Challenge build 2021. Act 3.

Started by Zephyrus52246, January 15, 2022, 05:46:02 PM

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Zephyrus52246

Next up is a Downtown Deco Kit.  In the town scene on the layout, there is dead end street that needs  a structure.  I had a small bar there, but it was too small, so I looked over Downtown Deco's site when he had a sale and picked up this kit (as well as two others as it was buy two get one free  :D ).


Jeff

Zephyrus52246

Four hydrocal walls.  Some plastic bits.  Windows/doors.  Signage.  plastic roof.  Instructions.


Jeff

Zephyrus52246

Since my camera broke, I've been using the iPhone for pictures.  It has a short depth of field, and my lighting makes the pictures look too yellow.  This pic was taken on the layout, where the lighting looks whiter.  I'll need to work on either a new camera or different lighting.  There was a boo boo on the front wall.  A chunk of plaster over the door has broken off and the door area also has a crack and missing some plaster.  The door will be covered so that's not an issue.  The chunk area will be covered with a sign, but I'll repair it with some spackle.  I'm sure I could call Randy at DD and he'd send another, but this fix will work fine. 


Jeff

PRR Modeler

Looks interesting and I'll be following.
Curt Webb
The Late Great Pennsylvania Railroad
Freelanced PRR Bellevue Subdivision

Zephyrus52246

Thanks for following, Curt.  First step is to sand the walls.  The gluing surfaces need to be flat, and the plaster on the backs is usually wavy and uneven.  The edges can also be irregular.  I don't sand the visible surfaces.  I do the bottoms of the walls and about an inch of the backs of the walls where they will meet.  This step is kinda messy. 


Jeff

Zephyrus52246

I then glue the walls using 5 minute epoxy.  My epoxy didn't set after an hour, overnight it was OK.  I think it was due to the age of the epoxy.  I threw the pictured ones out and got out new ones and it set in 5 minutes as advertised.


Jeff

Zephyrus52246

Glue on the side walls first.  Then fit the back wall to just slide in.  Don't force it, or something will break.  I use some wood bracing to further strengthen the corners which is added, again with epoxy, after the initial corner bond cures.  Gently clamp, again, don't force anything.


Jeff

Zephyrus52246

I should have sanded the walls better because after the first two walls set, and were perfectly flat on the bottom, the other side wall wasn't a great fit.  This is another reason to use the wood corner brace as there's more gluing surface.


Jeff

Zephyrus52246

To fill these seams, I use this spackle.  Place painters tape on the very edge of each side and spackle the center with a spatula like this, i usually use a wet finger to flatten the top.

Jeff

Zephyrus52246

After the spackle dries, pull off the tape and the gap is fixed.  Does it look great? No, but this building will be 3 feet into the layout and the sides won't be visible.  It actually looks like mortar/concrete.  If there's finished bricks on both sides of a joint, I'll use the back of a #11 blade to make spackle look like bricks.  The building is then spray painted with white from a spray can to seal the plaster and the spackle.

Jeff

GPdemayo

Neat structure Jeff.....seriously #3.....I haven't even gotten started on #1 yet. You must be having an overachiever moment.  ;D
Gregory P. DeMayo
General Construction Superintendent Emeritus
St. Louis & Denver Railroad
Longwood, FL

ReadingBob

Quote from: GPdemayo on January 15, 2022, 09:41:00 PM
Neat structure Jeff.....seriously #3.....I haven't even gotten started on #1 yet. You must be having an overachiever moment.  ;D

Right there with ya'.  I"m still trying to wrap up a small build I thought I'd get done back in December before I start my challenge build and here's Jeff working on number 3.  Sheesh.... ;D

Seriously though, I love the Downtown Deco kits.  They have so much character.  This will be fun to follow along with.   ;)
Bob Butts
robertbutts1@att.net

There's a fine line between Hobby and Mental Illness.

S&S RR

Jeff


You are on a roll, I will be following along.
John Siekirk
Superior & Seattle Railroad

Zephyrus52246

Thankds Greg, Bob and John.  I'm so far ahead of others as I had most of lasat week off.  I've painted the structure.  Red bricks and a blue/violet for the stucco.


Jeff

Zephyrus52246

The pictures of the finished kit show no delineation between the colors, heavy black weathering is at the junction.  I thought I'd try some grey like the stucco broke off.  I also dry brushed some grey on the large front of the structure and around the  doors/windows.  We'll see how it looks after weathering.


Jeff

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