The Curmudgeon (Mike) and the Punk (Dustin) Build the SWSM Deer Creek Mine

[coors2u]

The bin gates will be added to this very soon. I have to finish putting them together.

[UP Fan]

I'm really enjoying this build.  Really shows the quality of Brett's kits and the skill of these two fine builders.

[Mike Engler]

Well, the ol' RUNNER has finally surfaced. After Expos, Symposiums, the distractions of life, trips to see the grandchildren, etc. I am back! I see I better have not lost any touch just to stay in the sight of Bill and Dustin. As Butch said to the Sundance Kid "Those guys are really good!) But I can still catch-up...remember I am unencumbered with any J-O-B like those young guys are.


I started with the bents- first tip is that I always make photo-copies of each template to actually work on. That way your original stays clean and intact- since the templates are 11x17 make a copy of each half as it will be easier to work with. Test your copier to make sure it is exactly accurate 1 to 1. Make a copy of one of those thin clear-plastic rulers. You don't want to screw up your original.


I am trying for a gray rather than a reddish-brown stain for by bents and other wood parts. The aged,untreated lumber around here where my taconite and puriat mines are located is a silvery gray for the most part. I believe the color of this lumber depends on several variables- type of tree the wood comes from, area of the country, climate and weather conditions, etc. What opinions (facts?) do you have?


I stained the cut and grained pieces with a short dunk into alcohol and black water-soluble India ink, and then gave them some texture using Rembrandt Grays 704.7 and 704.8. The result is what I was trying for, but the cell phone pics don't do justice to the gray.

[martin.ojaste]

Yippee! Glad to see you are back and holding up the weathered look of wood.


Marty

[donatode]

WoW!!  That really looks like real heavy timbers.  Great job!

[UP Fan]

Great job giving the timbers a weathered and textured look.  I really enjoying this "team" build. 

[Zephyrus52246]

Nice job on the wood, Mike.  Around here we don't screw up our opinions with facts.   

Jeff

[S&S RR]

Mike's back!  The timbers look great. Looking forward to watching you catch up. Be careful, Mike and Dustin are good.

[coors2u]

Now its a party!! I love the grey by the way. As good as the kit goes together I have no doubt that you want catch up with us.

[PaulS]

Mike and Dustin, coming along great !!


Mike, I too really like the grayish coloring to your "timbers".  One question...  I really like your graining of the wood and can never achieve the same look.  Can you describe what tools you use and the technique, i.e., light pressure or more aggressive.  Most appreciated.


Thanks guys for sharing and keep up the wonderful modeling,
--Paul

[cuse]

Fantastic (as always).


Specifically, how are you applying the colors to the "dipped" wood? just splotches of washes? dry brush? I'd love to know exactly how you apply the tints and what your general formulas are if you are creating thinned washes.


Great job!


John

[gnatshop]

I know - I know!!  The curmudgeon  just matched the old grey timbers to his hair!!!   

[postalkarl]

Hi guys:

Great job so far. I've been following along.

karl

[Mike Engler]

Thanks to all who commented on the grain and coloring. Much appreciated.


Paul asked about graining, and I have to say over the years I have picked up more tools for distressing and graining wood than the law allows. I have tried all of them with very mixed results. I own about a dozen "scratch" brushes, steel and copper, and even applying heavy pressure as well as light I am still usually disappointed with the results. File cards sometimes are OK, but even a little pressure seems to tear the wood, and like a razor saw blade will leave a "corn row" effect.


A couple of years ago I asked my friend Don Railton how he achieves such a great grained appearance on stripwood, and he told me he uses an X-ACTO knife with a #11 blade exclusively. Don usually wins several firsts at most national model contests, and I consider him to be as good as anybody whose work I have seen. Use it in light strokes, upside down, curve grain around a knothole, etc.,etc,. It may take a little longer, but on one of Brett's kits you treat each board as a separate model.


Speaking of Brett, his design of the styrene jigs and assembly technique for the tipple bents and construction is truly ingenious. Just when you thought you had seen it all! And the presentation you see when you open the kit box makes you think you got your money's worth even before diving into the construction.


Achieving the gray stain for the mine was pretty straight-forward. I simply used A/I, isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol from the drug store. 70% and 91% readily available for less than $2 per pint. Since the idea is to have as little water as possible, I order through my Walgreen's a 99% alcohol in a gallon size. Also available from Amazon. I mix about 1½ teaspoons of Higgins Water Soluble Black Ink per pint of alcohol. I also stock several brown and sepia tone inks. In addition I have about 20 Rembrandt artist chalks.


I put the A/I in a pan and drop in the stripwood (or wooden ties). I leave some pieces in for a minute or two, removing them with a tweezers and put them on paper towels to dry. Occasionally I blot some or wipe them very lightly with a paper towel. The idea is to vary the color a little from board to board. Toward that end, after they are dry (just minutes) I will add a little texture with a couple of the lighter gray Rembrandts- I think 704.7 and 704.8. Wet the sticks lightly and sprinkle on the chalk, and work in with a soft brush. Don't overdue the texturing or you will obscure all your graining.


I've finished the tipple bents and framing. Those guys better not look back- something's gaining on them!

[Jerry]

Looks great Mike.  Nice coloring.

Jerry