Bar Mills F&SM Tribute Kit Challenge Build

[Mike Engler]

It's been so long I've been away I really don't know anything about the 2018 Winter challenge build, but it certainly is time I built something. This new offering by Artie and the crew had good curb appeal to me because I love vintage wooden structures, and I hope this will be worthy of a tribute to George. I first met the man 48 years ago, and spent a few hours watching him at a national NMRA show as he built a little signal tower. It sure hooked me on the hobby.


This won't be a traditional sbs build thread, but I'll give some check lists on the sequence of how I like to build kits. I'll spare you box opening pics, since I opened the box and started before I decided to do a thread. The first pic is from the Bar Mills website, and as you can tell there are three separate buildings in this diorama kit. I'll start with "Sal Manilla's Egg Wholesaler"- I usually rename and make my own signs for these things, but I loved this name.


First thing was to use my sprue cutter to remove the 30+ windows and put them on a card with masking tape sticky side up. The windows were super clean, virtually no cleanup required. A light rattle can gray primer, and the cheaper the primer the thinner the paint, and that is a good thing. Next day I dabbed on lightly some Dick Blick Matte Acrylic Saphire (blue). It came in a small 2 oz. craft size container and was a close-out at our local Dick Blick store. I used a NEW terry cloth wash cloth ($ store) to apply. A little later I did some dry brushing to pop some highlights.


While the six wall sections were still in their surrounds I sprayed the same gray primer on them VERY lightly. A day to dry, and then using more small squares of the terry cloth I dabbed on some Folk Art "Sunflower", thinned with a drop of water. Before the dabbing onto the clapboard siding, quite a bit of the yellow paint was dabbed onto my glass worktop and some paper towels. This process gives a credible "peeling paint" effect. I started doing the "rubber cement applied with toothpick method" and then painting, and erasing, etc. but it takes forever and it looks better in larger scales than HO.

[postalkarl]

Hey Mike:

Very cool I will be watching with much interest.

Karl

[vinceg]

Hey Mike:

Very cool I will be watching with much interest.

Karl

Me too.  I also just bought this kit for my wife to give me for my birthday this weekend (yep, you read that right). I think this is the next kit I would like to build. Anxious to watch you bring it to life.

Vince

[sdrees]

Hi Mike,

I will be following also to see how you do your stuff.

[S&S RR]

Mike


Great to have you along on the challenge build. I will be following along.  I bought the kit and have a place picked out for it but it will be awhile before I get to build it.

[Mark Dalrymple]

I'll be watching your progress, Mike.

I think Bar Mills are trying hard (with great success) to fill some of the gap left by Fine Scale Miniatures and South River Modelworks exiting the craftsman kit manufacturing world.  Its great to see, and I think this tribute kit is a real winner.

Cheers, Mark.

[Janbouli]

Off to a great start Mike , I'll be following along.

[Raymo]

Thanks for joining the build challenge Mr. Engler. I'm sure we will learn a lot with your talents.

[GPdemayo]

Neat looking structure Mike.....I'll be looking in.....and welcome back, we've missed your builds. 

[Mike Engler]

Thanks to all who looked in. One good thing about being away for awhile is that it is great catching up on a lot of neat build threads I missed. I also see Jim Mooney checks in here from time-to-time and maybe I'll get to consult occasionally as I'm sure he was very instrumental in producing the kit.


I haven't decided on a base for this yet, so I plan to build the three structures while making up my mind. I'm thinking it might be part of a waterfront scene. The era will be early thirties.


I planned to give you a few checklists, so here is the methodology of graining, staining, and detailing walls:


WALLS for wooden structures. (this one clapboard siding)


1.   Apply grain using wire scratch brushes, card file, and X-acto #11 blade
2.   Nail holes, using smallest pounce wheel. I use 3' centers- less looks hokey to me. If they are too       
      small to see it's OK as you probably wouldn't see them on the prototype either.
3.   Cut some board joints at the nail hole lines
4.   Pry up a few boards with a chisel blade.  DO NOT OVERDO
5.   Spray very light primer coat with cheap rattle-can (gray or tan) and dry for a day
6.   Dab on finish color lightly using dry-brush technique, apply with pieces of NEW terry cloth
7.   Weather with some A/I in places. This can also be done before finish coat applied.
8.   Apply signs, stencils.
9.   Apply interior bracing. Artie supplies 5/32" sq.  You can't overbrace but be mindful of adjoining walls.
10. Spray back of walls black- if no interior this will prevent looking in windows and seeing bracing etc.
11. Paint and apply corner posts.
12. Apply windows and doors. Separate check list on prepping and painting them.
13. Touch up your peeling paint with #11 blade- do final weathering

Some prefer to brace before any painting. Some install windows after walls are together. There are many ways to do all of things, and most will work. I prefer to do as much decorating and detailing of the walls while they are flat on the workbench.








 

[postalkarl]

Hi Mike:

Looking good so far. I have this kit also.

Karl

[rpdylan]

The walls look fantastic Mike!  I also do that clothespin hack for clamps- they work great!

[EricQuebec]

Like the color of the wall.
Eric.

[S&S RR]

Mike


It's looking great so far - I too like the wall color.

[ACL1504]

Mike,

I'm in for the long haul also.

Tom