FSM Houligan's Alley - Build Challenge 2016

[EricQuebec]

Hi everybody,

At the Begin of this Challenge, I've announced that I will build the Atlantic scale Models Dog Bar Lighthouse. But after 2 days to only see the content of the Box I've realised that I'm not in the mood to build a small Ocean seaside based dio. So I've return in my stash and found the FSM Houligan's Alley that I've Bought on E-Bay some years ago.  I know that I will probably not finish it for February 2017.. But.... the purpose is only to make a thread ans build something isn't it ?

So let's begin the story : first here's the 3 traditional pictures without whom a building thread shall not be a good building thread
The Box :

The Content of the box :

ANd the  Box of casting


As usual, the instruction are very clear and print  on  several unpractical format sheet ... But it's the Tradition.... and traditions are good things
I've constat that the precedent owner of the kit have keep the Tips sheet of the instruction. Fortunately, I've a copy of this precious sheet from an other FSM KIt that I've built some years ago.

FIrst I've begin by priming the casting. I've choose to prime them in 3 colors ( grey, red Oxyde and Earth) regarding the material of the casting : Red oxyde for the brick work, Grey for metal part and earth for wood part. SOme chimney and metal part are blakened with blackening agent.


Then I've begin the first building : Casey Woodworking Co.
The first task consist to glue the brick work casting in the whole of the wall. For those of us who still have bad memories of this Child game which consisted to put shapes in proper holes, and have stung crisis while the square refused to enter the hole in stars, there's nothing to worry about, the cast are perfectly identified on their back and on the template 


then I've glu the bracing in place. As usual, the template are perfectly done and indicate the right position of each brace with some mesure that permit lately to assemble  the wall easely


to be continued 1/2

[EricQuebec]

Times is coming to stucco the wall. the kit provide a package of water putty and Georges explain very clearly how to achieve this task, and call for doing some test and practice before stucco the wall. Unfortunately, I've don't like the technique, and can't achieve a good result. So  I've let down this technique and work with Liquitex light mortar structure. I found that the principal advantage of this technic is that the wood don'T absorb the humidity of the stock and it don't dry as quickly as the water putty and can be work in very thin layer with a  small spatula. Note that the liquitex light mortar structure can be colored with acrilyc paint (mudstone colour in my case). Once the stock is applied on a small surface of the wall I dip a very soft brush on this surface to texture it.

Once dry, I've repaint the wall with a thin coat of acrylic paint (ceramcoat : mudstone) When the paint is dry, I've  put some drop of AI solution here and there and around the brick work., and apply a drybrush the wall with Unbleached titanium white colour. Note that the drybrush was do apply with irregular strength. The I've paint the windows in grey (folkart grey sky colour) and once cure, apply a coat of AI solution, and finally drybrush them with Vintage white. The wood used for the door trim and facia board are paint in the same way.
Here's the final result of a wall

ANd finally I've begin to paint the door casting.
First I've applied  a coat of chalk and AI solution to make the wood base colour  of the doors ( in fact I've applied technics exposed in sierra West scale models kit and excellent clinics that I've read here : http://www.craftsmankituniversity.com/vanforum/index.php?p=/discussion/344/advanced-painting-and-weathering-of-details-with-kevin-oneill#latest
Then I've paint the doors in the same way as the windows but only by dipping the pencil on the surface of the wall to have an irregular intensity of the colour.


That's all for today.
Thanks for viewinf, and feel free to comment

To be continued...

Eric Québec city

[Mark Dalrymple]

You're off to a great start, Eric.  The walls look very good.  I'll be watching your progress with much interest.

Cheers, Mark.

[S&S RR]

Great choice and you are off to a very nice start.  I will be following along.

[ACL1504]

Eric,

Great start. The walls and freight doors are fantastic as well as realistic looking.

Tom

[Powersteamguy1790]

Have fun building this kit Eric.

Stay cool and run steam.......

[jimmillho]

That is good looking stucco.

Jim

[ReadingBob]

Great start Eric.  I love following your builds.  This is one of those kits I missed out on but I really wish I had picked up.

[Zephyrus52246]

I love FSM kit builds.  Looks like a good start, Eric.


Jeff

[Janbouli]

You're off to a great start Eric .

[MAP]

You're making some great progress on this kit Eric.  The stucco is excellent, and the "wood" doors look real.  Keep the pictures coming

[Raymo]

A very ambitious project, but one of my favorites. Good Luck.

[postalkarl]

Hey Eric:

Looks real nice so far. I'll be watching.

Karl

[EricQuebec]

Hey Guys,

Thank you very much for all your good comments. I really much appreciate it.

This  kit Is one of my favorite from FSM. the first time I saw it, I regretted having paused in this hobby and Having missed the opportunity to buy it. Several years later I'Ve see it a very reasonable price on e-bay with the «Buy it Now» option. the vendor have announced it since 10 minutes before I'Ve bought it.... I was so happy at this moment, but not ready to build it.
ANd Now.... a big fun begin and I'm very happy to share this fun with all of you.

Thanks for watching.

Eric Québec city

[EricQuebec]

Hello All,
Here's an update of my effort on this kit during the last month.
First I've paint the metal door casting, and glue it in place. At first sight it look be a little be too rusted regarding the other part of the wall. But I think taht this effect will be attenuated once the corrugated metal canopie will be glue in place later.



I choose to lightened all the building of this kit, so I've paint the backside of the wall in black.



Once the paint is dry I've assembled the wall together,  gluying two wall together at  time, finishing be the small wall between the peak.



And cover the edge of the wall with stucco, using the same method than previously, but in despite of all my efforts, there is always a slight mark at the join of the two walls



The Next step is to add the ceiling.



It's only one thing that I don't like in FSM kit or other brand : The fact that we neglect the parts that are supposedly not visible. And this ceiling is a good example of this fact. I Know that I waste my time to make some effort on a piece that virtually nobody will see it... But, imagine a camera on a loco or a wagon... what will you see  under this ceiling.. a piece of cardboard that will break all the realism of your work.  We can have an example of this on the excellent video that are realized on the FSM. There's a moment who the train enter on a cover station. Georges have make a lot of effort on the wall, there's a lot of details on the platform with a lot of little person, mini scene etc... but all this effort are ruined when we see the ceiling ... a simple white cardboard....  I know that with a layout of this size, it is impossible to tackle this kind of detail, and that is probably the first time that this ceiling was visible. But at this precise moment and place, realism was broken. This does not detract from the perfection of the whole work.
So I've decide to carve this piece of cardboard, paint and wheater it.



After what I've doing the recessed Door. It consist of concrete stair, with two wall covered with stucco.  In order to facilitate the final assembly I decided not to cover stucco the places where will be the stairs and the ceiling. The I glue some ad on the wall.



To be continued in a few...