FOS O Scale Gas Station- Raymo 2016 Build Challenge

[donatode]

Great!!  I'm all eyes and ears.....(and other body parts I don't care to mention)....

[cuse]

Doug's display models are so magnificently done. I'm very intrigued to see what you do with this one in O scale, Mike. Consider me a viewer.


John

[Mike Engler]

Thanks all of you- I hope I won't disappoint. I am dragging my heels a little bit for a couple of reasons- I'm waiting for the build traffic to thin a little bit. I don't want to get lost in the shuffle. The number of threads is incredible- this Raymo guy is like the Pied Piper!  Also, I'm eager to take the photos with my new iPhone 7+. It should be here in a week or so. The lens(es) are supposed to be terrific. I also have a tripod for it and an app for a timed release shutter. Finally, I want to work a little ahead of posting, as work, grandkids, NNGC 2018 planning, and doing layout work and finishing my wharf diorama will occasionally tend to get ahead of this on my priority list.

[Mike Engler]

So- I not only dragged my heels, I took a little break. This is hilarious- I went through the thread listing to see if anyone had done a thread on this kit, and it turns out someone had started one-  ME!!!


Like I said about seven months ago, I have a lot on my plate!  I hope I was able to remove the 2016 Raymo challenge part of the title- that is too embarrassing.


So right to the build, I started with the main building walls. First, you can't over-brace unless you brace over something like a window opening. Gerry from Mt. Albert Scale Lumber has been selling at the last few shows bundles of stripwood seconds at great prices, a lot of it 1/4" square- perfect for even a structure of this size. Try to use the same thickness bracing on each wall as it will be easier later to use a pounce wheel if you choose to add nail holes.Then came a staining of all die-cut scribed siding and stripwood with 91% A/I.


Doug describes using a coat of clear Crackle Finish, and after it dried paint the walls and trim with your acrylic color, and almost right away use a hair dryer to get a peeled paint effect. Mine didn't turn out so well so I went over the walls by splotching on (lightly) some tan paint using a fine kitchen sponge. A new terry-cloth wash cloth also will work ($ Store). Weathering walls is also good- some use brushes and card files, No. 11 blades, etc. before or after painting.


Next the contrasting painted trim is added, along with laser cut layered windows and doors, acetate for windows, door hardware, and even all the signs and in this case the Dr. Pepper vending machine. The idea is to do as much as you can and add as much detail as possible while the walls are flat on your workbench. You'll know what I mean if you try to get a little sign on straight after the building is built.

[GPdemayo]

Great start Mike.....glad to see you back at it. 

[jerryrbeach]

Mike,
Walls look great.  Nice to see your work on the forum again.

[MAP]

Looking good Mike.  Nice choice of colors.  I like the way you've made the walls discolored (rusty?) under the signs.

[donatode]

Mike, just ......

[Mike Engler]

Thanks for your comments- it is good to be back.


I guess I should have showed you a photo of where this is going, for those who aren't familiar with this FOS Scale Models kit through Doug's FB and website promotion. I love this design, and was excited to see he has added a little "Pop Gunn's Grocery" to a line of O scale structure kits Doug is calling the "Montrado" line. Technically they are "O" scale, since "On30" is a gauge, not a scale, but the good news is that Doug has gone over to "the Dark Side". I hope they sell like crazy and there are many more of these kits to come.


FOS has certainly become the leader in unique, interesting, and fun kit designs over the years. His weathering and aging techniques are superb, and nothing has matched his series of wharf and waterfront diorama kits the last several years.

[Mike Engler]

I had to take a break after I got an email from FOS saying they were introducing a big new sawmill and planing mill complex in HO. To save the shipping costs I had to order today, so I of course did. This Doug guy sure can put a dent in your pocketbook and annual kit budget. Besides his high level of creativity he is extremely prolific. A couple of years ago I think he produced eight new structure kits in a 12 month period. Check out his website- way cool! fosscalemodels.com


The shed walls are board-on-board and applied to a black cardstock sub-wall, maybe Strathmore. I used 3M transfer adhesive to apply the individual pieces of stripwood that were first stained with alcohol and powdered pastel chalk (Rembrandt). This method Doug credited to Brett Gallant at Sierra West Scale Models, and is extremely effective. I've used it several times before on Brett's kits.





I also used a variation of Brett's famous "Stripwood Trap" so that the two outside corners on the shed would be perfect. After taping the sub-wall to my glass desktop, I applied the vertical wall planks starting at both ends and met in the middle. Before I began, I taped 1/4" sq. vertical guides on both ends that were exactly the thickness of the stripwood board plus the thickness of the subwall away from the subwall ends. Then the first piece of planking is placed flush against the guide and onto the transfer adhesive covering the subwall. The overhang of the siding will perfectly overlap the end of the sidewall and you get a perfectly aligned corner when you glue the two walls together. Use your squares, weights , etc., and it also helps to use a glass work surface like I do as it is perfectly flat.


The front wall, door, and windows are many pieces of layered laser board, acetate, and signs that were painted and assembled flat on the work bench. There are a lot of signs all that were cut after the sheet was backed with the transfer adhesive. The circular signs are tedious, but having a small sharp curved scissors helps. Since all of these signs were the ceramic or metal type, no sanding the back or rubbing them into the siding grooves was necessary. I did stain just the edges with a fine "Sharpie" and weathered with chalks and A&I.

[S&S RR]

Mike


Your modeling looks great.  I think Raymo needs to start a 2017 summer challenge.

[Zephyrus52246]

Lookin' good so far.  Nice finishes and love the signs.


Jeff

[cuse]

Wow!


John

[ReadingBob]

Double Wow!   

Glad to see you back at it Mike.  This kit is a work of art.  There's no doubt about that.  You're doing a wonderful job with it!   

[MAP]

Nice!