The basis for this background flat was an old Lytler and Lytler styrene and metal kit. I built the front as per the kit but the downstairs frontage consisted of a template, four half doors and nothing else. So I cut out a styrene wall and inserted MDC windows and the L&L front entrance. I wanted a stucco wall and used a spray of 3m adhesive followed with a fine sifting of talc. I dabbed on cream acrylic when it was dry then scraped away a small spot which I scribed for brick then painted red. MDC shutters sprayed white covered with Sharpie gold help to give a faded glory appearance. I'll leave provision for a red micro LED lamp to go over the door......
Barry,
I like it! Older kits can be a challenge, but you certainly did a nice job fabricating the storefront. I did expect to see Miss Anna or one of the girls in an upstairs window...
Jerry this is a reeespectable establishment, what goes on goes on inside. :o Miss Anna will be making an appearance when I finally fit all the upper town buildings into place.
Nice job, Barry.
Its a great looking façade. Have thought I've buying one or two of these kits when they come up on ebay, but it is very seldom that I see them being built.
Cheers, Mark.
Thanks Mark
The castings are lovely, old, soft high lead content so it's easy to clean up the minimal casting marks. The fibrous styrene walls are something else. Cutting out the window openings is fun. They're a bit like a styrene craftsman kit, but worth the effort. I actually found two for sale in the UK at reasonable price as the market here is tiny, so had to have them.
If I were to do it again I'd assemble the parapet castings separately, rather than piecemeal onto the front and take a bit more care lining them up but this is depression era Cuspidor so a bit of decrepitude is fine.
Nice, I like the Sharpie idea. One thing, though, the shutters stick out a bit far. It seems to me that each shutter has 2 panels, you could cut along the middle and bend one panel back (kinda like an inverted V).
Just a thought...
dave
Cheers Dave, I hadn't thought of that. The centre seams on those shutters are minute but I have some spares I could practice on so I'll have a bash. Just for jerrybeach I now have a young (at a distance) lady leaning out of a window.
Nice work.
I also noticed the shutters and thought they were too over size.
Each shutter should only be 1/2 the window width. You might get away with just 1/2 of each shutter, or just fold over the outside shutter and eliminate the inside shutters which is prototypical.
Barry,
For some reason I cannot see the young lady from this side of the pond. Drat!
Oldbloodhound
The shutters are the correct size for the windows and completely cover them when closed, as Dave E pointed out they should be folded in half or thereabouts, it just remains to be seen if it's feasible to do that, I don't think just chopping half off will look right. Cheers
Jerry you'll just have to wait to see the erm "lady".
Quote from: barrymk on November 30, 2014, 07:19:08 PM
Jerry you'll just have to wait to see the erm "lady".
The Ledbetters ain't good at waitin' - they've been peekin' thru the winders!!! ;D ;D ;D
Them Ledbetters had best go round the back to the cheap seats.
Barry,
Nice build, thanks for sharing. Any more photos?
Tom ;D
Hello Tom no more photos at the moment - life got in the way of modelling, funny how meeting stepdaughter and granddaughter in town always ends up with Grandpa buying lunch! Just off to to the train loft now with three things on the go so pics when progress has hopefully been made. BK
Haven't found miss Anna yet but here's one of her "staff" waving to a lucky passer by.... I played around with the shutters but they really don't lend themselves to modding, however I bent them back a it and think they look better.
Barry,
Thank you for posting this "just for me"!! I really like this structure, the wonderful dentils, cornices, etc. make this an interesting storefront. The lady in the window is tastefully done, and seeing her in the window does add interest to an already interesting structure. Thanks for taking the time to post this pic, I was getting worried about my eyesight, not being able to see her in the previous photo.
Jerry you've been using that telescope too much in the wrong direction - point it back at the stars. ::)