Motrak Models Shed build

[Zephyrus52246]

While waiting for the layout room to warm up and my backdrops to come I started work on two little kits.  This one is the Supply shed from Motrak Models.  Not even looking when I bought this, I thought these were laser cut walls, but they're hydrocal.  I've done several Downtown Deco kits, so that should be no problem... (Foreshadowing)...

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

The castings are good, very little flash to scrape off.  Very few pinholes and only a couple of chips.  I didn't fill in the holes, I hoped the paint/mortar would do that.  I usually sand the backs to make sure they're square, but these seemed to fit well without doing that, probably should have.  

I usually use 5 minute epoxy for these.  Time to wiggle them into place, make sure they are perpendicular, etc.  I didn't have any epoxy, and the instructions say to use Elmer's glue.  So I did and placed them into this metal tray with some 90 degree things and thought they were well aligned.  

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Well, when the sides were cured.  There was a little problem.  On the Deco kits, the back wall edges are usually flat and can be sanded down to fit, that would ruin the brick details on the edges here.  So I tried to see if there was any "give" in the Elmer's joints and of course broke the front wall over the door, the weakest point.     I really should know better. 

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

I figured I'd just attach the wall, live with a bad corner and cover it with vines.  I glued the front wall back together and braced it (I'd braced the corners when originally gluing them on).  There is usually a slight line at the corners which I put tape on each side and put some spackle in the line to fill in the hole.  

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

After that dried I usually spray some flat white over the surface to seal it, but had some brick colored red primer that I used instead.  It shows that the side pieces didn't quite go perfectly perpendicular as well.  Kinda mucked this one up.  Looks like a "background building". 

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

I then used the same spackle mixed with some earth colored paint for mortar.  The crack over the door is barely visible at least.

Jeff

[craftsmankits]

I really like hydrocal kits, wish there were more of them.  Mark

[ReadingBob]

I have to look in my stash. I think I have this one. Always nice to have a build thread to refer to.

I agree with Mark's comments on hydrocal kits. 

[Rick]

Nice job on the brick color and mortar.

[PRR Modeler]

Jeff very nice job on the repair. The color is nice.

[Jerry]

Nice brick work.

Jerry

[Michael Hohn]

Sure looks like actual brick and mortar.  Well done.

Mike