The Modeler's Forum

Ok let's see how this goes. This is my first project posting so please excuse any editorial gaffes if this posting doesn't render as expected...

First a bit of intro to the entire project and then I will get on with the procedural info.
Project Intro:
This is the first structure for an N scale layout that is being built in a friend's garage. This is the first real project I have worked on in a couple years and I am working at getting my chops back up to snuff. My friend's layout consists of a couple sections attached to the walls and then a number of modules that get setup to facilitate operations. I want to treat each module as a diorama. This will help scope each section of the work and I think it will enhance the quality of the scenery work because it will allow more focus on each scene.

My friend's interest is primarily operation and one thing we decided on was a waterfront scene to facilitate car ferry operations and immediately the Red Hook kit came to mind. I have wanted to build this model ever since I first saw it on the FOS website. I just didn't have anywhere to put it. My friend's water front was the perfect excuse to build it. Two small flaws in this plan though.... First, the kit was sold out, and second, FOS only makes HO kits. So I did what any dedicated N scaler would do and decided to scratch build the wharf based on all the photos I could get my hands on.

With no kit of my own, I set about drawing my own set of plans based on photos and any other data I could get my hands on. Perusing other forums I found a couple guys who were building the kit and contacted some of them to see if they would be kind enough to email me some of the measurements I needed in order to convert to N scale. One gentleman sent me a few measurements and some builder photos as well. Also, FOS has a fantastic collection of photos of the kit from many different angles on their site along with basic footprint data. With those photos and measurements, I set about drawing plans for the first building, Goldring Oysters.

I started to draft plans for Goldring Oysters in Microsoft Visio (my personal preference for drawing plans). I got pretty close but when I started on the next building I could tell a few of my measurements were a bit off. I also printed out the plan and built a fold-up paper version of the structure and could tell it wasn't quite right.

At this point I had seen two Red Hook kits hit eBay and both went for about $800. I know it is crazy but I am hoping the waterfront scene on our layout project will be a centerpiece so I want it to be good. I decided I would start watching eBay and see if I could actually get my hands on the kit. That way the measurements would not be an issue. A few months went by without any luck and then a couple months ago one finally showed up and I managed to win it. With kit in hand I proceeded to update my drawings and started construction.

I also have to confess that I sort of won the modelers lottery. What I mean by that is that I recently have gained unfettered access to a laser system so I can now do my own cutting and engraving. This delayed my modeling project for a few weeks while I was learning how to use the system and experimented with different materials. After 3 weeks I was ready to give this project a try and I did my first test cuts.

The first thing I tried was doors and windows. Using a heavy paper based product I discovered I could cut to widths of two N scale inches without burning the material to ash. In these windows the mullions are 2 scale inches thick which I know is too heavy but for N scale that is still pretty good – especially when you consider these are a paper based product.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2FArt%2FGoldring%2FTestWindows.JPG&hash=26d05d2024ba657e9c100f4a40b988dad4302de8)


The larger windows consist of 4 parts so they can be modeled open or closed and they have sills. The Goldring building also has two large entry doors on the front which I build up from 4 layers of material so they appear to have panels. That's what the larger doors are in the photo (the 4th layer of material is clear styrene). This photo shows the version 1 design. I modified it slightly for the finished product.

I did not realize it until I was well down the road... I think the Goldring building is actually a more complicated structure from a laser cutting perspective due to the fact that is has bidirectional siding. You can't simply cut the four walls from scribed siding and glue them together. I still wanted to test my design so in the first test run I engraved the boards into the walls, cut everything and framed up the structure. There are 1/16th inch basswood subwalls and then the siding is engraved into a thick paper and glued to the basswood.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2FArt%2FGoldring%2FGoldringTestBld3.JPG&hash=4e3315478a94fc749f72d870f915b6dde7051d20)



This test also let me verify the angles on all the roof panels worked out around the dormer and work out the overhang of the eaves.

While I liked the test build, I was afraid that the engraving was not deep enough and would disappear if I try to paint over it. Also, I prefer the appearance of board by board for weathered building such as these (even in N scale). So, now that I have validated my drawing, the next step is to tackle the board by board siding. I'll discuss that in the next post.

Since this is my first post, I welcome any feedback related to appropriate content or format. This post has all the project overview text. From now on the posts will focus on construction.

Can anyone shed some light on how to post photos inline?  I read the thread in the forum posting section but that does not seem to work for me.

I ended up linking to an external source for the first post and would rather upload to the forum if possible.

Any hints would be appreciated. I am going to hold off posting any more to this thread until I get that figured out.

This is fabulous. I'll be watching... ::)

Still working on the post in line issue but will continue using linked photos for now...

The mock-up you saw at the end of the last post was really about testing the design and learning how to go about laying out plans and using the laser. I was happy with the results and decided to move on to the "real" thing.

A laser is really just a high precision knife that gives you an unprecedented amount of control. The real trick to learning how to use the laser is figuring out the settings you need to get the result you want in whatever material you are cutting. I have been investigating different materials and wanted to find something cheap and easy to use that was thin and strong. Bonus points if it would resist warping. After thinking on this an idea came to me....playing cards. They are thin, strong, and fairly stiff. Perfect for N scale buildings. The laser cut windows (and siding) in the earlier photo are cut from a blank playing card.

So after the test build I determined that the first step in construction was making my siding. As I mentioned earlier I prefer the look of board by board. I started with some blank cards and using a makeup sponge, I dabbed on some Polly Scale Refer Gray. Then using the same sponge I added some Grimy Black. This time, instead of dabbing, I wiped from left to right to add "grain". Then I finished up with some light dabbing (almost dry) of white.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2FGoldring%2F001BlankPaintedCardsinjig.jpg&hash=428968bdee08989b4bcf60591ae4b230c7d6ab25)

Here are a few cards in the jig I use in the laser. The ventilation system moves a lot of air through the cutting area so anything small and light needs to be held in place during cutting/engraving. I built this jig that allows me to do 8 cards at a time and keeps them from blowing around. The grain looks course in this photo but once you cut the cards into boards it looks about right.

The next step is to cut the siding. I ran the three lighter cards through the laser and cut them to scale 10" wide which is what the siding in the FOS model looked to be. Removed the card from the jig and xacto'd the ends off. This yielded my siding.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2FGoldring%2F002CuttingPlanks.jpg&hash=c1dca9a21ee8553d29932d0cc478daa35738c716)

The next step was to layout the siding on a fresh card using removable double sided tape. I selected random boards to break up the look that they were all painted at once (this is why I like board by board). Here you can just make out the double sided tape as I lay out the siding.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2FGoldring%2F003BoardsonCard.jpg&hash=3b39877cb60b690c80dfd53e127c375b75cdc3f9)

Then run them through the laser and cut to length. This is where the laser is an outstanding addition to the toolbox. I am a patient person and love the time I spend at the modeling bench. That being said, one thing I find very time consuming and tedious is cutting N scale window openings. I have the hardest time keeping them perfectly straight and evenly sized. The laser makes short work of this step. The siding is bidirectional on this building so I had to make sure I laid out the drawings appropriately based on the orientation of the siding on the card.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2FGoldring%2F004CuttingSidings.jpg&hash=766014c038de4f8c2a602f6f2d58ea470d1384b4)

At this point I had my siding prepped. The next step is cutting all the parts for the actual structure.

So my plan was: mount the siding to a card with removable tape, cut it to length on the laser. Then peel it up and glue it board by board to the subwalls. Seemed like a reasonable plan at the time....more on this later....The siding was the one thing that required prep beforehand. Once it was ready, I could cut the rest of the parts. This is essentially the "kit" for this structure:

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2FGoldring%2F005AllParts.jpg&hash=5790376d2b93db43ad730eaf7fe592c23d80d115)

The upper left parts are the subwalls cut form 1/16th inch basswood. This is what the siding will be mounted on. Hindsight tells me this should have been 1/32" or even the card stock. I was concerned about warping so went heavier. Next time I will go thinner and do more bracing.

Going left to right and starting at the top, the first 4 cards are all of the door and window parts as well as most of the rafter cards (more on these later). The first card with the siding was my test card where I was testing engraving the Goldring sign. The black card contains the small sign engravings for the sign on the front of the building. The smaller text is 2 pt – you need a magnifying glass to see it but it is legible. The last two white cards are the last of the rafters, the trim for the eaves and the roof panels. The last two cards are the siding discussed earlier however you can see that the sign has been engraved into the end wall. The one odd piece of card up on the basswood is the mask I used to paint the black background behind the sign engraved into the end wall.

Regarding the "rafter cards"... I had a couple logistic problems to solve and the rafter cards were the answer. First, one detail I wanted was rafter tails. In N scale these are tiny and can be hard to work with. I wanted an easy way to add this detail and ensure it turned out as accurate as possible. The other issue was bracing. This entire structure is about 2 ¼" tall and roughly 1 ½" wide. When you consider door and window placement, not a lot of room for bracing.

The rafter cards serve dual purpose. First, the "rafters" protrude through tiny slots in the wall to expose the tails under the eaves but rather than using actual rafters (long skinny boards) the cards only model the exposed portion which makes them much easier to handle. The remaining portion of the card is enclosed inside the structure out of site so it doesn't matter what it looks like. I cut the cards to the internal width of the building and then run glue along the edges of each card. This provides plenty of lightweight, yet strong bracing to protect against warpage in the walls. The top edge of each cards provides support for the roof panels just like actual rafters. Lastly, the cards act as spacers to help ensure uniformity as the building comes together.

So the next step was to weather the rafter tails. These are the parts of the rafter cards that will be visible after the building is assembled. This was done by using the makeup sponge to dab Reefer Gray and Grimy Black onto the rafter tails and trim pieces. Remember to do both sides...

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F006WeatheringRafters1.jpg&hash=d6d43013931e2a933614a2732d4f3803545fd6a1)

This step is much easier to do while the parts are still in the cards. After the weathering was done then I removed all the parts.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F007WeatheringRafters2.jpg&hash=ae77b934f66a9c0c744a205e7c87e6943c132b35)

The smaller parts are the rafter tails for the small end section with the shed roof. The large piece is for the main building and the medium size parts are for the main building as well. They are shorter so they do not extend down into the windows. You can also see a couple of the trim pieces for the eaves on the main building. The only parts of these pieces that will be visible after the building is built are the rafter tails. All else is inside the structure and used as bracing/spacers.

The next step was building the windows. Apologies but I neglected to shoot any pictures of that step. The large windows consist of 4 parts, an upper and lower sash, a frame, and a sill. I used Weldbond stretched across the mullions for "glass". While the results have a few warbles, in N scale I am not going to worry about it. For larger windows (like on the doors) I use clear styrene but the glue works for the smaller windows.

Essentially window construction is: 1) Add the glass 2)when dry glue upper sash to lower sash 3) insert assembly into window opening in wall making sure sashes are properly oriented 4) add frame 5) add sill. Repeat as necessary.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F008InsertingWindows.jpg&hash=f71b18fc9327f4488fece2c0cbe439ac0cb40c82)

Next step, assembling walls.

Darn clever to board by board the walls and then laser cut them.  Looking forward to the rest of your project.

Jeff

So my plan on the siding was to cut it on the removable double sided tape, peel it off and then apply it to the basswood. That was a good plan on paper (no pun intended) but turned out to be a real challenge due to the fact that some of these parts are quite small (like the horizontals between the windows on the side and on the dormer). Even though the tape was removable (theoretically), it still had too much grip and I destroyed a number of boards trying to peel them up. Next time I will glue the siding to the basswood and then cut it. You still have to deal with the corner joints but that happens either way. The siding debacle ended up adding another day to the project while I got it straightened out.

Another thing you can see in the last photo is the large sign on the end of the building. This was done by engraving. Essentially what you do is adjust the power of the laser WAY down and then burn away successive layers of paint until you expose the color you want. In this case I had a white card, then a layer of gray weathering, a layer of grimy black weathering and then the pure Engine Black background. I used the mask from the earlier "kit" photo to paint the black rectangle and then used the laser to burn away the paint and expose the white card underneath – an actual N scale sign that is painted on the wood. I am REALLY looking forward to experimenting more with this technique.

So at this point I am ready to really start assembling the structure. As you can see in the previous photo, following FOS's lead I used tab and slot to align the front and back wall with the left side. After gluing the three walls together I then follow up with the rafter cards to ensure the spacing was correct down the length of the structure. The shorter cards are located above windows so they aren't visible inside. Taller cards are used where no doors or windows are involved.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F009TrussCards3.jpg&hash=cab2bbbdfce94c7e2defafd2d3398ccaf224b2d9)

I did not use tab and slot for the smaller shed section on the left side. Instead I relied on the rafter cards to maintain even spacing from the main wall. You can't really see it very well but the siding on the short end wall extends beyond the end of the basswood (this is why I cut it separate from the basswood) to cover the end grain of the front and back wall sections. Between the overlapped siding and the rafter cards for spacing, aligning the shed wall was a no brainer during assembly. It pretty much just slid into place.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F010InstallRafters.jpg&hash=b1c7c1ecf19d3ff6de08dc14335c1e63461d5dad)

At this point it is starting to look like its namesake and I am encouraged by the results.

The next step is the roof panels. I am fortunate to have a good supply of Paper Creek roofing on hand. I am looking forward to making my own in the future but for now I have this and it is perfect for this project. At the 2012 NNG convention I spent some time talking to Ron from RS Laser and he introduced me to some great 3M double sided transfer tape. I applied this to the roof panel and then laid the Paper Creek shingles down. The tape made short work of the process although there were a number of shiny spots showing through some of the gaps. A dusting of Bragdon Powders and PanPastels hid the shine. Glue the roof on and away we go.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F011ShedRoof1.jpg&hash=da07c4422daac793eb5c8593771fd4f24c7ed163)

Incidentally I use the dark brown Paper Creek shingles and slightly weather them by lightly dabbing white ink on them with a torn makeup sponge. A very light dusting of powders after the roof is on the building followed by washes of my light AI wash complete the roof weathering.
Next came adding the main roof and the dormer. I will confess to a few problems with the dormer. It was a lot of small awkward parts and dealt with many odd angles. Once again the "peel and apply" siding idea bit me and the process was over complicated. Eventually though I persevered and got the dormer assembled and installed.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F012FinishLeft2.jpg&hash=f9d8c8c5f265d03ade2441c6dfe3a4e826770ef2)

I put the clear styrene in the doors, mounted them and added a few other details (two vent pipes in the roof and a lamp over the main doors. The lamp is a shade from Ngineering with some .008 brass wire for the neck. Weathered by painting with Engine Black acrylic and then dipping in Bragdon dark rust powder while the paint is still wet. Let it sit for a minute and brush off the excess. The sign on the front of the building was laser engraved on the black card and then laser cut to shape. I glued the two pieces back to back and then CA'd the sign to the front of the building. It's hard to see in this photo. There is a better view in the next photo.


(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F013FinishFront.jpg&hash=a21c89117aba99e7203616d64c92ae015cc2d67f)

The back and right walls are essentially blanks since they will butt up against the next structures on the pier.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F014FinishFrontRight.jpg&hash=43b675e163b259db6bec9349ba0f0935e74b194b)

I firmly believe that the single best modeling technique out there is the application of sunshine. A quick shot outside in real sunlight really brings the model to life (be even better if I had some water behind it).

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F015FinishOutside1.jpg&hash=eecb445d947ce6b34d0fa0cd6802db7652a5d806)

So the first structure is officially complete and I can move onto the next one. I am pretty happy with the result when compared to the original photo from the FOS web site (top). I REALLY like Doug's weathering and plan to add a bit more once I have all the buildings built and placed on the pier to help tie the scene together.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgoldring%2F016FOSGoldringHOandN.jpg&hash=66fa8154012bf5ead284ff775cd52b18bc92bf71)

Langford Ice is next.

Nice job Dave.

Jerry

You say you're just getting you chops back?   :o  Wow.  You must be busting my chops.  This is fantastic.  I'm looking forward to following along and seeing how this turns out.  Well done!

Very nice job. Wish I had a laser!

Mike ;D

Super stuff, I admire anyone who can work in N scale with human hands and eyes.

Outstanding work.  Even more impressive that it is in N scale.

Unbelievable, I wish you could make this a kit  ( the whole Red Hook wharf ) in n-scale. 

Great Job I wish my chops were as good as your rusty ones.  I'll be following !

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I am glad you are enjoying the build. I will post the Langford build next (that structure is complete) and I am currently working on the Sternad Freight building (about half done).

Most of the techniques I use I learned from folks on this forum and over at the RRLine forum. I based the siding I did for the Goldring structure on the method Troels Kirk uses for his paper structures. The things he does with paper simply amaze me. I just used playing cards instead of paper.

Speaking of that, in case anyone is interested, I find playing cards to be an interesting material for modeling. They are heavy enough that they have some rigidity to them yet light enough to be easy to work and cut to shape. They seem to take paint pretty well too. I will confess though that I have not yet tried dousing them down with a whole bunch of liquid to see what happens. I have been fairly conservativie with my washes and such.

One of the things I really like about them is I can get a box of 500 for about $13 on Amazon. These are the cards I use http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1572814993/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1572814993/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

I have also purchased some blank flash cards. So far, doing N scale work, I have managed to fit everything on the playing cards (2 1/4" x 3 1/2"). The flash cards are a bit bigger (roughly 3" x 5 3/4") In case I need something bigger or start an On30 project. I put the calipers on the playing cards and they are right on 2 N scale inches thick. The flash cards are about .003" thicker (roughly an additional 1/2 N scale inch).

After doing two board by board N scale structures (Langford Ice uses some board by board) I find the card material very easy to work with and would recommend folks give it a try.

So I was sick for the week of Christmas (the cold/flu season finally caught up to both my wife and I just in time for the holidays). This kept me indoors so I spent time at the bench getting more work done. A little model therapy is a great distraction from feeling under the weather. I took advantage of the time to get started on the Lanford Ice building.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F000LangfordIceOriginal.jpg&hash=b6dd25eca0e323876d02e542c96d10f4318fa48f)
This is an edited photo of the original from the FOS web site. This is the goal.

Langford Ice is the other building located at the end of the pier and is right behind the Goldring Oyster building.

The first step was creating the design. This went pretty fast now that I have the actual HO kit in hand and I had the main building design done in a matter of hours. Then I spent all the next day doing the signs. The signage turned out to be the challenge for this building. Anyhow, after all that design work was done I cut the parts. Most of the parts are from playing card stock but the four walls of the main building are cut from 1/32 scribed basswood siding. I also cut templates for doing the signage. This is the starting point, all the parts have been cut and construction could begin:

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F001PartsVersion1.jpg&hash=8eaa97c980c072bf59bb0fbcb258d4d7c0f906fc)

The 8 cards on the right side of the photo are all stencils for signs. The two large rectangles in the center are interior bracing to keep the building square during assembly. Due to the shape of this building I decided to manage the bracing differently than the method used on Goldring. The two smaller rectangles in the center are roof panels. The remaining three cards on the left side are the doors, windows, and office parts.

The basswood was thinner this time and I was concerned about warpage so I braced the main walls with square strip wood. This structure only has a couple windows and the surface area of the walls is greater so it was much easier to apply interior bracing. Using vertically scribed wood meant the bracing needed to be horizontal. I also attached glue strips at the corners (and for the roof panels) so they would be ready to go when it was time to assemble the building.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F002MainWallBracingVersion1.jpg&hash=40dd45ead2d4afe0e54ad4c355c6431bf1df204a)

I painted the basswood with a thin coat (almost more of a wash) of Polly Scale D&RGW Cream.
Then used two of the sign stencils to paint the red and white backgrounds for the big sign on the main face of the building. Then I used a lettering stencil to do the first batch of lettering. I also added the big "ICE" sign by dabbing Reefer White on through a stencil.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F003MainWallVersion1.jpg&hash=18f380db1b9dff6ea46c85d7e28febc3fac5cf85)

I stalled at this point because a number of things were bothering me. First, I did not really like the color. I wanted something a bit more gray and tan. This had a bit of a gold tint to it I just did not like. Also I really did not like how the sign was coming out. The grooves in the milled siding were too deep and too well defined. Painting the sign was really tough. If I got the paint thin enough to get into the grooves it would bleed. If I kept it thick I could not get it into the grooves. The white lettering for the big "ICE" sign bled horribly and I ended up painting over it.

One other thing I noticed was significant expansion when I painted the wood. I have had this wood stored in my train room for a number of years. It must have become extremely dried out. The width of the main wall piece (which was originally 3" wide) increased a whole 1/8th of an inch after I painted it and it absorbed the liquid. I thought it would return to original size after it dried but no such luck. Given I had precut all the other pieces this extra 1/8th inch would be a problem. Time to reset and try again.

When I did the Goldring building I decided to do it board by board to get better looking siding. I decided I wanted to do the same thing here so it was back to the drawing board. I did learn a lot doing the Goldring building so this time I was confident I could get the walls done in short order. The first step was to make my boards. I used playing cards again, same as with the Goldring structure. I really did not like the D&RGW Cream color so this time I started with a thin coat of Polly Scale Mud brushed horizontally on the cards with a torn makeup sponge (right side) followed by a similar coat of Polly Scale Concrete (left side) - sorry, lighting is not the best for this photo.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F004NewSiding01.jpg&hash=26a326e3f8620a9f37263122b2c8f9af1d290480)

I cut the boards on the laser and then CA'd them vertically to a sheet of 1/64th plywood. Using a very light setting I etched an outline of the wall into the siding so I could align sign stencils.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F005SignBackgroundTemplate.jpg&hash=952007a8d7f01ea19ef827f0fa4b3bbdb91ecf0b)

I went out to Amazon and purchased a roll of Post-It labeling tape. This is great stuff for laser stencils. It's two inches wide, made of thick paper with Post-It adhesive on one side. Not so sticky it destroys a model but sticky enough to prevent bleeding.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2FPostItPaperTape.jpg&hash=611ab242c141a5365f69dbe75173c6a1d0d4c9e6)

While the light adhesive is easy on the model, one thing to watch out for is if your paint is too wet, the paper will absorb it and expand a little. The light adhesive may not be able to contain the expansion and the stencil may bubble up. As long as my paint wasn't too watery the stencil worked fine. I applied some tape to the siding and used the laser to cut the stencil in place. Then painted the red backgrounds for the signs.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F006SignBackgroundPainted.jpg&hash=7ae05209bdad726917506899840995e1c7b221fa)

Next I tried to engrave the signs but had a bunch of trouble and could not get the engraving to work right. I was also very paranoid of over doing it and burning the signs into the wall panels. Given this was the third try cutting the walls and now that I was doing them board by board, setting up another "blank" to recut the walls would have taken another hour. I decided to forgo the etching this time and go with a stencil. I added a fresh piece of Post-It labeling tape and cut the lettering stencil in place.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F007PostItTapeSignStencil01.jpg&hash=eb79f9ab531d9202354fbb7653205ddd28fa1977)

I then spent a number of hours peeling and painting signs. It took longer than I expected and they did not turn out as well as I had hoped however they look okay from a distance. Keep in mind that this is N scale and the photos tend to be taken at a significantly closer distance than the model will normally be viewed at. After weathering up everything I am satisfied that they meet the minimum bar for what I am after. I also weathered up the rest of the wall sections to prep them for final assembly.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F008FiishedWeatheredWallsAndSigns.jpg&hash=cb59c97afa38889e945826089bb99f0a721f69d8)

Weathering at this point was all done with my light and dark AI washes (Light = 1 tsp India ink per pint of 90+% alcohol, dark=2 tsp India ink per pint 90+% alcohol). I always use the highest percentage alcohol I can find. The higher the percentage, the less water they add to dilute it and the less warpage it causes. The signs were also lightly sanded with 400 grit paper and then washed with white ink.

The two wall section on the right are only partially visible hence the incomplete coverage. The bare areas will be hidden behind other structures when all buildings are put together on the wharf. I decided they did not need to be board by board and used the commercial scribed siding. I added a wash of white ink to lighten them up and get rid of the gold tint cause by the wood showing through. This helped get the color closer to that of the board by board siding I made.

The next step was adding wall details. I assembled the ice chute from parts I cut earlier. The rails for the cover are just two strips of styrene. The support wires are black Berkshire Junction EZ Line. The window was done using the same process as those on the Goldring building. Additional Bragdon powder weathering was added at this point as well.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F009WallDetailsAdded.jpg&hash=92e7f6188eb7ea33becc30a32a6da2510e76c551)

Next step, assemble the walls. I add the interior bracing in a very deliberate way such that I can also attach cards that act like gussets inside the building that will keep it all square during assembly. The cards also provide the lateral bracing for the short end wall pieces. Here is the lower brace card installed in the first two wall sections. Another brace card will get glued to the long upper brace at the top.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F010InteriorSquareJigAndBracing.jpg&hash=038babe9d5323a38fe4cf4d569232290bd697c45)

The last two wall sections are added along with the upper brace card and you have the basic structure ready for a roof.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F011AssembledWallsTopSquareJig.jpg&hash=580ea1666ab3f202f7488b4380ced42461d6249a)

The roof.

This building uses standing seam roofing. I have seen some great standing seam roofing for large scale models. I am not aware of anything for N that doesn't come across as too thick. I will confess that I have not researched this lately so there may be newer products I am not aware of. At any rate, I need it now and don't have time to order and wait for it so I will make my own.

Ideally I want to use metal so it will behave and weather properly. It needs to be thin and something I have on hand – I will use regular aluminum foil. Doing some quick research, standing seam roofing comes in many sizes. Most popular seems to be with seams spaced between 12 and 18 inches. Seams are either one or two inches in height/depth so this works out for me. My playing cards are just under two scale inches thick. Meaning, I can use the edge of a playing card to make the standing seam in my roofing and the ribs will be to scale.

I lay out and cut a jig. The light lines are engraved guides where cuts need to take place. The deeper slots are where the seams will be pressed.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F012RoofingTemplate1.jpg&hash=2dc754329e9582cc7441928156bf32f375269161)

Then I CA'd this jig to another blank card to add strength. Now I am ready to make roofing.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F013LaminatedRoofingTemplate.jpg&hash=a4e1d991c714b9a779b50d5080124747cc76d7a1)

First step, start with a strip of foil (wrinkle free) cut to scale 10 feet wide. I position it on the jig using the short guidelines. Originally I built the jig so you could do 5 panels at once however you need to press each one individually before you cut them apart anyway so it turned out easier to simply do them one at a time and cut them each time. Doing 5 at a time was actually more difficult.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F015RoofingAlignFoilStrip.jpg&hash=1c4234b5badaa2ce3f07d864721f40822c4fe504)

Using a small wood block I hold the end of the foils strip in place and then using the edge of a trimmed piece of card, press the foil into the first groove.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F016RoofingPRessIntoGrooves.jpg&hash=f815f81eebbf5106cecd9eea97253d694d3c1609)

Then, slide the block forward and repeat pressing the foil into the next groove with the trimmed card. Slide the block once again and press the foil into the third groove. Then slide the block to the next short guide line and cut the foil strip. Voila, you have one panel of standing seam roofing.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F017RoofingPressedAndCut.jpg&hash=1b667ea924ddf0a781ed808397c89ac233cde176)

I use a cutting wheel to do these cuts. It doesn't catch or tear the foil and helps keep everything wrinkle free. You can see the one I use laying just above the jig in the previous photo.

You may have noticed that when I trimmed the piece in the photo above I cut it slightly crooked. That is not a problem. Later, during application it is easy to straighten out any crooked cuts with a razor blade. That being said, if you try this, I advise that you straighten the cuts before you paint the panels so you don't have to deal with shiny edges later...

Next painting. I built a quick painting jig by cutting the tops off of Post It notepad pages (the part with the adhesive) and using double stick tape to attach those strips adhesive side up to a board. I wanted to use the Post-It note adhesive because it was strong enough to hold the roof panels in place while painting them but not so strong I would destroy the panels taking them off once I needed them. They are small, aluminum foil, and a bit delicate to handle at this point.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F018RoofingPaintingJig.jpg&hash=2164cf9f7aad01c8e1d980aaa8edc9fcb323d2c3)

I used gray primer from Walmart as the base coat. It has very little filler and two thin coats covered the foil just fine without obscuring any detail at all. Weathering process:
1. Start with bare foil.
2. Paint with primer
3. Wash with Bragdon powders mixed with alcohol. I used primarily black and dark rust powders with a few earth colors added for variation.

At this point the panels were ready to apply.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F019RoofingPanelsWeathering.jpg&hash=2f72d8a53d3d945bbbad9f375e62522917cf82f4)

The primer coats added enough body to the foil that you could handle it pretty easily with tweezers without doing much damage yet the panels still appeared to be very thin which was my goal. One of the give aways for N scale models is when things like roofing are too thick. I am pretty happy with how the roofing turned out.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F020RoffOnMainBuilding.jpg&hash=e3b0e740ecafd6a38c76294d1a785a5ea0f83759)

After the roof was installed I had a few shiny spots from glue. I dry brushed all the panels to do a final mix of the Bragdon colors, then applied a coat of Polly Scale flat finish. After that dried I added some more Bragdon powders to keep the look more natural.

Finally I added the corner trim to the walls and the face trim up under eaves. The next step is to complete the office section (the small section located around the corner from the chute).

Stunning.  You are raising the N scale bar.  Wow, Holy Cow, and
(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftherealrevo.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F04%2Fblues_brothers_jake_blues_sees_the_light-360x317.png&hash=7798e1d5fce9f630fd26a47ba7db336669a9e332)

Thanks for sharing, and also thanks for letting Jan repost this on Nscale.net.  Can't wait to see more!

Wow great Idea on the roofing looks killer ! You really should cut a few of those jig's in HO and N and offer to sell them to us less fortunate and laser less board members (hint hint). Great looking so far !!!

Quote from: Amagic41 on January 07, 2014, 08:45:43 AM
Wow great Idea on the roofing looks killer ! You really should cut a few of those jig's in HO and N and offer to sell them to us less fortunate and laser less board members (hint hint). Great looking so far !!!

Ken,
I believe you could make your own fixture from styrene quite easily.  Glue some Evergreen 1x10 or 2x10 pieces to a piece of styrene sheet using wood or cardboard spacers between them.  The cardboard or wood could be 1-2" wide depending on the width you choose for your ribs.  Remove the cardboard, lay your foil over the styrene, and emboss it. 

Dave,
I kind of stumbled across this thread, not sure how I overlooked it, sure glad I found it! 
I am very impressed with the way you have adapted individual board techniques to N scale.  Your explanations are very thorough, and even though I do not have laser access, I am confident that I can adapt your ideas to improve my modeling.  This is absolutely amazing work in any scale, but even more so IMO in N scale. 

Dave you keep amazing us, some of the folk at nScale.net are going crazy, thanks again and keep up the good work.

Evening Dave,
Just wanted to say your work is AMAZING.
Thank you for sharing.
8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

Jerry
   Thanks I did and worked great.  I'm still quite new to building craftsman kits and scratching and it is great t draw on all the tips and tricks I can find and sometimes they are right in front of my face. Thanks again.

Kenny

Ken,
You are very welcome.

Thank you everyone for the comments, I really appreciate it. I have to admit I am having a lot of fun with this project and it feels great to get back into the swing of things. One thing I like to do in model building is take the techniques that the masters in the larger scales use (like Chuck and Troels) and see how much of that I can transfer to N scale. I am very thankful to those guys that they are so willing to share their knowledge. It makes this hobby that much better.

To address specific questions:
Ken, I was going to say contact me off list but it sounds like you tried Jerry's suggestion with some success. Any photos?

Jerry, my feeling is that there is no substitute for board by board, even in N scale. When I first thought of trying it I was a little skeptical. However after that first try I was surprised at how fast it went. Seems like it takes less time than comparable efforts I have made in larger scales, not sure why. I assume it is because the process is the same regardless of scale (measure, cut, attach, repeat as necessary) and in smaller scales the square inches needing coverage is much smaller. And I have to admit, the laser makes cutting to size fast and easy.

Janbouli, I am glad the N scalers are enjoying the build. Thank you for sharing it with them.


And with that, on with the office. The Langford Ice building consists of a main structure with a smaller section attached to one side. I refer to that section as the office. It is a very simple structure that is very straightforward to build.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F021OfficeFront.jpg&hash=fba9dc549613074a960e8ea31f9252a9825aa448)

No special techniques used on this. Simple playing card walls with some Builders In Scale N scale adhesive backed shakes/shingles applied per instructions. Same paints/washes as I used on the main structure. Window was assembled same as the others in this project. I trimmed the eaves with a couple spare pieces of siding left over from the main building.  The tar paper roof is some tissue paper "glued" down with Engine Black acrylic paint and then dusted with some Bragdon powders. The stovepipe is a piece of brass wire capped with an Ngineering light shade. The light over the door is a 12" Ngineering shade on a piece of .008" brass wire.

When placed in the final scene, the office sits in the corner between two larger buildings so no back walls are needed.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F022OfficeBack.jpg&hash=552cfe20c945685fe9c37c4dc663380e95d282f1)

So the last steps are a few final details and then attach the office to the main building. I figured I would finish the detail work first because the larger building is easier to handle without the office attached.

If you look at the photo of the original model, there is a large duct that needs to be built up and attached to the front of the main building. This was pretty straightforward and I took advantage of the laser to do the fine cutting in order to save time. I used a piece of thick styrene strip as a base, cut two side profile pieces from a playing card to get the general shape. I then CA'd some .005" sheet styrene to the front and back following the profile provided by the cardstock. Once the glue dried I trimmed the excess and had the basic duct.

I also cut out some square "seams" that were about a scale 1 ½" thick (about as thin as I can go when cutting the playing card stock without simply burning it to ash) , added them at roughly two foot intervals. A drop of CA held them in place. I also added a couple brackets for support when mounted to the wall.

Next came a quick shot of Walmart gray primer followed by some Bragdon dark rust powder applied using the dark AI wash as a fixer. Hint: if you have trouble getting Bragdon powders to stick to your models, try mixing them with alcohol and brushing them on. Based on a few posts I have seen here I think a number of folks use mineral spirits for this purpose as well. I haven't tried that as I have always been happy using alcohol. Either way the liquid helps get the powders into the corners and crevices. The alcohol evaporates in seconds and once it is gone the powders actually stick to the model rather than blow away. You can even go over them with a soft dry brush to blend for some great effects after the liquid dries.

Here's the sequence of steps for the duct:

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F023DuctBuildDetail.jpg&hash=646203258c5cb858bcc232d754b0a29e185eade4)

I added a piece of brass wire to the lower end to make it easier to hold while painting/weathering and to facilitate mounting to the building. I drilled a small hole and CA'd the finished duct to the front of the main building then went ahead and CA's the office to the left end of the main structure. One last piece of brass "vent pipe" in the roof and this structure is done.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F024LanfordIceFrontLeft.jpg&hash=daafd0c1769a355ccb988ee45a8d2dfab1b135d7)

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F025LangfordIceRightSide.jpg&hash=fd9939ac415f0de3b91d60a7043b4f5641de2f3f)

And one last quick check against to the original to see how we are doing. No sunshine today but some rainy Seattle daylight none the less. Also a bit of crude PhotoShop work to add "water". I hope Doug doesn't mind, I borrowed his pilings and water for perspective. At least it has the right feel...

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Flangford%2F030IceOysterMockup01.jpg&hash=caa7cf7e5e3f71f3d75c017438b0f99172cf9839)

Dave,
I'm not sure what to say other than, "WOW!!!".  The level of detail you achieve scratchbuilding such small parts is both mind-boggling (at least to me) and at the same time inspires me to step up my game.  That duct is great!  The addition of the flanges and bracing really takes it to another level!  And, using a lamp shade to top a vent, cannot believe I did not think of that. 

I agree entirely with WOW!!!  I had no idea N scale could look so realistic.  I love the standing seam roofing and the beautiful weathering you are getting on the buildings - just amazing!

I'd love to see that duct with something full size next to it to give an idea of relative size, it's got to be minute.  A real little gem of a detail there.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I am glad you are enjoying the build. TJ, one of the challenges I enjoy in N scale is using a craftsman approach and trying to get a lot of detail work. Some folks feel like N scale is too small and the detail is wasted. I agree that SOME detail might be wasted but I still like to try...

Barry, here you go. I shot a quick photo, not the best exposure but it gives you an idea. I tried to find a reference object that would be fairly universal to modelers...

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2FLangford%2FLangfordSize.jpg&hash=0d10239fc93461c62ee559efd6764459cd92a209)

Okay, time for the next installment of the build. I was away for the past week dealing with some laser related stuff and now I am back at the modeling bench. Getting started on the Sternad Freight building

Here's an edited photo from the FOS site of Sternad Freight. This is the goal for this build.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F000FreightFront.jpg&hash=cfa530f7e5b52926109e9f2a0b5820c5df3886a5)

I liked the color used in the HO model and didn't have anything on hand that was close so the first step was to mix a batch of paint. A mixture of Polly Scale Concrete and Reefer Gray gave me a base and then I squeezed in a bit of Cadmium Red Deep from a tube acrylic I had in the drawer. Applied the paint with a sponge and let dry.

This building has a large sign on the right side and I wanted to get that taken care of first. Based on lessons learned on the first couple buildings, I wanted to cut the stencil in place so after the initial paint was dry I added piece of the Post-It note paper tape in the approximate location so I could cut a mask that would let me paint the white background of the big sign. Lasered the tape and peeled out the center. Added a couple Post-It notepad pages to make a quick mask and spray painted the white background.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F002SprayMask.jpg&hash=198505f5c6fd2c3f7dfde7a8c047a8ecbb0fdade)

While the paint was drying I went ahead and added the "glass" (WeldBond) to all the windows and assembled them so they would be ready to insert into the walls when needed.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F003GlueGlassWindows.jpg&hash=24e812ce98252f92a536f0b384d0babdd71262b6)

Once the paint was dry on the siding, it was time to cut the walls and engrave the sign. Once again, based on lessons learned on the first two buildings, I wanted to engrave the sign on this one. This sign will be very weathered and faint so I wanted a very light engraving. There is another sign that will go on the front of the building that is easier to read so this one could be quite faded. That being said, I wanted to make sure I didn't over do the engraving and burn the sign into the side of the building. A few tests on some scrap and I was satisfied.

After the lettering was done, I wanted to add a few weathered boards in the siding. Since this was commercial scribed siding this meant using a razor blade to carefully cut some of the individual board loose and peel them up a bit to simulate warping. I also wanted to add a few board ends to break up the monotony of the scribed siding.

A couple words of caution when doing this in small scales: this sheet is 1/32" thick and scribed at 1/32" spacing. Since the scribing runs with the grain and you have to peel the boards along the grain, it is VERY easy to split the entire wall panel. Take your time, use many shallow cuts rather than a few deep ones.

Some folks advocate doing this step after adding bracing so it can help prevent splitting. While I agree in principle, personally I prefer to have the stability of the siding lying flat on my cutting surface. This is a matter of personal preference and you will find what works best for you. The key thing to remember is don't get too aggressive and split your walls in half.

After adding the warpage and board ends touch them up with dark AI wash (careful not too much). This helps highlight the end grain to the cuts and exposed ends helping the detail pop a bit.   


Much of the wall surface of this building will be hidden by adjacent structures so I only added the board detail to the visible areas. At this point the walls are about ready to assemble.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F004WeatheredBoards.jpg&hash=25269aa961bbc2d5267669bd9add319ed6833fab)

As you add warped board detail, it is easy to overdo the warping, especially in smaller scales. However, when trying to do it subtly a lot of times it looks like you aren't really doing anything at all. When you look at the photo above the added detail is not real obvious (a good thing). If you want an easy way to see how much you are REALLY warping the board use shadows to reveal your work. Hold your wall vertically directly under a light so any of your warped board cast a shadow down the face of the wall and all will become obvious...

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F005UsingShadows.jpg&hash=aab451343ae04988a57eeb51c530f4310b8517fb)

In this photo you can see the warpage is a bit overdone. Some of these look like they are sticking out about 4-6 scale inches. As I handle the building during future steps of assembly some of this will go away as the boards get pressed back in so too much at this point is not an issue.

So, add the windows (preassembled earlier), add some additional AI wash weathering detail and the wall sections are about ready to assemble. Looking at this photo I notice that the right section is a bit warped. No concern there. This is only 1/32" thick siding and bracing will be added during assembly that will easily straighten this out.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F006InsertWindowsAddWeathering.jpg&hash=b01fb7918c4d014aab57beb52ce52fe787863eb6)

So at this point the walls are ready for assembly. We'll start there with the next installment.

You Nscalers just amaze me, I'm at a point now where I'm beginning to think HO is too small...
Incredible work!

Thanks Al. The size is part of the challenge that I enjoy about N scale.  Always fun to see what I can do when it is this small.

I was out of town for 4 days last week hence my delayed responses. It is back to work now so hopefully I can get some more updates posted...

Assembling the walls. First step is add some bracing to provide stability and provide some additional gluing surfaces at the corners to make assembly easier.

The interior bracing of this structure is a combination of the techniques I used on the previous two structures. Similar to Langford Ice, there is some strip wood bracing used to control warping (and provide stability to the 1/32" thick siding) and there are laser cut cards to keep the walls square. Similar to Langford Ice I am using rafter cards to add rafter detail, maintain the correct vertical spacing of the inner square bracing cards, and provide additional vertical bracing on the walls.

Very important to make sure the strips at the corners are precisely flush with the edges of the wall panels. If they are off then it is likely getting your corner trim to fit well will be problematic.
(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F007InteriorBracing.jpg&hash=f3674284f61f564f122c0ba78989340723137874)

After the bracing is in place add the first square brace. Note the notched edges to fit over the braces already attached to the wall panel. The short lengths of strip wood glued along the edge of the card provide a gluing surface and allow the brace to attach more reliably to the wall panel.

I use some machinist blocks and squares to make sure everything stays square. Also, you want to be sure that you keep the edges flush during this step, Failure to do so will cause problems while trying to attach the three remaining walls. Making sure you do it right during this first step makes the other steps much easier. You also want to make sure the card is square to the wall so the rafter cards will fit properly when the time comes to install them.

The next step is to add more of the interior bracing cards and rafter cards. Doing so will help hold the other wall sections in the proper location when it comes time to attach them. Here are the rest of the braces:

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F008TrussCards.jpg&hash=8987e5be9603b92d332f5fb3e0b1ac56c7d7c238)

Here's what you are looking at:
A. These are the rafter cards that will brace the upper third of the structure from front to back. The tails at the top of each piece protrude through slots in the walls to add rafter detail to the finished roof.
B. The brace cards for the lower third of the building. There is a small section of shed roof that sticks out from the front of the building over the front door. The small protuberances on these cards are the rafters that will support the shed roof. The front wall panel has holes to facilitate this. The small parts at the right side are used over the windows so the card does not extend into view inside the window. Making the rafters part of the card makes them stronger overall than simply gluing actual rafters to the external wall of the building. The holes in the wall help ensure even spacing, keep the roof nice and level, and ensure the proper height. They also make it easy to achieve the desired pitch.
C. These are actually all the roof panels.
D. If you look closely you will see that various cards have notches cut in one edge or the other. This is to facilitate doors and windows in the wall panels which implies the braces need to be installed in specific locations (they do).
E. The three wood pieces are the walls for the small dormer like structure on the roof. The three small gray triangles at the bottom edge of the photo are actually the rafter cards for the dormer (sorry they got cut off in the photo).
As before, I only weathered the portion that will be seen outside the structure.

Installing the card with the shed roof rafters begins by inserting the rafter through the hole in the wall, sliding it up tight against the front wall, making sure it is relatively square (side to side – this does not need to 100% perfect just close), and then run some CA along the edges that contact the square brace card and wall panel.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F009ShedRafters.jpg&hash=eb9b5308739c4d2a94a14f98c3a4a02aee112caa)

This view helps you get the idea and also get an idea of how the shed roof section will be supported.

After the lower braces are in place it is time to add the upper rafter cards.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F010InstallingRafterCards.jpg&hash=9de02e0bceeaf6cc373302c64ffe6b9034fbf3de)

In the previous photo you can kind of see how the notch in the second card from the back fits around a window so the card will not be visible from the outside. You can also see the rafters for the shed roof over the front door.

After all the rafter cards are in add the second floor brace card and the rear wall. This step takes place all at once to ensure that the horizontal spacing of the rafter cards is even from front to back before they get glued to the brace card. The spacing of the rafter slots in the rear wall section makes this easy.

Here is a shot once all the rafters and braces are in place. It is starting to look like its namesake.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F011RaftersUpperBraceInstalled.jpg&hash=4a8196b1df145e1cf49d45126705d960839ec450)

Add the other walls and some square stock for corner trim and the building is basically assembled. At this point I get a feel for how well I am tracking towards my goal. One thing that occurs to me is that it needs more weathering. Using a torn makeup sponge I dry dab on add more gray acrylic and white ink to simulate a little more peeled paint and waterfront weathering. I take my time here because I don't want to overdo it, especially now that the walls are assembled. Fixing a mistake at this point would be time consuming.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F013MoreWeathering.jpg&hash=00ce41248d796174fd3331aded9f791472ec8ec9)

The extra weathering helps. For now I will leave it like this. It is likely I will add more once the final group of buildings is installed on the pier.

The next step is the roof. This building has a corrugated metal roof. I have some Builders In Scale N scale corrugated roofing in my parts bin. It looks pretty good and is easy to work with so I will use that for this structure. First I put new Post-It stickies on my paint jig (same process I used for Langford Ice). I cut the roofing into 3' widths (corrugated can be anything between 2' and 4'widths) and plan for a minimal overlap. I stick them to the jig and hit them with a couple coats of gray primer from Walmart. I do multiple coats to try to ensure I have no shiny spots.

As soon as I finish spraying, while the paint is still drying, I sprinkle on some Bragdon rust powders. U use a random sample of the dark, medium and light rusts. Sometimes I mix them sometimes I only use one color. Sometimes I cover the entire piece of roofing, sometimes only partially. I also make sure I leave a few panels un-rusted.
(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F014PowderOnRoofPanels.jpg&hash=64d8b5e98ff63d2458b2db2965ebf6a78dd4df29)

After the paint dries I take a large soft brush and brush off the powders making sure I always brush with the "grain" of the corrugations. This blends and streaks the rust as well as removes all excess. At this point the proofing panels are ready to be used.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F015BrushedRoofPanels.jpg&hash=b12d8b26b3094305114f3afba23940698fe09011)

Now that the roofing is ready I glue the roof card to the top of the building. It is pre-notched to fit around the dormer. Prior to attaching the card I add some double stick 3m transfer tape that will be used to attach the roofing. In this photo I have cut away the protective paper on the tape to expose the area where the dormer needs to be attached before I start adding roofing panels.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F016RoofTapeAndDormerPArts.jpg&hash=771a397fb71800471c403e3ce4a1a8c6fbe77e7e)

I preassemble the dormer using the rafter cards to ensure proper spacing. It is important to make sure this subassembly if kept square during assembly otherwise the dormer will be skewed to one side or the other when added to the roof.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F017DormerAssembly.jpg&hash=04a1e343f6e482be9e5eb04a4a0154bcadb82cad)

After adding the panels, I used some scrap pieces to trim along the peak of the dormer.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F018Roof.jpg&hash=d04dd771a81c8758abd8478f7db2f41b916b315b)

At this point the building is pretty much assembled. I need to add the shed roof to the front, the freight doors, some trim and details to complete structure. We'll wrap that up in the next post.

See you soon.

Nice rust.  It's kind of hard to know when to stop sometimes...

Very impressive project!

John

Thanks for the comments guys and thanks for following along, it is very encouraging. Yes Al I know the feeling. In fact I find myself wondering if this rust might be a little too bright. I may come back and retouch this a little later on.

With tonight's installment we finish the third structure.

The last step is to do some detail work. I need to add the front sign, the hoist, trim the main doors and finish the roofs. I'll start with the sign.

While there is a sign painted on the right side of the building, there is also a red sign that hangs on the front. I wanted to try laser engraving again but using a slightly different technique than last time. First, I prepped the playing card with a thick coat of red tube acrylic paint and let it dry.

Next I engraved the lettering for the sign. I did it using many light passes to ensure that I did not end up burning a hole in the card.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F019EtchedSign.jpg&hash=8376664f622cee647d2e53ad8228c17d08f4c6b1)

Barrowing a technique for doing brick mortar, I next dipped a makeup sponge in white ink  and applied it to the lettering (a bit liberally) and then immediately wiped off the excess by lightly running the smooth side of the sponge across the letters. The left a bit of ink behind in the engraving while removing the excess on the surface of the sign. This helped bring out the lettering.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F020FillLetters.jpg&hash=5fb182d02e37f4ed442c7e99c5228503cc053629)

Next I engraved the board edges and cut the sign out of the card.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F021CutOutSign.jpg&hash=8e09350ccb07498a45c437299a87e49b4c4b3f0d)

The last step was to add the frame and hang it on the front wall. The frame was also cut from the playing card (like the door frames). I CA'd it to the sign and set aside to dry.

Next came the hoist. There is a simple pulley based hoist on the front of the freight house. While it looks simple, it ended up consisting of 16 individual parts. Here are the first two beams and part of the pulley assembly so you get the idea.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F022HoistParts.jpg&hash=27e4333876298528b80eb22aecbbb33a4bf562af)

There will also be a diagonal brace added and then there are rusted "iron" gussets that cover each joint in the wood. The gussets needed to be thin and the thinnest stuff I had on hand was a sheet of paper. I made my "iron" by painting a Post-It note with some Transparent Red Iron Oxide acrylic and immediately covering it with Bragdon Dark Rust powder.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F023PaintedPaper.jpg&hash=d03add9b55d981948912f60d490dd06e839b5810)

Once that dried for a few minutes, I brushed off the excess powder and I had my iron. A hint for new modelers trying this type of small detail work for the first time, it is much easier to work with larger material rather than cutting tiny details and then trying to manipulate those tiny parts into place. To do the gussets I cut the rusted paper into narrow strips and then glued the strip over the joint.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F024FirstAddPaper.jpg&hash=982fda59c7b3de0d6fc961b3f9a0eb2943674c5b)

Then turned it over and trimmed the edges flush with a sharp knife.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F025ThenCutToSize.jpg&hash=c5afbc3d7c3bee0ff43e580c211a3ec43f0d539b)

This insures a perfect fit and it is much easier to handle that trying to cut tiny gussets and then attempting to glue them in place accurately. I glued up the pulley assembly to the beams and set the hoist aside to dry.

Next I trimmed out the freight doors on the front of the building. The frames were laser cut from a playing card and glued on as a single piece. This made it much easier to keep everything straight. I added two pieces of Bershire Junction EZ line for the cables supporting the front shed roof over the front door.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F026FreightDoorsAndTrim.jpg&hash=5fc9908d95c76b5b2d1a20bebc2fa9cf6d71bcc1)

I took a 000 brush and my dark AI mix and added some more weathering along the bottom edge of the front wall where there would be more water damage from weather. I also added a few more highlights on the front wall (sorry, lighting in this photo is not great, the new highlights are hard to really see).

The last step was adding some vent pipes and a stove pipe to the roof. Once again these are brass wire, painted engine black and then dipped in Bragdon rust powders. The stove pipe on this building was larger than the ones on the first two structures. The cap on this one was an 18" lampshade from Ngineering.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F027RoofDetail.jpg&hash=dfc5d3d0f61c9708b547e67ed701cfcd0bfabf42)

Finally, I glued the sign assembled earlier to the front of the building.

At this point this structure is done. I will add rope to the hoist once the building is in place on the pier.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F028FinishDetailLeft.jpg&hash=e0a7ddbd8ab426c852daf792c1170e7d08d96fa3)

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F029FinishDetailRight.jpg&hash=550aee9bbd5afeda09fc2433816cb0801bd196b9)

So here are a couple crudely Photo-Shopped photos to see how I am tracking to the original HO kit from FOS (the FOS model is first followed by the N scale version):

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F030OysterFreightFront.jpg&hash=a1f6d2713ec80459510b1f4ed751e1b2f91a4413)
(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F030NOysterFreightFront.jpg&hash=8427d28f50e74ff121398db5f92884142d181926)

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F031PierCorner.jpg&hash=e7ce2e0dc2ede8c2bb739f8bb247756c349ff25b)
(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F031NPierCorner.jpg&hash=fea726e3cb5d6a2b382181b9b7c5666a01bdb75b)

One last thing for the new modelers out there following this. At this point I take a short break and clean up my work area. As I do so I find a number of scraps, broken and mismatched parts left over...

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fsternad%2F032Junk.jpg&hash=cfb28afb68c058d19331cdc66d56ed12d9c9af9b)

These are essentially free details. I throw them into a plastic bag and keep them for later. These kind of leftovers make great junk detail to have laying around when you get to the point of super detailing a scene. The HO and On30 guys go crazy with stuff like this. There is no reason N scalers can't do it too. As you work on projects and collect these leftovers, you will find that pretty soon you have an interesting collection of ready to use details on hand.

Next step in this project will be the Marine Paint building. See y'all soon.

Time for the next installment: Grove Marine Paint. Here is the goal. This is from a picture on the Fos Scale Models web site: http://www.foslimited.com (http://www.foslimited.com)

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F000FOSGrove.jpg&hash=4fbd1cf90a3e85b66ddd5a39a3f7118e6853b516)

Drew up the plans and cut the parts.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F001Parts.jpg&hash=3f0b14f7f7c516d41a1605ee630aac2dab02b454)

So I am trying a new material this time around. After talking to some other laser users on the Nscale.net forum, I am trying out a new material called Taskboard. It reminds me of cardstock but is a little softer yet more stable. It is easy to work and doesn't seem to swell when liquids are applied. If you are CAing edges it works best to apply two coats of glue. The first coat seals the edge and the second actually bonds.

In the photo the parts at the upper left cut across the top of the large white material are all Taskboard. They consist of the back wall, the interior brace card, some curved exterior wall braces, and legs for the roof sign.

The wood scribed siding is used for the three visible walls of the structure. On the right side are the doors, windows, roofing and associated trim parts all cut from playing cards.

The first step was to prep everything (no photos of this step). I cut all the parts free and cleaned them up. I painted pretty much everything (scribed siding, Taskboard, and playing cards) with a coat of dark AI wash. Next I used a torn makeup sponge to dab on some light blue acrylic on the exterior wall parts. Lastly I dabbed dark blue on the doors, windows, rafter ends, and trim parts. I set those parts aside to dry and started on the signs.

So far I have tried a different technique for the signs on each of the structures in the project. Keeping that trend going, for this building I decided to try the "sand paper sign" method. First I created my signs and then printed them on a standard laser printer.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F002RawSign.jpg&hash=cdd039b319ae2f4916e44d6494f7d1a31442542e)

I printed multiple copies in case I damaged one while prepping.

The next step was to turn the paper over and using 400 grit sandpaper, I sanded the paper to make it thinner and easier to apply. The goal was to get it as thin as possible before it tore. Hindsight tells me I could have gone thinner than I did. Next time I will go farther.

I was sanding it thin for two reasons. First, to make it look less like paper when I glue it to the wall, and second, I wanted to apply the paint to the back of the sign and let it soak through to the front for the color. That way it would not paint over the lettering already printed on the front. So after I got done sanding, the next step was to apply some cream colored acrylics to the back of the sign.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F003AddPaint.jpg&hash=c3ecd6ee365b7152e2b9d3cd721b6d4ad6bdcb6d)

Couple notes: First, I added the pencil lines after I finished sanding so I would roughly know where I needed to apply the paint.  Second, I added a bit of water to the paint for thinning. I wanted it to soak into the paper, not just sit on the surface.

This first sign gets mounted to a sign board and stands on the roof of the structure like a billboard. I let the paint soaked sign sit over night to dry and then glued it to the sign board cut from playing card stock (with boards engraved).Then while the glue was still wet I used an Xacto knife to add board detail.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F004ColoredSign.jpg&hash=b8f072efcdb8fbe6af64e590b3c099f80aced5e7)

The second sign is applied directly to the front of the building so there is no sign board to mount. I also sanded this sign thin and then applied the color to the back. Furthering my research in sign techniques, I wanted something thinner than paint to try soaking the paper with this time. I decided to try yellow food coloring. Based on the amount of water you mix with it you get different shades of yellow

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F005WallSign1.jpg&hash=9d044eb179e6c686379982f5ba9c6a705f79dbdd)

This soaked through faster than the paint (and dried faster too). After it dried I cut it out and used some watered down WeldBond glue to apply it to the front wall.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F006WallSign2.jpg&hash=d690f198b415545f561fdc45c283f6b25ac5feb3)

This is where I realized I probably could have sanded it thinner. The paper was still a little thick and did not really settle into the grooves of the siding. Not a big deal but next time I will try sanding it thinner.

Next step: Doors and Windows.

First, add glass to the windows. I use a thin bubble of WeldBond stretched across the frames for glass. I went ahead and did all the windows and set them aside to dry.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F007PreppingWindows.jpg&hash=e485284a47663ed77c40a61e74c2ede69e8dc45c)

I decided to try something new to make installation of doors and windows easier (I hope). I wanted to add a flange that would keep them from falling through the hole cut in the walls during installation. I took some playing card stock and cut out the door and window openings in their respective positions but I made each dimension about 2 inches smaller (A in the photo below).

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F008DoorWindowFlanges.jpg&hash=66e51ce5990897975fab9b58ca5469265d4044a4)

I then glued the card stock to the inside of the wall such that the openings in the card lined up with those in the wall. Theoretically this would provide a 1" scale flange around the inside edge of each opening that would prevent the doors and windows from falling through the holes during installation (B in the photo above). I say theoretically because 1" in N scale is pretty fine and there is not much room for error. If you look closely you can see the flange through the window openings in the wall section on the right.

Over all the flange idea worked. I also discovered that if I cut the doors and windows 2 scale inches larger than the opening it compensates for the kerf of the laser and the doors/windows fit almost perfectly.

So the next step is to build up the doors and windows. The windows on this building are a slightly different design and each one consists of 5 parts (upper and lower sill, upper and lower sash, and frame). Finally, install the doors and windows in the walls.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F009InstallDoorsWindows.jpg&hash=1e624cabbc56257c898deed938922a9aafb9c289)

At this point we are ready to assemble the wall sections. That will be the next post.

So, time to start assembling the walls. I cut an interior brace card that serves a number of purposes. First, it will help keep all four walls square during assembly, second, it provides the "floor" where the upper story overhangs the lower along the left side of the building. Lastly, it uses tab and slot to ensure the side wall is precisely located.

The FOS HO model has curved braces the run along the lower wall under the overhang. I glued the side wall to the brace card and then added the curved braces. These were laser cut from Taskboard.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F010ExtWallBraces.jpg&hash=0c7076f5f73ae1176249dd85c5070db1fb339cd6)

After adding the braces, assembling the walls was pretty straightforward. I added scale 6x6's as corner trim and touched up the paint on the curved braces.

Next it was time to start the roof. As with the previous buildings I added rafter cards although these were smaller than previous versions due to the large windows in the upper floor. Also, rafter tails would only be visible along one side of the building. The opposite side butts up against the freight house so no rafters exposed on that side.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F012AddRafters.jpg&hash=878b3f5cedba76c13c99fe5e8a8114ed5f4e350e)

This building has a tar paper roof. I use the tissue paper method:

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F013TarPaper.jpg&hash=5adfa19f8d53c479ce4f4a0f7ea35b040f3cd671)

A: Cut tissue paper into scale 4 foot wide strips
B: Use black liquid acrylic paint to glue the tissue down. Start with a thick coat (one strip wide) and then lay a strip of tissue over the paint. Then lay down a thick strip of paint for the next strip of tissue AND add a thin coat of paint over the strip of tissue you just applied. I do this one strip at a time so the paint doesn't dry out (remember, it is being used as the glue).
C: Repeat until the roof is covered.
D: Trim overhanging tissue.

The last step is to dust the roof with Bragdon powders. I use a dust color and a dirt color. I glued the legs (cut from Taskboard) to the roof sign, added a simple roof vent and the roof is pretty much done.

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F014RoofDetail.jpg&hash=6b01d83738a1c63be254ccf108504d14f3d07f94)

So that about does it for this building. This completes the first four structures in the wharf scene. These will be located on pilings over the water. The other four buildings are on landfill and will be phase 2 of this project.

So let's see how this compares to the pilot model...Here is the FOS HO rendition:

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F015FOSScene2.jpg&hash=20fdfa99f9603ae31cb1cde8b2484bf08c856a11)

And here are the four completed structures so far... (sorry my lighting is little off)

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F016Scene1.jpg&hash=647bd7e45ccc1f3bd497f8a29753d6234703f8ee)

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F017Scene2.jpg&hash=d790ab03b8b7dab90e007798e040638adb56105f)

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F018Scene3.jpg&hash=09f05fe0d676c91cd141aad963e525360707feba)

(https://modelersforum.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.northbendeng.com%2Fart%2Fgrove%2F019.jpg&hash=6e48e57753d59da2e7f5cf2c1de98072c62836c0)

More detailing will be done when I build the actual pier and place the structures. So far though, I am happy with the progress.

Dang...you N-scalers have my respect.  :o  Great thread...thanks for inviting us to follow along.

NICE....................
Thanks for sharing...............

Hi:

Very nicely done. I like it a lot.

Karl