Winter Challenge 2024 - FOS Background Flats

[Jerry]

Another wonderful build and great tutorial as usual.
Thanks for all the tips along the way!

Jerry

[ReadingBob]

That looks outstanding Bob. Can we get a night shot?

Thanks, Curt!  I'll try to get a night shot of both of the flats, side by side, when I finish the Distillery.  I actually made some progress on that one today and hope for more of the same tomorrow. 

[ReadingBob]

Bob,

Wow, that turned out great. Love the step by step and the weathering is fantastic. Well done my friend.

Tom

Thank you, Tom! Another one of Doug's really neat little kits. It was a fun build and went together with no major issues. 

[ReadingBob]

Bob, that's a little jewel of a model.
Thanks for sharing all your SBS's.

Thanks, Rick! I enjoy sharing my builds even though they's nothing really unique about them.  Just straight kit building the way the manufacturer intended. 

[ReadingBob]

Great build,RB...thanks for the SBS
terry

Thanks, Terry! It's a pleasure to have you following along! 

[ReadingBob]

Bob, how do you mark that white lamp cord so you get the DC polarity correct?

dave

Hi Dave!  That's actually some speaker wire that came with the last surround sound system I bought.  I mark the ends with a red and a black Sharpie to keep things straight.  The wire also has a light gray strip and some lettering on one strand.  I typically assign that to the Positive side.   Thanks for following along!

[ReadingBob]

Hello Bob, another great build.

Thanks, Jeff!  Great to have you following along! 

[ReadingBob]

The soap company looks great.  I'll have to try the paint/water putty technique.  Thanks for that. 

Jeff

Thanks Dr. Jeff!  I also use the paint/water putty technique for stucco.  I was doing the old water putty/water method for stucco followed by painting the stucco when it occurred to me try it the lazy way and simply mix the paint and water putty.  The lazy man's method. 

[ReadingBob]

Another wonderful build and great tutorial as usual.
Thanks for all the tips along the way!

Jerry

Thank you, Jerry! Pleasure to have you following along. More to come, one of these days, on the Distillery.  

[GPdemayo]

Darn good work Bob, glad to see the tornados didn't bother y'all earlier in the week.....

[ReadingBob]

Darn good work Bob, glad to see the tornados didn't bother y'all earlier in the week.....

Thanks, Greg!  It did get a bit windy. 

[ReadingBob]

Okay, quick update. I'm working on the second of the two background structures so I'm going to skip posting pictures that would be repeats of steps taken on the first structure (for example weathering the walls, installing window shades, etc.) and just focus on the things that are different for this one.

There are two large signs that I should appear as being painted on the clapboard walls.  Before I started working on these signs I did two things. I made a copy on my inkjet printer, and I scanned them as an image.  The copy will be my backup in case I ruin the original.  The scan will be a backup of my backup in case I screw up a second time. 



The first thing I did was apply a light A&I mix to the back of the signs.  It'll soak through the paper and darken the front a little bit but not too much.



After the A&I dried, I carefully cut out the signs using a sharp X-Acto blade and a steel ruler.



I then carefully sanded the back of the signs to get the paper as thin as possible without going all the way through the paper.  I worked from the center out and went somewhat slowly.



I took some Elmers White Glue and put a blob in a mixing cup (the end cap from a shipping tube).



More in a moment...

[ReadingBob]

I then added some water to the Elmers White Glue and mixed it together to thin it out a bit.



Using a finger dipped in the thinned-out Elmers Glue I smeared it all over the back of the sign.  I want the paper good and wet, which makes it more pliable and helps it conform to the clapboard wall.



I then carefully positioned the sign in place on the wall.



I ran a fingernail along each clapboard to get the sign to settle down into the wall.  Had I not been lazy I would have found a piece of clear plastic to put over the sign.  That would reduce the risk of a fingernail snagging and tearing the sign but, luckily, that didn't happen.



I just realized I forgot to do something.  At this point I should have used my ponce wheel to add the nail holes to the sign to help it appear painted on.  Oh well, it's not going to be that noticeable.

To fade the signs a little bit, and help with the 'painted on' appearance, I used the dry sponge technique to apply some very light gray to the signs.



So that brings us up to date with where I'm at right now.  I still have work to do on the Distillery but here it is next to the Soap Company which is how I envision them at the back of my shelf layout out.  The siding come in from the Soap Company side and end at the Distillery.



Thanks for following along!  More to come.  Next up for the Distillery will be adding the roofs, loading docks, doors and lighting! 

[ACL1504]

Bob,

Fantastic job on both builds, they look great. I'm sure the roof on the distillery will really make it pop.

Love the way you weather the signs. I'll have to try the sponge technique.

Tom 

[PRR Modeler]

Beautiful job on both builds Bob. You always do top-notch modeling and lightning.