Merchant's Row I, A Magnuson Kit Bash

[ACL1504]

Tom,

What Greg said about the speed that this build is progressing.

The wood skirting at the street level looks great.  I'm guessing that the step from the sidewalk to the street will be less dangerous.

Ron,

Thank you also. Less dangerous for sure.

Tom 

[ACL1504]

Great work Tom.  And some nice cutting on that wood piece perfect fit!

Jerry

Jerry,

Your compliments are most welcome, thank you.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Tom, yet another creative work around to fix a design problem.
Well done!

Rick,

Thank you Rick. By the way, when I took Pam out to dinner Thursday night for our 35th Anniversary, which was Sunday, 3/30/90, after making a toast, she said, "When is Rick coming back to Florida?"  I guess I know where I stand! 

I told her you said two years or more. 

Tom 

[ACL1504]

This morning my plan was to prime the Merchant's Row I. I looked at the front and noticed a huge gap in the wall. 

I hadn't noticed this until this morning.

[ACL1504]

My Squadron Putty was dried up and non-usable. Off to the local hobby shop.

I found a new product called Perfect Plastic Putty. It is put out by Deluxe Materials. I bought a tube and will never go back to Squadron Putty again. This stuff is great and water clean up.



I squeezed it out and into the crack. I used a piece of scale 2X6 to smooth it in the gap and let dry for 30 minutes. What you see is how it filled in the gap on the structure.

I didn't have to sand or file any of it after drying.

[ACL1504]

[ACL1504]

This afternoon I used Tamiya Light Gray to prime the structure.

Again, the roof is not glued in place.

I've placed it next to the Magnuson Municipal Building, which is Tahope's Court House.

[ACL1504]

I primed the court house with Ace Hardware Primer. It is lighter in color than Tamiya's light gray. I must add that the Ace primer is much much cheaper and works just as well. From now on, Ace Auto Primer for me.



This is all I'll do on this Merchant's Row for now. My plan is to move onto Magnuson's Merchant's Row II. That will be a separate thread.

I want to get all the structures built and then start the painting.



Done for today on MR I.

[PRR Modeler]

It looks great so far Tom.

[Rick]

Tom, nice find on the putty.
I'm guessing MR I will go next to this one.

[ACL1504]

It looks great so far Tom.

Curt,

Thanks Butty.

Tom 

[ACL1504]

Tom, nice find on the putty.
I'm guessing MR I will go next to this one.

Rick,

Placing it next to the first one is my intention. However, looking at it more closely, it may be a better fit on the third level in Summit.

Tom 

[TomO/Tloc]

I've put together many of the plastic HO Merchant Row series kits from Walthers. I even drove to Galena, Illinois and Darlington, Wi, where supposedly many of the building ideas came from. I wanted color ideas? But I've never built a Magnuson kit. I think I'm glad. Great tutorial, thank you.

The use of the brass is a new one for me for bracing as I have always used the Evergreen styrene or self cut wood strips. I do have quite an inventory of brass channel and tubing that I've no idea what to use it on. But, there is a scratch paper mill being started and now I know what to use. An extra thank you for that.

TomO

Tom,

Thank you and happy to have you along on this adventure. Speaking of color ideas, I have no idea what to paint these.

Happy to have some new tricks of modeling shared, I've certainly picked up my share from others.

Again, thank you and you are very welcome.

Tom

Tom

I've never painted a resin kit but after a good cleaning I wouldn't think any of the colors you have in stock wouldn't work.


The thing both my wife and I thought was strange was how muted the colors in Galena, ill, Darlington and Mineral Point, Wisconsin were. I expected vibrant colors but they weren't.

Merchant Row is an actual street in Milton, Wisconsin but the fronts of the buildings have been modernized. I think there is just 1 Nationally Regristered building on that street. The other 3 cities I noted above have many in their main business district with Galena I bet in the hundreds across the city.


I don't know if the story about Magnusion then Walthers getting the kit ideas from Galena and Darlington business districts are true or not but there are characteristics in the Walthers kits that mimic all the cities I mentioned above.

Pictures here are limited but I found great images online of Galena but Google earth street views have been my best source

[elwoodblues]

Tom, nice save on the gap at the front of the building.  I think I'm going to have to pick up a tube (or 2) of the Perfect Plastic putty and add it to the toolbox.

The Municipal building seems to overpower the merchant row buildings, might need to be put on the other side of the street.

[Jerry]

Mice find on that putty.  And it sure did a nice fill.

Jerry