I have a Bandits roost I'll trade straight across for G. Wilikers. Let me know. Kimberly T.

Thank you Tom. I had an idea the paint job might cost more than the engine did! I'll inquire more and see if it's something I still want to do. Might be I'll have to dive into this myself anyway if I want it to get done. (Without it costing an arm, leg and firstborn...
Kimberly 

Hi everyone 

Anyone on here capable and willing to custom paint an HOn3 brass shay for me?
I am not set up to do this and I'm not so sure I want to get into the disassembling of the loco needed in the process. Therefore, I'm willing to pay someone else to do it 
I know there has to be someone here who might like to do this...
Thanks for your help.
Kimberly 

Hi Everyone -

Many years ago - probably sometime in the late-seventies, early 80's there was a local model railroader that had built a S.P. gallows-style turntable based on a prototype located in northern California. I want to say that it was in the McCloud area - possibly part of the McCloud River RR. The unique thing about this turntable was that it was built on the side of a slope so that it required small trestle-like supports around most of it. It was a strikingly interesting structure and made for some great scenery under the turntable itself. I believe the modeler was Earl Johnson, who was a local dentist here in Grants Pass. OR and had modeled the Wolf Creek area which is in Southern Oregon. Is anyone here familiar with the prototype? I have looked and looked online for any pictures, but so far I have been unsuccessful locating anything. I thought I had found something perhaps 10 years or so ago online, but a recent search has turned up nothing. I have built the turntable in the past but lost it in a move many years ago. I have nothing left but the template I used for the rail under the turntable itself. I scratch-built all of it after studying Earls finished model that was on display in a local hobby shop at the time. Anyway, I am hoping someone out there has some info. Thanks in advance!

Kimberly

Hi everyone 

I've got a few FSM kits for sale. I wanted to post them here for consideration before I listed them on eBay.

All prices include shipping in the US lower 48.

Brownsville Depot - Jewel #15 - $315

Sand House - #180 - $110

Cooper's Garage - $110

Send me an e-mail if interested.

Thanks!

Kimberly

Here's a box pic of the kit.

After this one - if you can find a copy - tackle the Masonic Lodge. Its a beauty and has all sorts of fancy cornice work all around the top of the building. Lots of neat cuts in and out of the brickwork too. I consider it the most challenging kit I have ever built. Then again, it was one of my first builds too...but even today I'm sure I would still find it challenging. 

I'm happy to share my experience with this company. I became aware of their kits while looking through an issue of 1001 Model Railroad Ideas from 1972. In this particular issue was an article about Historical Scale Miniatures and their line of kits. What fascinated me was the layout that was featured that Laddie & Betty had built as a display piece for all their kits at the time. It was done on a 4' x 8' sheet of plywood and was a simple oval with a siding. Since all the kits they offer were from the turn of the century or earlier, it made for a charming depiction of a small town with a mesa added for some dramatic elevation effect. The title of the article was named "Its Only an Oval?" to show what can be done in a relatively small amount of space. The scene was also snow-covered, further adding to the charm of the scenes. I saw that and was hooked! I began collecting their kits shortly after and ended up with most of them over the next several years.

Here's some quick info regarding the manufacturer of these kits... The original owners of the Historical Scale Miniatures kits, Laddie Dick and his wife Betty, were located in San Gabriel, CA in the late 60's & early 70's. They then moved the operation to Reno, NV in the mid 70's with their partner Dale Darney. At that time the business name was changed to Classic Miniatures. All the structures have historical significance, hence the original name. I was fortunate to get to meet all three of them in 1975 at their shop in Reno and again in 1978 when they moved to a different location in Sparks, NV. Wonderful people who did everything they could to make my shopping experience with them a good one. They even put a kit together for me that wasn't currently on the market that was part of their previous line. They are part of the reason I just had to be part of the model railroad business back then. So I went to work for Kadee! I have to say that their kits were my introduction into kit building at 15 yrs. old. Talk about starting out with kits that were not exactly easy to put together. Their attention to all the details which had to all be individually cut out - no laser cut pieces! Once I had built one of these, I figured I could tackle anything!

Quote from: sdrees on July 17, 2018, 11:21:51 AM
On this particular project, I used Kleenex for the tar paper.  I separated the plies and sprayed it with black paint.

Thanks for the info Steve. Do you make the metal roofing from scratch? It's very nicely detailed as well.
Kimberly 

Steve, your tarpaper roof work is incredible! Spot on! What medium are you using? It's the most scale look I think I have ever seen.
Also the rusted corrugated metal work is fantastic too. The layering of the two over the plank board base is wonderful!

I'm inspired and a big fan of your work.

Kimberly

Having built the kit last year, I would say it wouldn't be a stretch to build it as a newer structure. As stated above, the doors and windows are the main things that would have to be replaced. I'm sure the Tichy line of doors and windows could provide something pretty close/usable. The roof can be made whole, without the holes/deterioration. Chimneys are easy to replace...I say YES! Have fun!
Kimberly

Karl -

I have some new single-edge razor blades if you need some...

Kimberly

Hi everyone 

This is my newest kit build - my first FOS kit also. I chose this and Hooper's Oysters to compliment my Seafood Emporium diorama. Both kits will share the same pier. This is as far as I can go on this kit until I figure out placement and dimensions for the pier itself. I am also going to use another FOS kit: Genco Olive Oil. I will convert it into some type of marine supporting business. I chose it for the small footprint and the interesting roof line. It lends itself to a seaport-type structure.
I am learning rust! Every time I do corrugated siding/roofing, it turns out different! I like the coloration on this one.
Enjoy!

Kimberly

Quote from: MASIGMON on August 08, 2016, 08:36:52 PM
Kim, I know this build is for the FSM Seafood Emporium Diorama hower would you be kind enought to answer a question about your Mckenzie build.  Sometimes the color photo does not come out true when looking at it on line.  Could you please share with me & any interested forum members the Brand name & color brake down of the painting process that you used on the Mckenzie build.  If you used DR Bens stains let me know if you require thinning any prior to applying to the structure.  What are you doing for color on the windows & doors.  (spray or brush)

Thank you

Mike Sigmon

Hi Mike -

On my Mackenzie Milling build I used Dr. Bens stains as well. No thinning is necessary. I use them full strength, except for when I use Durty Black as my substitute for A & I. I thin it about 5 -1.
The colors I used on Mackenzie: First - and this is very important - staining all the wood first with Driftwood! I cannot emphasize what a difference this makes in the depth the colors take with a driftwood base.  I used Dr. Bens Aged Driftwood. The main color is Rustic Barn Red. After aging with A & I, I go back and highlight random areas by stippling the red shade with a very small brush as if it were peeling away. It is a tedious process, but the results are worth the extra work. There is a subtlety of layering colors that really works on the eye to help fool the eye into thinking it is looking at a full size structure. Doug Foscale talks about this a lot in his work. Layer, layer. layer. It works. I also use the sponge stipple technique to further the idea of peeling paint, using a gray color. Be light-handed with this - you can go overboard easily. Again, it's almost a subliminal thing you are trying to get to fool the eye. It's the small things that make a difference.
On the doors and windows I followed George's instructions almost to the letter. His mix of colors works great! Get all the Dr. Bens natural wood shades - Oak, Pine & maple. They are a great replacement for Floquil stains, which are no longer available. I used them all. Again, I used driftwood as my base. And everything gets A & I!
OK, that's my class for tonight. 
Hope this helps - I'm happy to answer any other questions you might have.

Kimberly