I needed something to build while watching playoff football, so started this kit. It's Gusano Loco from FOS. Stripwood, siding, signs, instructions windows, roofing and some water putty to make stucco.
Jeff
I sanded the siding edges so they are even and removed the burn marks. Then it was bracing time. There's usually not enough bracing included (there actually is in this kit), so I used some of my stash of bracing as it's large and will hopefully prevent warping (it didn't, but it's a nice thought). After my last kit warped horizontally, I did bracing horizontally and vertically.
Jeff
I stained the walls with the Hunterline stain. While they were drying I cut out the windows and doors, filing their edges smooth. They then were washed with soap and water and rinsed and allowed to dry for later painting.
Jeff
I also stained the strip wood, using this tray which is an "Olive tray" for serving olives at your fancy parties.
Jeff
I then painted the siding using thinned Polly S acrylic dark green. The tops of the walls, which are exposed by the roof and have no bracing warped, though I stained both sides as well as the small wall with the door and window. The single door wall warped the least. That's where were at today.
Jeff
Jeff,
Great start to this great little kit. I have it on the A&S RR. It was a fun build.
I'm along for the ride.
Tom
Jeff great start!
Does the wife know about the Olive Dish yet??? ;)
Jerry
Interesting looking structure Jeff.....I'll be looking in. :)
Thanks for following, Tom.
Jeff
Thanks, Jerry. I bought the olive tray for this purpose. My wife doesn't like olives anyway. :)
Hi, Greg. Thanks for following along.
Jeff
Jeff, great start. I use the same Olive tray but mine is not as clean by half.
Jim
Great start and I'll be following.
Nice start, Jeff.
I get my wife to bring home the plastic ruler containers from school - they are the perfect size for staining stripwood.
Cheers, Mark
Jeff,
I'm late to the party, but I'll be following along, too. Looks good thus far, and I see you are really putting that sander to good use.
Jerry
I'll be following along too. Even though I'll be stuck in the back row behind Jerry. ;)
I built this one a while back. It was a fun little build. I don't recall having any major issues with it. Enjoy the journey.
Quote from: ReadingBob on January 23, 2024, 12:41:13 PMI'll be following along too. Even though I'll be stuck in the back row behind Jerry. ;)
I built this one a while back. It was a fun little build. I don't recall having any major issues with it. Enjoy the journey.
Not stuck, happy to be in the back row behind me. Besides, I have no doubt you are tall enough to see over my head easily.
Thanks for looking in, gentlemen. Glad to hear you had no trouble with this one, Bob. I hope I don't. ::)
I sprayed the front piece which is to be a stucco finish. I tried the water putty once and wasn't impressed (probably due to my technique). Instead, I use this spray texture paint. Looks like sand glued on the wall. It will be painted later.
Jeff
I painted the windows/door with a combo dry brush/sponge technique and dipped them in the Timberline stain. Once totally dry, I'll make sure they fit in the holes in the walls before putting the "glass" in. Need to paint the main front windows yet.
Jeff
Great color and texture.
Thank you, Curt. I was tempted to leave the stucco front in the base paint color, but painted it Terra Cotta like Doug did. It will get a black wash tomorrow after I'm sure the paint has fully cured.
Jeff
There is a large wall sign that needs application. I started by sanding this thinner per the instructions. Sand only in one direction gently, you don't want to tear the sign.
Jeff
After cutting the sign out, I applied a thin layer of Elmer's white glue and applied the sign. Using a small plastic bag over my finger and using my fingernail to get the sign to lie down into the grooves. This reminded me why I usually don't sand the signs thin anymore. The sign wrinkled and developed a small tear, so it was ruined. I thought I had taken a picture of this, but didn't anyway I applied some water and managed to removed most of the sign.
Jeff
I always make a digital copy of the signs, so I printed them out again. I didn't want to reapply it over the area as there were still some small bits I couldn't remove. Instead, gluing the sign to a thin cardboard and then cutting it out and applying some 2x4s around the edges. It will get some light weathering.
Jeff
If you've ever followed my builds, you know windows are not my favorite part. Cutting the glass panes is a pain (see what I did there? ;D). I can never seem to get them to fit. I used these calipers to measure the inside of the window, and then transferred that to the acetate. It actually worked, so now I'm installing windows.
Jeff
Jeff the stucco came out very nice. All your work so far far has been great.
Jerry
Thank you, Jerry. I used the front wall opening to cut the arch window out.
Jeff
Exciting step, gluing the walls together.
Jeff
It's together, and all corners 90 degrees. 8) Next was to decide the roof materials. The typical tar paper is included. The roof is flat, so I considered a tar and gravel roof. I experimented on the Gemini building you may remember from the layout thread. It's never had a roof. ::) Using Elmers mixed with black acrylic paint to make "tar", I painted the roof, used some of my CB&Q ballast and used some oil weathering. I think it looks pretty good. But since the Gusano is open at the back, I don't think tar/gravel will work here. So I'll probably use the tar paper, especially as it is used on the window and door extensions.
Jeff
Hi Jeff.....if you really like the look of the gravel roof you could have your roofer use gravel stop flashing around the edge of the roof to hold the gravel from spilling off the roof.
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/27-280124131135-52369157.jpeg)
Interesting, Greg. I had a feeling there was a way that was done. I'm considering using some left over siding and merely extending the back wall up to the height of the side walls.
Jeff
Looking at some more pictures on line, I think I can replicate the flashing with stripwood and paper.
Hmmm. Thanks for the info, Greg. Time to experiment.
Jeff
Jeff,
Just getting caught up here. I really like both the stucco and the weathering on the clapboard walls.
Thanks for looking in, Jerry.
I used a piece of stripwood painted oily steel for the device at the back of the roof to hold the gravel in. Lookin on line, some had an angle at the bottom like the one Greg showed, others were flat. I figured the tiny bit of angle probably wouldn't show much in HO, so I went with a flat piece. I painted the roof with a mixture of Elmers and black acrylic paint and dropped on the ballast. Then using the ballast glue, I waited for it to dry, then used liberal black oil paint and thinner to weather. I added roof details as well. Then using Elmers and black glue mixture again, edged the roof with "tar".
Jeff
Attached the two front additions. Those of you who've built this probably notice I reversed them. I didn't mean to do this, just another brain fart by me. Some black construction paper added to view block.
Jeff
The front roofs were added, the edge "tarred", and the sign attached. I used some 2x4s around the sign to frame it, as I think it looks better than just painting the edge of the sign. The last trims were added, and, voila it's finished.
Jeff
Here is the structure with the large road sign, and the place it may go on the layout. I'll probably move the big sign near the edge with a "turn here and arrow pointing to the structure. so the tire repair building can go where the sign is.
Overall a fun kit which didn't take me too long to build. Thanks for following along, and especially thanks to Greg for his suggestion.
Jeff
Very well done Jeff. Everything looks great. Does the roof slope to the front or is that an optical illusion?
Looks awesome! Another gem for the empire. ;)
Excellent job Jeff.....thanks for posting the build. 8)
Thanks, Curt. The roof is "fairly" flat. I had braced it, but only glued on the corners when attaching it to the structure. The "gravel" is higher in some places than others, but when I put on the ballast glue, some of the areas humped up. I had to glue these to the side rails from underneath and weight them so they went flat.
Jeff
Thanks, Bob. That's why I started this kit as I hoped it would fit on the spot pictured.
Jeff
Thanks for watching, Greg.
Jeff