Suggestions for a lighthouse kit?

[Todd W.]

Last night I put the first coat of Liquitex Ceramic Stucco onto the lighthouse outside wall after I primed it with the cammo khaki.  Dummy me first tried to put it on with paint knives and that didn't work to well and looked like a three year old had fingerpainted with cream of wheat.  So after washing it all off in the sink, I switched to the sponge brush applicator which spread it on fairly even and I began to see how this all woks.  There are some high spots and some sloppiness around the windows and doors but nothing I can't tidy up very easily and make nice around the edges.  After the second coat I will lightly sand high spots and the rest until I get the desired effect before painting.....As per Bob's direction, Thank you again Sir!

[rpdylan]

looks a lot different than the red plastic, huh?  ha ha!  I should have said before, I "stippled" the stucco on with a paint brush.... I do think that you will find sanding it down really enhances the look of the stucco layer.  I did paint the stucco with craft paint "white wash" color then applied some powders: black, rust, a bit of brown on the bottom...

[Todd W.]

Hey Bob!  and those following...
Well it has been a week since my last post.  Busy week at work and no time to log on.  However, I did finish the lighthouse and had a lot of fun doing so!  The stucco isn't too hard to work with once you get the hang of it (and after removing and reapplying a few times..lol) I wanted to keep some of the stucco look on mine so I only took a light pass over it with sanding.  I weathered it with a bit of extra rust where I thought rain, salt and other seaside elements would do the most obvious damage..  I would like to put a little more rust on the cylinder bulk head up top.  I tried to stay with the color scheme Bob went with, and I'm satisfied with the end result.  Now I am going to scratch build a station house to go with it and decided on the West Quoddy Head lighthouse station in Maine. The lighthouse itself is entirely different than west quoddy but I love the design, so that will be a project for the scratchbuilding section of the forum in the very immediate future! 

Bob, thank you Sir for your suggestions, instructions and willingness to share in this hobby!  much appreciated and you helped to make our harbor complete!

Todd

[Todd W.]

on a side note, the one top rail is all ganked up because when I unpackaged the kit, it was damaged and separated from the supports in two places with a half inch gap between it, the rail was also bent in two sections.  I tried to straighten it but this plastic does not reshape well, so I figured it best not to screw it up worse and make it look like part of damage from time and use.

[Slim Jerkins]

Looking good!


If you (or anyone else) need a lighthouse flasher simulator and LED send me a PM. I have a bunch of them I ordered for someone's project that never came to be.


-slim

[Mkrailway]

Todd, looking great. Go for the lighthouse flasher, it is amazing.

[Todd W.]

Thanks guys!  Yes I left the top of the lighthouse un-glued if you will, for the ability to add a flashing unit and light to it.  Just didnt know where and what type light to add to it.  The company that makes this kit is no longer in business..lol.

[rpdylan]

Came out great Todd!  Its gonna look cool on your payout- post photos when you "plant" it!

[oldbloodhound]

Yes I left the top of the lighthouse un-glued if you will, for the ability to add a flashing unit and light to it.  Just didnt know where and what type light to add to it.

Nice work.
The light kit that Slim sells above is a good choice.

[Timbob60]

If anyone is looking for a fast, easy way to "plant" their lighthouse, here's a link to a precast hydrocal "stone" base from builders in scale/cc crow.

http://www.builders-in-scale.com/bis/spcl-parts.html

Geo2rge aka timbob60

[Todd W.]

Bob and everyone that gave me ideas, again thank you for helping with your suggestions for the lighthouse and putting my mind on the path to also creating a station house to go along with it.  I scratch-built this version of the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse Station located in Maine by researching photos of it during the 1930s and 40s, when it wasn't run by park services and all brand new pristine painted with vinyl siding, since I am modeling WWII Americana Era. So the paint is lightly peeling in places but even then it was fairly well maintained.  Regardless, it wasn't meant to be a prototype and in many ways it is not, but I am satisfied with it enough to give our layout's harbor a little jazz.  I had fun with the entire thing from the stucco of the lighthouse to the chimneys of the stationhouse.  In the photos you will undoubtedly notice the two dormer windows shades are put on the bottom and not the top of the windows.  (one of those things I didn't catch until after I took photos) that has since been corrected.  Again Thanks, this forum is filled with some of the most helpful and friendly modelers anyone will find.

[GPdemayo]

Great looking lighthouse & station Todd, well done.....

[Zephyrus52246]

Really nice work, Todd.


Jeff

[S&S RR]

Very nicely done. It looks great!

[rpdylan]

Awesome work Todd! That cheap little light house kit turns out great with a little modeling attention, huh?!