For my next build I am trying my first KC's Workshop kit. I wanted to try a larger kit this time and after looking at this kit I decided to add on to it to make it even bigger. So, we'll see what happens. This kit is a reissue of an older KC's workshop kit called K&W Butter Co. and there is a build thread on that kit by Dave K. back in 2016. Dave did a wonderful job and I used his thread for valuable information on my build. Dave, if you want to post some pics of your build that is fine with me.
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First the picture of the box. It says this kit is a 4 exacto knife difficulty level- we'll see.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124610.jpeg)
The contents- laser cut wood walls, different roof materials, stripwood trim, windows, signs and castings. Also some nice foundation pieces. This will be my first kit with a standing metal roof and I'm looking forward to trying something new in roofing styles. The kit also came with a stairway jig that looks like it will be very helpful. I've had problems with building stairs on past kits and it looks like the jig will help me make better looking stairs.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124634.jpeg)
I laid out the wood walls and found that one was slightly damaged.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124720.jpeg)
This is the damaged wall piece. I don't think it will be to hard to repair.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124656.jpeg)
I started out by sanding the edges of the wood walls to make sure they are square. As has been explained many times in multiple threads, the edges are uneven as a result of the laser cutting process- I think it's been called a kerf. I first use a piece of sand paper and then use my sanding stick for harder to reach areas. It's worth the effort. We don't want problems when assembling the walls.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124742.jpeg)
I braced the walls with the provided stripwood and also added extra bracing at the gable ends for a better glueing surface for the roof cards. I learned a lesson about larger kit walls after using my AI solution. I'll explain more about that later. That's it for now, more later
That is a fairly large structure Jeff. Should be fun. I've got a front row seat for this one. ;)
Looks like an interesting kit, Jeff.
I'm looking forward to watching your version, with added extras, coming together.
Cheers, Mark.
I'll be following.
Jeff,
I'll be following along also. I almost order this one but It would probably never get built if I did.
Tom ;D
Hey Jeff:
Looks like a great kit and I shall be following your build with interest. Can't wait to see what you do with it.
Karl
Thank you Bob, Mark and Karl for looking in. I'm looking forward to this build, it's the largest wood kit I've attempted so far. Tom- thanks for the advice on the weathered copper technique. This kit has a metal roof and I thought I might try the aged patina look that you did so well on your church build.
Hey Der Jeff,
I will be following along, I have a couple of KC's kits on my want to build list. Appreciate you sharing.
-Steven
Hello Curt and Steven, thanks for looking in. As I mentioned before this is my first KC's Workshop kit and also the largest wood kit I have attempted to this point. The instructions assume some experience building craftsman kits, so I wouldn't suggest it for someone new to this type of kit. I did have some problems as I will explain. Continuing on...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124935.jpeg)
I used my AI solution on the wood walls and despite the amount of bracing I used, the two large walls warped. My first reaction was to use the AI solution on the rear side of the walls to counteract the fronts warping. So I did that and weighted the walls down to see what would happen. They were still warped !
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-211020173353.jpeg)
I then added more bracing and weighted the walls while the glue was drying. I didn't use any more AI solution than I normally have in the past, so I am at a loss for the warping reason. Is it because the wood bracing was not big enough ? I followed the bracing instructions and used the stripwood provided in the kit, so where did I go wrong ? I can work my way through this problem, but I am definitely open to any suggestions as to why the walls warped the way they did.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-211020173305.jpeg)
One of the end walls also warped a little, so here the added bracing is being weighted down while the glue is drying
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124913.jpeg)
One of the nice items included in the kit is an enclosed stairway. Here I have braced the pieces for that. This was not talked about in the instructions and this is one way that some experience with wood kits is necessary for building this kit. The pictures of the kit in the instructions show this stairway located on the rear wall, but I am thinking of a different location.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124804.jpeg)
The large rear wall and the right side wall both have large open spaces. As mentioned before, the kit suggests locating the enclosed stairway on the rear wall, but I thought that I could build a rear addition with a shed roof and add to the building footprint. I also thought that another addition on the right wall open space would look nice. I drew scale drawings for both front walls for the additions and placed a door and some windows from my parts stash where I thought they might look good. The side walls for both additions would slant up and a shed roof would be added to each.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124828.jpeg)
The more I looked at these two areas I came up with another couple of ideas. If I added the two additions I would not have space for the enclosed stairway and I wanted to use it in some way. I tried locating it on the right wall and it looks like it will fit there without a problem. I also thought that instead of the rear addition, I could build an outside storage area for the warehouse. Shown are drawings for this area. The one placed against the rear wall is actually a floor plan for the new storage area. It would have two deck areas with a space between them for a truck to load and unload materials. The other drawing shows the framing for the roof supports. There would be four of these, located on each side of the two loading decks. I'm leaning towards the second of my two options, I think the storage areas would give me a chance to show more details and I would also get to use the enclosed stairway. The first idea of the two additions would just give me more enclosed space that would not be visible. What do you guys think ? That's it for now, more later
Great progress so far.
Good looking kit Jeff.....can't wait to see what you do with this one. :)
Coming on nicely, Jeff.
My advise would be to make a quick mock-up of the structure with the different additions as separate pieces. In that way you can move them around and make different configurations to see what you like. Regards the stairwell - it is hellishly steep. There is a reason for this steepness when attached to the gable end as it takes up the entire width of the wall. I fear it may look odd attached to a longer wall. Again - a mock-up will let you see this. You could always make up a new stairway with a more gentle grade.
Cheers, Mark.
Quote from: PRR Modeler on October 21, 2020, 08:48:53 PM
Great progress so far.
Thank you Curt, I'm enjoying this build
Quote from: GPdemayo on October 22, 2020, 01:37:29 PM
Good looking kit Jeff.....can't wait to see what you do with this one. :)
Hello Greg, I think that I have decided which of my add-ons I will use
Quote from: mark dalrymple on October 22, 2020, 02:11:41 PM
Coming on nicely, Jeff.
My advise would be to make a quick mock-up of the structure with the different additions as separate pieces. In that way you can move them around and make different configurations to see what you like. Regards the stairwell - it is hellishly steep. There is a reason for this steepness when attached to the gable end as it takes up the entire width of the wall. I fear it may look odd attached to a longer wall. Again - a mock-up will let you see this. You could always make up a new stairway with a more gentle grade.
Cheers, Mark.
Thanks for the advice Mark, I think that I will put the enclosed stairway on the right wall. I seems to fit, even if it is steep. Continuing on...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-201020124851.jpeg)
This shows the repaired damaged wall. I just used a piece of the wall board and glued it in to take the place of the missing/ damaged piece
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I first dry brushed the foundation pieces with a dark grey and then a heritage brick color. After the paint dried I painted some individual bricks with burnt umber and then some black. I will use pastel chalks to tone down the colors later
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These are the colors I will use for the walls and trim. Dark chocolate and khaki
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-211020173414.jpeg)
After cleaning minimal flash from the window pieces with a small file and sanding stick, I painted them with full strength dark chocolate and then dry brushed them with the khaki
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-211020173638.jpeg)
I painted the first layer of the large doors with the khaki and the second layer with the dark chocolate. Glass and window shades were added to the right side door.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-211020173442.jpeg)
The walls were dry brushed with the khaki color and the bottoms were painted with the chocolate color. I glued in the windows and that's it for now, more later. As you can see at the beginning of this post, I finally figured out the insert quote thing. It only took me until my fourth build thread to do this- learn something new every day.
Walls look great and nice pick for the coloring.
Quote from: PRR Modeler on October 23, 2020, 09:21:57 AM
Walls look great and nice pick for the coloring.
Thanks Curt, I try to pick subdued colors that fit into a rural Ohio theme where there are harsh winters. Continuing on...
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I have started wall assembly and am making sure that the wall corners are meeting squarely. I still have to deal with some wall warping.
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Added another wall, again making sure that the corners are square. You can also see the window glass and shades here. The black marks at the corners of the window glass are magic marker dots that I placed on the acetate to make cutting easier. I used brown construction paper for the window shades. I usually use Aileen's tacky glue for the windows and shades.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184500.jpeg)
I've added the fourth wall and also some cross braces at the bottom to maintain the correct building width. THis is being done to help correct the wall warping that I experienced.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184526.jpeg)
The interior wall which provides the gable end for the tall portion of the building and also for the lower portion has been added. This wall will help maintain correct building width at the top of the large walls that warped.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184545.jpeg)
Another cross brace has been added at the center of the higher roofed portion of the building. This seemed to correct the last of the wall warping problem. I still don't understand why I had this problem. I braced the walls per the instructions and did not use a huge amount of AI solution. I guess that I will have to be more careful with large sized wood walls in the future.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184606.jpeg)
I traced the lower roof gable end on a piece of paper and then cut it out so I could tape it to the interior wall so that I had some guide lines to glue on wood bracing for the roof card. That's it for now, more later.
Great progress.
Really like the colors. A nice job you doing on this one.
Jerry
Quote from: PRR Modeler on October 23, 2020, 08:37:09 PM
Great progress.
Quote from: Jerry on October 24, 2020, 08:58:39 AM
Really like the colors. A nice job you doing on this one.
Jerry
Thank you Curt and Jerry for looking in. I'm having a good time with this kit, it's presenting some challenges but overall I'm happy with the way things are going. Continuing on...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184837.jpeg)
After drawing lines where the paper cut-out was taped onto the gable end, I glued some 1/8 inch stripwood to provide a glueing surface for the roof card. I also installed a 1/4 by 1/4 piece at the peak. This serves two purposes- it gives the building added stability and also provides more glueing surface for the roof cards. As you can see I also placed a similar board across the higher roof peak line
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184635.jpeg)
Next I turned my attention to the foundation. I glued a 1/8 by 1/4 piece of stripwood to the back of the foundation pieces provided with the kit. This doubles the width of the foundation and also gives twice the glueing surface.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184659.jpeg)
Next I added 1/8 square wood around the base perimeter wherever possible to match the width of the foundation pieces. I did this because I thought that just glueing the thin foundation pieces to the bottom of the thin walls would not be as solid.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184859.jpeg)
The foundation has been glued to the bottom of the walls.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184747.jpeg)
A look at the building with the foundation. I've started adding some weathering chalks to the walls and you can see the large open space on the rear wall. This is where I will add the two outdoor storage docks with a truck space in the middle.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-231020184720.jpeg)
Jumping ahead a little, this is one of the outdoor storage docks. I will have more pictures showing how I built these docks in my next post. I will say that the deck templates provided with the kit are very useful and make constructing the docks relatively painless. That's it for now, more later.
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Using the deck template provided in the kit, I laid out the base of my outdoor storage deck and began glueing the deck boards
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151358.jpeg)
When laying out the deck base I used 1/16 square stripwood in place of the 2x6's in certain spaces to provide a wider glueing surface for the deck board joints.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151558.jpeg)
After the deck was complete, I began the posts and beams. I used 1/16 square stripwood and followed the drawing that I had prepared. I made four of these. Where the posts and beams met I glued in 45 degree cross braces where appropriate. To keep things square and level, I used the lines on my cutting mat and a paint bottle to keep things level vertically.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151629.jpeg)
I continued on with the posts and beams and the cross braces. You can also see the front loading dock here, I will show more detail on how I built this dock later.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151742.jpeg)
Here I've glued the two decks together. Across the bottom back I used a piece of 1/16 x 1/4 inch balsa wood to form a safety barrier. I also added two safety signs. Beams across the top at the front and back as well as one halfway up the back all provided stability to this sub-assembly. I added cross braces wherever I thought necessary.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151836.jpeg)
I cut a piece of cardboard for the shed roof and used paper painted with rattle can camo green for the rolled roofing material. I started weathering the roof with pastel chalks and also added a sign that came with the kit over the truck bay. I used a piece of thin styrene for the sign backing which I painted with the dark chocolate trim color. I'm happy with the way this outdoor storage deck area came out. I prefer this to an enclosed addition to the back of the building- it's more interesting and will give me a chance to show more exterior details. That's it for now, more later.
Jeff,
Just getting caught up on this thread. Thanks for the clear explanations and photos of what you are doing. Sign me up as one that likes your color choice, as well as the two toned walls. I often struggle to find colors that compliment my structures, yours clearly do that.
FWIW, I was watching a Bar Mills video a couple days ago where Art Fahey mentioned that larger wall sections need lots of bracing as the larger wall sections are more prone to warping when treated with an A/I solution.
Great modeling Jeff.
Quote from: jerryrbeach on October 26, 2020, 04:22:55 PM
Jeff,
Just getting caught up on this thread. Thanks for the clear explanations and photos of what you are doing. Sign me up as one that likes your color choice, as well as the two toned walls. I often struggle to find colors that compliment my structures, yours clearly do that.
FWIW, I was watching a Bar Mills video a couple days ago where Art Fahey mentioned that larger wall sections need lots of bracing as the larger wall sections are more prone to warping when treated with an A/I solution.
Thank you Jerry, I'm just trying my best to live up to some of the great build threads on this forum. I have learned many things in my relatively short time here. I have to admit that I consult my lovely bride for color choices. She has a good eye for that type of thing. On my next large wood structure I will definitely use more bracing. Thanks for the info.
Quote from: PRR Modeler on October 26, 2020, 04:29:24 PM
Great modeling Jeff.
Thank you Curt, I'm having a good time with this build. Continuing on...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151444.jpeg)
The enclosed stairway was next. First I braced the wall pieces and then glued them together. I also added some corner trim pieces. I noticed that the bottom of the assembly was wide open, so I cut some pieces from the leftover wood wall laser cut sheets, added some bracing and glued these in as well. It looks much better this way.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151510.jpeg)
Next I cut some cardboard for the roof. First I scored the cardboard with my exacto knife, folded it along the scored lines and then glued it to the wall assembly.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151650.jpeg)
Next I glued on some roll-roofing strips. I just painted some paper with rattle can camo green and then cut it into 3/8 inch wide strips and glued them on. I will add some weathering chalks later.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151808.jpeg)
Next I added some trim pieces along the bottom of the roof and also added a sign. That does it for the stairway for now.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151534.jpeg)
Here is the assembled wood base for the front loading dock. Again I used 1/8 x 1/8 pieces along with the 2x6 floor braces to give me a wider glueing surface for the individual deck boards.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-261020151718.jpeg)
I've finished the front loading dock deck boards and started weathering them with chalks after staining them with my AI solution. You can also see the large wall vent that comes with the kit. It comes as one flat piece. I cut the sides out and then assembled them on a 1/4 x 1/4 piece of stripwood. I had to do a little trimming to make everything fit, but I am pleased with the result. You can also see the rear safety barrier for my outdoor storage decks with the signs attached. That's it for now, more later
Nice job on the stairwell.
Coming together nicely.
This is great build thread, I'm going to order this kit soon.
-Steven
Quote from: PRR Modeler on October 26, 2020, 07:27:14 PM
Nice job on the stairwell.
Hello Curt, the stairwell was one of the things that was not addressed very much in the instructions. As I said before, experience with previous wood kits is a must to obtain a good result with this one. I was pleased with how the stairwell came out, thanks for the compliment.
Quote from: Oldguy on October 26, 2020, 09:28:05 PM
Coming together nicely.
Thanks Bob, I'm glad you like it.
Quote from: WigWag Workshop on October 27, 2020, 08:13:00 AM
This is great build thread, I'm going to order this kit soon.
-Steven
Thanks for looking in Steven, I definitely recommend this kit. I think it would be a nice addition to anyone's layout. Continuing on...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020151149.jpeg)
My little people had to have a way to get from the main building to the outdoor storage decks so I made them some doors. These doors are part of the add-on structure I built for the rear wall of the kit. You can also see some of the 2x4 stripwood trim that I painted with my dark chocolate trim color. I like to dress up the area where my two wall colors meet.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020150955.jpeg)
Finishing up the large wall vent- I painted it with a craft color copper and then weathered it with green pastel chalk. More information about the paint and chalk will come below. Sorry about the fuzzy picture, I tried several times and this was the best I could get. I then attached 2x4 stripwood, also painted with the copper color to the vent as support bands. The wall standoffs were painted black.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020150904.jpeg)
I started on the standing seam metal roof by glueing 2x4 stripwood as the seams onto the roof cards. You can also see the framework for the front loading dock canopy. The templates provided with the kit really came in handy.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020150930.jpeg)
All four roof cards now have the standing seams installed and are ready for painting.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020151018.jpeg)
I painted the roof cards with rattle can flat red primer and when dry , I dry brushed them with the craft paint copper. I really wanted to use the method Tom (ACL1504) used on his riverbend chapel build thread, but I just couldn't get a satisfactory result. His method of brushing chalk onto a tacky paint surface worked well for him, but I just ended up with an unsightly mess.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020151126.jpeg)
This is the copper paint that I've been talking about. I got it at Michael's. It takes two coats for a nice flat surface, but I like it. That's it for now, more later.
Continuing on...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020151038.jpeg)
The top roof card is painted and dry brushed and the bottom has been weathered with the green chalk. I think that the picture explains how I did this. I am very pleased with the result, I think it gives the weathered copper patina look that I was looking for.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020151209.jpeg)
Included with the kit was a large wood laser cut stencil FEED sign. I thought that it would look good on the roof of my scratchbuilt rear outdoor storage decks. To start the wood framework for the sign I drew the roof angle on a piece of paper and used it to give me the angle pieces for the frame. I used 1/16 square stripwood for this.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020151233.jpeg)
Using the paper template, I glued the frame together.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020151255.jpeg)
Both end's angle pieces have been added and also a piece across the rear bottom for stability. Using the template like this it is easy to get the sign framework to lay flat on the roof and also for the sign to stand up straight on an angled roof.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020151316.jpeg)
The framework has been painted with my dark chocolate trim color and the sign, which was painted with craft paint french wine color, has been glued on.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-281020151336.jpeg)
The sign has been glued onto the roof of the outdoor storage decks and I added two light fixtures. The fixtures are not working light fixtures, I have not reached that level of modeling yet, even though Reading Bob and ACL 1504 make it look so easy. I know that it is not. I also added some detail castings to my deck areas. That's it for now. more later
Jeff,
Interesting approach to the copper roofing and a great result.
Quote from: jerryrbeach on October 29, 2020, 07:41:09 AM
Jeff,
Interesting approach to the copper roofing and a great result.
Hello Jerry, thanks for the good thoughts. I was pleased with the result. I watched several videos and also Tom's (ACL1504) chapel build thread and ended up combining several different methods to get where I ended up. Continuing on...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020155845.jpeg)
I finally got a decent picture of my large wall vent, it to was painted with the copper paint and then weathered with the green pastel chalk. The bands were not easy, but came out well.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020155907.jpeg)
This is my front loading dock. I used individual boards which is always worth the effort. Weathering chalks on top of AI solution gave me a finish I was happy with.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020155715.jpeg)
The roof cards have been glued on and I'm very happy with the way the roof color matches the wall colors. You can also see the front loading dock canopy and the wood stencil sign. The canopy roof is camo green rolled roofing strips with some weathering chalks. The canopy support wires went in pretty easily. I used my pin vise drill to put small holes in the roof and then bent a short 90 in the brass wire. I put some super glue on the ends of the wire, inserted the bent end into the hole in the roof and leaned the other end against the wood wall. I painted the sign with craft paint french wine color, glued the sign to a piece of 1/16 square stripwood painted with the wall color and glued the whole thing to the wall. This is a very eye catching feature of the kit and I was pleased with how it came out.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020155740.jpeg)
Another roof view and also a view of the left side addition.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020155801.jpeg)
Rear view of the roof. You can see the holes in the roof for the large smoke stacks to come.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020155823.jpeg)
Per the instructions I used 1/16 square stripwood for the ridge cap. I painted and weathered them the same way as the roof cards. That's it for now, more later
Continuing on...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020155954.jpeg)
The roof gable end fascia boards and the rafter tails were next. This is perhaps the least glamorous part of the build, but one that is worth the effort. First I cut some 2x8 stripwood to get ready for painting
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020160014.jpeg)
I painted the 2x8 with my dark chocolate trim color
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020160036.jpeg)
Next I used my chopper to cut the rafter tail pieces. I always cut the pieces long and then trim them flush after the glue drys. This leaves a raw wood end, but it is easy to paint them later.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020155931.jpeg)
The rafter tails were glued on. This is a tedious process but well worth the effort in the end result.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-291020160118.jpeg)
A look at the rafter tails. I like it. That's it for now more later
Great modeling Jeff.
This is really coming together nicely Jeff! Well done. :D
Re. the Copper paint I found a different brand of Acrylic paints that has metallic colors like Copper and they're really growing on me. I just picked up a Nickel from FolkArt and tried it out on some parts on the boat I'm building. I have to go shop for some others. They were sold out of Gun Metal at Michaels so I may check Hobby Lobby tomorrow.
Quote from: PRR Modeler on October 29, 2020, 04:54:40 PM
Great modeling Jeff.
Thank you Curt, it seems that the more of these kits that I do, the more comfortable I am building them. Of course, the many tips and techniques that I pick up on this forum sure help. Jeff
Quote from: ReadingBob on October 30, 2020, 09:23:02 AM
This is really coming together nicely Jeff! Well done. :D
Re. the Copper paint I found a different brand of Acrylic paints that has metallic colors like Copper and they're really growing on me. I just picked up a Nickel from FolkArt and tried it out on some parts on the boat I'm building. I have to go shop for some others. They were sold out of Gun Metal at Michaels so I may check Hobby Lobby tomorrow.
Hello Bob, thanks for the kind words. I have been really impressed with the Copper paint. I haven't tried the Nickel or the Gun Metal yet, but I will look for them on my next Michaels trip. By the way I'm really enjoying your ship build. It's something different that's for sure, but you are doing your usual wonderful job. Jeff
Continuing on...
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121430.jpeg)
For the base of this build I cut a piece of thin styrene about 8 x 12 and drew a pencil outline of the building footprint. Then I painted the styrene with basic brown craft paint and sprinkled on my base scenery material- sifted dirt from my yard. I also added some ground foam and fine ballast material- green, red, black and yellow until it looked right.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121455.jpeg)
After glueing the enclosed stairway to the right side, I felt that it needed some support, so I built a frame from 1/16 square stripwood and painted it with the dark chocolate trim color.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121913.jpeg)
Here is the frame installed under the stairway. The wall vent casting came with the kit.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121847.jpeg)
I glued the smokestacks into the roof holes. The collars on the stacks are blue painters tape which I painted with the French Wine craft color. I then attached brass wires which I also painted with the French Wine color to the stacks and the roof.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121825.jpeg)
I made several sets of steps using the jig which came with the kit. The jig made this very easy- if you don't have one of these jigs, I definitely recommend that you get one. I know that KC's Workshop sells them and I think they are available from other kit manufacturers as well. They make steps relatively easy to build. I also built some simple railings for the sides of the loading dock and added some details.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121758.jpeg)
I added some simple wood steps to the rear entrance, which I painted with a dark grey color to simulate concrete. The silver tank comes from a Walthers Industrial Tank set. That's it for now, more later.
That pretty much does it for this build. Following are some final pics. I really enjoyed this build. It was the largest wood kit that I have attempted so far and I learned some lessons along the way. Most notably, bracing large wood walls to prevent warping. This was my first KC's Workshop kit. The materials were all well made, but the instructions were written for a modeler who has already done some craftsman kits. Overall, I recommend this kit for any layout- it has interesting roof lines and it can be added to easily. Thanks to all for the comments and feedback.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121524.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121645.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121548.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121734.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121711.jpeg)
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121616.jpeg)
Sorry I couldn't get the last picture to rotate.
Beautiful job Jeff....Dennis
Great modeling Jeff. I really like the smoke stacks with support wires.
Quote from: Dennis Bourey on November 01, 2020, 01:16:12 PM
Beautiful job Jeff....Dennis
Thank you Dennis, I had a good time with this build.
Quote from: PRR Modeler on November 01, 2020, 03:59:21 PM
Great modeling Jeff. I really like the smoke stacks with support wires.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-011120121847.jpeg)
Hello Curt, I like the smokestacks as well, they came with the kit I painted them flat black and added the bands with blue painters tape painted with French Wine craft paint. I painted the wires, which also came with the kit, with the French Wine color and super glued them in place.
Mind blown away with this build Jeff!
-Steven
Very nice work.
Jeff
Nice looking model
Hey Jeff:
Beautiful job on this. Love your coloring and signs.
Karl
Quote from: WigWag Workshop on November 04, 2020, 07:09:35 AM
Mind blown away with this build Jeff!
-Steven
Quote from: Zephyrus52246 on November 04, 2020, 07:21:39 AM
Very nice work.
Jeff
Quote from: sdrees on November 04, 2020, 12:28:54 PM
Nice looking model
Quote from: postalkarl on November 04, 2020, 07:16:58 PM
Hey Jeff:
Beautiful job on this. Love your coloring and signs.
Karl
Thank you Steven, Jeff, Steve and Karl. I appreciate the kind words. This was the largest wood kit that I have built so far and I really enjoyed it. KC's Workshop did a great job with the kit and it offers many possibilities for various designs. I had Dave K's excellent build thread from a few years ago to help me along. I would recommend this kit for any era layout. I also want to thank Tom (ACL1504) for his help with the weathered copper roof technique. This was my first standing seam metal roof and I am very pleased with the result.
My next build will be something completely different- I'm waiting on delivery of RDA Delaney Iron Works and am anxious to see what I can do with the kit. I've been watching videos and looking at build threads for stone wall structures.
Looking really good! I only use Hunterline Stains now for my walls and weight them down with cheap, heavy 12x12 floor tile that I got at Home Depot.
Quote from: rpdylan on November 05, 2020, 03:07:33 AM
Looking really good! I only use Hunterline Stains now for my walls and weight them down with cheap, heavy 12x12 floor tile that I got at Home Depot.
Hello Bob, thanks for the compliment. Are Hunterline stains better than good old AI solution ? I had warping problems on the large wood walls of this kit. In the future I will definitely use more bracing on large walls. I didn't use anymore AI solution than normal. The only thing I can think of is that you get a deeper color stain with less liquid with the Hunterline products. I like your idea of using heavy tiles to weigh down the walls, I may have to pick up a couple on my next Home Depot visit. Thank you.
The HunterLine stains are alcohol based (I suspect they're not 100% alcohol, but I don't know.) They will cause warping, but not as much as conventional water. I just paint the other side with cheap alcohol (70%) and then add weights overnight.
The big advantage of the HunterLine stains is their consistent color. The color range is useful, and you know that you'll get the same color when you run out and need another bottle. The only stain that hasn't worked for me is their " white pigment."
dave
Jeff,
Nice modeling.
Tommy
Quote from: deemery on November 05, 2020, 06:20:30 PM
The HunterLine stains are alcohol based (I suspect they're not 100% alcohol, but I don't know.) They will cause warping, but not as much as conventional water. I just paint the other side with cheap alcohol (70%) and then add weights overnight.
The big advantage of the HunterLine stains is their consistent color. The color range is useful, and you know that you'll get the same color when you run out and need another bottle. The only stain that hasn't worked for me is their " white pigment."
dave
Hello Dave, thank you for the good information regarding Hunterline stains. The AI solution that I use is mostly 70% alcohol and a little India Ink- no water involved. Sometimes I use two coats to get to a desired color darkness with the AI solution. If I understand you correctly, a little of the Hunterline stain is all that is necessary if you are using a dark enough stain- is that right ?
Quote from: tom.boyd.125 on November 05, 2020, 09:48:53 PM
Jeff,
Nice modeling.
Tommy
Thank you Tommy, I appreciate the kind words
The AI solution that I use is mostly 70% alcohol and a little India Ink- no water involved.
Uh, what do you think the other 30% in that bottle is? I think it's water. ???
The HunterLine stains work like A&I, you can reapply it to get a darker/deeper color. For stripwood, I tend to put the wood in a shallow dish, pour the stain in, remove the wood, and then pour the stain back into the bottle.
dave
Quote from: deemery on November 06, 2020, 08:23:33 AM
The AI solution that I use is mostly 70% alcohol and a little India Ink- no water involved.
Uh, what do you think the other 30% in that bottle is? I think it's water. ???
The HunterLine stains work like A&I, you can reapply it to get a darker/deeper color. For stripwood, I tend to put the wood in a shallow dish, pour the stain in, remove the wood, and then pour the stain back into the bottle.
dave
Hello Dave, once again thank you for the information. I never gave the obvious a thought, I think I'll blame it on a senior moment. It just goes to show you that you are never too old to learn something new. I will have to get some Hunterline stains.
You can get 99% alcohol, but it's expensive. It's useful to have a bottle to mix up A&I for use where you don't want any water, or to clean things, etc. But even 99% will cause some warping.
dave
Quote from: deemery on November 07, 2020, 09:23:16 AM
You can get 99% alcohol, but it's expensive. It's useful to have a bottle to mix up A&I for use where you don't want any water, or to clean things, etc. But even 99% will cause some warping.
dave
Dave, I appreciate all the info you've given me. I'm sure that there are others reading these posts and also learning something. That's the great thing about the forum.
Jeff,
Well done indeed.
Tom ;D
Quote from: ACL1504 on November 09, 2020, 08:01:05 AM
Jeff,
Well done indeed.
Tom ;D
Hello Tom, thank you for the compliment. I had a good time with this build.
This is a picture of the structure in it's new home on my layout.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/1239-091120153802.jpeg)
Wow.......
What a cool structure.
Thanx
Bob
Hello Bob, thanks for looking in and I'm glad you liked the kit.
Jeff,
Very nice, certainly a focal point on your layout. I like the way you mounted the outlying tanks, tec., on a base and then blended that into the scenery. That seems like an easier approach than trying to get everything aligned on the layout.
Hey Jeff:
Beautiful job on that one. What's next?
Karl
Quote from: jerryrbeach on November 11, 2020, 06:10:01 PM
Jeff,
Very nice, certainly a focal point on your layout. I like the way you mounted the outlying tanks, tec., on a base and then blended that into the scenery. That seems like an easier approach than trying to get everything aligned on the layout.
Hello Jerry, thank you for the kind words. As to mounting the kit on a base, I've noticed that most modelers on the forum mount their builds on a 2 inch foam base. Most of these dioramas, as they certainly are, are then placed onto a layout without any built-up scenery. In my case, I am placing my builds on areas with scenery already present. I've been working on my layout for about 12 years and most of my kits up until the last couple years were styrene types. Now that I have started to build wood craftsman style kits I find that I am placing them in completed areas and the thin styrene base that I use helps me to do this easily.
Quote from: postalkarl on November 12, 2020, 05:03:42 PM
Hey Jeff:
Beautiful job on that one. What's next?
Karl
Thanks for the compliment Karl, as for what's next check out the build thread that I have started on my RDA Delaney Iron Works kit.
Jeff,
Beautiful job on that. I love the Steelton sign. It really adds that dash of style.
--Opa George
Quote from: Opa George on November 25, 2020, 11:36:10 AM
Jeff,
Beautiful job on that. I love the Steelton sign. It really adds that dash of style.
--Opa George
Thank you George, the sign came with the kit and I agree that it is a nice touch.