As I never completed last year's build ( :-[ ), I will build something much smaller for this challenger. I have a need for a couple of interlocking towers on the layout. The first could be across the CB&Q/Rock Island diamonds. Orientation depends on which RR the tower belongs to. I'm using this CB&Q tower as a stand in.
Jeff
The other site is here. I have an F&SM station I built forty years ago that may or may not go at this site. However, I'm going to paint the tower to match the station (I can always use it at the other site as well).
Jeff
The kit is a Laserkit from American Model Builders. It has the usual laser cut walls and parts. Pre cut windows (hurray!). Only one detail part, a chimney stack. I'll use the kit instructions. It hopefully will be a pretty straight forward build. (I think I've thought that before ;D).
Jeff
I read through the instructions twice so as not to have "surprises" later, though I'm sure they will show up. First, I lightly sand the edges of the walls to true them up. Just enough to remove the burn mark.
Jeff
Next I cut three foot marks on the walls for future nail holes and board edges. I'll add the nail holes and more cuts after the paint is on (so it doesn't fill in the holes). Paint wise, the station is Floquil Depot Buff and Roof Brown, so I'll use the same colors. the originals were solvent Floquil and this will have Polly scale, if the bottles are still good.
Jeff
The kit has no (and no instructions for) bracing. !!!!! I know the walls will Warp Factor 9 when they are stained, so I aggressively braced them. There is an internal floor which will help square the building, but interrupts the bracing. I first drew lines where the floor would go so I didn't brace into the floor. Then the roof sits on top of the structure, with attachment piece just inside the building, so I marked that as well. For wall bracing above the floor, the large windows meant I needed smaller corner braces.
Jeff
After all the bracing, I used Hunterline Light Gray stain on the walls. Vetero Dark Rust was used for the floor. The building won't be very weathered as the station isn't. As the layout represents approx 1950, railroads (even the Rock Island) took some pride in their structures appearance. After drying, there wasn't a lot of warping, so all the bracing helped.
Jeff
I forgot, I did do a test fitting of the walls before staining. everything fit (the lower right corner is just loose, it does fit).
Jeff
Jeff, have fun with the build and good luck in the contest.
I don't plan an interior (again, keeping it simple), and roof is meant to be removable, so I could add one in the future if desired, but needed some type of painting. Looking on line, tans, light greens and whites seemed to be typical colors, so I used Vallejo Buff. I also wanted to see how close it was to the Floquil Depot Buff. Similar, but no really close.
The detail pieces are "peel and stick", which I'm not a huge fan of. we'll see how it goes. I'm going to pre build the windows and airbrush them as they look fragile and I want to make sure the visible edges get painted (versus painting them on their sheet). That's up next.
Jeff
Thanks, Rick. I'm not looking to win anything, I just need to get some inertia moving to get back to working on the layout.
Jeff
I'm following along as well, Jeff!
It's always a sad day when we run out of a favored Floquil color and have to flip over to PollyScale (hoping the contents of that bottle are still good).
I need to catch up on all the other builds that are going on.
Jeff you're off to a great start. I really like the buildings and detailing on the 2nd photo, top left.
Good start, Jeff.
Momentum is always good - free 3D castings is even better!
Cheers, Mark.
Jeff your off to a good start.
I'll be watching as you go along.
Jerry
Jeff,
Great start and the roof being removable is a good idea.
This is the structure I chose for my challenge build as well and have also made the roof removable. I have started the kit and loaded the photos but haven't posted it yet.
I'll be following along on this.
Tom
Hi, Bob. Yes, over the years I've slowly been losing the Floquils, but I do like the Vallejo colors as well.
Jeff
Thanks for looking in, Larry. Some of the structures are slated for spots on the one area I'm finishing on the layout. The others are shelf orphans for now.
Jeff
Yea, Mark. Free stuff is always good. Glad to have you along for the ride.
Jeff
Hi, Jerry. Yeah, it's a start. Hopefully I can keep it moving and compete this on time.
Jeff
Tom, I'm sure your work will be far superior to mine. You'll probably have working levers/interlocking. Maybe we should combine the builds and make a book about it.
Jeff
Quote from: Zephyrus52246 on January 21, 2026, 03:45:26 PMTom, I'm sure your work will be far superior to mine. You'll probably have working levers/interlocking. Maybe we should combine the builds and make a book about it.
Jeff
Well you sure picked a great book! For the project!!
Jerry
Quote from: Zephyrus52246 on January 21, 2026, 03:45:26 PMTom, I'm sure your work will be far superior to mine. You'll probably have working levers/interlocking. Maybe we should combine the builds and make a book about it.
Jeff
Jeff,
Thanks, but don't sell yourself short. Your FSM Jefferies build was wonderful. Very well done.
I'll follow you and you can follow me, if I ever get the thread going. 8) I've read the Lord of the Rings books four times over the past 40 years. We can call our book,
Lords of the Build Challenge!Tom
Great looking progress Jeff.
Howdy Jeff, the two towers are going to be a fun project. Good luck and have fun, mike
Jeff,
I hear your pain about not completing a build. ;D
I will be following you on this. God speed.
Rich
Jeff,
You are off to a great start, I'm looking forward to this build.
Thanks for looking in, guys.
Again the windows/trim are peel and stick, and I'm not a fan, but we'll see how it goes. I have a grain elevator I built 20 years ago that I think was from this company and it's still together, so maybe it'll be OK. My main problem is peeling the paper off the glue side. I can't seem to do it with a finger or fingernail, so I use an xacto knife to try to get between the layers. Sometimes this makes the paper get half torn off, and sometimes the glue comes off.
I peel the paper off the first piece. Just lift a corner on the next piece (otherwise it sticks to me), and then attach it. Peel that piece off to place the final piece. I leave the paper on that as I'm going to put it on painter's tape to airbrush it and it would then be too stuck to the tape.
Managed to get all the windows put together.
Jeff
It helps to use a roller or even paint bottle to roll over the back of the press-and-stick stuff while the backer sheet is still on. But yeah, I know what you mean about the adhesive peeling off instead of the backer sheet.
dave
Thanks, Dave. I'll try that next time. Here are the parts that need the roof brown paint. I hope I haven't missed any. Another issue with the peel and stick is the "sticky side" of the steps will need painting. I'm not sure how that will go. The stairs need to be "built in place". I may just have brush paint the bottoms after they're assembled. I'll see how the paint works on the back of the carrier sheet. Both the colors are usable, so off to the airbrush booth.
Jeff
Mixed the Polly Scale with water, 50/50 or so with a couple of drops of airbrush Flo Aid. did two coats. Forgot to mention, I didn't leave on the carrier sheet so I could paint all the edges. Only spilled a little paint on myself.
I have a new Grex Airbrush which the sales guy at the Narrow Gauge Convention stated didn't really need a "total break down cleaning" very often. We'll see if it works.
They came out OK.
Jeff
I also put a coat of the Depot Buff on the siding. Used a wide brush and occasionally dipped the tip of the brush in water to more evenly spread the paint. They look a little rougher than the picture shows and may need a second coat. I'll compare them to the station and see.
Unfortunately, I was worried the Roof Brown wasn't dark enough and the trim piece shows this to be the case. I'll see if I have a darker brown in the Vallejo set. I must have used a different brown on the station, or maybe this brown is lighter than the original Floquil solvent paint.
Jeff
Jeff looks like you're off to a good start. Hope the railing aren't as fragile as they look.
Jeff,
Very nice spray job and window construction.
Tom
Jeff, glad you were able to get the windows together.
How do you like the airbrush?
Hope you find a darker brown.
Howdy Jeff,
I concur with the peel-n-stick stuff. It's always a challenge. Hope you like the airbrush. You might be able to darken the paint with pigments.
Have fun,
mike
Jeff chocolate brown is a good trim color with buff. Good progress so far.