves along. I am following the directions as far as the sequence of building the kit goes The modeler who did the video I watched seemed to create some issues by jumping around. However, I hope to add something extra where appropriate and suggest changes where I run into issues.
For example, right after I did the last update I put the walls in place for the roof. The directions call for putting all the shingles on as well as the upper finish strip. I have had to remove the strip as each section needs just a little sanding to allow it to curve correctly on the frame. I am painting prior to placing so removing the strip caused some issues. Moreover, placing the strip after provides a nice square look.
Thanks Curt;
What you are seeing is what I've learned from you folks the past couple of years. Thanks for the great ideas.
Jim D
Thanks Bob;
You put a smile on my face, appreciate the compliment and will try to keep up the quality on this really nice kit.
Jim D
Thank you Jan;
Hope everything is well in Netherlands. As I am sure you have seen we yankees seem to have made a pretty good mess on response to the latest world virus. Really not sure why, it is not like the scientists have not been warning us it was coming. I look forward to when Deb and I can next visit Europe but looks like it is going to be some time. In the meantime we have a great hobby to enjoy. Thanks again.
Jim D
Thanks Opa George;
As I build this kit I am also dismantling the northern layout it will sit on. We are selling the house up in Ohio and will just be in Florida. So I need to figure out how to get the layout down there in one piece, or as close as I can. Might slow things down a bit on the hotel build. Oh well, times change I guess, wife wants the move, me, not so much.
Jim D
Thanks for the compliment Steven;
I know you have just recently joined the fun making craftsman kits, you came to the right place for advise and learning. These guys have been tremendous help in my own learning the past couple of years. You have a question these folks will sure have the answer. Best group of people I have ever worked with. Thanks for following along, any ideas are of course welcomed.
Jim D
I have hit the meat of the build on the tower and encountered some issues so I thought I would add to the thread even though not a lot of actual progress has been made.
First he shingles provided with the kit are not the same design as shown in the instructions. Moreover, they are only mentioned in passing in the instructions. The four panels that are the frame the shingles are applied have laser etched lines marking where the top of each row of shingles need to be placed. Placement needs to be exact. Each row is placed so the bottom of each single is located to the middle of two shingles below. See below:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200820222258-45583902.jpeg)
The issue I ran into is the shingles are made of some type of felt material. In order to make a clean cut you need to use a new straight blade, not an xacto-knife, the straight blade has a finer taper and is needed to cut as clean as possible. Even so making a truly clean cut, especially around the window openings is very difficult and requires patience, lots of patience. The felt wants to fuzz and even when you remove the felt the self sticking back is often left behind and needs to be carefully removed without cutting through the thin wood. If I was to do this again I would most likely use a different make of shingle. The need to make precise cuts for the windows is truly slowed down needlessly due to the material of the shingles. Here is what I am talking about:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200820221502-455762424.jpeg)
The top roof panel shows the difficulty of accurately trimming around the window opening. You will note I also did not place the shingles correctly. So I did it all again. The bottom panel shows correct pattern and better trimming. However, even the bottom panel needed additional trimming when I went to place the dormer frame in place.
For painting the shingles I went with a slate type look. I first mixed Gunmetal Ink Wash 1 park ink 10 parts alcohol and brushed it on so that it wicked into all the corners.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200820221502-455732416.jpeg)
Next, using the airbrush I lightly sprayed Americana Burnt Umber, spraying from the top of shingles downward only to create a streaking effect.
After using a hair dryer I next sprayed 50/50 Americana Burnt Umber and Ceramcoat Hippo Gray. Again from top to bottom, like rain falling down the side of the roof.
Again, I used a hairdryer to speed the process. Finally I mixed 50 / 50 Vallejo 70.890 Refractive Green and 70.968 Flat Green with a drop of Folkart Dolphin. I did not over mix as I want various colors to show. I then mixed the paint with 5 parts 91% Isopropyl Alcohol to create a fast drying wash. I applied with a round cosmetic brush, touching the surface so it wicked with occasional top to bottom strokes
When done here is how it looked:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200820221502-4557739.jpeg)
When dry, The panels were glued per the directions in place using Elmers White Glue. Here I found another change I would make. I had put the finish strip across the top of each panel. However some sanding is required to get a snug fit that curves correctly. I ended up having to remove the strips and reapplying.
Instead of placing corner cap shingles I decided to try a more fancy look, often seen on real Mansard Roofs. To create the look I first started with 20 gauge copper wire cut to length and curved to fit.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200820222000-455822238.jpeg)
I airbrushed the wire first with gray primer, when dry I used the same green mix I had used on the shingles but airbrushed. It was a great idea but as I work the paint can come off unless I am careful. I should have used an enamel primer. :-\
I super glued the wire in place at each corner (after scraping the paint off the bottom to allow for good adhesion. To seal the corners on either side of the wire I used the scrap trim from the shingles to create a gingerbread look. I am still thinking on this, so far I am not happy with results. Note: The 'Gingerbread is shortly after this picture removed, it looked terrible. They are only held in place with the two sided tape so can be removed but something else will need to take its place due to the fragile nature of the felt roofing. Any ideas would be appreciated.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200820222000-45579666.jpeg)
I used the trick Greg DeMayo showed me of using brown lunch bag material to form drip edges for the shingles. I painted these with Ceramcoat Charcoal and streaked the HO 4-5 inch wide strips with Burnt Umber.
Finally I cleaned the back roof panel until I was able to place the dormer parts in place. I noted while putting the window frame in place that the directions call for a wood panel to be inserted into the window prior to the outside parts being added. This key part is what is being used to provide adequate strength to the dormer and help keep everything square. However, as I have put an interior into the roof and have added lighting the bracing piece can not be used. If I was to do this part again and wanted to keep the lighted interior I would add bracing on either side of the window. Using the same copper wire used in the corners would most likely work to replace the support I did not use. In this picture you can see the part I am discussing, it is near the square being used to keep one wall in place.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200820234603-455842257.jpeg)
Without the support I am finding I need to be very careful in order to keep the rounded curve of the roof correct. Even so the first dormer appears to be slightly on an angle in the camera view, even though I spent over an hour attempting to ensure all was lined up correct. So here is where we are and at this point I stopped to consider options.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-200820221503-455782040.jpeg)
Those shingles look great! Appreciate you sharing how you achieved your results.
-Steven
Your mansard joint looks great! I'd say some sort of ridge cap is more common than just butting shingles, in the mansard roofs I've seen. (And since I like the architecture, I usually look at the roof details whenever I see a Victorian structure.)
I don't think there's such a thing as 'too much bracing.' ;)
dave
Looks great. I think Branchline/Laser Art has the same style in heavy paper.
Thanks Steven. I do like the way the shingles and the Mansard Joints come out, just don't like the amount of work these felt shingles take to cut right. I have taken the window back apart and will clean the opening better and try again.
Jim D
Hey Jim:
The roof look really great. Love the color.
Karl
Hi Dave and thanks. After I had completed the caps I found an elastic thread used for holding labels that appears to be about same gauge (20). I think it might work just as well and the paint would adhere much better, however the wire is in place, looks good so it is staying. As mentioned to Steven, the dormer is back out and being redone. I have a plan on how to make the gingerbread look cleaner and more correct. We will see.
Finally, you are right, you can not have enough bracing and that is one think I have noticed, this kit as it comes is very lightly braced. I will be watching that more as I move forward.
Jim D
Hi Curt and thanks for the encouragement. I will get the window straight and the gingerbread to either look right or disappear. Thanks for the Branchline information, i have bought from them before and ordered some shingles today to see if they will work for the main building, I really do not like this pressed felt material and hope theirs is better.
Jim D
Thanks Karl;
I appreciate the compliment though I am not completely happy yet with roof. However, I have a plan to tweak it so I do not completely start over. Should be able to get the gingerbread to look right and definately will get dormer straight. I do like how the shingles came out even though the material is a pain in the butt to cut.
Jim D
I've gotten great slate results by stippling chalks or pigments. That adds color and texture. In particular, a bit of blue carefully applied gave me a really good slate color. And if you don't like it, it's easy to wipe off.
dave
Thanks Dave;
I am going to try your suggestion on scrap roofing and if I get it right put it on the roof.
Jim D
As I said in my last post I needed to step back and see where the project was and where it was going. I was not happy with how the roof was turning out. I decided the copper corner caps needed to be oxidized and have copper dormer roofs. I removed the gingerbread, too tacky and did not fit.
Starting again I airbrushed the various parts needed for the rest of the tower in the colors I previously described so they were ready as needed. There are a lot of little parts and pieces that make up the tower section of the hotel. There are incredible laser etched boards for the underside of the first and second floor roofs as well as each window being made up of multiple laser cut parts that have two sided tape on the back so that you layer them in order to create the ornate windows and front facade. Apparently this was not hard enough so I decided to use real glass in all the windows in place of the pre-cut acetate windows provided with the kit.
The directions say it is better to wait to paint the parts of the window assembly until after they are put together. In hindsight I agree. However I had mistakenly already airbrushed the parts. In the end it worked out fine and they appear to be glued together with the tape OK.
The glass I used for this project is Clover Glass offered by Clover House. The glass is unique in that it is larger in length and width then a microscope slide by more than half as thin as a microscope slide cover, being only .006 inches thick. While very fragile and care needed to place it correctly it definitely enhances the look of the tower, especially in that it adds a realistic view when looking at the interiors.
To cut the glass I use a etching scribe made by General Tool, model number 88. This very fine scribe allows you to actually cut the glass, and even make curved cuts. Since I had the acetate sheet I simply knocked out the windows and used the blanks as a template. Taping a piece of paper to cutting mat I draw an outline of the window needed. To actually cut the glass place it on the cutting mat using a tacky putty tipped stick, this allows you to easily move the glass but limits the pressure on it so it does not break as might happen using tweezers. It also limits finger prints. Try not to touch the glass directly to keep it clean. Lining the glass up on one corner of the outline place a thin steel ruler on the first line you wish to cut. Take the scribe and using light presure as if you had a number 3 mechanical pencil score the glass along the ruler's edge. Start just before the glass edge and end just off the glass edge so that the entire score has the same amount of presure applied. Then make a second score. Most likely the glass was cut at the line during the first pass but certainly by the second. If an edge is slightly off use the ruler to guide the scribe and gently scrape the edge unwanted edge away. It takes a little practice but not as much as you think. I Here are pictures of the needed items needed, how it is done and a finish cut double pane window with a double curved top.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270820205547-456862258.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270820205547-456871010.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270820210119-456881147.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270820210119-456892197.jpeg)
This is to be the front window on the second floor. I cracked the glass on my first try (the curved area) but got it on the second.
I worked on the windows starting on the 4th floor and working my way down. Here is how the roof and third floor looked with windows and lite up for effect.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270820210119-45691410.jpeg)
To add a little richness to the slat boards under the second and third floors as well as the entrance facade I took gold leaf and using a sponge wiped it across a board then quickly wiped the gold leaf off. The result was the gold leaf stayed in the recessed etched part of the board but was almost completely removed from the rest of the board. The look is more like a ball peen hammered copper for the etched parts. It is subtle but easy to see. I also used the gold leaf on the roof fence to give it a green copper look.
The work needed for this part of the kit is straight forward but time consuming. There are over 100 parts involved for just the tower. Be Extremely careful in handling, sorting and keeping the various parts safe, they have minds of their own and can get lost in an instant and there are no spares. I spent more than a few minutes under the table with a flashlight until I wised up, used a putty stick to pick up the parts in place of tweezers and put all parts in small trays and out of the way unless being used.
The time spent was fun and well worth it since the tower will be the focal point of the front of the hotel. The directions suggest not painting until the kit is essentially made in order to speed up the building process. I disagree, a kit with this much detail needs to be shown off. Painting, before assembling allows many complimentary colors to be used and create a detailed result that can not be matched if the kit is painted after being built.
So here are the pictures with all windows, trim and front facade in place. I have set the tower on the foundation for the photos. Further the the two upper floors are not glued to the bottom two as they need to be kept separate until the hotel roof is put in place. I broke one window fiddling with it and a couple of window frames look like they need to be re-set (using glue instead of the tape) but anyhow you will get an idea were the kit is at.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270820230859-45693993.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270820205547-456842021.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270820205547-456832214.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-270820205547-456851212.jpeg)
We will be traveling for a little while so I'll get back on this when we get home.
Hey Jim:
The tower look just beautiful with it's interior and lighting.
Karl
Looks great Jim.
Jim as I may have said before, I am embarrassed when I compare my hotel to yours. Wait till you get to the dormers on the main roof!
Jim, that is gorgeous and really shows the work you put into it. I'm really enjoying following along, and I totally agree with pre-painting the detail parts before assembly rather than after, in order to get that exquisite extra oomph in the detail. Beautiful work!
--Opa George
Karl;
I have to ask, when do you sleep? 3 am and you are looking at the Modelers Forum? Wow.
Thanks for the compliment and encouragement. I think the tower will add to the overall hotel. It was almost like a dry run for the main event, the hotel portion. I have not jumped around on the building but followed the steps suggested by Art at Bar Mills which I think helped a lot. While I did not take all his suggestions I did read though the instructions many times and watched the build video that is on YouTube that Daryl provided. Learned a lot from both.
So next up the main hotel. I already know I will be deviateing and adding a lot of detail. We will see how it goes.
Jim D
Thank you Curt appreciate the positive feedback. Once Deb and I finish the move to Florida I will be able to get back on this project. I have carefully packed the partially assembled kit along with all the tools paints, glass and so on needed to finish it. Of course I have duplicates of most already at the Florida house so we will be well stocked. Still, I will miss the little work bench and sitting on the deck modeling. :'(
Jim D
Hi Jim;
Thank you for the encouragement and compliments. That said, I have seen your work and I consider it a top honor for you to think what I have built so far compares well with your work. I will try to keep it the quality up.
Thanks
Jim D
Jim,
Getting caught up on the build. Fantastic job sir. Very well done. Look forward to seeing you both in September.
Tom ;D
Opa George thanks for following along and your input. This laser kit is unusual for Bar Mills, almost like it was designed by someone else. The fine detailed parts are like building a box car made of etched brass parts. By cleaning, sanding where needed, painting, staining and adding fine touch up to the parts beforehand really has allowed me to highlight the detailing and craftsmanship that went into the design and manufacturing of this structure. They outdid themselves on this one, I hope to make sure the final result shows it.
Jim D
Hi Tom!
You caught me just responding to everyone. The forum's daily chat group has become my go to people to carefully read your builds and how you folks achieve the incredible results displayed. So if you like what you see you, thank you, I have learned from the best, with you at the head of the table.
Deb and I are looking forward to visiting. I will call to set up a time when we get settled back into the Florida house. From what I have seen, the mighty A & S has become an even more amazing transportation railroad empire. Looking forward to seeing you again.
Jim D :D
Jim just reading this thread a beautiful job on that tower and the lighting.
Jerry
Very nice build Jim
Doug
Thanks Jerry and Doug;
We have been doing a lot of stuff around house so progress has been slow but I have enough to report at this point.
With the tower finished as much as can be, time to work on the main structure. First up is making windows, lots of them, each with six laser cut parts that need to be glued together with each other. They come with tape on their back so they are 'just' need to be accurately placed correctly in the order shown in the directions. To accomplished this I needed to wear magnifying glasses. Keeping with the color scheme I first air brushed the frames and mullions the trim green color I have been using (Folkart Crocodile green). The Upper and lower trim pieces were airbrushed using Ceramcoat Charcoal Black. Then the parts were carefully removed using a single straight edge. The thinner blade on it compared to the #7 Exo Knife works much better. Use a fresh blade and change it when it starts tearing. I went through two blades as the material is tough, especially once painted. There are 16 windows so 96 parts total for this section. Make sure to keep track of the parts, some are very small and try to get lost. There are no extras provided.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920225123-45974421.jpeg)
Once the parts are glued into the proper spots I decided to clean up the curved tops of the frames.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920225218-459771849.jpeg)
There are 4 layers on this section of the frame and it can be seen when looking down on the model. I used plastic putty to filled the gaps between the layers and then used the Charcoal Black and hand painted the tops so they looked like one piece and not laminated sections.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920225123-45973498.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920225123-459721445.jpeg)
As I mentioned previously I am using glass in place of the acetate provided. The acetate comes pre-cut so if you would rather use it, it is ready to go. Since the main building windows are large and simple rectangles as far as the glass is concerned I went with Microscope slide glass. It is much thicker thea the Clover Glass I usually use but it is cheap and will work just fine for these windows since they are not double hung, allowing the glass to be flat against the inner side of the mullions.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224826-459712395.jpeg)
Cutting microscope glass slides is done different than Clover Glass, if anything easier and less likely to accidentally break after hung. Everything you need is in this photo. I am showing a cut piece of glass being cleaned. To accomplish this I taped a pane of the acetate glass frame (glass part removed) to the cutting mat. I used this as a template for cutting the glass to correct size. By happy coincidence the slide glass width is the height needed for the window. This means only one cut is made to create the needed glass. I put a thin steel rule on the line over the glass where it needed to be scored. Since the glass is thick I scribed it using my #88 General Tool rather than attempting to cut it apart. Use a medium forse to scribe the glass, about the same as writing with a pen. Make only one pass as surprisingly less is best. Then place the scribed line on a dowel so they are lined up in same direction. putting a finger on either side of the slide near the line push down with even force and if done correctly you have a clean cut and a window ready to be hung in its frame.
Once cut the glass is attached to the back of the window mullions. While there is tape to attach to glass, it is rather heavy so I used UV CA glue to make sure the glass stays put. Being careful to just put a very, very, thin line of glue along the outer frame I lined up the glass so it was EXACTLY covering the frame at its edges. The glass needs to go into the window openings in the walls and the cutouts are the dimensions of the inner window frame so there is no wiggle room. (note I am finding that out as I now put the windows in place ::))
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920225123-459762417.jpeg)
UV glue is good only for certain things because it is activated by UV light rather then moisture like other super glues. I find it handy for gluing in tight spots where I need both hands (and perhaps more). Because you can shine the UV glue straight through the glass this is a great application. If, when you place the glass you miss and get glue in the viewing area you can remove the slide, clean it and try again.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224826-459701219.jpeg)
Jim,
Your build is coming along nicely. I've never tried the UV glue but then I've never used the slide glass in the windows.
Great job on this one.
Tom ;D
While working on the windows I am also moving along on the structure. The directions call for gluing the walkways to the foundation at this point after making sure the tower fits correctly (a brace board in now attached to the back of the tower for alignment and support). The walkways are laser cut with very precise cut outs so it fits correctly and posts going to the second floor can be inserted (much further into the build). The wood was cut against its grain and after staining looked like crap. Moreover, it warped into a curve due to the grain even though I was using Hunterline Alcohol Stain to try and keep that from happening.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224355-45958349.jpeg)
Not Impressed, enough said.
I decided that was not going to work. First I spread water on both sides of each of the walkways to make them wet, placed a steel plate across the length of each, put a 5 pound weight on top and let them sit overnight to flatten the wood back into shape.
Next day I first put 3M 465 two sided tape along the top of the walkway, flipped it over and using a straight blade cut the overhanging tape off the walkway. (Leave the paper on the one side of the two-sided tape until your ready for the next step, trust me :o)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224610-459631472.jpeg)
While waiting for the walkways to flatten I took a bunch of 1 x 8 basswood strip wood and soaked them in the Hunterline red barn stain. Each stick was in the bath about 10 seconds. I did not put the medium brown stain on afterwards as I did for the entrance because I wanted to see what I had to work with once the boards were on the walkway. The wood is stained prior to placing on the tape as staining afterwards causes the tape to lose adhesion.
Once flat, dry and with the tape in place, I cut the strip wood to the approximate length needed and placed them over the score lines of the walkway (1 x 8 appears to be the size of board the laser scoring simulate).
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-150920090527-459872336.jpeg)
When all boards are in place (52 per walkway!) I flipped the walkway over and using the straight blade trimmed off the excess.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-150920090135-45985560.jpeg)
I made sure the board trimming was as close to original outline of the walkway and I cut off those areas I knew are going to be slotted into the walls.
With that out of the way I glued the walkways to the foundation per the directions, making sure the tower fit correctly. It fit the first time with no trimming needed, I guess I paid attention to the directions saying MAKE SURE YOU LINE THINGS UP CORRECTLY. At least on this assembly! ::)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-150920090135-459782231.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224610-4596445.jpeg)
The tower is just in place for the above picture, it is not glued in place yet.
With the foundation ready, time for the walls, I put the bracing and corner trim boards per directions (I left a 1/4 inch overhang on the corner boards (trimming them flush once glued and painted), makes it easier to put in place and make it flush (learned that from Bob, Tom, John, Carl and so on, thanks). The walls were sanded to remove the laser burn on the edges and lightly sanded on the clapboard side to remove some fuzz.
So here is where we go off the rails again. The backside of the hotel is blank. I mean blank. No windows, doors, walkways, nada. I guess they expected the hotel to be stuck up against a wall or something. Mine is going to be City Central so blank is not going to work. I e-mailed Bar Mills about buying some windows like in the kit but did not hear back. Instead I ordered laser cut windows and doors from Rail-Scale.com. In addition I have an old #1 kit from Bar Mills which has an assortment of both. Between the two I will finish out the back.
I am not exactly sure what I want to do to bring the backside to life but I know we need windows. Using the front side as a template I outlined four windows in the correct positions on the two back walls. I used a pin drill to make small holes in each corner of the window outline. I think it was John Siekirk that first showed me this trick. The small corner holes help stop the wood from splitting when being cut. Using the straight blade and a thin steel rule I cut along each line and made the window openings. I forgot to take a picture of this work but you get the idea and will see the results further down the road.
I first airbrushed all the walls with the medium gray primer. Then for the outside panels I airbrushed the same Ivory color as used on the tower. By priming both sides I am able to then build up the outside walls with thin coats of ivory to allow the gray to lightly show in areas. It produces the affect of a building with pretty new paint but some fading and light chipping starting to occur.
I again forgot to get a clean picture of the result but the following picture shows the outer walls painted with the inner walls still medium primer gray.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920225123-459751539.jpeg)
So since we are already off the rails lets keep going. The windows in the front of the structure are floor to ceiling and easy to see through. Therefore I decided to put interiors in, much like the tower. We will be lighting rooms as well. To start I found Victorian style wallpaper patterns on-line. Copying them (only free versions) I re-sized them to look appropriate for HO scale but still be visible as elaborate patterns. Using School grade Elmer's glue (couldn't find my contact cement which is what I would recommend for paper on wood gluing but the School Version of Elmer's worked fine) I cut and pasted the patterns to the end walls. I will be doing the same where needed on the other walls but will wait till after I have glued the walls together and know where it is needed. So here is how it went and the result:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224826-459671810.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224610-45966955.jpeg)
I tried to find patterns that matched the color scheme I am using for the outside so all fits together and does not clash.
The bracing the directions call for are really light. Usually I put more bracing in place to stop warping, however this is a complicated design, lots of odd angles and such so I will just go with what the directions call for and add later if needed.
Art Faye, who wrote the directions and built the prototype, stresses the assembly of the walls must be exact (he says that a lot in this kit and I think he is right). He highly recommends using a magnetic assembly tray, right angle clamps or both. I used both.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224355-459611620.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224125-459552244.jpeg)
I made a mistake on the two upper braces cutting them to the wrong length slightly. I had to break them off and put new ones in when I attempted to put the two wings onto the foundation. What I noticed is the wings are easier to fit properly with the upper brace removed and then put the brace in place. If you are reading this thread for your own modeling of this structure I would do that or at least just lightly tack the brace so you can remove when fitting into foundation, then put it back permanently. You can see the brace I am talking about in the previous picture.
While the walls were drying I worked on putting the tower onto the foundation. At this point I am still trying to follow the directions but since I am painting and detailing as I go I am having to adjust the flow a little bit. So far it has worked better then I expected and I think better then the directions if I had followed them exact (a lot of detail would have been lost).
In watching the video I posted I paid a lot of attention on this part of the construction. He built the various parts in a different order and seemed to have trouble getting the tower positioned correctly and straight. While I am not following the directions exactly, I am going pretty much in the order Art suggests. I think that made a big difference on this part of the assembly.
As I said previously, I test fitted the tower onto the foundation after the walkways were glued in place. I had to trim a couple of the boards I had installed but the tower fit snug, tight and straight when put in place. Boy I love it when a plan comes together.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-150920090135-459862165.jpeg)
The 1 x 8 boards I had added actual made the connection to the entrance better. The floors are exactly at the same height.
If you noticed in the foundation pictures the frame does not want to stay flat to the floor. It was when I first made it but it does not take much moisture to get one side or the other to lift. However, weights and time gets it back flat. I expect once glued to the walls this issue will be solved. However it presented an issue when putting the tower in place.
To make sure the tower was firmly glued to the foundation and perpendicular in all directions (not leaning in any direction) I used yellow Elmer's glue to hold the foundation to the bottom of the tower. Then I put weight on the top of the first section of the tower with the top second removed. The top section still comes off as needed, I might leave it that way since the corbels keep it in alignment with the first section nicely. I then put weighted metal angle bracing blocks around the tower. Using a level I made sure the tower was correctly in position. I noticed in the video the tower looked a little off and I do not want that to happen with my version. (Tom did I get it level enough? ;D)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224610-45962152.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224355-459592431.jpeg)
With the tower glued and in place it's time to fit the walls to the foundation and tower. For now I am just making sure it fits. I had thought to put the windows in place prior to gluing them together. I did not as I was concerned about breaking the glass. If I was to do it over I would put them in first and then glue the walls. Putting the windows in after and making sure they are lined up correctly is proving to be more difficult, doable but an unnecessary waste of time.
Second note, make sure all windows are in the walls first, then glue the walls. Putting them in when the walls were up and especially cutting the openings for the backside windows really proved to be a big mistake. Took three times longer then it should have.
So here is where we are:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224826-45968601.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-140920224125-459541726.jpeg)
The large windows are going to allow you to see in easily. I hope to provide some interesting interiors to take advantage of that feature. That is it for now.
Quote from: ACL1504 on September 15, 2020, 08:26:52 AM
Jim,
Your build is coming along nicely. I've never tried the UV glue but then I've never used the slide glass in the windows.
Great job on this one.
Tom ;D
Thanks Tom; I suspect you see a lot of techniques you use and teach.
WOW Jim, that is a lot of great looking modeling. Very impressive.
Hi Curt, thanks for stopping by and thank you, glad you like it. There is indeed a lot to this kit, especially when you keep running down rabbit holes, which I am about to do again.
Jim D
With the wings formed and wall paper on the outer walls were needed I needed to build floors, interior walls and have some type of window covering, which I decided would consist of drapes asit is a first class Hotel.
After the fact Note: The following can all be done using the right mat finish photo paper, printing out on an inkjet or laser printer then cutting and folding by hand. The Cameo printer simply allows for more precise cuts and the ability to 'play' with different designs.
I have a Cameo 3 printer from Silhouette and have the upgraded design program they offer. I've been learning as I go and have found it useful in certain situations. It also has a fair share of limitations. Being called a poor man's laser cutter is probably as good a description of it as anything. The key to getting clean results is (1) a new sharp cutting knife in the holder, (2) a clean proper tacky cutting mat. If either is dirty or dull you just end up being frustrated. So before we can use the magic of the Cameo I went on Goggle and found the following images to be the hallway flooring, door, and wall paper.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920210659-46072486.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920210659-46073608.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920210659-46074749.jpeg)
Using a scanned image of the interior floor plan to get the dimensions and shape correct, I used 40mm styrene sheeting and had the machine cut it. You can cut styrene in thickness the printer is not really designed for by:
1) Work up to final cut by having the machine trace the design with the blade set at about 1/2 the needed thickness.
2) Leave the mat in the machine after it makes the first cut, adjust the knife to about 3/4 required depth and have the machine duplicate the pattern.
3) Repeat again but this time at desired thickness.
If the sheet is not cut all the way through it is very close and you can bend and snap the parts out. This works best with simple shapes.
Here is shape we wanted:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920210659-46076695.png)
And the machine cutting out four using one sheet of styrene:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211023-46077290.jpeg)
I made four floor bases of the styrene sheeting. Next time to make the floor and wall interiors. To accomplish what I wanted I made a design the machine would both cut and score where needed. The design consists of the floor on the left of the paper running from the bottom to the top, a score line, the the left side wall (doors and wallpaperUsing matt finished photo quality 8 x 11 paper, another score line, the right side wall, a third score line and finally the right side hardwood floor. Everything needed to be aligned so it would be in the right direction when printed and cut. It sounds confusing so let me show you how it looks when finished, then we will back up on how we get there.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211406-460841928.jpeg)
As you can see the thick photo paper enables you to have a floor bend into the left wall then down the right wall and back to a floor. All using one piece of cardstock.
Looking good Jim....Dennis
Designing the floors and wall was simply sizing the images to HO scale, cut and paste till enough area had been made and locate in the correct place and direction on the paper. The doors were then placed as needed. I decided to have a little fun. Some of the 'paintings' on the walls are photos. The married couple is my brother Bruce who will be the hotels proprietor and why it is to be called the B.(ruce) Alan Hotel. Another picture is Deb and me and a third is Deb's cousin and her husband with us. They live in London.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211023-46078365.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211023-46079706.jpeg)
The Cameo printer knows where to cut by locating registration makes placed on the paper at the time the image is printed. Once you have everything located correctly on your design program you temporarily remove the cut and score lines and print the design on the correct paper. I use a Cannon laser printer as I like its ability to be used without waiting for the ink to dry.
Once the images are on the paper it is placed in the correction location on the tacky cutting mat (the tackiness helps hold everything in place). The cut and score lines are again enabled in the design program and the design is sent to the Cameo. The printer then makes the cuts and scoring based on the registration marks. If done properly it will make precision cuts hard to duplicate by hand.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211023-46078365.jpeg)
As you can see in the above picture, the paper has a black square in one corner and L shape thick black lines in two of the other corners. These are the registration marks.
Here is the designs cut out by the machine along with the design program on the monitor:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211405-460822485.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211406-460831744.jpeg)
To light the interior I used warm, yellow 3 volt nano size pre-wired LED lights. This type uses coated solid wire leads that have pre-soldered tips. I used the UV CA glue I like to tack the wires in place. Once down I used Elmer's yellow glue to improve the adhesion. The lights for the first floor have their wiring run along the second floor. The lights themselves are slipped between the crack between the floors.
You might note that I did not have the wallpaper on the wood outer walls shaped to be directly against the internal bracing, rather a gap is left. The lights for the second floor are run up the wall between the the wallpaper and the wood using these gaps. This way the wires are secured and not seen. The lack of connection with the wall at the brace will not been seen when looking through the buildings windows.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920223539-460901027.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211406-460841928.jpeg)
The drapes were make from single ply tissue. I air brushed Folkart Rust Brown, let dry then airbrushed a light coat of copper so that the 'drapes' gave off some color.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211406-46085578.jpeg)
Drapes were put in as well as some walls to make areas looked like rooms not hallways. I then tested the lights and we are done for the night.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211406-460861832.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211539-460871007.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211539-460881777.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-190920211539-4608911.jpeg)
Ohh La La! Jim. What a great build and all the extra interior stuff makes me happy! Keep it up!
Awesome! Love seeing Interiors. Sweetiebear has been asking for the Cameo 4 Cutting Machine, just waiting for MicroMark to offer free shipping, so I can use my $150 in gift cards toward the purchase.
-Steven
Holy cow Jim! :o That's terrific!
Beautiful Job Jim....Dennis
Hey Jim:
Beautiful jobs so far. Love your colors.
Karl
Looks like one heck of a lot of work going on up there.....looking great Jim..... 8)
Love seeing interiors, you sure are knocking it out of the park! What is the model of your cutting machine? I have my eye on the Cameo 4, I also looked at the Circuit Maker.
-Steven
Thanks Daryl;
I keep finding things I want to do with this great looking kit. I need to slow it down some and just get the kit together.
Jim D
Hi Steven;
Thanks for following along. I have the Cameo 3 which is a good machine but because it only produces 210 psi while cutting and it does not have the gear type drive of the Cricut Maker it is more limited. I am told the Cricut Maker 4 will cut 3/32 basswood. I need to see it before I would buy it, but if it does I want it for Christmas!
Jim D
Bob, Karl, Dennis and Greg;
Appreciate you all checking in. Any ideas you have let me know. It has been slow going on the building so I need to post some updates before I forget which went when.
Jim D
It has been a while since I posted so please hang with me if I put something in out of sequence. There is a lot going on at this point.
With the interiors essentially done I need to make the electrical connections to bring everything together. Each wing has 8 warm LED lights and the tower has 12 so we have 28 LED's installed. There are seven circuits, each wing has one for the second floor and one for the first floor. The tower has one for the first two floors and one for the third and another for the top floor. I previously showed the type of LED I am using throughout this structure to simplify the power usage.
I used the tower as a central conduit for all of the wiring. The back wall and back bracing had copper tape placed in a manner so the wings and tower wiring could be soldered to them and the tape would go to the base were all the circuits would be completed. Each circuit is limited to having a total of four lights on it. I plan to use a 16 volt DC transformer for power of accessories. With current limiters on each circuit none will have more than 15 volts including the current limiter. Here is how the tower section looks wired up. It looks more confusing then it really is but it sure does not look elegant. I
If you are going to light your structure it really helps if you have paid the money and bought a first class soldering unit. Mine is a fast heating Hako model. It takes about 5 seconds to go from off to 650 degrees and will run for hours. I have full digital control of temperature needed and the tip required. This type of soldering outfit allows for fast welds, limiting the possibility of destroying the LED from too much heat. Trust me I know. My first two soldering irons were easy to hold and low on results.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-300920223706-461521109.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-300920223706-46151907.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-300920223705-46150504.jpeg)
With the wiring done enough to allow the wings and tower to be mated it was time for the wings to be carefully placed on the foundation and the tabs inserted into the slots located on the tower. The directions indicate mating the various parts is finicky and requires some careful sanding. That is very true. Moreover, careful application of clamps and weights were needed to keep everything where it belonged. NOTE: I needed to use the Elmer's Yellow Wood Glue to keep the foundation solidly mated to the wings. I let everything to sit and dry for a day.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-300920224035-46159717.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-300920224035-46158508.jpeg)
Finally, to complete the basic structure I braced the foundation by cutting to shape 3/32 balsa wood and inserting (and gluing) it into the foundation. It greatly improved the firmness of the foundation and will act as the curiet board for the wiring.
NOTE: I think putting the bracing in is a good idea regardless if you decide to put lights in or not. The basic laser cut foundation is fairly flimsy. I broke it twice on the backside. Fortunately I was able to get the breaks to glue together without showing. If I had put the bracing in before the wings I would have saved myself the repair jobs.
Placing the bracing:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-300920224347-461612065.jpeg)
Bracing in place and all circuits wired and labeled.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-300920224035-461561591.jpeg)
Using the Woodland Scenic Plug and Play power controller for testing I hooked up the various parts and made sure everything worked.
Looking down you can see installed interior and the lights are located at each corner. The lights are off in this photo:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-300920224034-461551935.jpeg)
I don't have any pictures of the structure lighted but windows not fully installed. This picture shows how all looked once windows were in. Installing the glass windows is another story and we will stop here for the night.
I do not have a photo of the structure together (less tower top) and lighted but without windows (which were installed after the walls were up). Did I mention that I really screwed up by not putting the windows and frames in place prior to putting the walls together? :o So here is a photo showing wings lighted:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-300920224347-461621848.jpeg)
Making the glass windows and installing them is another story for another day. We will stop here.
Jim
This is really looking great - I love the interiors.
Amazing modeling Jim.
Thanks John and Curt;
We are slowly making progress. I need to make sure not to touch the structure unless a must. With all the things being done the touching was starting to mar the finish. I cleaned it up and put it on a foam board that has two sided tape. Now when I work on it I am not touching, if I really need to touch I am wearing latex gloves.
Thoughts or suggestions always appreciated.
Jim D
Time to catch this thread post up to where I am. My helper is bored and wants me to finish up:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041020224744-461781593.jpeg)
As mentioned the kit comes with a blank backside.. If you plan to add windows or doors best to do so while the walls have not yet been assembled. I let myself get in a hurry so now have to be careful cutting out the openings with the walls in place. I decided to keep things simple using four each Tichy #8024 and four each #8069. The larger 8024 double hung windows go on the second floor which is were you would expect the better rooms to be. The smaller 8069 windows go across the first floor. The 8069 windows are in various open positions, much like you would see for the staff work rooms. I will be making a separate scratch built kitchen and connect it to the main building. In 1900 many hotels (and homes) had separate kitchens to isolate them in case of fire.
I first made a template to line the openings up correctly. I used Inkscape on my computer to get the shapes, locations and dimensions 100%. Any draw program can do this quickly. I printed out the design and cut out the shape.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041020224744-461791053.jpeg)
I taped this to one of the back walls and using a thin #3 pencil carefully outlined the opening. Using an #11 exacto knife I cut the openings and squared them up with an emory board. I flipped the tempete over to align correctly on the other side and did the same. The Tichy windows were cut from their sprue for airbrushing with gray primer then the crocodile green. However, first the tiny bumps left by the sprue needed to be removed. I like to use a sanding block I made that has #400 sand paper taped tightly to it.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041020224744-46180888.jpeg)
In the above picture you can see the cut openings in back walls as well as the sanding block and windows I am using. The sanding block makes sure the window is square as it is lightly sanded to remove the bumps.
Since I am using glass for the windows I needed to cut the glass to shape. Here I used microscope slide covers as the material. It is thin enough to fit into the 'tray' area Tichy provides for their acetate plastic windows. Using calipers I measured the exact dimensions off the inner sides of the 8024's two window areas. Another template with these dimensions was made and taped to the cutting mat. The glass was scribed, cut, placed in the two 'tray' areas of the Tichy window. I put a drop of canopy glue first in each corner to hold the glass. I did not use the UV glue as I was having trouble with the UV light and could not fix it. I forgot to take pictures of some steps but here is the sequence.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041020233023-461822240.jpeg)
Slide with scribe line, ready to snap using Q-tip dowel to push against.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041020233023-46181768.jpeg)
Glass cut, ready to install.
I did this for all eight windows (The 8069 just have glass in the area of window 'closed' and I did not attempt to get exactly flush with mullions for them, too hard and won't be seen).
Let me stop and take a minute to discuss why I am using glass, especially on this kit. Frankly, contrary to what some of the guys who have been modeling for 40 years or more say, glass can be a pain in the you know what. The method of cutting each type of glass, microscope slide, slide cover and Clover glass are straight forward but there is a 'feel' that comes in to play knowing how much pressure is needed to etch the glass, snap it, and just using the scribe to cut the thin glass. There is a lot of failure, especially as you learn but I have a friend who is an MMR, super modeler and national contest judge. He told me he gets it right about 80% of the time. That's right 80%. Now I am talking about cutting glass so it fits right up against the mullions of the inside of the window. Cutting to fit across the window is easier. By the way, the scrap can really make a mess too so cleaning is important. I figure I get it right around 60% when I am shaping to fit against millions like this kit. Cutting just to fit the window section I am around 80%. So why use glass instead of plastic. It is much easier to see in person but I think I caught it in this photo:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041020233025-461841539.jpeg)
Glass just adds something that can not be duplicated. You will see more, perhaps better photos shortly.
With the back done it was the front's turn. I had done some of the windows prior to putting the walls up but not all. Each window consists of 6 pieces and they are easy to lose once cut off the sheet, so I suggest keep them in a container and never let them out till needed. The windows were painted in the same scheme as the tower. Because the windows are large and the windows practically flush with the outer wall I simply cut microscope glass to fit the opening. If you have never tried to use glass but would like to try this is the perfect place to do it.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041020233025-46183510.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-051020001048-461871406.jpeg)
I used Canopy glue around edges to hold glass. The window frame will cover glue from showing.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-051020001048-461861637.jpeg)
For the two sides I changed out the frames supplied with square frames from a Bar Mills #1 kit. I thought they looked right for the sides. (Besides I had lost a few parts and was a window short, remember me saying keep the parts in a bin ::))
OK so I am done talking about windows and glass. I am sure this kit would look great with the acetate glass provided and it sure would go faster but what the heck it was fun. So we are caught up and here we are:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-290920224637-461491292.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-290920224637-46148572.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-290920224637-461471407.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-290920224636-461461989.jpeg)
Jim great job on those windows. I've used glass before and your right it does make a difference in appearance.
I have about 30 windows to do in my mill so I've complating on using glass or something else.
But I might have to start with the glass an see how it works out.
Overall you've hit this one right on the head.
Jerry
Awesome looking build Jim.
Hi Jerry;
Thanks for the comments and encouragement. The biggest issue I have with glass is it is time consuming and makes a mess. Still I love the look and for a building like this hotel it's worth the effort.
Jim D
Hi Curt;
Thanks for encouragement. It is a fun kit to build.
Jim D
It has been some time since my last update. Lots to do and working on this kit is both enjoyable and time consuming. So let's start:
The directions call for the trim boards that go on the exterior just under the third floor be put in place at this time. I recommend that you first glue the third floor in place and then put the trim in place. That way if there are small gaps between the third floor and the trim it is easy to adjust. it is what I would do if I did it again.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220646-468511230.jpeg)
Next I glued in place the third floor. It locks in place easy and the wall bracing is just as straight forward. At this point I started using canopy glue instead of Elmers, it just seemed to work better with the materials of this kit. The directions call for using sandpaper and a #7 exacto knife to remove the ash burns. It makes a difference ensuring everything stays straight.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220646-468501351.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220215825-468382304.jpeg)
I ended up having to hand brush the Folk Art Crocodile Green on the third floor sills. The paper board used for this part of the kit is a cardboard and soaks paint in like mad. Also, a word of caution, it will begin to separate into individual layers at the corners if bounced too much so care is needed. (or careful gluing of the damaged area ::) )
At this point the third floor interior was put in place. I printed out a library wall photo of an old mansion and placed it down the middle of each wing. On the front side of the 'wall' I had a wood floor printed which would be hopefully seen if you looked down into the building windows. This was scored but left attached to the 'wall'. Contact cement was used to place the wall and wood floor. If I was to do again I would skip on putting drapes and interior in for this for. When installed the dormers really cut down on ability to see in.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220646-46849713.jpeg)
I forgot to take pictures of the interior and lighting but it was much like second floor. However, the lights were placed behind the bookcase wall to provide a dimmer defused light. I did have to get creative on wiring. I had placed the roof in place for second floor and not run wiring down a corner. So instead I used copper tape and hid it behind the chimneys. The area around the chimney and roof had to be filed for allowing a snug flat fit of the chimney which resulted in plenty of room for the wire connections. There are three warm white lights in each wing.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220646-468532387.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220215505-468322038.jpeg)
Well there is much more to go but the computer is on empty and so am I so we will catch up tomorrow.
The next step in this journey is to apply the shingles to the third floor walls and install the walls to the bracing. The video I watched said to watch out for keeping the walls flush with bracing so I kept that in mind. More importantly I determined I did not have enough shingles left having destroyed too many getting tower figured out. You will not that some pictures show more work done then in others, that is because I was working on shingling while building frame and interior.
I did not paint or prime the walls. They are made of a thin wood and have lines to help keep the shingle strips aligned correctly. The shingle strips line up great and learning from the tower shingling I stopped and cut each strip just short of the line demarcating where the dormer wall would go. I would then pick up again on the other side, making sure the stagger of the shingles stayed lined up. This method kept the area designated for the dormer clear and clean. it worked a lot better then shingling across the window area and attempting to cut out each opening.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220338-468461731.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-051220082640-468682060.jpeg)
You can see the much cleaner look to the areas surrounding the dormer location.
I knew I would run short of shingles so decided to see what the silhouette printer could do instead of buying more. As mentioned previously, the shingles in the box are a fish scale type while the directions showed a diamond pattern. I went with the diamond pattern for use on the back walls. Buildings of this type often had the back less fancy then the front. While a diamond pattern slate tile would not be really a step down I liked it. The pattern was easy to design using scanned images of the fish scale shingle and modifying it. I printed out 65 lbs card stock with the correct gray color. The wall had double sided tape applied and the strips laid across the wall. Next time I will use this type of shingle, much easier to work with then the felt.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220337-468441090.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220215825-4683417.jpeg)
Beautiful modeling Jim.
Really some nice work Jim.
Jerry
Wonderful. Nice recovery for the shingle shortage too. ;)
As I put the singles on the walls I would test fit the wall to the bracing. Doing so put most of the needed curve into the wall. When the sides were all shingled I airbrushed and dry brushed them using the same method described for the tower. Even using a hairdryer the thin wood siding got fairly moist and as such molded to the needed curve on the bracing very well.
For whatever reason I did not take pictures of the painting but here is a photo of the final shingle look with the structure further along and a photo showing the finished curve of a wall after painting and test fitting.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220221218-468632466.jpeg)
This photo does show the side walls glued to the bracing. With all the test fitting while moist the sidings simply snuggled into place and I used tape to make sure they stayed in place while drying.
You will also note that to complete the corners I used 14 gauge wire. I stripped the coating off so copper showed, cut and formed to fit and glued in place. When I airbrushed the top of building I came back and weathered the copper wire as well.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-051220083727-4686975.jpeg)
Great progress Jim.....is the hotel taking reservations for the grand opening? ;D
The final part of the roofing is above the dorner sides and frankly is a lot of fun. In the instructions they have you put in place the pre-cut cardboard, glue roof battens in the places scribed and when time just paint. Instead I went with a copper roof look, however by this time I had given up on attempting to get copper to oxidize to the dark brown look with some green. It just does not look right, being done in 1:1 world it looks 1:1 in size. So airbrushing was the choice I went with. (I went back and cleaned up the copper I had oxidized on the tower as well since it kept getting greener!).
First I found at Hobby Lobby thin 12 x 12 copper foil on a backing used in the Cameo printers in the craft paper area. I had the printer cut out the needed shapes. I then put the 3M 465 tape on each cardboard roof piece. The copper foil was then carefully attached to the roof. You could do this just as easy by rough cutting the foil to the roof shape and trimming away excess after foil had been attached to roof using the tape. A printer is not needed. I had already painted the roof battens Ceramcoat Charcoal Gray so I simply glued them in place using Canopy glue. The foil is so thin that the scribe lines can be seen as creases in the foil.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220046-46843355.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220646-46852198.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220046-46839451.jpeg)
In the above photo you can see where gutters are needed for where the copper meets in the troughs. In a later picture you will see them. I made them from the pressed edges of brown paper bags (G Demayo's tip)and had the width of each side of the crease set to 9 HO scale inches. I cut each to shape, painted them the charcoal gray and glued in place. Another was placed as flashing up against the tower back wall.
Jim-You are making great progress with some interesting innovations. My hotel is sitting on the workbench waiting for me to finish. Jim
With all copper in place it was time to weather it. I taped off the model preparing it for airbrushing. To minimize the chance of splattering I used only paint sold as made for airbrushes. I set the Iwata Neo airbrush to 22 pounds to allow for smooth flow.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-051220102656-468702462.jpeg)
First color up was Vallejo Dark Rust #71.042. All paint strokes are made from top down, starting in the air off the model (in case of a splatter coming out) then evenly down. Then repeat. Next up Vallejo Dark Rust (panzer aces) #302. Here I started off the model but at the bottom and worked my way part way up, stopping randomly. Further, I sprayed each batten, top to bottom. Next, I used Ranger Patina for all metal Jade. Lightly spray from top to bottom near the battens to give the roof a slight age look. Finally, Ranger for all Metal Onyx. I VERY SPARINGLY sprayed along the roof bottom edge and near battens. I went heaver (perhaps too heavy) near tower as this area would collect water.
I was going to suggest a way to create the effect but I am really not sure.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-051220102656-46873877.jpeg)
Note: Gutters in place as well as flashing against tower
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-051220102656-46872501.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-051220102656-46871990.jpeg)
So we will call it a day at this point. Dormer window post next update.
Awesome patina on the roof.
Looking terrific, Jim!
Cheers, Mark.
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2b/c1/44/2bc144f968b47ed6cd5fea037f764403.gif) Love the roofing.
Absolutely masterful work! I love it.
--Opa George
Thanks to everyone who has stopped by and commented. I am enjoying the kit immensely.
Bob, it turned out well with the single change even though the back has no dormer windows so it would have been the easiest to cover with the felt singles provided.
Jim Mueller - Hope your getting some ideas and will be bringing that hotel of yours to life soon. I getting ready to put the dormers in and I remember your caution.
Greg - I will make sure you get an invitation for opening night!
There is so much you can do if you choose. I did go back in my narrative and say putting the interior in the third floor did not come out the way I hoped. The dormer walls really cut down the ability to see inside so it is not worth the time to do. Lighting the floor hopefully will show when complete.
Dormer time. Jim Mueller put a caution in my ear and the video I watched also seemed to show issues getting the domers on right. The directions are straight forward but don't mention any warnings so I appreciated the heads up.
The directions have you put the walls, sill and then roof on the walls, piece by piece. The front is put together and then installed on the dormer walls. If things don't match up you are to sand the front of the domer walls to get things square. I looked over the parts and diagrams to see the pitfalls. The first one is the curve of the walls must be correct and smooth otherwise the walls of the dormer don't match up. The second is there are so many small parts to the front that rely on two-sided tape to glue to each other.
I decided to modify the steps. First I built up the dormer fronts. For the dormer front I painted the parts the same as I did on the tower windows. The only change made was to use glass in place of the acetate. I had to use Clover Glass. It is the only type I have been able to find that allows me to cut the glass with a curve.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220936-46857813.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220221218-468611223.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220221440-468671116.jpeg)
I made sure all the ash was removed from all dormer wall parts. I then glued the dormer walls face down on to the back of the dormer fronts so that I could make sure everything remained perpendicular. There are two parts provided that are shaped as wood inserts for the domer which hold the walls in the correct alignment while the glue dries. I am not really sure if that is what they are for but that is how I used them.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220221440-468661323.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220936-468551064.jpeg)
The dormer walls fit almost perfect in each case, by not having the roof on I could get my finger or tweezers inside to move things around a bit and make sure all was square.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220221440-46865638.jpeg)
The above photo shows the next step of installing the roof but it also shows how the dormer looked when glued to the wall with no roof.
The walls were then glued in the wall slot as a unit. At this point the roof was left off. I again used the two wood domer inserts to make sure the walls were straight. I let all dry before moving on.
They look great.
To cover the roof I used the same copper film as the roof. I like this material and plan to go back and fix the tower domers with the same material. Again I used the Cameo 3 print/ cutter but these could be trimmed after attaching. I used canopy glue to have it adhere to the laser cut wood. There is enough bend to the material so it bends into shape when placed on the dormer with no problem.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220221218-468622150.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220220936-468562157.jpeg)
The above photo just shows how it all looks from inside out, the roof is not attached at this point.
Sorry I am using the following photo so much but it is only one I took that shows what I was doing. Once the domers had dried in place overnight I put the coppered roof in place. Since the shingles had been located and trimmed clear of the dormer roof area it acted like a socket. After putting a little glue on the roof backside and on the top of the dormer frame I was able to place the roof on the wall in its 'slot' and by gently pulling on the very top of the front face (tweezer only and gently or broken windows happen ::) ) the roof 'snapped' it in place.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220221218-468632466.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220221440-46865638.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-041220221440-468641457.jpeg)
So here is where we are at this point. The dormers are definitely tricky but fun. I think the most important item is the curve of the building wall needs to be as correct as possible. Also make sure the dormer walls are all sanded to the same dimensions. I did just what was needed to remove the ash.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-071220122824-46895958.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-071220122824-468931437.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-071220122824-46896557.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-071220122824-46897575.jpeg)
Till next update, thanks for following along.
Front yard a Par 3?? LOL
The more shots I see of that copper roof, the more impressed I am with how it turned out. FANTASTIC!
--Opa George
This looks great! I'm ready to check in. Well, just as long as I don't see this at the end of one of the halls. :o
Beautiful modeling.
Hey Jim:
Very cool. You are doing a beautiful job with this one.
Karl
Very nicely done.
I've yet to build my Cundy Village (with Hotel included), but you've done a masterful job so far. I've been apprehensive about the Hotel as it's always looked tricky.
That said, I have just acquired two Master Creation kits...
Hi Chris;
Actually the par three is in the backyard but you are right ;D. Thanks for hopping in, I never saw those golf carts in the photo till you mentioned them. Oh well.
Jim D
Opa George;
I like the copper look but know I won't be able to use it very much as only the 'rich' buildings could afford it. In the past, and even with the tower on this model, I have tried the various methods for oxidizing copper to get the patina look. It just does not translate well to modeling size. So time for the airbrush. You can pretty much choose how much oxidizing you want.
Glad you like how it looks, it was a fun part being 'artistic'. Thanks for following along.
Jim D
Thanks Bob;
The hotel should be 'other world visitor' free, since it's 'new'. Now after Greg D visits who knows! ;D I do have the music Hotel California playing during the grand opening. ;)
Jim D
Thanks for the input Curt, thanks for following along.
Jim D
Thanks Karl;
Hopefully I can keep it up.
Jim D
Thanks Bob appreciate the compliment, means a lot.
Jim D
Thanks for popping in Rusty Robot;
Thanks for the helpful suggestions on the sites' operating system too. I can once again use all things made by Apple to communicate on the web site.
I would consider my modeling ability as pretty average. To try and make up for it I go slow and often have to back up and try again. That's why this thread started in July and here we are in December. The main issue I have run into are the directions. There are 40 pages of illustrations and suggestions but direction is hit and miss. The kit came out in 2015 so there has been a lot of time to clean up them up but the ones in my kit are obviously original.
Putting that aside the kit is amazing and a real treat to build. What Bar Mills missed in direction they more than made up for in originality. The detail is tremendous and the opportunity to be creative is obvious even to me. If I can build this kit anyone with average skills can, and I really recommend it if you have a need for the classy hotel with a small footprint.
Jim D
Quote from: Jim Donovan on December 09, 2020, 10:09:18 AM
Thanks for popping in Rusty Robot;
Thanks for the helpful suggestions on the sites' operating system too. I can once again use all things made by Apple to communicate on the web site.
I would consider my modeling ability as pretty average. To try and make up for it I go slow and often have to back up and try again. That's why this thread started in July and here we are in December. The main issue I have run into are the directions. There are 40 pages of illustrations and suggestions but direction is hit and miss. The kit came out in 2015 so there has been a lot of time to clean up them up but the ones in my kit are obviously original.
Putting that aside the kit is amazing and a real treat to build. What Bar Mills missed in direction they more than made up for in originality. The detail is tremendous and the opportunity to be creative is obvious even to me. If I can build this kit anyone with average skills can, and I really recommend it if you have a need for the classy hotel with a small footprint.
Jim D
Glad to hear I was of help to you and your use of the forum. It sure is nice to be able to post here using just an iPhone/iPad and without database errors!
Appreciate your thoughts on the hotel. That definitely eases my mind to tackling the kit! I'll be watching from here. Thanks Jim.
Jim,
Very late to this party but here at last. Fantastic job on the hotel and the roof is extremely well done. Great job my friend.
Tom ;D
Hey Jim:
I'll say it again. Just a beautiful job.I just love what you did with the dormer windows on the roof.
Karl
Karl
Hello Jim, what a great job on the roof and the whole build as well. Jeff
A cooper roof wonderful idea and modeling!!
Jerry
Well we enjoyed another great Christmas and New Year. During that time I was able to get some work on the hotel done, now to finish up. We are seriously off the rails as far as following the order of assembly as suggested in the Bar Mills directions, however I think I have followed a better path given the amount of changes and additions made so far. The next step was to build the front porches and their roof. To continue with the 'upscale' look I am trying to accomplish I used gold leaf and using a 00 brush added it into the scrolling cut into the front upright posts and cross beams.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121180622-47367404.jpeg)
For the second floor walkways I decided to not use the two precut floors for the same reason as for the first level. However I took things a step further by making complete framed walkways using 12 x 6 stringers and board on board 1 x 4 cross planks. I thought this would make the porch look even more realistic as the boards would allow light to pass through the cracks. Frankly it was a waste of time, better to use the parts provided and cover with 1 x 4 boards as was done for the first floor. The effort does not result in any improvement to the kit but sure took a lot of time to get correct.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121180623-47368505.jpeg)
With the scratch built walkways done and in place the pre-painted posts, which consist of 'H' beams, were glued using Elmers along with the scrolled roof beams
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121180623-47369325.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121180623-47370471.jpeg)
The above picture shows off the 'H' beam well,, I have put a bead of white glue into the end channel of the H beam post and then placed a 1 x 1 into the channel to finish the end post. The other beams are left alone at this point as they will be used to hold the railings.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121180829-473711773.jpeg)
In the above photo you can see that I carried the top post across and tied it into the tower to add stability. It appeared in the diagrams that the posts are next to the tower. However the kit photo shows them away.
More in a minute.
While working on this part I read an article about metal roofs in modeling and how hard it is to get correct thickness. I can only say that I thought at the time that it would be great to attempt to make a 'dimensionally' correct copper roof for the walkways. This is another item I might well pass on doing if I were to make this kit again. However, at the time it seemed like a good idea.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181259-47383840.jpeg)
To begin I had the Cameo 3 printer cut out exact dimensional copies of the provided roof sections. Prior to cutting the parts out I had the printer add the lines where the battens would go.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181259-47384832.jpeg)
Here I am placing the cut copper foil on 3M465 tape to give it body and to attach it to the roof trusses.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181259-473851492.jpeg)
Here is the final roof prior to installing. I had to get my gut out of the way for the photo. Not shown in the photos are the bracing I added against the wall between the trusses to allow the copper foil to lay correct.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181407-47386382.jpeg)
I have placed the roof, added the battens, added some additional trim not shown in the directions and slid the railings into the H beam slots. Starting to look like a walkway. Oh, the foil with 3M 465 tape is a little less than .1mm. If I did my math right that works out to a little over 1/3 of an inch thick. Do you notice? I guess, if you look at the lip but no way else.
WIth the top railings stained and installed (in the red/brown Hunterline stain combination I have been using) I used the airbrush to weather the porch roof to match the top. Everything not being painted was covered and I used the same combination of paints as used for the top. I found it difficult to get the look I really wanted since I had to airbrush upward rather than down as I had done the top (Building was in the way). This resulted in a couple of splatters but after cleaning and trying twice more I got what I thought was OK and called it a day.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181407-4738789.jpeg)
More in a little while.
This looks incredible.
When I was cleaning up the layout room, I found my Cundy Hotel kit all boxed up. After watching yours, I'm not sure I want to tackle mine, because anything I do won't match yours!!!
dave
At this stage of the kit assembly the directions kind of say 'finish it' giving some tips and a bunch of drawings. By this point I noticed I was using a significant amount of my own strip wood for the various trim needed. At first I thought it was me but the video I had watched showed many places were trim had been left off. Apparently trim, especially for the back, is to be provided by the builder. I used a lot of 1 x 4, 1 x 6 and 1 x 12 strip wood as I went, something to keep in mind if you build this hotel.
At this stage it was time to finish and attached the chimneys.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121180829-47373839.jpeg)
First I randomly painted individual bricks to give a more realistic appearance using the paints shown above and a 0 size round paint brush. The resin castings provided are excellent with very deep morder lines. Accidental overpainting should therefore disappear once the grout is added giving the bricks a nice clean look.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121180829-473741739.jpeg)
Prior to adding grout the chimneys need to be coated with a matt varnish so the acrylic paint does not run while grouting. I have switched from Dullcoat to Krylon's Clear Matt finish. It seems to cover smoother and I have heard good reviews from others who use it.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181030-47377488.jpeg)
Once dry I masked the flat central portions of the chimneys so they did not get clogged with grout.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121180829-47375735.jpeg)
Using a small disposable tray I spread the sand grout into the lines of the resin castings. I made sure all lines were filled and packed down as best I could.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181030-473781103.jpeg)
The chimney was sprayed with a fine mist of wet water (water with a few drops of dove liquid soap). Then a Mod Podge/ water mix consisting of 1 part Mod Podge to 3 parts water was fine sprayed onto the chimney. The excess grout is carefully wiped off 'against' the grain so that the grout stays in the grooves. Once clean it is allowed to dry overnight. Next day I sprayed a second application of Mod Podge/ water and again carefully cleaned off the excess.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181031-473791317.jpeg)
When dry the tape was removed and here is the result. The final thing that must be done is again spray the chimneys with the Krylon Clear Matt finish. This makes sure the grout stays bonded in the moder lines.
Once the chimney's were dry I attached them to their respective sides. I was concerned they stay firmly attached so used 5 minute epoxy to glue them to the building. I placed light pencil lines marking where to put each chimney and ensure they were set perpendicular. Epoxy is great but I knew I would only get one chance.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181031-473802462.jpeg)
I was pleased with myself so I should have known Murphy was about to show up:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181259-47382788.jpeg)
The one wall was slightly warped, unbelievable. I checked the video on this kit build and found his walls were both warped slightly. With epoxy you get one chance so lesson learned. I put 2 x 2 trim next to the brick and that covered the mistake. I checked and found several images of chimneys with trim around them but not what I wanted. I had lightened up a little on the wall bracing to allow for the interiors and it had come back to bite me.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121213724-4741525.jpeg)
Oh well, live and learn. More tomorrow.
Quote from: PRR Modeler on January 03, 2021, 08:12:25 PM
This looks incredible.
Hi Curt and thanks! I saw you and Dave slipped in while I was catching up on this kit. Thanks for encouragement.
Jim
Quote from: deemery on January 03, 2021, 08:20:30 PM
When I was cleaning up the layout room, I found my Cundy Hotel kit all boxed up. After watching yours, I'm not sure I want to tackle mine, because anything I do won't match yours!!!
dave
Dave thank you, that is high praise indeed but I suspect yours will be amazing. I will be listing things I would do different at the end of the build. Hopefully that will be a help when you dust that box off.
Jim
Wow , Jim , great modeling , and thank you for that incredible how to on the chimney , looks absolutely amazing.
Wonderful job and thanks for some great tips. I'll have to pick up some of that Krylon Clear Matt. ;)
Great modeling here, Jim. Truly.
My kit has moved in the pile thanks to your wonderful thread.
A fine job your doing!!
Jerry
Quote from: Janbouli on January 04, 2021, 05:52:56 AM
Wow , Jim , great modeling , and thank you for that incredible how to on the chimney , looks absolutely amazing.
Jan;
Thank you. With all the laser cut parts having deep lines as well as resin kits now popular I found this method works well. I did forget to mention that once all is dry and clean I again sprayed it with the Krylon Clear Matt finish. If you don't do this in time the grout will fall out. I need to mention that in thread. The grout does not work with plastic, at least I can't get it to work.
Jim
Quote from: ReadingBob on January 04, 2021, 06:30:04 AM
Wonderful job and thanks for some great tips. I'll have to pick up some of that Krylon Clear Matt. ;)
Thanks Bob. I got the tip on the Krylon from a war game article of all things (I don't war game but I find their modeling amazing). Next time I will make sure the wall is NOT warped before I close up the building and can't get to it!.
Jim D
Quote from: Rusty Robot on January 04, 2021, 09:05:17 AM
Great modeling here, Jim. Truly.
My kit has moved in the pile thanks to your wonderful thread.
Thanks Craig. I hope to list some of the issues I ran into or things I would have done different at end. Hopefully that will help. Glad you like the thread, the kit has been challenging.
Jim D
Quote from: Jerry on January 04, 2021, 09:43:35 AM
A fine job your doing!!
Jerry
Thanks Jerry. I feel like I have been working on this kit forever, mostly through my own fault. However the end is in sight, at least for now.
Jim D
At this point we are pretty much done except for clean up, touch up and fiddling stuff, at least as far as the directions go (roof railing still needed). I think there is a lot more that should be done and then there is what can be done. For now I am going to go with the what should be done.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181407-47388909.jpeg)
The back of the building is blank in the original design. I added the windows since I knew I would be turning the back of the building into a must see hotel grounds (that will fall into the 'can be done'). In addition trim is a must. If I did not have the ability to create necessary parts using the Cameo 3, I would use green painted 1 x 12 boards to match the trim found on the front and side clapboard/ roof joint. I would also put painted 1 x 6 boards in the areas where the upper trim is located on the front and sides of the roof edge. Where the two back wings come together I did place sanded 1 x 6 trim painted yellow.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181407-47389463.jpeg)
However, the Cameo 3 cut printer opens up possibilities to better match the fancy trim on the front and sides. I first imported scanned images of the upper and lower trim using the scan feature of our copy printer. Using the Silhouette Design program that comes with the Cameo 3 I was able to quickly make outline versions of the designs and have the Cameo 3 cut them out of the Vellum paper I like for trimming items. You can get it at Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y24GZPG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Not all Vellum paper is the same, this one is strong, translucent and the Cameo cuts it very cleanly even with tight patterns. I brush painted the cut trim parts in the green I have been usings (Folkart Crocodile Green), the paper eliminates any paint lines. While these were drying I took 1 x 12 strip wood, lightly sanded it and then brush painted copper color on one side of the board. I painted the edges in the green color. When dry I thin smeared Elmers across the copper painted side and carefully placed the green paper trim on top of the stripwood. When completed I cut the trim strips apart from each other and as you see we have finished trim!
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181407-47390263.jpeg)
Next I did the same to make Corbels to go with the trim. I will talk more about Corbels at the end under 'things I would do different'. With the parts now fashioned I copied the pattern found on the front of the building and this is the result:
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181535-473931820.jpeg)
I had previously done a version of trim for the front of the building where the railing post and the tower meet. I am reporting this out of sequence but wanted to keep the description of trim making to one area.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181535-47394688.jpeg)
This is how to posts next to the tower are done per the directions. I did not feel the look was right or 'complete' so I made a vertical version of the trim in a size that allowed the rail and tower to be glued together.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181535-473951620.jpeg)
Here is the result.
The last piece of the trim puzzle was the area under the tower top. Here I modified the image so that the front was 42mm wide by 4mm high and either side was 40 mm long x 4mm high. This allowed the front trim to cover the side boards from the front view. No trim was placed on the back as a splash plate had previously been placed between the tower wall and the roof.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040121151726-474162281.jpeg)
Here is how it turned out.
Another item placed out of actual sequence is the tower roof railing. You may have noticed the railing appeared and then disappeared. It was fragile, I wanted to take cool pictures so I placed it and then I broke it while working on other parts of the kit. Lesson learned. So I scanned a part of the destroyed railing, edited it and printed it out. I glued 1 x 2 strip wood to the cross rails and put small 1 x2 strips as 'feet' on the bottom of each section. After gluing everything together and making sure it was right size I painted it using Vallejo dark tin color, painted the roof top charcoal gray (Delta Ceramcoat) and glued the railing in place. I like it better then the original but it was another opps item that needed doing.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181715-473992360.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181715-474001976.jpeg)
So at this point roofs and floors have had trim installed as needed. More in a few.
Last up is to finish the chimneys. The resin castings are well made and neat but someone on the forum mentioned chimneys need to be at least 3 feet higher and way from any part of the structure. I confirmed that on the web so I decided to add ceramic vents to the stacks to improve the ventilation. I began by cutting the tips off of four used disposable plastic eye droppers I had. I cut them right where the tip begins to flair wider to the body of the dropper. Painting these first charcoal gray and then terra cotta (both Delta Ceramcoat) gave the look I wanted. Using four plastic stirrers as anchors I placed the vents onto the chimneys.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181715-473971239.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181715-473982400.jpeg)
Finally I decided to paint the squared off parts of the chimneys Ceramcoat Hippo Gray to make them look more like stucco or concrete.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121182020-474061391.jpeg)
So Welcome to the B. Alan Inn (named after my brother) in the year 1912. First Hotel in NW Ohio with Electricity.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181847-474011921.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181847-4740310.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181847-47404566.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121182020-474061391.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121182020-47407863.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-030121181847-474022355.jpeg)
I will provide a observation post in a little while. This kit, together with all the changes I added, made this by far the most complicated structure I have attempted. It was a lot of fun but given my level of experience it took a long time to 'finish'. I plan additions to the backside in the future and will post them here when done, but for the moment I have gone as far as I want. Hope you enjoyed the posts and found them helpful.
Jim D
A beautiful model with lots of spectacular extras you have created there, Jim.
A pleasure to follow your journey. I'm hoping Bar Mills release that chimney as a separate casting.
Cheers, Mark.
WOW from July to now I was following this one......glad you got it done! I never have finished mine, did a prototype build up up, but never finished my painted version. Beautiful job, send some pics to Arte. I was a little scared with all the interior you were doing , thinking, there's no way this is ever going to go together (ha!) But holy cow , there it is in all of of it's amazing glory ! Great job on those porches, they are the trickiest parts I think.
Thanks for building it!
That sure turned out nicely. Great work!
Jeff
Quote from: mark dalrymple on January 04, 2021, 04:49:19 PM
A beautiful model with lots of spectacular extras you have created there, Jim.
A pleasure to follow your journey. I'm hoping Bar Mills release that chimney as a separate casting.
Cheers, Mark.
Thank you Mark, it sure was a journey but I learned a lot and I have a bunch of ideas for the future.
Jim D
Quote from: JimMooney on January 04, 2021, 06:10:58 PM
WOW from July to now I was following this one......glad you got it done! I never have finished mine, did a prototype build up up, but never finished my painted version. Beautiful job, send some pics to Arte. I was a little scared with all the interior you were doing , thinking, there's no way this is ever going to go together (ha!) But holy cow , there it is in all of of it's amazing glory ! Great job on those porches, they are the trickiest parts I think.
Thanks for building it!
Hi Jim, thank you for following along and the compliment, you are right, it sure took a long time to get done. I think you are right, the porches are tricky, the H beams are neat but no room for error. Still I liked the H beam idea and plan to use it in future builds. Making sure the tower went together straight and true was next in line. Lots of fun and lots of thinking needed thats for sure.
Jim D
Quote from: Zephyrus52246 on January 04, 2021, 08:04:06 PM
That sure turned out nicely. Great work!
Jeff
Thanks Jeff, I think I learned more on this one kit then all the prior kits combined. Of course I would not have attempted this kit before now too.
Jim D
Jim
Very nice work.
Observations of Cundy Village Hotel
Released by Bar Mills in 2015 as part of a 'village' and is offered on its own. Laser cutting is what makes this kit possible and is used extensively. I loved the Victorian look of the hotel right off the bat and decided to make it a central building of the little village on my. layout. I think it is going to look right at home once planted and overall I am happy with how it turned out. I did have a bunch of issues as I went along so I will list things I found, walked into or would do different if built again:
Windows and Doors: The windows are all laser cut and built up using 3M tape which is on the back of each part. The plus of these windows are they are complex and can be painted as elaborately as you want. Airbrushing I think was a big help to keep the paint finish smooth, the material making up the windows is thin wood and a form of card-stock so very light coats are a must or the parts will warp. The down side is there are lots parts to each window and placement from one part onto the next is very important as the window is 'built up'. While the tape allows for some 'wiggle' to get placement correct I suggest strong magnifying glasses and patience. It is all too easy to have a small part, such as a sill, just off, for it to show on the final product. Indeed it is difficult to get all windows 100% perpendicular. If a jig was provided so the windows could be assembled from outside to backside I think it would result in much more uniform results. With the Silhouette Cameo 3 I have (and the new Cricut Maker Santa brought me) I could make a jig myself. In fact you could make one gluing the cut out frets to each other in the correct order thus creating the jig. If I was to make this kit again I would spend the time to make one.
Finally the window edges need more than 3M tape to hold them to the dormers or wall, it simply is not enough or strong enough to stop it from separate the window from the connection. Careful gluing is required, I used canopy or Elmer's white glue along with clamps, weights, tape, whatever worked to keep the joints together until the glue was dry. For the dormers I had to use plastic putty sometimes to make sure the window/ side walls were smooth and looked as normal as I could make them. The close up Dormer picture shows what I mean.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040121213752-47445712.jpeg)
Trim - Simply put there is no where near enough with the kit to do an adequate job on a structure of this level. The tower, walls and walkways need additional floorboards and ceiling trim. Just have 1 x 2, 1 x 4, 1 x 6 and 1 x 12 available to fill the shortage. Art Faye was able to get the tower top to sit flush on its fiberboard bottom to the underlaying grooved clapboard walls so no trim was needed, I was not, and trust me I tried.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040121211840-47441791.jpeg)
Slots can be seen exposed
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040121211840-47417295.jpeg)
Problem Solved
Roof - The shingles really proved to be a challenge for me. The felt material they are made of fuzzes real easy and a sharp blade is a must, and they don't stay sharp long with this material. In the 'boy am I stupid' category', I placed the shingles on the tower first. Only after I did the first panel did I realize the nicely scored lines provided on the roof panels are for the top of each strip to line up on. Things went much better after that. The shingles I made for the back were vinyl with self sticking tape on the back. It cut much easier and painted about the same.
I would not make the thin copper roofs for the porches again. Just does not provide enough extra to be worth the effort. As a matter of fact it might take away, I am not sure. I would use the thin copper foil, I would just glue it to the top of the porch roofs provided.
Interior - I had a lot of fun with this but again I would do different. The windows in the front porch areas are hard to see into with the walkway and roof over them. Simply placing a divider down the middle of each wing would be enough if printed to look like a wall with doors. No second floor needed. Any lighting can be placed were needed and a much simpler circuit board made on the foundation. If simplified I would have been able to get into the structure to find out why the one chimney was slightly off part of the wall. I would do the tower the same way again.
Roof Sections - I am talking about the parts that make up ledges of the tower and wing ledges (floor) for the Mansard Roof. They are made out of a soft, fibrous laserboard. The big issue with this material is it absorbs water (paint or stains) very quickly. Also it is weak and prone to separating on its edges. I would spray these parts on both sides with Krylon gray primer if done again. This would help seal the board and keep it from separating. Why I forgot to do this the first time I have no idea.
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040121211840-474441035.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040121211840-474431680.jpeg)
(http://modelersforum.com/gallery/785-040121211840-474422356.jpeg)
That is just about all I can think of that might help if you build this kit. It lives up to its reputation as challenging but left enough area for added development. As I've said many times, it was fun to build.
Jim D
Note the paperboard is separating at the chimney area
Quote from: S&S RR on January 04, 2021, 09:37:21 PM
Jim
Very nice work.
Thanks John. It was a project but will look nice on the layout.
Jim D
Great work. I'm glad I stick to simpler one to two story structures.
Jim,
You did a great job with all the challenges you experienced. Your kit evaluation seems fair and honest. It should definitely help those who choose to follow and build theirs.
I sold mine.
Tom ;D
Beautiful looking building Jim.
Wonderful looking structure Jim.....great work. Your review was excellent and I'm sure will beneficial to those that build the kit and good feedback for the manufacturer. 8)
Appreciate the effort put into that download report, Jim. Will come in handy when the time comes for my kit.
For your chimney/wall warp issue, one idea would be to put some lichen or moss growing up the side instead of the trim. That said, I do still like the way the trim came out.
Speaking of window jigs: The new HRM kit for a GN bunkhouse has a jig for positioning/gluing the windows into place. That strikes me as a good/clever idea. These kinds of jigs are relatively cheap to produce (they're usually cut on pieces of wood that would otherwise be scrap, and help separate kit designers who are experience builders from the 'riff raff" :-) :-)
dave
Quote from: Oldguy on January 04, 2021, 09:57:48 PM
Great work. I'm glad I stick to simpler one to two story structures.
Thanks Bob. There won't be many three story or up buildings on my layout either but it was fun.
Jim D
Quote from: ACL1504 on January 05, 2021, 08:24:55 AM
Jim,
You did a great job with all the challenges you experienced. Your kit evaluation seems fair and honest. It should definitely help those who choose to follow and build theirs.
I sold mine.
Tom ;D
Thanks Tom. I decided to write my thoughts before the details got foggy, which happens real fast. I am not sure if it is correct protocol to make suggestions and observations but hopefully they are taken in a positive way. I know I could make this kit better if I did it again. Hopefully the suggestions help the next guy do the same.
As for you selling your kit I understand. The folks of Tahope most likely would not recommend staying there, not when they already have the Imperial. What hotel could complete with the goings on at that famous (infamous?) place?
;D
Quote from: PRR Modeler on January 05, 2021, 09:11:57 AM
Beautiful looking building Jim.
Thanks Curt, appreciate you following along. It was a fun journey.
Jim D
Quote from: GPdemayo on January 05, 2021, 09:24:59 AM
Wonderful looking structure Jim.....great work. Your review was excellent and I'm sure will beneficial to those that build the kit and good feedback for the manufacturer. 8)
Thanks Greg, I hope to show how it fits into the layout when I get there. I know I love reading other members thoughts and suggestions in their build threads so thought I would give it a try.
Jim D
Quote from: Rusty Robot on January 05, 2021, 09:39:16 AM
Appreciate the effort put into that download report, Jim. Will come in handy when the time comes for my kit.
For your chimney/wall warp issue, one idea would be to put some lichen or moss growing up the side instead of the trim. That said, I do still like the way the trim came out.
Craig, funny you mentioned vines, that is exactly what I plan when I 'plant' the hotel. I did the trim only as an idea for finishing the build thread. I think I made a bigger deal out of the chimney warp then I actually felt at the time. You really only see it with a camera and I do plan to have ivy climbing the building when done.
I appreciate your input and for following along.
Jim D
Quote from: deemery on January 05, 2021, 10:23:18 AM
Speaking of window jigs: The new HRM kit for a GN bunkhouse has a jig for positioning/gluing the windows into place. That strikes me as a good/clever idea. These kinds of jigs are relatively cheap to produce (they're usually cut on pieces of wood that would otherwise be scrap, and help separate kit designers who are experience builders from the 'riff raff" :-) :-)
dave
I think you are right Dave. The up side for the manufacturer is they would not need to put the two-sided tape on the parts. I'm not sure if I am a fan of the tape being used with these small parts anyhow. Glad you enjoyed the build.
Jim D
Chimneys for the hotel are sold separate, they are called "two story chimney" and are $12.95 each...BUT they are not on the website, so if anyone needs them soon, just call. But Art said he would update the site soon to fix it.
Mr. Jim Donovan,
You started this build 5 months ago...and I missed it...so first we looked thru the build thread from start to finish.
Great modeling and craftsmanship. Sharing areas that were challenging is what it's all about.
The name change will do him proud. Looking forward to your next project.
Tommy
Hey Jim:
As I said earlier. I think you did A great job on this kit.
Karl.
Quote from: tom.boyd.125 on January 06, 2021, 04:14:57 PM
Mr. Jim Donovan,
You started this build 5 months ago...and I missed it...so first we looked thru the build thread from start to finish.
Great modeling and craftsmanship. Sharing areas that were challenging is what it's all about.
The name change will do him proud. Looking forward to your next project.
Tommy
Wow thanks Tommy, you looked at the entire build? Appreciate the compliments. Hopefully the build thread will help the next person building this kit. I plan to see what can be done with landscaping and making the back more active. But that's for another time.
Jim D
Quote from: postalkarl on January 07, 2021, 02:56:36 AM
Hey Jim:
As I said earlier. I think you did A great job on this kit.
Karl.
Thanks Karl
Glad you were able to see its progress. Fun kit but ready for something new.
Jim D
I'm a week late, but don't want to fail to add my congratulations on your wildly successful build of this kit. I appreciate all of your notes and your build will be a valuable resource later. Well done!
--Opa George
Thought you-all would like to see this prototype photo.
"Central Hotel in the town of Barnesboro, Cambria County (Pennsylvania.) The Hotel was built in 1893 and the location would be where Charlson's Furniture is today."
dave
Quote from: Opa George on January 15, 2021, 12:59:15 PM
I'm a week late, but don't want to fail to add my congratulations on your wildly successful build of this kit. I appreciate all of your notes and your build will be a valuable resource later. Well done!
--Opa George
Opa sorry for late thank you. I am glad you found the build thread useful, that is what I was hoping it would be for anyone that is going to build this kit. The video I was referred to helped but the guy seemed in a hurry so still had a lot of noodling to do as I went.
I find I am moving closer and closer to scratch building and this kit gave me a boast in my confidence to do so on some upcoming projects. Thanks again. Nice to know others think the building looks nice.
Jim
Dave, what a great photo, thank you for sharing. There is indeed a strong resemblance that the kit captures. Down the road I plan to scratch build a similar looking hotel that existed in Silver Springs, Florida at the turn of the century, well two centuries ago now I guess.
Jim D
Hey Jim:
Looking good. Keep the pics flowing.
Karl
Well done Jim you did a brilliant job on this build. I have read the entire build in one sitting- (my wife checked I was not looking at something else ;D ).
Mike
Hi Mike;
I was just going though this build again to remember something I want to do on current scratchbuild. I find posting the thread more helpful for me then anyone else. I often do something that magically worked but then can't remember later exactly what I did. Anyway, I saw your post and wanted to say thank you. You are truly a master modeler, and one I refer to in my own efforts so I am truly honored. I hope things are getting better in the UK. It has been a tough year.
Jim