FOS Moscone Bail Bonds - 2021 Build Challenge

[ReadingBob]

Hello Bob, you are doing your usual fine job with this build. I too am looking forward to the stucco portion of the build. I have not done any stucco work as of yet and I'm anxious to see what you do.

Bob, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother, drive safe up into the cold country.    Jeff

Thanks Jeff!  More to come on the stucco in the next update.  I haven't uploaded the photo's yet but I'm happy with how it turned out.  Now if I just don't muck it up trying to get that crackled paint effect I was telling Craig about.   

[tom.boyd.125]

Bob,
 No money here to bail you out...have a safe trip ...
Tommy

[postalkarl]

Hey Bob:

I built this when it fist came out. It’s a very nice kit. I shall be following along.

Karl

[ReadingBob]

Bob,
 No money here to bail you out...have a safe trip ...
Tommy

Thank you Tommy!  Hopefully I don't need to be bailed out.   

[ReadingBob]

Hey Bob:

I built this when it fist came out. It’s a very nice kit. I shall be following along.

Karl

Great to have you following along Karl.  This is a very nice kit and a fun one to build too. 

[Jerry]

Always good to follow along with your threads.  There's always something to learn.


Great work Bob.


Jerry

[ReadingBob]

Always good to follow along with your threads.  There's always something to learn.


Great work Bob.


Jerry

Thanks Jerry!  Always good to have you following along as well.   

[ReadingBob]

Okay.  Let's get back to it. After gluing the walls together I opted to sand the joints where the tabs stuck into the slots to smooth things out a bit.  I don't want to have to cake on a thick layer of stucco to cover up seams like this if I can help it.


I mixed some Georgia Clay and Charcoal craft paints together and sponged that onto the brick patches in the walls. 


In the past I've tried using stains or very thin paints and allowing the capillary action to draw them into the mortar joints between the bricks but with the type of material these walls are cut from I found it just getting sucked into the walls and disappearing.  I opted to use spread spackle to fill in the joints instead.  It's very white but it'll tone down with some washes later on.


Next I glued on all the pieces that need to be attached to the wall prior to applying the stucco.


For the stucco I cheat a bit.  The instructions typically call for mixing the powder that comes with the kit (it's Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty) with water to the consistency of peanut butter and then stippling it on the walls.  After it dries paint it.  I discovered I could mix it with my finish paint color instead of water and kill two birds with one stone.  I dip my brush (I have a craft store brush I found that's round and stiff which I like to use for this purpose) in the paint first and then the powder and mix it on my pallet (post it notes).  If it's too think I add paint.  Too thin I add powder.  I mix it as I go rather than mixing one big batch up front.  I also prefer it to be thinner than what the instructions refer to as a peanut butter consistency.  I want it just thick enough to show a little texture when I stipple it on the wall but not so thick as to hide the trim work.


And away we go.  Stippling the stucco on.  Work it around the bricks to leave patches exposed where the stuff fell off.


More in a moment...

[ReadingBob]

While the stucco was drying I took a moment to sponge paint the sidewalk/foundation with a mix of two FolkArt Chalk colors - Castle and Oatmeal.  I'll add some powders or Pan Pastels later on as well.


Here's where I am with the stucco at the moment as compared to what the instructions show.  I did apply a was of A&I but I have not applied the 'crackle' effect yet.  I'm still undecided about that.  I've done it once before in the past and it looks okay but I have to experiment a bit with the crackle paints first to see if I can get an effect I'm happy with. 


To experiment with the crackle effect I took a piece of scrap material and applied stucco to it.  More on this as it develops.   


For the clapboard walls I opted to use a Light Avocado craft store paint.  I brushed it on.


I painted the windows, doors and trim pieces with Reefer White.  For a peeling paint effect I dabbed on a Dove Gray with a sponge that had most of the paint removed.  This is really hard to see on white.  I opted to skip it entirely on the Light Avocado walls.

Next I sponged on Khaki the same as I did the Light Gray.  This time I did hit the walls.  Again, I did this very lightly.  Just a hit of peeling paint on this one.


More in a moment....

[ReadingBob]

Cuz I like them I added nail holes with a ponce wheel around the door an window openings and generally on a 24" spacing. 


Next I lifted a few clapboards here and there with a chisel blade in an X-Acto handle.  I didn't do too many. 


I like the effect Doug got on the pilot model where a few boards have been 'repaired' so I scrapped off the green paint and painted the boards light gray to represent some boards that have been replaced.


Then I gave the walls a wash of Hunterline Light Gray Weathering Mix.


After giving the doors and windows a wash of A&I and allowing them to dry I drybrushed them with a craft store Ivory White.  I did the same with the trim pieces and, very carefully, the walls.  The white really jumps out on the green so a very light touch it in order.


I added the corner trim to the walls, per the templates, and after the glue set trimmed it fit using a single edge razor blade.


More in a moment...  

[ReadingBob]

Okay, my more in a moment isn't much more.  This is my last picture for today.  I glued the windows into the clapboard walls using Canopy Glue.


And that's where I'm at the moment.  I'm adding glazing, blinds and windows next and then I'll be able to glue the clapboard walls together.  I'll also experiment some with the crackle effect before I decide yay or nay on that.  Once that's done I'll work on applying the sign on the stucco walls using the stencil that came with the kit.

Thanks for following along! 

[Mark Dalrymple]

Looking really good, Bob.

I like your colour choice.

Cheers, Mark.

[PRR Modeler]

It looks very good Bob.

[nycjeff]

Hey Bob, you are doing a great job on this build- as always. I learn so many new techniques from your threads. Can't wait to see how the stucco ends up.    Jeff

[ReadingBob]

Looking really good, Bob.

I like your colour choice.

Cheers, Mark.

Thanks Mark!  It's close to what Doug used on the pilot model.  I liked the look.  He used an Apple mixed with black.  I had that but then I saw the Light Avocado in my stash and thought it looked the same as the pilot model color an no mixing required.