Here's the next kit I'm building. This one is for PaulS. :) My plan, at the moment, is for it represent a relatively well maintained structure. Just a little dirty and weathered so it doesn't look like it's just been built and painted. Paul also included some new signs so the business will be named "Rivers Super Service". I'll be keeping the Red and White paint scheme as shown on the box.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122548-449081723.jpeg)
This is my first foray into building a kit from JL Innovative Design. I have one of there's somewhere in my stash, an Ice Cream Parlor I think, but I've never built one. Let's see what's in the box. First there are some nicely package walls, castings and a bundle of strip wood.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122548-449091547.jpeg)
Lot's of signs. Some of these are the signs Paul slipped into the box. But nice signs.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122548-449101034.jpeg)
More signs and rolled roofing material.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122548-449111625.jpeg)
The inside of the instructions shows the structure from all sides and identifies the components.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122548-44912450.jpeg)
The front page of the instructions.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122639-449192331.jpeg)
And the back page.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122639-44918570.jpeg)
More in a moment... ;)
Sounds like a great approach to this one Bob !! And you know that I will be following along ...
Enjoy the process and thanks again for your contribution to the Atlantic & White Mountain Railway !
All the best,
--Paul
I haven't gotten very far on this one yet. I've read the instructions a few times. I guess they haven't been updated in quite some time. They mention "Window and door openings need to be trimmed out of their pre-cut wall sections. Many of these trimmings are near the edge of walls. We recommend a small piece of masking tape across the wood grain to prevent splitting." Not necessary. The openings are laser cut now and nothing needed to be trimmed. :)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122639-44918570.jpeg)
Getting started. As usual, when I dive into a new kit it's usually a good time to put a new blade in the X-Acto handle and break out a new single edge razor blade and dispose of the old ones. I started with the plastic castings.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122639-449201188.jpeg)
I removed the windows and doors from their sprues using a flush cutting sprue cutter. Some modelers prefer to paint them while they're still attached to the sprues so the sprue gives them a way to handle them during painting. I prefer to remove them first. There's no wrong way when it comes to this. I clean up any flash with an emery board or by gently scraping the X-Acto blade along the edge.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122639-449211411.jpeg)
The metal castings (which are nicely done in this kit) I clean up with a file or, if there happens to be a larger chunk or sprue piece attached, and old pair of rail nippers relegated to my work bench.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122640-449221095.jpeg)
And this is exactly where I'm at right now. Figuring out what's what and what goes where. ??? I was a bit surprised to see the kit didn't include cardboard roof cards until I figured out the wood pieces at the bottom of the picture are the roof cards.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-090720122703-449232296.jpeg)
I haven't trimmed the windows yet. The instructions state "File the lower extending window sill on both sides on six of the eight twelve pane windows and the main door." I haven't done that yet. I can see where one side of the sill needs to be filed so the window will fit flush with the window next to it when two are side by side but I don't think I'm going to do both sides.
My next step will be to decide what gets airbrushed and then to prime the components. The front wall and two of the side walls that make up the little office area are smooth (not clapboard) and I may not want to put bracing inside because it will likely be visible so I'm thinking of airbrushing them to reduce the risk of warping. Either way, next up will be the airbrushing and I'm not sure when I'll get to that. That's something I do out in my garage and have to plan around the weather down here. ;)
Thanks for following along on my new adventure!
Quote from: PaulS on July 10, 2020, 07:53:26 AM
Sounds like a great approach to this one Bob !! And you know that I will be following along ...
Enjoy the process and thanks again for your contribution to the Atlantic & White Mountain Railway !
All the best,
--Paul
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the Atlantic and White Mountain Railway Paul! I prefer seeing something I build put to good use vs. trying to find an open space on a shelf in my garage to stash it away. ;D
I built this ten years ago, and don't remember any problems with it (but it WAS ten years ago). ;D Alas, the build is on the old forum and now lost to antiquity.
Jeff
Quote from: Zephyrus52246 on July 10, 2020, 08:28:54 AM
I built this ten years ago, and don't remember any problems with it (but it WAS ten years ago). ;D Alas, the build is on the old forum and now lost to antiquity.
Jeff
That looks great Jeff. Thanks for sharing the picture. I see a few details that didn't come with the kit. You must have gotten an expansion pack for it. ;D ;D
Neat kit Bob.....I'll be looking in. :)
Bob,
Great start on this one. I have a few JL kits in the stash. I'm sure this will be a real beaut and Paul will be very pleased.
Tom ;D
Oh Cool! I'm on board, I have a few of their kits in my shopping cart, including this one.
-Steven
Hey Bob:
Looking good so far. I'm along for the ride.
Karl
Looking good, Bob.
I have the ice cream parlor tucked away to build one day too. I believe I have redesigned the roof.
Cheers, Mark.
Nice start Bob. I built this one about 20 years ago. I love JL kits. They are relatively cheap and simple to build. Last count I have built 34 of hem.
Keep shunting.
Mike
that's a neat looking kit...I'll be watching. It must be satisfying to see your excellent builds featured on so many great layouts.
John
I'll be following Bob. I have this bubble wrapped in a box currently. I acquired it from someone else layout already built.
Looks very interesting Bob.
Looking forward to following along.
Jerry
Bob,
I, too, will be looking in. I've done one JL kit and had a couple little issues that were probably me rather than the kit. One thing I really liked is the full size plan drawing.
Quote from: GPdemayo on July 10, 2020, 09:49:56 AM
Neat kit Bob.....I'll be looking in. :)
Thanks for checking it out Greg! Should be an adventure. :D
Quote from: ACL1504 on July 10, 2020, 01:05:22 PM
Bob,
Great start on this one. I have a few JL kits in the stash. I'm sure this will be a real beaut and Paul will be very pleased.
Tom ;D
Thanks Tom! I'm sure going to try to do a good job on this one for Paul. :D
Quote from: WigWag Workshop on July 10, 2020, 01:54:14 PM
Oh Cool! I'm on board, I have a few of their kits in my shopping cart, including this one.
-Steven
Thanks for joining Steven. Let's see what I can learn from this one! :D
Quote from: mark dalrymple on July 10, 2020, 07:05:22 PM
Looking good, Bob.
I have the ice cream parlor tucked away to build one day too. I believe I have redesigned the roof.
Cheers, Mark.
Thanks Mark! So many kits! So little time! I'm not sure when I'll get to the Ice Cream parlor but it sure looks like a neat design. :D
Quote from: postalkarl on July 10, 2020, 05:24:20 PM
Hey Bob:
Looking good so far. I'm along for the ride.
Karl
Thanks Karl! Always a pleasure to have you along for the journey. :D
Quote from: madharry on July 11, 2020, 05:00:56 AM
Nice start Bob. I built this one about 20 years ago. I love JL kits. They are relatively cheap and simple to build. Last count I have built 34 of hem.
Keep shunting.
Mike
Thank Mike! 34 of them? Wow! Here I am working on number 1. ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: cuse on July 11, 2020, 07:16:23 AM
that's a neat looking kit...I'll be watching. It must be satisfying to see your excellent builds featured on so many great layouts.
John
Thanks for the compliment John! Yes, it sure is a lot more fun to see them surrounded by wonderful scenery and rolling stock than it is to know they're stashed away on a shelf in the garage. ;D
Quote from: PRR Modeler on July 11, 2020, 08:55:02 AM
I'll be following Bob. I have this bubble wrapped in a box currently. I acquired it from someone else layout already built.
Thanks for following along Curt! I hope to see your new layout one of these days once we're looking at this pestilence in the rear view mirror and things are relatively safe again. :D
Quote from: Jerry on July 11, 2020, 09:00:26 PM
Looks very interesting Bob.
Looking forward to following along.
Jerry
Thanks Jerry! Time to get rolling on this one once again! :D
Quote from: jerryrbeach on July 12, 2020, 07:35:00 AM
Bob,
I, too, will be looking in. I've done one JL kit and had a couple little issues that were probably me rather than the kit. One thing I really liked is the full size plan drawing.
Thanks Jerry! We'll see how it goes together. Looks like it should be relatively straight forward. :D
Okay, time for an update. I've been doing some painting in preparation for the build. I'll start by walking thru some of the steps I took to paint the parts. I wanted to start by priming everything with my airbrush. After cleaning up the parts I decided which needed to be primed and arranged them on strips of painters tape that were taped upside down on an old jelly roll sheet (thing cookie sheet but with edges which help keep things from falling off if they break free from the tape). Note that most of the bottom row of tape contains parts for a different, small, build. Hey, if I'm going to break out the airbrush and paints might as well throw in an extra one. ;)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113722-450832003.jpeg)
I mixed up a bottle of Floquil Earth first. If the paint is in relatively good shape (appears fresh, thin, with no lumps, etc.) I don't worry about straining it through a piece of old nylon. You can pretty much tell when you mix it up what kind of shape it's in. If it's not in good shape don't even bother. I used to use Floquil Primer to prime things but I'm out of that. I was about to switch over to Model Masters but Testor's has pulled the rug out from under us on that one. >:(
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113722-450862400.jpeg)
Using an eyedropper I put the freshly mixed paint into a stainless steel measuring cup. For every three eyedroppers full of paint I add one eyedropper full of thinner (75% paint/25% thinner). Then I mix that up.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113722-45087453.jpeg)
From that I load up my airbrush. As you can see it's a top feed. Even though there's a cap that goes on it you still have to work with it upright. Don't get wild with it or turn it sideways. No need to do that anyway. :P
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113722-45088126.jpeg)
I work side to side with the airbrush. Mine's a dual action. You push down to let the air flow and pull back on the trigger in increase the amount of paint. I'm normally painting things solid colors so I pull back pretty far. If I wanted to mist things on, e.g. weathering, I wouldn't pull back as far. There's a stop that can be set to prevent you from being able to pull back too far. One of these days I'm going to try my hand at weathering rolling stock and that will come in handy but not today.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113722-45089595.jpeg)
After covering everything I rotate the tray one quarter turn and then go over everything again. I do this two more time to ensure I hit everything from all four sides. I'll mention that I'm working in my garage with the garage door open and large fan behind be on the floor blowing directly on me to keep the fumes away from me.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113820-45090815.jpeg)
More in a moment.... ;)
Once everything has dried to the touch (a process I speed up by setting the tray on the roof of my car in the driveway and letting the Florida Sunshine give me an assist) I flip over the stuff that needs to be painted on the other side. and repeat the spraying process.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113820-450911141.jpeg)
You have to plan ahead, time wise, to make sure you have time to clean the airbrush when you're finished. You can't leave the paint dry out in it. At least not unless you're planning on throwing it away and buying a new one for the next session. :P After emptying out the feed cup I put an eyedropper or two of thinner in it.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113820-45092937.jpeg)
Then I spray the thinner into a container until the feed cup is empty.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113820-45093414.jpeg)
Next I disassemble the airbrush and clean the parts individually.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113821-450941635.jpeg)
I start by cleaning the needle and setting it aside. The tip is very fine so be careful not to damage it.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113917-45095940.jpeg)
A pipe cleaner dipped in thinner is really useful for cleaning out the inside of the brush.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113918-450961974.jpeg)
More in a moment... ;)
After everything was primed and the paint cured I airbrushed some of the walls and parts Floquil Reefer White. No photo's of that. Let's skip ahead to the third airbrush session where I picked out the parts that I was going to airbrush with Floquil Signal Red. The two walls on the bottom row are a two tone paint scheme. White on top and Red on the bottom. So I masked off the top that is going stay white in preparation for painting the bottom red. Think about it for a second though. Why red over white rather than white over red? The latter would work but it's much harder to cover red with white than it is white with red.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113918-450971090.jpeg)
Next up I'm trying a trick I read about many times but never tried. I airbrushed the edge where the painters tape separates the white from the red with Floquil Reefer White. This is supposed to create a seal to prevent the red paint from bleeding beneath the tape. Let's see how well I do.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113918-45098981.jpeg)
Okay, everything has been painted Signal Red.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720113918-450991311.jpeg)
Next up I stained the strip wood with Hunterline Weathering Mix Light Gray. There wasn't a lot of it so I just brushed it on rather than using my PVC pipe bath tub to soak it in.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720114041-45100605.jpeg)
Now for the moment of truth. The grand unveiling. I peeled off the painters tape and the separation between the red and white was pretty good. Only two very tiny spots where a little red got up into the white but easy to correct.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720114041-45101274.jpeg)
I decided that the four clapboard walls, which haven't been stained or painted yet, should be braced even though the instructions don't call for it. I run a little bead of glue along the bracing material (1/8" square) first.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720114041-451021925.jpeg)
More in a moment... ;)
Next I smear the glue onto the side of the bracing material with my finger tip (and then wipe my fingertip on a paper towel as soon as I'm done).
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720114041-451031090.jpeg)
For the end piece I use a metal square to make sure I have bracing right up against the end of the clapboard wall but not over the edge.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720114041-451041641.jpeg)
Then I weigh it down until the glue grabs.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720114127-45105357.jpeg)
I trim the bracing material to length afterwards with a single edged razor blade. You may note that the end of the wall where the garage door goes I did not place the bracing right up against the edge. Looking ahead I could see where that might interfere with the garage door itself to I left some room there.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720114127-451061751.jpeg)
Now that the walls are braced I can stain (same Hunterline Weathering mix) and them paint them.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-260720114127-45107802.jpeg)
That's it for now. That's where I'm at with this one. Still pondering how to very lightly weather this one. White is tricky to start with and easily overdone. I want this to look like a relatively well maintained service station when I'm done. At least that's the plan. :D
Thanks for following along!
You
Coming along fantastic Bob !!!
And thanks so much for taking us through your process in using your airbrush. Lots of very good tips and techniques there; appreciate you taking the time to take pictures and document that as part of the build.
Really like the colors, and your planned approach with the weathering sounds good, and if you miss by a bit and it gets a little bit more weathered, so be it ....
All the best and be well,
Thanks,
--Paul
Wow Bob , what a detailed build once again , thanks for all the time and effort. I saw on one of the photo's you were mixing paint with a battery stirrer , I have a little tip for you that won't cost a thing , whilst mixing hold the bottle with an empty toilet roll , then when you take it out you can keep it turning till it's completely out of the bottle , it will save you some paint because it won't cling to the stirrer , and will also keep things cleaner.
Great modeling Bob. Your work is immaculate.
Wonderful step-by-step, Bob. I really appreciate your builds. They go way beyond just tips. Great tutorials.
--Opa George
So far so good. I like the smallness of this kit. Good to watch to see where any oopsies occur.
Looking Awesome! Thank you for the detailed updates. Is that an Eagle Talon Airbrush?
-Steven
Quote from: PaulS on July 26, 2020, 02:08:42 PM
Coming along fantastic Bob !!!
And thanks so much for taking us through your process in using your airbrush. Lots of very good tips and techniques there; appreciate you taking the time to take pictures and document that as part of the build.
Really like the colors, and your planned approach with the weathering sounds good, and if you miss by a bit and it gets a little bit more weathered, so be it ....
All the best and be well,
Thanks,
--Paul
Thanks Paul! :) She's coming along slowly but so far so good. ;) I'll get there. I'm pondering how to install LED lighting so that it's accessible should the need to repair it ever arise. Haven't quite gotten my head wrapped around that challenge yet.
Quote from: Janbouli on July 26, 2020, 02:10:28 PM
Wow Bob , what a detailed build once again , thanks for all the time and effort. I saw on one of the photo's you were mixing paint with a battery stirrer , I have a little tip for you that won't cost a thing , whilst mixing hold the bottle with an empty toilet roll , then when you take it out you can keep it turning till it's completely out of the bottle , it will save you some paint because it won't cling to the stirrer , and will also keep things cleaner.
Thanks for following along Jan! I've heard you mention that toilet paper roll trick before and you'll be happy to know I finally thought of grabbing an empty one and putting on my workbench to try it out. ;D
Quote from: PRR Modeler on July 26, 2020, 02:18:21 PM
Great modeling Bob. Your work is immaculate.
Thanks Curt! I'm slow but I get there. Eventually. ::) But the journey is the fun part so why not make it last? ;)
Quote from: Opa George on July 26, 2020, 04:50:51 PM
Wonderful step-by-step, Bob. I really appreciate your builds. They go way beyond just tips. Great tutorials.
--Opa George
Thank you Opa George! Right back at you. I'm enjoying your builds as well and learning lots from them. :D
Quote from: Oldguy on July 26, 2020, 05:38:02 PM
So far so good. I like the smallness of this kit. Good to watch to see where any oopsies occur.
Thanks Bob! There have been a few oopsies and work arounds required with this one. I'll try to document them as best I can. So far nothing insurmountable. :D
Quote from: WigWag Workshop on July 27, 2020, 11:11:35 AM
Looking Awesome! Thank you for the detailed updates. Is that an Eagle Talon Airbrush?
-Steven
Thank you Steven! Yes it is. I like it. I had to order a replacement needle and tip once when I dropped it while taking it apart to clean it. Wouldn't you know it I had the guard off an it landed tip first on the concrete floor in the garage. The Paasche website was a little old/clumsy but I got the replacements with no issues. :)
Back to the build. It's time to try my hand at lightly wreathing things. One of the steps I thought about skipping was applying any peeling paint effects. But I went ahead and did opted to add a little (I hope) bit. I used a piece of grout sponge (Home Depot) and a light gray craft paint for this step. I dabbed the sponge in the paint and then tapped it on a piece of paper until almost all the paint was out of the sponge. Then I tapped it on the part I wanted to add the peeling paint effect to. The light gray stands out much more on the red than it does on the white. For heavier weathering I'd follow this up with a tan or khaki colored paint but I didn't do that this time around.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112043-45475927.jpeg)
I also lifted a few clapboards with an chisel blade in the X-Acto handle. Not many. Just few on each wall. I didn't twist the blade and break any off like I'd do if I was going for a heavily weathered effect. I skipped the nail holes this time around.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112043-4549512.jpeg)
Now for the really tricky part with white. Applying the A&I wash. My current A&I mix on my workbench is pretty light to start with but as I brushed it on I dipped my brush in plain old A to dilute it even more if it looked to dark to me.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112044-4549660.jpeg)
The next step in the construction calls for gluing together some window and door castings. I sanded the edge of the plastic castings where they were going to be glued together and, using a fresh bottle of Testor's Plastic Cement, applied a little glue to both edges and the glued the parts together. Emphasis on fresh because I learned the hard way that that stuff doesn't last forever. I was trying to build a Jordon vehicle one time and couldn't figure out why things I glued together wouldn't stay glued together. Finally figured out the old bottle of liquid cement I was using just wasn't cutting it anymore.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112044-454971596.jpeg)
The front wall went together with minimal difficulty. There are two small, wood panels beneath the windows that were cut a little narrower than they should have been. I made sure to line them up with the corner trim rather than to butt them up against the door casting. Here I'm trimming the corner piece at an angle to match the pitch of the roof using a single edged razor blade after the pieced was glued in place.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112044-454981950.jpeg)
The nice thing about using cheap craft paints for the peeling paint effect is you can 'erase' any heavy, unsightly globs by gently scrubbing them with cotton swab or, in the case, something finer (from Tamiya) and a little plain old rubbing alcohol. You can also do this while applying the A&I wash.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112140-45499936.jpeg)
More in a moment... ;)
Okay, here's an oopsie as Bob put it. ;) At least I think it is. When I positioned the garage door behind the wall with the garage door opening it fit perfectly. But it shouldn't have. I still haven't lined the opening with strip wood (painted red and weathered) like the instructions call for. Once I do that the door won't fit.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112141-455002197.jpeg)
Kind of eyeballing the whole thing and thinking about what to do.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112141-45501661.jpeg)
Using the width of the strip wood as a guide and a single edge razor blade I made the garage door opening in the wall a little larger. That solved the problem.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112141-45502341.jpeg)
Next up it was time to start applying signs. I cut out one of the large signs that goes on the rear wall and decided roughly where it should go. I wanted this sign to appear painted on.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112141-455032492.jpeg)
I carefully sanded the back of the sign from the center out to make the paper as thin as possible without actually sanding all the way through the sign.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112232-455041174.jpeg)
Then I hit the back of the sign with my A&I (not too dark). This will bleed through to the front and tone down the sign a bit.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112232-455062341.jpeg)
More in a moment... :)
Here's the sign ready to apply to the wall,
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112233-455071566.jpeg)
I put a drop of two of Elmer's White Glue onto some paper and added a drop or two of water to it with my finger. No precise mix. I just want the Elmer's to be a little bit thinner than normal.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112233-455081088.jpeg)
Than I mixed the glue and water together.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112323-455092021.jpeg)
I smeared the thinned glue onto the back of the sign being careful not to get any on the front. The thinned glue makes the thin paper more pliable.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112323-45510590.jpeg)
I positioned the sign on the wall, place a scrap piece of plastic bag over it and used my fingernail to press it down into the clapboards. The plastic helps prevent my fingernail from catching the paper and tearing it. I worked from the center out and did my best to get the signed seated down onto each clapboard.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112323-455112051.jpeg)
Next I cut out the glazing for the windows from the clear acetate supplied in the kit and glued it in place using MicroScale Industries Krystal Klear. Sometimes I use the latter for the glazing, other times I use it to glue the glazing in place.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112323-455121645.jpeg)
More in a moment... ;D
I decide to add window shades to only the two windows in the garage and not to the windows in the office. I have a sheet of white paper I painted with Depot Buff that I cut into strips, slightly wider than the windows. Then I cut random lengths from the strips.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112323-45513331.jpeg)
I applied some Elmer's around the windows.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112411-455141860.jpeg)
And added the blinds.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112411-45515247.jpeg)
Here's the rear wall with the sign in 'painted on' and the window shade in place. ;)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112411-455162236.jpeg)
Last picture for today but it's finally time to start gluing walls together! Hurray!
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-150820112411-455171943.jpeg)
More next time around. Thanks for following along! ;D
Coming along great Bob !!
Looks fantastic, weathering shows a reasonably well maintained building that gets lots of service, and the signs are very well done.
Enjoying the build and following along,
All the best and be well,
--Paul
Great stuff Bob , thanks again.
Great build. Thanx
Bob
Gents .....
Help me out here. ...
Did David Proel sell this company . and if so where did it go ?
Thanx
Bob
Bob,
In talking with Dave last January at the Springfield MRR Show he indicated that he was looking to retire and sell the business. I ordered a couple of things from him earlier this year but just noticed the following notice on his website today. Looks like he sold the business and the new owners will be maintaining his inventory, business and website ...
JL Innovative Design has been purchased by Costello Manufacturing JL Innovative, Durango Express, and Railway Express Miniatures have been purchased by Costello Manufacturing. As we settle into our new home in Western New York, you will begin to notice some changes. The first one is our presence on social media. Please like and share our page on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JLInnovative (https://www.facebook.com/JLInnovative) we plan to use it to announce new products and sales. We will also be redesigning this website to make it easier to navigate and easier to purchase from us. Until it is redesigned the old page will be up and functional. We thank you in advance for your support.Sincerely, Chris and Michael Costello.
All the best,
--Paul (no affiliation to JL Innovative or the owners, just a satisfied customer and glad to see his line continuing)
Quote from: PaulS on August 16, 2020, 11:55:24 AM
Coming along great Bob !!
Looks fantastic, weathering shows a reasonably well maintained building that gets lots of service, and the signs are very well done.
Enjoying the build and following along,
All the best and be well,
--Paul
Thanks Paul. I'm certainly glad you like it so far since it will be going on your layout some day. ;) It's growing on me. I'm in the unique position where my workbench is in my living room (I have a very small house and a very understanding wife) so I can see the build even when I'm not actively working on it. Heck, I can even see it while I'm at work now that I'm working remotely from my dining room table. :D I find myself staring at it from a distance and time and judging what I like about it or where I can make some tweaks. The lighting is going to be a little bit of a challenge but I can't resist adding it. That's all Slim's fault. ;)
Quote from: Janbouli on August 16, 2020, 12:02:42 PM
Great stuff Bob , thanks again.
You're welcome Jan! Glad you're enjoying it. Haven't quite settled on what my next build will be yet but I've got a few things in mind. I still have some time to spend on this one before I get to that point though. ;)
Quote from: bparrish on August 16, 2020, 12:13:42 PM
Great build. Thanx
Bob
You're welcome Bob! Thanks for following along. :D
Amazing modeling Bob. Everything is top notch as usual.
Bob,
Always enjoy your building threads. Love the exterior wall signs as well. Looking great as usual.
Tom ;D
This is coming along very, very nicely.
Quote from: PRR Modeler on August 16, 2020, 02:32:34 PM
Amazing modeling Bob. Everything is top notch as usual.
Thank you Curt! Very much appreciated. :)
Quote from: ACL1504 on August 16, 2020, 04:17:46 PM
Bob,
Always enjoy your building threads. Love the exterior wall signs as well. Looking great as usual.
Tom ;D
Thanks Tom! Being my first foray into a JL Innovative Design Kit it's been interesting. ;)
Quote from: Oldguy on August 16, 2020, 09:33:14 PM
This is coming along very, very nicely.
Thank you Bob! Appreciate you following along and commenting. I'm currently working on mocking up some interior details since I'm going to light it up and there are a lot of windows in the front. We'll see how that goes. ;D
Really like the color combination, the build is looking great!
-Steven
Just got caught up on your build Bob. First class as always and I have already picked up a couple of great ideas. I have watched you make signs over and over and still can not figure out how you make them so perfect. I'll be following from here out.
Jim D
Quote from: WigWag Workshop on August 17, 2020, 07:58:04 AM
Really like the color combination, the build is looking great!
-Steven
Hi Steven! Thanks for following along and commenting. I can't take credit for the color combinations (Floquil Reefer White and Floquil Signal Red). Those were recommended in the instructions and the colors Paul preferred. That made it easy on me. ;)
Quote from: Jim Donovan on August 17, 2020, 06:28:11 PM
Just got caught up on your build Bob. First class as always and I have already picked up a couple of great ideas. I have watched you make signs over and over and still can not figure out how you make them so perfect. I'll be following from here out.
Jim D
Thanks Jim! Glad to have you following along. The next time I update this thread I'll show the little bit of an interior I'm slapping together the for the front portion of the station. ;)
Bob great choice of colors. The weathering is right on. Not overdone just enough to give it that worn look.
An your usual great tutorial.
Jerry
Hello Bob, catching up on your build thread. As usual a very nice and informative job. I especially liked the way you put the signs on the wood walls. I always pick up some new tips from you on your builds. Jeff
Quote from: Jerry on August 19, 2020, 08:56:47 AM
Bob great choice of colors. The weathering is right on. Not overdone just enough to give it that worn look.
An your usual great tutorial.
Jerry
Thanks Jerry! I really have to restrain myself to keep from over weathering something. ;)
Quote from: Jerry on August 19, 2020, 08:56:47 AM
Bob great choice of colors. The weathering is right on. Not overdone just enough to give it that worn look.
An your usual great tutorial.
Jerry
Thanks Jeff! I just went with the color recommendations in the kit and tried to keep the weathering lighter than I normally would. I like heavily weathered, old looking structures so this was a departure from the norm for me. :D
So, where was I? Oh yeah. Before assembling the front walls of the gas station I checked for light leads using a small flashlight. The side windows and front window/door combinations are glued together edge to edge so I wanted make sure to seal any light leaks. There were a few.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171424-460941551.jpeg)
To seal the light leaks I glued some scrap strip wood in the gaps and that took care of the issue.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171424-46095765.jpeg)
Nothing nearly as sophisticated/neat as what Jim and Frank have done in their build threads but I mocked up a little interior for the front since there are a lot of windows and I opted to not put blinds in the windows. The counter is made up of scraps of photo mounting board. The flooring is just a pattern I printed out from paint and attached to some photo mounting board using transfer tape. The figure was an unpainted Preiser figure I found in my stash. He was hired to be the gas station attendant.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171424-46096320.jpeg)
I added a small scrap of strip wood painted a light brown to the counter top to represent a cigar box or something along those lines.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171425-46097592.jpeg)
And there we have. An interior so it doesn't look so vacant when the lights are one. 8)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171425-460981200.jpeg)
Now I can glue the front of the station onto the service bay.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171539-460991547.jpeg)
More in a moment... ;)
I don't recall ever building a kit where the roof was made out of wood. The scribed side is the underside and I painted that, and the edges, red. The upper side will get roofing material applied to it so I left that unpainted. Although the instructions don't mention it I also sanded the edge that will be at the peak so that the pieces will mate together a little better. I applied 3M Transfer tape to the surface.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171539-461001562.jpeg)
I trimmed the 3M Transfer tape with a pair of Friskar Micro Shears. Those are one of my favorite tools on the workbench.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171539-46101819.jpeg)
Test fitting the roof pieces to understand how everything is going to go together and how well it will fit. With solid pieces of roofing like this I was hoping to make the roof assembly removable to access the lighting circuit.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171539-46102232.jpeg)
Starting at the bottom edge I added strips of the roofing material. Since I wasn't going for heavily weather I skipped the steps where I'd sand the edges down to make them look worn and tattered. I also didn't lift up any of the edges or apply any patches.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171641-46105572.jpeg)
More in a moment... ;)
Like most kit manufacturers this one included a sheet of paper as roofing material along with instructions on painting it and cutting it into strips. I tossed that and opted to use some roofing material I picked up at the EXPO in Scranton.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171540-46103624.jpeg)
I cut the roofing material into 3' wide strips and then removed the backing from the 3M Transfer tape so I could apply it.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171641-461042407.jpeg)
The Friskars come out again to trim the excess roofing material. :D
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171642-461062500.jpeg)
Next I very lightly drybrushed the roof with some Folk Art Ivory White. Very, very lightly.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171642-46107790.jpeg)
I wanted the roof to be removed but it ended up not cooperating and sitting in place so I was forced to add a few drops of glue to hold it down. If need be it could be popped off with a chisel blade. I only applied the glue to bracing over the service bay.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171642-46108426.jpeg)
The LED's were a bit to white for my liking so I painted them with Tamiya transparent yellow which gives softens up the light a bit.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171741-461092335.jpeg)
I made a base to mount the structure on. The paved area is drywall joint compound scribed, painted and colored with pan pastels. I really did this just for practice as well as to have something to mount the structure on when I mail it to Paul. He'll be able to pop it, and the other details off, without much difficulty.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171741-46110547.jpeg)
For the billboard I ignored the recommendation in the instructions which were to build it first and then airbrush it. I prefer to paint everything first, then build and then touch up an cut ends.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171742-461112.jpeg)
More in a moment.... ;)
It's a pretty basic billboard and went together easily. On a totally unrelated topic I wish I would have bought more billboard kits from VectorCut before the business closed down. :'(
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171742-461121343.jpeg)
I had to do some adjustments here and there to make sure I got all the supports seat properly and more or less lined up.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171742-46113807.jpeg)
So, I mentioned that the structure and details can be removed from the base when Paul gets it. I used a minimal amount of Elmer white glue to glue it down.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171858-46114780.jpeg)
Time for some final pictures after adding weeds, shrubs, details, etc.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171859-461151878.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171859-461161937.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171859-461171265.jpeg)
More in a moment... ;)
:D
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920171859-461181324.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920172004-461192495.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920172004-461201105.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920172004-461212091.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/56-210920172004-461221122.jpeg)
I noticed I forgot to add some of the free standing signs so I constructed a couple of those and added them after the fact.
This has been a fun one. For the price it's a pretty nice little kit. Next task will be to get her packed up an in the mail to Paul later this week or next. :D
Thanks for following along!
That turned out nicely, didn't it? Great job as usual.
Jeff
Bob,
Looks great!
Wonderful job Bob.....love the lighting. 8)
Good morning Bob,
Well what a fantastic job you have done on this model. Love the color, weathering, all the details (including the interior with Mr. Rivers), and the lighting. Outstanding and awesome.
Thanks so much Bob and have a spot in mind on the new version of the Atlantic & White Mountain Ry. for this 'Beauty by Bob !!' I am just beginning a small build of a corner spa (New England neighborhood convenience grocer) to perhaps accompany the Rivers Station.
Thanks so much and really appreciate your build on this,
All the best,
--Paul
Beautiful job Bob. You are one of the masters when it comes to lighting.
Great job as usual Bob. Jeff
Absolutely fantastic.
Very nice job Bob. A great tutorial!
Mike :) :)
Quote from: Zephyrus52246 on September 22, 2020, 08:21:34 AM
That turned out nicely, didn't it? Great job as usual.
Jeff
Thanks Jeff. I think it did turn out okay. I wasn't quite sure what to expect since it was my first venture into a J.L. Innovative Design kit. Some challenges here and there but nothing major. ;)
Quote from: GPdemayo on September 22, 2020, 08:48:32 AM
Wonderful job Bob.....love the lighting. 8)
Thanks butty! I should have gone into the lighting a little more in the build thread. I'll try to do a better job in a future build. ;)
Quote from: PaulS on September 22, 2020, 09:10:29 AM
Good morning Bob,
Well what a fantastic job you have done on this model. Love the color, weathering, all the details (including the interior with Mr. Rivers), and the lighting. Outstanding and awesome.
Thanks so much Bob and have a spot in mind on the new version of the Atlantic & White Mountain Ry. for this 'Beauty by Bob !!' I am just beginning a small build of a corner spa (New England neighborhood convenience grocer) to perhaps accompany the Rivers Station.
Thanks so much and really appreciate your build on this,
All the best,
--Paul
You're quite welcome Paul. I can't wait until you have it in you hands. I still haven't packed it up for mailing but that's on my list of things to do this weekend. ;)
Quote from: PRR Modeler on September 22, 2020, 09:21:01 AM
Beautiful job Bob. You are one of the masters when it comes to lighting.
Thanks butty! If/when things ever get back to some semblance of normal we'll have to get the SBG together for a mini lighting clinic. Hope that's not too far off in the future.
Quote from: nycjeff on September 22, 2020, 01:04:13 PM
Great job as usual Bob. Jeff
Thanks Jeff! Time to move on to the next build once I clean up a few little things on my workbench. ;)
Quote from: Oldguy on September 22, 2020, 08:08:09 PM
Absolutely fantastic.
Thanks Bob! Very much appreciate you're following along! :)
Quote from: madharry on September 23, 2020, 11:54:21 AM
Very nice job Bob. A great tutorial!
Mike :) :)
Thanks Mike! I enjoy you're adventures too and have learned a lot from them. ;)
SBG Bob,
Wowser, what a beautiful little build. Everything is so very well done. Thanks for the build thread and time involved in sharing.
Tom ;D
Quote from: ACL1504 on September 24, 2020, 08:39:55 AM
SBG Bob,
Wowser, what a beautiful little build. Everything is so very well done. Thanks for the build thread and time involved in sharing.
Tom ;D
Thanks Tom! :D I'm getting excited to get moving onto the next build. ;)
Great build Bob! As usual a great tutorial with tons of pics!
Great looking project Bob. You went the extra mile to ad the labels to the barrels and the weeds growing from the cracks in the pavement. Fantastic
Well done Bob.
ed
Quote from: MAP on September 24, 2020, 04:07:40 PM
Great build Bob! As usual a great tutorial with tons of pics!
Thanks Mark! And thanks for following along. ;)
Quote from: sdrees on September 24, 2020, 04:36:41 PM
Great looking project Bob. You went the extra mile to ad the labels to the barrels and the weeds growing from the cracks in the pavement. Fantastic
Thanks Steve! I can't take credit for the barrels with the labels on them. They came with the kit that way. ;D
Quote from: engine909 on September 24, 2020, 10:04:08 PM
Well done Bob.
ed
Thanks Ed! Appreciate your following along. :D
Hey Bob:
Beautiful job on that one. What's next?
Karl
Quote from: postalkarl on September 25, 2020, 10:04:53 AM
Hey Bob:
Beautiful job on that one. What's next?
Karl
Thanks Karl! Next up, for a change of pace, is Sea Port Model Works 65' Workboat/Lighter (https://seaportmodelworks.com/product/h133w-ho-65-workboat-lighter/). ;)
Beautiful work, Bob.
Looks amazing!
Cheers, Mark.
Quote from: mark dalrymple on September 25, 2020, 01:44:26 PM
Beautiful work, Bob.
Looks amazing!
Cheers, Mark.
Thanks Mark! Much appreciated. ;)
For a small kit you sure made it look large with the detailing.
Wonderful job!!
Jerry
Quote from: Jerry on September 27, 2020, 09:49:12 AM
For a small kit you sure made it look large with the detailing.
Wonderful job!!
Jerry
Thanks Jerry! It is a pretty neat little kit. I had fun building it. :D
Bob
Fantastic build, the interior really makes this work great. It gives the model lots of depth. Another fine job.
Quote from: S&S RR on September 28, 2020, 08:15:30 AM
Bob
Fantastic build, the interior really makes this work great. It gives the model lots of depth. Another fine job.
Thanks John! I haven't done too many interiors before. I remember reading an article Mike Tylick wrote that appeared MRR about creating them and always thought they'd be fun. It was. ;)