George!  brilliant!  1/16 u-channel!  perfect for gutters!  love that idea!  where do I get u-channel so I can load up?  thank You!!

Been reading and following along George!  what an amazing build thread and beautiful work on your build.  as others said repeatedly, I too will be using this thread as a reference when I start building in a few weeks!  thank you!

Folk Art also has a paint called "Soft Black" which isn't really black at all, much like the Asphaltum" that Dave spoke of.  I use both and another named "wrought iron".  I also agree that black or lamp black just looks off.  I use soft black often.  Especially on roofing.

Thanks Jim! 
Well in that case, since all you other fine scale freaks are doing structures I'll mix it up a bit and build the Seaport Model Works Harbor Tug!  With all the other projects I have going on with the podcast it will be a good way to keep me from pulling what little gray hair is left from my skull...lol

Would it be too late at this stage to enter the build challenge?  I had the extreme pleasure at the expo to have met and shared stories and a few beers with Thomas and Chris....My wife got to have dinner there with them.  I was deeply saddened when I heard the news later.  He had an infectious smile on his face all weekend and was one of the friendliest guys I met there.  I would love to participate and do a build in his honor but if it is too late I understand.

Count me and the Mrs in!  Either night works!  I will arrive Thursday noonish to set up the HO Scale Customs table and do some live video interviews at the clinics, but should be good to go feed my face anytime!

What an incredibly well done diorama build Karl!

Absolutely fantastic build!  Your use of the array of mediums available and material recreated is inspiring and at first I thought this was the actual FOS kit!  nice work and I look forward to following!

Awesome Job Dave as usual!  This kit was a lot of fun to build and is very customizable to show creative character.  Kenny put together another great kit for sure!

Dave, This turned out fantastic!  Thank you for sharing the build.  It was so fun to follow along. FOS kits are awesome but you tweeked it out to not only do it justice but give it, it's own unique charm

Looks Great Jeff!  Will be following along, as I plan to build this model shortly!

Will be there super early Friday morning with the wife, My son will be joining us early Saturday morning so the HO Scale Customs Crew will all be there at some point!  Bring on the clinics!  Anyone interested in throwing back a cold frosty one or two or so Friday evening, hit me up!

Bob and everyone that gave me ideas, again thank you for helping with your suggestions for the lighthouse and putting my mind on the path to also creating a station house to go along with it.  I scratch-built this version of the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse Station located in Maine by researching photos of it during the 1930s and 40s, when it wasn't run by park services and all brand new pristine painted with vinyl siding, since I am modeling WWII Americana Era. So the paint is lightly peeling in places but even then it was fairly well maintained.  Regardless, it wasn't meant to be a prototype and in many ways it is not, but I am satisfied with it enough to give our layout's harbor a little jazz.  I had fun with the entire thing from the stucco of the lighthouse to the chimneys of the stationhouse.  In the photos you will undoubtedly notice the two dormer windows shades are put on the bottom and not the top of the windows.  (one of those things I didn't catch until after I took photos) that has since been corrected.  Again Thanks, this forum is filled with some of the most helpful and friendly modelers anyone will find.

Thanks guys!  Yes I left the top of the lighthouse un-glued if you will, for the ability to add a flashing unit and light to it.  Just didnt know where and what type light to add to it.  The company that makes this kit is no longer in business..lol.

on a side note, the one top rail is all ganked up because when I unpackaged the kit, it was damaged and separated from the supports in two places with a half inch gap between it, the rail was also bent in two sections.  I tried to straighten it but this plastic does not reshape well, so I figured it best not to screw it up worse and make it look like part of damage from time and use.