Downtown Deco Addams Avenue one and a half builds

[Zephyrus52246]

I started the kit Downtown Deco 1002 Addams Ave Part 2 just before the kids/grandkids came to town last week.  Now I'm back at it.  Here's the requisite starting pic.  Hydrocal walls, some styrene for signs/roof.  Signs. Wire. Clear styrene for the few doors and windows.  Instructions.


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Start by squaring the sides/edges of the hydrocal pieces on a piece of flat sandpaper.  Make sure you only do the sides without brick/stone detail.

[Zephyrus52246]

Test fit the windows/doors.  clean out any flash (very minor amount) from the openings.  Sometimes there's little 'balls' of plaster at the corners/edges to trim out.  One window needs shortening as well.

[Zephyrus52246]

Glue together with five minute epoxy.  Sides first then the  back.  Try to keep everything square (note later you'll see this didn't quite occur here  ).  Be VERY gentle with the clamps, as the walls can break with too much pressure (didn't occur here  )

[Zephyrus52246]

Cover the corner gaps with masking tape, leaving just the gap showing, and fill with spackle.  This doesn't look perfect when dry/painted, but better than the gap.

[Zephyrus52246]

Seal the structure with a light coat of white spray can primer.  After dry, slop on paint.     Thinned craft acrylics are applied in a vertical wash, some with more paint than others.  Even though the buildings may have all been built at the same time, I like to vary the colors a bit between them.  I also do this with the "concrete" color trim later. 

[Zephyrus52246]

I paint a few of the bricks in darker/lighter colors just to give some variation to them.   Then use a raw umber wash over the bricks.  I just did this on the left two as the only Raw Umber I had was a Windsor Newton Water Mixable Oil paint (I know it sounds weird) and I didn't know if it would work (or how long it would take to dry).  Worked OK and dried in a few hours. 

[Zephyrus52246]

Paint the front trims.  The cornices, window and door openings.  The actual openings are just painted black behind where the actual parts go.  Next up will be the raw umber wash on the rest of the surfaces.  I've painted the doors/windows and they are drying now.  Next will put in the glass. 

[Zephyrus52246]

You'll note the Subject lists "one and a half builds".  When looking thru the stash for something to build, I noted I had two Adams Avenue part 3s.  Later while clearing files from the computer, I noticed I had actually started one of them.  I stopped when I couldn't figure out how to get the double arched windows to work.  I couldn't cut the acetate to fit them.  I pulled the kit out and tried the Diamond Glaze I've been using for windows and it works!   Canopy glue and Gallery Glass didn't seem to be able to spread enough to cover the large windows, especially the arches.  So I've pulled this one out to finish it now as well.  The problem is I finished the left front of the building ( I think with Robert's Mortar) and the right side with ?.  I'm not sure if it's chalk, weathering powder, or what.  So we'll figure that out and finish the walls.  Notice it's not glued together.  I think I wanted to work with the walls flat to get the painted sign on more easily.  There will be gaps, but I'll cover them with a downspout or something. 

[deemery]

I love seeing "old model recovery stories." 


dave

[S&S RR]

Jeff
Looking good so far.  I have these kits on the shelf - I will be following along.  I think you will find most of them on the F&SM.

[tct855]

Jeff,
           Interesting thread build.  I'll be watching.  This should be good!  Thanx Thom...

[ACL1504]

Jeff,

I'm along for the ride also. I like the color blends on the walls. Great job!

Tom

[ReadingBob]

Yippee!  A Downtown Deco build.  I enjoy building these but haven't done nearly enough of them.  It'll be a blast following along and might inspire me to break one out.   

[GPdemayo]

Neat build Jeff.....I'll be looking in.