Fos Tower Two Kit

[PRR Modeler]

As you can tell by the title I will be building a Fos Tower Two Kit that I purchased last week when I was in Sarasota. It's not going to be used as a tower but as my container yard office.

I opened the kit today took all the parts out and grouped them. I also read the directions 2 complete times. So there are 2 things I need to decide:

1. Colors to use. I use acrylic paint that comes in the little bottles at the craft stores. If anyone has suggestions concerning their use, please suggest away. Also the directions said to apply a alcohol and india ink mix (which I have) before painting. Does that seem right? I have always done it the other way around.

2. Any ideas where to get clear acetate sheets for making window glass?

Again, I am open to all suggestions as a newbie. I may not always take them but I will seriously think about them.

[Zephyrus52246]

Yes, Curt, pre stain the walls with A&I before painting them.  I usually brace the walls, spray the backs with black spray paint so the walls don't warp and the black hides the fact that there is no interior.  Stain the fronts with A&I and then paint over it.  It gives a weather beaten color to the wood, which if you dry brush or sponge paint the surface, will show through.  I got clear acetate at Dick Blick Art Supply.


Jeff

[S&S RR]

Sound like a cool build. I will be following along.

[Dave K.]

I use overhead transparency sheets...cheap and a package lasts forever. Might also consider Gallery Glass at your craft store.


Good kit to start with. I built it a few weeks ago for a friend and just got a request for another one, so it's been ordered!


Ditto all that Jeff suggested. Enjoy!

[rpdylan]

there is no acetate sheet at the bottom of the box? kits usually come with that....
looking forward to your build thread!

[Dave K.]

Bob makes a good point that I hadn't thought of. I'm sure the acetate is in the box...probably sandwiched between tissue oaper and among your signs and roofing materials. 👍🏻

[postalkarl]

Hi Curt:

built that when it first came out. It's a great kit. I'll be watching.

Karl

[rpdylan]

yeah, that is what I was thinking,,,,the acetate sheet (maybe)  is just a small piece "hiding" admidst all the other things in the kit!

[jerryrbeach]

Curt,
I find craft paints work better if thinned slightly with the blue windshield washer fluid and applied as two or three thin coats. The amount of ww fluid varies depending on the paint brand, I generally start out with 2/3 paint, 1/3 ww fluid, and adjust from there.  You can use the cutouts from the windows, etc., to check the coverage after thinning.

[postalkarl]

Hi Curt:

You should be able to get acetate at your hobby shop if you still have one around. I use Gallery Glass from the craft store. It looks like white glue and dries clear.

Karl

[bparrish]

Curt....

I'm an advocate of microscope slides for glass if you aren't doing an interior.

Nothing looks like glass except glass. 

Look for a camera supply store that markets microscopes. They come in a box of 100 for about six bux. 

You can cut them with a carbide machinists scribe from a home repair big box.   

Glue them in with styrene glue or Goo.  Do NOT use super glue.  Turns the glass blue. 

Find a local modeler who has done it and ask questions.

See ya
Bob

[PRR Modeler]

Afternoon All,

I want to thank Karl, John, Dave K., Bob C., Bob, Jeff, Jerry, and Tom for your suggestions and well wishes. I'm sorry if I missed anyone. I started out getting the 2 shades of craft paint I will be using, windshield wiper fluid (what I had has some sort of additive in it), and found window material.

The kit came in a heavy duty ziploc bag in which everything fit well. I am beginning to think the kit may of been repackaged. I double checked everything and there was no acetate sheet. Well, that is water under the bridge now.

Today I glued the inside bracing to the walls. Tomorrow I will paint the inside black and after that dries I will put A&I on the outside and probably paint the trim.

[PRR Modeler]

As I haven't been able to figure how to post multiple pictures in the same post (darn Win 10) here is the rest of my previous post.

I found a anomaly when I was gluing the bracing on the large front piece. In the direction sheet it is missing the small upper window so the bracing shown was incorrect (but the small window is in the finished product picture), so I had to slide 1 long brace over and I added another on the edge of the door for strength. Luckily I had some NE scale lumber the correct size for the extra piece.

What I found confusing initially was the instruction sheet shows the bracing from the outside perspective instead of the inside perspective.

[ACL1504]

Curt,

You are off to a good start on your first wood structure kit.

I'm sorry I didn't respond to your questions earlier. However, I'd like to make a few "my .02 cents" worth.

Ref. the A&I, just because the instructions call for the A&I to be applied first, doesn't mean it has to. It all depends on the look of the finished paint you are looking for. I've used the A&I before, during and after painting and it all is acceptable. Again, depends on what you are after.

Acetate -

I have this kit and there is no acetate in the kit. I have plenty so don't go out and buy some. It gives you a great reason to come down to Orlando and visit The Atlantic and Southern RR. I'll give you a few sheets of the acetate. When you come to visit, I can show you different types of glass widows in different models.

Glass for glass -

Bob, like most of us here, is an advanced modeler. The actual window glass is great for advanced modelers. It can be a bit daunting on your very first kit. However, it is worth some practice as the result is quite different than Acetate or Gallery Glass windows.

Prior to painting, take a few pieces of scrap wood and see how the acrylic paint and A&I affect the look, both before and after applying paint.

Finally, I know you visited Bill and Kris Cutler's Pennsy layout. Many of the wooden structures on their layout were done by Reading Bob and me. It may be worth a return visit to take a closer look.

Tom

[PRR Modeler]

Tom thank you for your kind words. I really don't want the building looking decrepit.  The container terminal would be pretty new so I think the office should also. I will definitely test the paint on scrap first. I actually bought some window material this morning while I was out, but I really appreciate the offer and I do want to see you and your layout. I haven't said anything about that since you have been sick.