Builders in Scale Sassen Vinegar Works - not really

[Oldguy]

While I was at the recent ill-fated train show/swap meet, I had time to review all that was on my swap table.  I pulled out three old kits for further review= and pulled back two of them.  One of ths was this topic's kit.  I really don't need a vinegar works.  I need grain elevators, feed elevators, etc.  But then I took a hard look at the "vat building".  Hmmm.  Looks a bit like a grain elevator.  Eureka!
Now, if I can merge the vat building with the main building, then I'm in business.
This is the typical BiS kit, with large elevations and detail views and each build section in a separate bag.  In this one, there is a plaster base for the main building, cast vats, and an office building foundation.

It was a simple task of making copies of the plans, cut out each wall section, spray adhesive on some heavy duty card board, and make up the main building.  I did the same for the clerestory portion of the vat building to see I like the potential looks.  And I do.

[Oldguy]

I then mocked up the elevator section to check on proportions and overall look.  But of course, I failed to account for the sloping roof and this will have to be redone.  But I like what I am seeing.  I had to make an area for the drive-through scale and grain dump. 


So, first thing is to start on the main building as everything else comes from it's configuration.  This is a but quirky, but the various wall openings are outlined by saw cuts.  There is no wall piece identification, so one has to pick a piece and see if it fits somewhere.  If it does, label the wall number on the back and fine the next piece and repeat.
I'll use a brass brush to each wall piece to bring the grain out a bit and then hit the wall with the pounce wheel for nail holes. 


The bag contains bunch of strip wood and each piece only get identified by reading through each construction step.  Buried in the bunch is some internal bracing, but I couldn't quickly find it.  No doubt it'll be replaced some more robust strip wood anyway.  That and the whole lot will be give an A&I bath, so I may wind up with some unused bits and pieces.

[PRR Modeler]

Looks like a fun project. Of course I'll be following.

[GPdemayo]

Very interesting building Bob.....I'll be looking in on this one. 

[postalkarl]

Hey Bob:

Looks like you are off to A good start. I shall be following along.

Karl

[Oldguy]

Glad you may find this interesting.   This will be slow going.

I got the pounce wheel going and got the nail holes in the walls.  Then there is the matter of the upper wall sections.  As shown previously, window and door openings are marked with saw cuts.  This means the top of the windows are at the top of the wall pieces.  So, there is 3 pieces of 1/4" tall material to finish off the wall height.  And they want one to continue the nail holes up on these piece as well.  This required me to find the corner wall trim and inside corner post pieces to accurately place this 1/4" piece on each wall section and hit them with the pounce wheel.

I also needed to read the instructions to pick out what cut strip wood goes where and what needs an A&I and which ones don't.  In the end, I decided to pretty much give just about everything in the bath.

One thing about BiS kits, they try to make building each section easy by pre-cutting all the strip wood.  And to some it extent it works.  But when there are over a dozen different sizes of material to figure out what goes where, it can get a bit overwhelming. 

[MAP]

Great project!  I'll be following along.

[Opa George]

I'll certainly be following along, Bob.  No hurry needed--I enjoy watching it slowly take shape.

I have a fondness for BiS kits--the second craftsman kit I ever attempted was "The Waterfront" way back when it was a new release.  Gave it away back in the 80s (I think it was) when I dismantled my trains in favor of married life and raising kids.  When I resurrected my layout I bought it again on eBay a few years back.  I really appreciate the full scale plans, very detailed instructions, parts in individual bags, and all those castings!

I really like your approach with the mockups, careful planning, and etc. Can't wait to see this one take shape.
--Opa George

[tom.boyd.125]

Bob,
Will follow along...
Tommy

[Oldguy]

Included was a nice plaster foundation.  It has a raised area to hold the main building when assembled.  Considering how soft it is, I'm amazed that it is still in one piece considering the amount of moves that it has been through.
Also included are some cast plaster vats.  I don't know why, but only two of them form a set.  None of the other pieces come close to making a single piece.  But then, if built into the vat house, one wouldn't notice the mis-matched tops.  I looking at using these on the interior of the main building and leaving a set of sliding doors open.

The wall pieces were given the A&I wash.  Even with doing both sides and weighing down overnight, there was some warping.  Nothing that can't be flattened.  But before bracing, I need to add the outside corner trim as they are added to each wall piece laying flat and face up.  Which means that I need to decide on a color scheme overnight.

[postalkarl]

Hey Bob:

Looks like you are progressing.

Karl

[Oldguy]

This has been real slow going as of late.

On top of each 1/16" thick wall was a piece of 1/32 trim.  Talk about a delicate joint.  In the photo, these pieces are just sitting in place and the nail holes show the need to correctly apply them.  The needed metal casting have been found and due for an ultrasonic bath.  The sliding doors are really thick as there is detail on both sides. 

Next up is the interior bracing.  The stained pieces are what was supplied and the plain piece is what I'll be using.  Since the bracing is required to be a specific length, here was a good place to break out the micro saw and cutting channel.  I should note that there was no provision for corner glue pieces, so those were added as well.


I wanted to due a sponge paint job, but it quickly failed and I decided to punt and do a quick stain instead.  So, white over black gets a grey.  Not what I want.  So  a quick rub of Pan Pastel white and I'm back in business.  You can see the difference in the bigger panel that hasn't been given an of th4 Pan Pastel white.  The plan view shows where the corner trim will go and the new corner bracing.

Glazing is old school, with a cut diagram for each window type.  It is a simple matter of taping the upper edge of the acetate and cut away.  There is more than enough material provided.

One thing that is helping, is going through the instructions and then pulling out need material for each step and place them in a labeled bag.  So here, all material for steps J5 and J 6 are readily available.

[postalkarl]

Hey Bob:

Looks like you are making good progress. Can't wait for more.

Karl

[Oldguy]

Well. life's little detours have been getting in the way, but we'll push on as time permits.  And if I can't work on this kit, at least I can think of options and what's next.

With all the wall's ins and outs, I'm really glad that I made a mock up.  Before I get the building closed in, I need to add some horizontal bracing for adding a first or second floor.  Of course all the vertical bracing is now in the way.  The three Ps have struck again.

One of the things that have been on my nerves is the thickness of the sliding doors.  These are to be set flush with the walls and the heft is apparent.  They would have been okay if the door openings were to be cut out.  But they weren't.  So, I'll just make some from scratch.  Scribed siding and 1x 8's and 4's and I should be good to go. 


Then there is the matter of the second floor office expansion.  Normally, a decent enough feature, having 2x4 walls being built and all.  They even included the office furniture and a diagram of placement.  Nope.  Ain't goin' to do it.   I'll make a stand alone office.  Of course, now I have to make a wall where if my three Ps fault hadn't reared it's ugly head.  The last photo shows the area in question and the building photo showing an open office wall.  I have other plans for the first floor bump out.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Looking good, Bob.

I agree with your decision to remake those sliders.  I do mine on low take painters tape, stuck sticky side up on my workbench.  I put the 6x1" (or 8x1") boards with slight gaps between them.  After gluing on the 4x1" framing and cross braces on you can remove the tape.  As I discovered, when you light the inside you get lovely very prototypical shafts of light shining through the gaps in the doors.

Photo towards the bottom of page 21.
http://modelersforum.com/index.php?topic=4484.300

Cheers, Mark.