Magnuson Union Ave Freight Terminal - 2019 Tom Schwarz Build Challenge

[Oldguy]

Sub-titled Bobbies misadventures into kit botching.
A bit of a forward - It's been close to 25 years since I have built a structure.  My very kit was A Historical Scale Miniatures Capistrano Depot.  Perhaps not the best choice as I never finished it.  The on to Campbell kits, FSM, etc.  Then life got in the way.  But I find that I need structures.  Obviously, I like wood for building, but if I am going to get back in the game, I need to expand my horizons, albeit just a toe in the water.
Convention shows that one needs to show the directions.  And these were the first Vert da Ferk moment in my journey.

[Oldguy]

The of course the kit contents.  Please note that the long office annex side wall was cutoff some time ago, so it's just to be a rectangle.  And yes, that chimney has issues as the roof is at a 30 degree angle and it is cast at 45 degrees.  That and the infamous clerestory casting that is just about pur3 garbage and wont be used.  I didn't show the cardboard that was to be used for the roof and sheets of sandpaper for the roofing.

[Oldguy]

First up is to glue the resin wall sections together.  One side wall to one long wall first.  I did need to pay attention as to where I wanted the side door. since the kit was cut down.  Well I see that I miss posted the order.  I did try t use the Rite-Way clamps, but not completely strong enough.  However, the 1" super magnets did work holding through to the 1x2x3 steel block for the corners.

[Oldguy]

So time to spray the primer.  I have several different cans of grey spray paint, and sure enough grabbed the wrong one.  Just about finished and noticed the dripping.  Another Vert da Ferk.  A quick wipe of a shop rag and problem solved.  But how/why?  Seems I grabbed the Rust-Oleum 2X Ultracover.  Saved by the rag.  The on to building the loading dock.  Hmmm, the instructions are really short of decent templates and the dock is a good example.

[Oldguy]

Since the rail side loading dock seems to be rather narrow, I might as well change it.  12 feet wide seems a better option.  The original kit framing showed a simple 8x8 structure covered with 2x10s.  Um no.  My engineering and construction background OCD kicked in and nixed it.  So lets go the the stash of scale lumber.  Well nerts.  I'm short a bunch of sizes. Hmm.  Okay, lets use what's included and just add a 2x12 band board to the outside.  That means I need to ensure enough decking overhang to account for the band board install.  It'll at least give the impression of something beefier that a 2x8 supports.   Ohhhh, I need  to mixed some AI.  Never saw a need to use it before, but what the hey.  Kits wood is 12" long and I had an old plastic kitchen utensil tray that's ljust long enough.  Woo hoo; I be staining.  Now to break into by Camino Lumber stash.  Camino - yep I'm that old.  Humm, It's 16 inches long.  So much for my tray.  I'll just brush it on.  Interesting stuff Camino, it resists taking a stain.  Got some cool back blotches though.  So here, I have decking on and adding the band board. And how the track-side dock a side dock will come together.
I do need to apologize for missing some construction steps as I just found out that my normally reliable Canon PowerShot SD1100 has decided that some photos need to .AVI files instead of .jpg.

[PRR Modeler]

Interesting build, I'll be following.

[Oldguy]

Now it was time to add the 8x8 support posts.  Break out the Shay Wood Miter.  Hmmm, It really doesn't like to make a vertical cut anymore.  Everything is tight, but no time to futz with it, so breakout the ancient NWSL Chopper.  Load a new blade and had another Vert da ferk.  Why isn't it going into the little metal slot in the base.  That blade is crooked as well.  Okay, now I got to trouble shoot it.  Um, um, the razor blade guard (?), you know that part that makes it a single edge blade?  It doesn't fit in the milled slot in the handle causing the blade to be angled.  So a new 100 count box of blades won't fit.    Go to tool box and break out an ancient box of blades.  And, they fit!  Woo hoo, back in business.
This kit has "stone" thresholds for doors and windows and the dock surface has to be level with the threshold.  Meaning that notches need to be made where the two meet.  Really?  It would have made my life easier to cast the walls with the door thresholds even with the brick.  Oh well several decades too late for that compliant.  I figured out what the post heights need to be to just come close to being even with those pesky thresholds.  I set the chopper to work and started to produce a bunch of 0.583" long support posts.  Then that sinking feeling hit when one can just feel the metal gauge stop move.  Yeppers, all cuts were off.  Thankfully long.  So now to reset the gauge stop and crank down on hold-down, and recut.  This time I checked each cut with a POS caliper as a go-no check and I'm back in business.

[Oldguy]

I glued the track and side docks together and set them in the squaring jig to glue the posts on.  I used an old (maybe ancient) 30-60-90 square to align the bottom of the posts.  And while I had every thing set up, might as well add the backside bracing.  I decided to use the kits 2x6s for the bracing.  These really are for the roof rafters (more on these in  a bit), but as no bracing was contemplated for this kit, I need something that I had on hand.  Since I added the band board, one needs to add a piece, or pieces of 1x material to hold up the free end of the posts.  Otherwise they could sag down, or out when placed upright.  And the need to be flat since there isn't a lot o weight involved.  As with most stick built kits, stick sizes were color coded.  But someone got heavy handed with the blue paint.
At this point, I would like to give a huge round of THANKS to whomever decided to use mechanical pencil ends attached to the small dispenser for glue application.  Way to go.  Makes my gluing efforts an absolute breeze.

[Oldguy]

That pretty much covers what's been done up to this point.  I had planned on doing an interior, but the cast-in resin doors are really thin and most likely brittle as all get out.  Okay, plan B, I'll just finish and light the "office" portion.  I had already switched out the roof cardboard for 0.60" plastic with interior trusses to hold its shape so it can be removed.  Since it is surrounded by docks on all sides, the building should be able to be easily removed or maybe just the roof being removable to access the interior.
But then look at the provided templates.  The track side roof is a problem.  Notice the roof post supports (4x4s) and a single 2x10 to support the roof.  4x4's okay, but a single 2x10 laid flat.  Um. no.  Then also notice that the roof card is to be scored as shown and it sits on the 2x10.  Huh?  The template is to be glued to the under side as there dashed lines where the rafters are to be added.  So . . . basically just add rafter tails with no rafter for the underside if the roof?   OCD kicked in again.  The way all of this is to go together, no practical physical support for a removable roof, especially since I switched out for the cardboard, makes a removable roof just about gone with the wind.
But this is for another day.  I have been putting off paining the building.  Time to put on my big boy pants and have at it.  This should be fun  .

[Oldguy]

Oh, I guess I should show the scene(s) of the crime.  I do have a 30"x60" auditors table about 15 feet behind my desk that is basically clear.  The plan is that this will be the holding table to keep stuff waiting for glue/paint to dry, so I can work on other builds.  Please note the "vintage" Scott Cut-rite wax paper that I used for this build.  And yes, it has a yellow tinge.  People are selling these boxes on that auction site.  Geez.

[bob the builder]

Here are some pictures of the one I did a while back. Hope it helps.

[GPdemayo]

Great looking structure Bob.....I'll be watching. 

[PRR Modeler]

A very nicely done build.

[Janbouli]

Off to a good start Bob, the wood staining looks great.

[Oldguy]

Here are some pictures of the one I did a while back. Hope it helps.

Yes, it does.  If I can get mine to look just half as good, I'll be happy.