FSM Westside Auto

[ReadingBob]

Those telephone poles/details/lines can cause one to come up with some new expressions.    

Looks good!

The idea of using a fine piece of wire to mount the transformer, etc. is a good one.  I use 5 minute epoxy for gluing the lines in place but that has it's downside as well (as in I'm sitting there for five minutes holding the line exactly where I want it).

[vinceg]

That is great looking wiring, Jeff!

[PRR Modeler]

Superb details Jeff.

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks, gents for the positive comments.  Did the "roadwork" this morning.  Worked on it over an hour.  Could work on it forever, as each layer changes things.  I used PanPastels just like the sidewalk/driveway.  I thought those ended up a little too dark.  So the road is slightly lighter.  I also wanted to keep the underlying "earth" color, but it tended to disappear in time (I'll use a touch of my dirt to add this back to the street.  This is very messy and I kept washing my hands and trying not to touch stuff (just like we're doing for the virus  ).  There were many spots on the road from glue, etc which the pastels couldn't really cover well.  I scraped these with a blade and sanded them down as well ( the light areas in the lower pic--not the final product).  Added some joints and cracks in the concrete.  I noted with the sidewalk that these tended to disappear, so I traced them with a pencil first.  This tended to disappear as well, so I added it at the end just before a gentle overall blending.  It's in the airbrush booth, as I sprayed some fixative to it so I don't have fingerprints in the pastel if I touch the street.  A few more details to add and I'm finished.  And I knocked off the pole crossbar again! 


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

A minor disaster.  Using the fixative, I used two light coats.  First was fine, second had some drips.      Waited for it to dry, sanded them off and did the area again.  No fixative this time, we'll just risk getting pastel on our fingers if we touch it.  A few final notes on the kit.  As usual, the instructions are excellent.  The eight full color pics included help a lot as well.  I have a fair amount of stripwood left over.  I didn't build the small fence behind the open shed as I think there will be a fence between this diorama and whatever comes next to it.  There's a fire barrel with some superstructure on the storage building which I left off as well.  I just didn't like the looks of it on the structure.  I have a couple of details left over, added some of my own as well.   The pigeons are on the roof, and that means this one is finished.  My first post was Sept 7th, almost nine months (no pregnancy jokes, please  ), though I did take off three months in between.  A great kit.  I'll post finished photos after I rig up some better lighting.  I used to do this on the pool table, but since it's gone, I'll have to find a new venue. 


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Let's get to the pics.  Front and back.  I didn't detail much on the back, as it can't be seen on the layout. 

[Zephyrus52246]

Lots of activity in the front.  You'll note the sign "Mark's Auto Repair".  My brother (Mark) was quite the motorhead in his day, so the place is named for him.  Guys near the front door discussing last night's Red Sox victory, guy up fixing the roof.  Looks like the workbench in the open shed needs fixing, too.   


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Person done with his newspaper, waiting for his car to be fixed.  Foreman discussing with customer the bill.  Just before the customer faints...

[Zephyrus52246]

One of the mechanics moving a tire.  His face washes out in the pix so he looks like a masked killer. 

[Zephyrus52246]

This area was my favorite for detailing, including the (poorly painted) calico cat drinking from the old toilet, is this the best detail casting ever? 

[Zephyrus52246]

3/4 shot down the rear of the diorama.

[Zephyrus52246]

Again, not much going on around the back, except for the open shed.  The old tarp covered car turned out well, I think.

[Zephyrus52246]

Some vegetation got in the shed, needs to be removed.

[Zephyrus52246]

I'm really happy how the storage shed turned out.  I made my own doors so that they could be partially opened.  Managed to match them with the cast metal doors and the siding as well.  Used a lot of the included signs, and have a lot left over as well. 

[Zephyrus52246]

Why did I want the doors to open, so a hint of a vehicle could be in the garage.  What kind of car?  My brother's favorite.  I think he's owned five or six of these in the past.  I know it doesn't fit the steam/diesel transition, but it had to be this way.  I actually thought of using an old Jordan Roadster and putting the "Bird" on the hood, but couldn't find any small enough decals.


Jeff