Part 2 - While the rooftop towers and cupola dried, I scratchbuilt some doors.

Photo 5 - My method for this is to tape some low tack painters tape, sticky side up, to my cutting mat.  I tape this just above one of the horizontal lines on the mat and can then use this to line things up.  I mark my door widths (internal measurement) and door centres and draw right angle lines at these points on the tape.  I then set up my chopper at the correct length for the vertical timbers.  I generally paint the doors the cladding colour and the trim in an off white.  I used Josonya's antique green (which is pretty close to the moss green cladding colour) and Folk Art vintage white for the trim.  I used 6x1's and 4x1's for the timber.  The one inch thick stripwood is a bit more fragile and difficult to work with, but results in scale thickness doors.  The vertical timbers are laid with slight gaps between them.  I used 6x1's but worked both from the centre out and the outside in, using 4x1's as necessary.  6x1's are added as facings for the double doors using canopy glue, and these sit slightly proud of the door edges.  In this way the facings can sit back hard against the cladding and the doors will be flush with the cladding.


Photo 6 - 4x1's are then added to create bracing for the doors.  I cut these to size in situ using a single edged razor blade.


Photo 7 - The horizontal pieces are cut to allow the doors to open.  Hinges are added.  These are Vector cut ones.  I think I may add bolt heads.  You can see I have trimmed the door head ends.  Thresholds are added and once the canopy glue has dried completely, I cut the tape and then carefully peel it off from the back of the doors.  It is best not to leave this job for more than a day or two, as the glue on the tape holds better and better as time goes on.


Photo 8 - Here are the second set.  These hinges are Tichy Train Group ones.  You can see I changed up the design for a bit of variety.


More soon, cheers, Mark.

Hi guys.

We had another nice weekend modelling in my garage last weekend.  Of course, I was hosting, so there was a fair bit of preparing lunches and making sure everyone had what they needed.  Various requests came up during the weekend for items that inevitably got left at home, and I think I was able to fulfill them all.

Photo 1 - Shows the top section to the Walther's Front Street Building.


Photo 2 - For the long section behind the tower I needed to cut the walls and roof pieces down.  You can also see at left the scratchbuilt wall I fabricated to keep the end square and true.


Photo 3 - I assembled the two square towers.  The roof pieces were tricky to find, as they were done in Clear plastic and packaged with the window glazing.  I didn't look there for quite some time! I then measured and cut down the window walls and the roof sections.  I made a back wall to sit against the 5th story behind and to keep things square and true (shown in photo 2).  I glued together using medium CA, gave a wash with dishwashing detergent and warm water and when dry, sprayed with rattle can grey primer.  The next day I sprayed with rattle can moss green - the same colour as the windows.


Photo 4 - Shows the base for the towers (you can see the raised mounting pieces over which the rooftop towers and cupola sit).  You can see I have attached the main roof.  I made up trusses to keep the roof true and add strength.  There was a problem with the longer roof sagging so I glued in a styrene strut widthways underneath the sub roof to push the sag up.  This helped quite a bit, but I couldn't get things quite perfect.  I will address this issue in a later step.


More soon, cheers, Mark.

Quote from: ACL1504 on March 08, 2026, 02:58:40 PMVery realistic look. I'll have to try the tinfoil trick.

Tom

Give it a go, Tom, and make sure you use the thin stuff.

Quote from: jbvb on March 10, 2026, 01:33:29 PMDeem, I wouldn't have known the 0-8-0 was a first attempt if you hadn't said so.  Nice work.

Philip, that old work car body looks very tired, but so does the man leaning on it.

Thanks, James.

This also was my first attempt at weathering tank cars decades ago. I got real messy with thinner. Was just winging it back then and it show. I didn't even look for pics of what weathered tank car looked like bach then.

 I want to add more to them to show spilt oil; make them look more convincing.

Quote from: Philip on March 10, 2026, 07:23:16 AM

Philip, the torn trousers are a nice touch. Great figure.

Philip outstanding job on those figures.

Jerry

Quote from: Larry C on March 10, 2026, 08:31:23 PMJerry looking really good; looking forward to the completed build.

Thanks Larry appreciate you stopping by.  It gives me a good reason to continue.

Jerry

Quote from: labdad on March 10, 2026, 06:24:44 PMWe are getting there. 
But it's about time for "spring break" 
MJinTN 

My friend thank you.

It's not Spring you have to worry about it's can I get through a summer!!
We were at the beach today it was cool but was calling our names!!

Jerry

Quote from: Philip on March 10, 2026, 05:19:45 PMLooks great!

Thanks Philip.  Now I need you to paint some of those figures for me!! 

Jerry

Jerry looking really good; looking forward to the completed build.