This thread was started in April, 2021
Karl.A
April 2021 edited July 2021 in O Scale Builds
Desk cleaned up from the other projects I’m working on, but are stagnant, tools put away so I can find them, (theoretically) and now its time to pre-read the ‘bible’ for a couple of hours and familiarize myself with the steps involved for this great kit.
Construction starts tomorrow, unless I get really motivated tonight…
Comments
Mountaingoat
April 2021
I’m getting my Coke and popcorn ready…Rick
brownbr
April 2021
Fun times
EmeryJ
April 2021
Git-r-dun
Joel
April 2021
Always loved this kit and looking forward to your take on it. I’ll be following along.
vietnamseabee
April 2021
Oh boy…this is gonna be good!!!
Terry
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
I appreciate your posts guys and thanks for the support,
this is the first time I’ll be starting a new build from the beginning since (I think) 2014, so, I’ll be taking my time on this one, re-learning, re-reading and refreshing.
I’ve got a few ideas, but it’s gonna be Brett’s manual and instructions all the way, you can’t go wrong with that approach I’ve learned.
Robert.G
May 2021
Since I’ve build it, I will be sitting first row… 
KKarns
May 2021
Nice to see you getting into a fresh kit and look forward to seeing you “work your magic”…
Jerry
May 2021
As always good to see you do a start to finish. Looking forward to this one my friend.
Jerry
admin
May 2021
looking very forward to this.
kebmo
May 2021 edited May 2021
i’m in the middle of this one, so i’ll be watching closely. especially the castings, since i’ve already done the siding (and it’s considerably darker than the picture on the box)
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Great to have you following along and your support, Brett, Robert, Ken, Jerry and Kevin.
Jerry said:
As always good to see you do a start to finish.
Jerry
I’ve got the start thing down Jerry, it’s the finish I struggle with.
Always good to have your encouragement my friend and the push/nudge to get there.
I did the first steps on the main siding over the weekend. Still more to do but I did the basic graining of the strip wood, added knots to about 1/3 of the boards and then gave them the first basic coloring for the interior side.
Next step will be to get that “silver grey” color on the other (exterior) side of these boards, distress them appropriately and start applying them to Brett’s awesome laser cut wall frames, (which I have already colored and are ready).
I think I want to try and get a more dilapidated, run-down look on this build, more inline with the finish I did on my “#303 Rigging Shed” build. I’m looking to recapture that run down, backwoods, unkept, and neglected feel.
brownbr
May 2021
Off to a good start here.
EmeryJ
May 2021
I may try your method of knot making. I have been drilling, placing, gluing and clipping them one by one. Very slow process that way. Spend more time swapping tools than making knots.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Thanks Bryan,
Emery, I think it took me just over 3 hours just to do the knots, 25 boards, 12 per board so about 300.
Here’s another tip/trick for you.
I do 2-3 sizes of hole, so I load up my small bit, grab 5or6 boards and stack them, but stagger them slightly. Then drill through all 5 boards at once, do this randomly down the length of the stack. Place them down, still staggered and grab another 5 and repeat.
Once all the small holes are done I swap in my bigger bit and repeat.
This is obviously 5 times faster than doing the boards one at a time.
admin
May 2021
That’s a great tip, speeds up the process without any sacrifice on quality or appearance
Karl.A
May 2021
Thanks man, appreciate it.
EmeryJ
May 2021
Thanks Karl. Great little time saver sir.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
We all know that Brett’s manuals and his techniques so clearly explained within them are simply the absolute best in the hobby. SierraWest kits using these methods are legendary for the results that can be achieved by following these instructions.
Learning, using, mastering and understanding these techniques will elevate pretty much every modelers results. Once mastered these techniques provide a very solid foundation for all aspects of our modeling.
Although using Brett’s techniques alone will provide outstanding, award wining results when followed directly, sometimes we need something specific for a situation. Having a solid understanding of how and why these methods work, we can, after much practice ‘adapt’ them for a special need.
Here is one of those situations.
““Separate colors on each side of the strip wood.””
Grain, distress and knot as usual.
For this to work extra care needs to be taken in the coloring each side, we cant just go at it ‘flooding’ with ipa as we usually would for a single color, so here’s the next steps.
Side 1:
Grab 5 or so boards and place them on a clean area, hold them snuggly together and perfectly flat.
Scrape the selected shades of chalk onto the boards, take extra care to minimize getting chalk on the area and just get it on the boards.
Use just enough ipa to dissolve the chalks and make the stain
Avoid getting the stain on the work surface and do not let the boards move around. Keeping the boards snug together prevents the stain getting between the boards and seeping underneath
Once happy with the color lift the boards one by one straight up and move to dry
there should be very little chalk/stain/ipa on the work surface, wipe this clean.
repeat for all of the boards.
once dry grab 5 boards and flip them over. there should be very little chalk on the backside hopefully almost none.
This chalk wasn’t flooded with ipa if you were careful in step one, and therefor not soaked in, it should just be on the surface. A couple of light swipes with steel wool should clean it right off.
Now its time for Side 2…
Side 2
Is pretty much a repeat of side 1 but with your different colors of choice.
Again use as much care as you can to only get the chalk and ipa on the top of the boards and keep them snug and stationary.
Once dry if there is a minimal amount of chalk that makes its way to the other (first) side it should be easy to remove with a light swipe of steel wool. Go lightly this time as it will blur your variation slightly on your finished first side, but, these boards will later receive more work and weathering as, and after they are installed.
So, it’s still using the same foundation techniques we’ve learned from the best manuals available in our hobby, after much practice and gaining an understanding of how and why they work, they can be utilized in so many ways.
Mountaingoat
May 2021
Excellent instruction. I’m one who would unknowingly flood the boards. This helps immensely…Rick
Joel
May 2021
This is an effect I have often tried to get. Thanks so much for your clear concise step by step. Should be a great help on my next build… now to figure out which one is next.
KKarns
May 2021
Grey “color” on the boards has been nailed!
Robert.G
May 2021
For those who need it, great tutorial Karl…
brownbr
May 2021
Thanks for taking the time to outline your process. I tried the gray chalks you mentioned earlier and got a very nice shade of gray also. Would not have thought to start with such a dark gray as 704.3 as a base.
Jerry
May 2021
And if not sure you can do it that way. Here’s how I do mine I place them on a paper towel that way if it goes over the board the towel picks up the access.
Jerry
Pappy
May 2021
Thanks for this Karl!
ALCO
May 2021
“Don’t waste the IPA!” I think we can all get behind that.
KCSTrains
May 2021
Karl, I’m glad you started this kit. It will be nice to see a pro go through all the steps in the manual. Only you would attempt a different stain on each side of the board!! LOL I don’t know if I could do that, especially in HO. Keep up the good work. I’ll be following along. Phil
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments. It just takes some extra care.
Thanks Phil, its pretty easy in HO too, I did it on the HO Locoshop build, as the base for the peeled paint walls. Also the water tank on that diorama actually has 3 different colors on it.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Jerry ! Thanks for the great additional tip, it makes so much sense.
I’ll be trying it the next time I use this ‘variation’, thanks again.
kebmo
May 2021
brownbr said:
Thanks for taking the time to outline your process. I tried the gray chalks you mentioned earlier and got a very nice shade of gray also. Would not have thought to start with such a dark gray as 704.3 as a base.
karl,
could you expound on this?
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Certainly Kevin, sometime this weekend,
I originally posted 704.5, not sure if Bryan had a typo, or changed it up a little by using 704.3, but I’m always happy to share how I did it.
When I do the battens in the next few days with the same process/colors I’ll post it for you.
Keep it Rusty
May 2021
Wonderful work so far, Karl. Excited to be a part of one of your build threads!
Karl.A
May 2021
Great to have you along for the build/thread Craig.
It’s always more motivational to have more people joining in and posting, with ideas, thoughts and questions, the odd compliment is also much appreciated.
Hopefully some progress to show later tonight on the walls.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2022
Managed to finish siding all the walls last night. Hopefully I’ll get them trimmed and windows cut out tonight and some more weathering.
Here you can clearly see the colour difference between the inside and outside of the walls.
KKarns
May 2021
The wizard of wood!..looks great and love the color tones.
CraigH
May 2021
Karl, Are you just using the wire wheel To put the grain in the wood ? buy hand.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Thanks Ken, a high compliment.
Craig the grain was indeed added with the wire wheel and plumbers brush by hand, as always.
The siding boards on this kit are 1x12 and 1 x 10 (.020 thick) so deep, wide graining is not as easily possible as it is with 2x12 (.040 x 1/4).
This added care and lighter touch that is needed for the thinner wood leads to a finer more intricate grain look.
The 3” stiff wire wheel gives the deeper more pronounced grain and the plumbers brush cleans out these ‘gouges’ and adds a finer grain around the deeper ones.
The spilt boards, cracked boards, broken boards and further detail are added individually and specifically to each board with an exacto knife as they are placed on the wall, and then glued.
Does this answer your question?
Pappy
May 2021
Fantastic work Karl as always!!
Jerry
May 2021
Karl wood came out really nice.
Jerry
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Thanks Chris and Jerry !
Robert.G
May 2021
Some fine looking walls you’ve got there !! That was a ( another) great kit to build for me …
brownbr
May 2021
Nice
Keep it Rusty
May 2021
Very cool, Karl!
Is that wire brush replacing your grill brush in this instance?
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Thanks Robert, Bryan and Craig.
I pretty much always use the wire wheel Craig, it’s stiff and severe and quick, after that I’ll use a variation of the other brushes, depending on the final look I want.
TomMich
May 2021
Walls are great! Really like all the splits, cracks, checks, and voids in the boards. Just the right amount of deterioration.
admin
May 2021
Fantastic, Wizard of Wood… Hah, true!
KKarns
May 2021
Or maybe we should just call him Merlin!
sdrees
May 2021
Karl, this is a very enlightening on additional steps that we can take to get that weathered look on board on board construction. Thanks
Karl.A
May 2021
Thanks so much guys, just the basic techniques from the manuals…
coupled with a personal touch and my own feel I guess, but, straight out of the ‘book’.
(I’m gonna stick with ‘Fabricator’, I like that, although ‘Wizard of Wood’ is a high compliment I’ll proudly embrace as a secondary ‘nom de plume’.) haha
CraigH
May 2021
Karl, yes you answered my question…I have another are you using tooth picks for your knots i used them one time and when i stained my wood the knots turned out to Dark are you using the same kind of wood as your boards for your knots? …I’ll have to see what a plumbers brush looks like.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
From the previous page…Plumbers brush top left, found in welding or plumbing aisle, used for cleaning off the burrs on cut pipes before connecting, there are two sizes that I’ve seen.
Yes the knots are tooth picks, I thought that was shown in the previous pic’s, I’ll go back and check… It’s also described in the manuals.
End grain stains/weathers/ages darker than face grain, much more absorbent, look at a fence, or siding, knots are usually darker.
Put in “knotty fence” to google and look at ‘images’…
Karl.A
May 2021
Actually that pic of the plumbers brush above does show the toothpicks top right and the ‘points’ i’ve already cut from them mid right.
EmeryJ
May 2021
I picked up a couple 4" round brushes similar to those you are showing Karl. I chuck them up in my drill press and slowed to 600rpm. They work great just sliding the board along it as it rotates. The course one digs a bit deep, so very little pressure is needed. I found it much safer to just use the finer one.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
I checked, and the one shown (my favorite) is actually only 2"…
I tried chucking them up in my drill press many years ago Emery for tree trunks or dowels for pilings, and that works ok.
For something as delicate as .020 strip wood for siding I’m gonna keep doing it by hand lol… much more control, accuracy for specifics.
brownbr
May 2021
Everyone has a favorite brush technique. I found that controlling the plumber and wheel brush to be awkward for me and never tried using a power tool. I found a very stiff steel brush (Hobart 770108) and a softer steel brush shaped like a toothbrush to be more comfortable.
EmeryJ
May 2021 edited May 2021
Oh I agree. I am just using that method for bridge ties and trestle bents. (close to 1000 ties to do) It would be way too hard on real small strip wood.
CraigH
May 2021
Ok I didn’t know that was a plumbers brush as I don’t have any plumbers experience. I did see the toothpicks as I mentioned in my other post …mine turned out to dark to my eyes when I stained them and seen yours were not that dark. As far as graining the wood I have a bunch of different metal file brushes and soft brass brushes but never used a small wire wheel but I do have a few.
Dave_S
May 2021 edited May 2021
Karl has graciously outlined in some detail how he grains and ages his scale lumber as have Bryan, Ken and Brett among others here on the forum. All are great tutorials.
Below you will find a photo of a few of my go to tools for graining scale lumber.
Tools L to R:
3/4" brush for cleaning inside of copper fittings prior to soldering/sweating copper (Home Depot/ Plumbing)
1/2" brush for cleaning inside of copper fittings prior to soldering/sweating copper (Home Depot/ Plumbing)
Tool for cleaning your wood files and rasps. It has a rather aggressive set to the very fine stiff steel wire teeth. (I found this tool at my local Ace Hdw. and use it regularly when I am doing woodworking projects that require clean files and rasps. I find it extremely affective because of its aggressive stance for graining the scale lumber we use in our projects.)
Brass brush found in the plumbing section at Home Depot along with steel wire brushes.
Hope this helps you find more useful tools.
Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ
Pappy
May 2021 edited May 2021
Dave,thanks for posting these brushes to others.
I also use the pipe cleaner first on my wood followed by the steel file card brush ( the flat one second to right).
Works fantastic for texturing wood
kebmo
May 2021
i ordered a set of scratch brushes from harbor freight. don’t bother. don’t ask why i say that either. suffice it to say i no longer have them.
kebmo
May 2021 edited May 2021
brownbr said:
Everyone has a favorite brush technique. I found that controlling the plumber and wheel brush to be awkward for me and never tried using a power tool. I found a very stiff steel brush (Hobart 770108) and a softer steel brush shaped like a toothbrush to be more comfortable.
i went to order one at amazon. list price is $2.99, but they only have one from an outside source and that one is $7.99 plus $8.99 shipping. i’ll pass for now.
a good stiff brush is hard to find these days. i have all the brushes dave has, and the wheel that karl has (although i[ve never thought to use it on stripwood until i saw karl’s post), and even that goofy curved one that brett has. i’d still to find a smaller stiff brush like the one bryan uses.
Pappy
May 2021
The card file works great…you may want to try it. Makes wood texture look more real before adding ac/chalk.
Been using it for a few years now
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021 172.58.60.95
OK, here we go… y’all made me dig out my toy’s from 10 or so years ago when I used to play much more and model much more, glad to be back !!
- my current awesome wall that will hopefully get even better… lol
- a grill cleaning brush, produces wide grooves/grains after preliminary graining. (Best for O scale)
- a 2" very stiff wire wheel, great for initial graining, quick and destructive, also pokes your fingers if you hold it wrong, but a great first step (heavy use O scale, light use HO)
- two different sizes of plumbers/pipe cleaning brushes, the 3/4" brush is good for deeper wider grain, mostly O scale, the 1/2" brush is good for tighter finer grain, in HO and O scale. I like to use these after the more severe brushes for finer detail.
- A card file, awesome for super deep heavy grain in thicker siding (I think used on my BlueSky builds, but so long ago not quite sure) and dock legs, pier supports , trestle bents etc, usually too pronounced for HO but a great tool to use for extreme situations… also great for producing end deterioration on joists etc as described in the O scale sawmill manual.
6 ) Sewing needles in their plastic carrier as bought from the dollar store. You can slide the needles up and down in the plastic strip to increase or decrease the severity of the graining.
-
6 or 7 old, dull exacto blades stuffed into the end of a pen, you can also slip a piece of stripwood between a bade or two to vary the spacing of the grains. Use the back of the blades for wider grain or switch to the sharp side for thinner grain.
-
A simple cheap wire brush, but, everyone complains the bristles are too flexible and don’t impart any grain… simply trim the bristles down with nail clippers or whatever to make them shorter and stiffer, awesome for HO graining, tight, defined and varied. Also great for smaller O scale lumber such as door/window frames.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Pappy, it is indeed a great tool, at the right time/situation.
brownbr
May 2021
Kevin, I found those brushes at Northern Tool one day and bought several. They are as stiff as the card file in Karl’s picture and give me a better feel in my hand.
kebmo
May 2021
exactly what i’m looking for…
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Decided to jump over to work on some of the details while I think about for the walls for a while.
The resin was sprayed black many years ago, luckily I kept the metal parts safely in their box for all these years, so pulled them out and blackened the parts for the engine.
Also pulled the awesome ‘out of order’ lathe casting out of the pile to work on that at the same time.
Threw a quick bit of paint and chalk onto one of the tread castings to get a feel for what I was working on, I’ll strip it back off tomorrow when I get to work on it properly. Gotta love the details that start showing up in Bretts castings when you throw a little paint at them and a quick dry brushing.
Going to go look at some research photos tonight, there are several great ones in the other threads here and plenty online, I’ll start epoxying it together tomorrow and get to painting and finishing.
Karl.A
May 2021
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Looks like someone went a little crazy with the yellow rattle can on this one, but, atleast they did mask off the black seat…
I think I’m gonna go with 1,3, & 4 instead… ha
brownbr
May 2021
I’m sure it will look great.
Karl.A
May 2021
Thanks for the confidence Bryan, I decided to paint all the parts tonight prior to epoxying them all together, I figured I could get better coverage that way. Assembly tomorrow.
sdrees
May 2021
You now Karl, you can go to ACE hardware and get a rattle can of Caterpillar yellow.
Karl.A
May 2021
Thanks Steve, indeed you’re right.
Two things… by the time I’m finished it wouldn’t make any difference anyway… lol
I imagine the rattle can is solvent based therefore weathering/chipping effects wouldn’t work the same, also its probably gloss.
EmeryJ
May 2021
Karl. Yes on both assumptions. I use the John Deere yellow all the time in my shop, and that is the case with it. Too bad too, it was an excellent idea.
SteveCuster
May 2021
That first shot of just the tread casting painted and weathered looks great. Looking forward to the rest of the tractor Karl.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited July 2021
Thanks much for the confirmation Emery. Thanks Steve, I was playing/trying things out at that point.
Did some work on the engine this afternoon. Stripped the insulation off some electrical wires to get some thin strands for the wiring and blackened the various sizes.
Below.
Two hoses out the front are main coolant lines which would attach to the removed radiator. Made from wire with the wire removed from the insulation leaving a tube/hose, as per the instructions in the manual.
The six yellow lines are metal fuel lines running from the injectors.
The two red lines are the power lines for the water pumps.
The other two black lines hiden behind everythin else are just secondary coolant hoses.
Below.
The two red lines are sparkplug leads for the starter motor.
The yellow line is a rod for some sort of valve operation, I think.
I made the exhaust for the starter motor from some brass rod and bent it to shape following one of the proto pics from above and tied it into the main exhaust manifold.
Exhaust stack made from brass tube.
I’ll prob add some more detail but I’m gonna let this cure first, bad pics but good enough for progress.
The weathering on the engine did look better, but, I had the assembly balanced on my coffee cup while I was adding the water pump power lines and knocked it into my coffee… dangit… so now it has coffee(which was black) weathering, which dulled/blurred some of the effects… oh well… haha
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
I was gonna leave it semi clean, because as anyone knows who works on cars, machinery or any kind of mechanical equipment the VERY first thing you do is hose/wash that thing thing down before you start working on it… but …
I decided to try out making things a little dirty this time around, just to see the effects, easy enough to reverse if I dont like it.
The original story was it had just been washed off ready to be worked on, but ideas evolve… so, I tried the dirty look out on one of the tracks to check out my options.
I was trying to get that ‘clumpy’ ‘lumpy’ muddy look, with plenty of texture, depth and definition, not just the ‘dirty’, look.
brownbr
May 2021
It’s a good look.
Quote
Karl.AKarl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021 172.58.142.250
Thanks Bryan, I’m still playing around with it…
I messed up the seat but hopefully the tarp and details will hide the flaws.
Keep it Rusty
May 2021
This looks very cool, Karl! Love the caked mud. This thing has had some serious use!
If you are covering your seat and feel like experimenting, there is an effect I’ve always liked when moderated: a highlight stroke to one edge of paint chips. It makes them appear 3D, as if flaking or layered.
KCSTrains
May 2021
Karl, sorry I’ve been absent. I’m catching up. Thanks for the tutorial on brushes. It’s a bit easier for HO. I love what you are doing with the bulldozer. How did you get the black marks? Did you just rub off some of the paint with a toothpick? Thanks. Phil
kebmo
May 2021
dozer looks really good karl. i especially like the steering levers. they turned out awesome. the paint job looks just like a 1903 galion road grader i was lucky enough to operate as a 17 yr old laborer. seriously good.
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Thanks Craig, I brushed off alot of the caked on dirt from the first side and left it on the second, which is why each side is different, I wanted to see the different looks before a final decision… now I can either add more dirt to the first side or remove some from the heavier second, when I decide… still not sure..
anyone have any opinions/preferences ???
I’ll update you on the seat in a minute, but yes , the highlights on chips are something I’ve done previously, another good ‘trick’ to get a 3d depth effect on chips is to do a first ‘top’ coat with a much lighter shade, then your final ‘top coat’ color coat, then chip it off (remember you heard it here first!!!) Your chips will then have a two tone ‘highlight’ edge in some areas due to the layering, and difference of the top coats.
Chalk weathering can often obliterate this subtle effect in most situations, such as rusting, which is why I stopped doing it.
Thanks Phil, glad you’re catching up. Hmmm the black marks… sore point… I’m not used to modeling with glasses on yet, so, I forget to wear them and do something thinking it looks good, then put them on and think, damn!, that aint so good as I thought.
Primed black, yellow top coat, I chipped the yellow with a fingernail instead of a tooth pick, looked great till I put my glasses on and took the pictures and saw them, not good at all.
Thanks Kev, always great to have a first hand confirmation, the levers were so easy following the manual, the footplate around them is actually steel/bare metal color, but doesn’t show up in the previous pics.
Well, I couldn’t live with the seat, or the rear panel, I cant make excuses, so I just went ahead and repainted it. I’ll re-chip it and rust it shortly…
kebmo
May 2021
after the seat mods…perfect!
Karl.A
May 2021
Thanks Kev, lets hope so…
if not, we’ll just go at it again… ha
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Dang it Kev, I think I chipped off too much again… lol
Oh well, third times a charm…
Well, actually, the paint dried way too ‘clumpy’ after I repainted it straight over the already chalked area, So, I just stripped it completely. Here we go again.
(Kevin, in that pic you can see a little bit of that subtle metal shine I added along the side edge of the foot plate, where the operator would get on and off)
Karl.A
May 2021 edited May 2021
Six re-do’s and I can live with this version, I’m fairly happy with the result, not perfect and not finished, but, I am happier with the overall ‘chip’.
Obviously gas cap, fuel drip, rust streaks, grab handles on the fuel tank and further things to follow. I also need to add the snorkle to the air intake, but that will absolutely be the last thing.
Here’s a pic of the foot plate Kevin, it doesnt really show the metal/silver color but you can notice how I made the foot plate cleaner/shinier where the driver would sit as opposed to the occasional passenger side,
ie: paint worn off on both sides but more worn on the driver side, after all… there’s always a driver but not always a passenger, therefor the drivers side is more worn/polished.
Sometimes it’s the little things…
kebmo
May 2021
i’ve never seen a passenger on a bulldozer so it’s all good. that steel plate sure looks like the real deal.
brownbr
May 2021
A fine job overall. The caked mud in the tracks looks just right.
KCSTrains
May 2021
Karl, I like the black marks!! That’s why I asked how you did it. I especially like them on the edges. As for the caked on mud, less is more in this case. You want to see it, but you don’t want it to dominate the look. Obviously from your pictures above, you decided on less. A great decision. Phil
Joel
July 2021
Just beautiful work. Amazing attention to detail and stunning results. Love to be inspired by your process.
Karl.A
July 2021 edited July 2021
Thanks Joel,
I was actually following your build and inspired by you,
and your pictures in your build thread.
Karl.A
July 2021
Thanks Kevin, Bryan and Phil, great to read your comments and input.
Indeed Phil, the mud was a quandry, i always appreciate your thoughts.
kebmo
July 2021
(Kevin, in that pic you can see a little bit of that subtle metal shine I added along the side edge of the foot plate, where the operator would get on and off)
the footplate looks absolutely real. how did you achieve the effect?
kebmo
July 2021
last question:
is the yellow paint brushed on, dry brushed on, or air brushed on, cuz it looks great and i want mine to look like that too…
how selfish of me.
Karl.A
July 2021 edited July 2021 172.5860.145
kebmo said:
the footplate looks absolutely real. how did you achieve the effect?
Primed black as per Bretts instructions for resin that represents metal.
Brush painted with craft yellow, then scratched off with a fingernail and toothpick, back to black.
The resulting black texture damp brushed with ‘aged steel’ to give a metalic look.
Edges of chipped paint/bare metal area dusted with 411.3 dry chalk and blown off to get diffusion.
The hard edges, where the operator would mount were later dry brushed with ‘aged steel’ to get the effect of worn/bare metal.
The pieces were rattle canned with flat black before assembly.
After sub assemblies were epoxied together the yellow was craft paint ‘sunshine’ brushed on with a 1/2" soft brush, prob 3 coats.
A soft brush minimises brush marks, but the chipping and chalk hides anything thats still visible anyway.
kebmo
July 2021 73.211.2214
thansks karl. i’ll work on it tonight.
Karl.A
July 2021
Anytime, I look forward to seeing your interpretation and what you can do with this great casting/mini kit. It really is a great project all on its own.
For me, next, I need to ‘bite the bullet’ and strip down my Bates from this kit after I poorly did it ten or so years ago (unsatisfactorily) and re-do it. Then I can step back in to building and keep following your lead on this great kit.
kebmo
July 2021
i don’t recommend following my lead since i’m following yours on this.
Karl.A
July 2021 edited July 2021
In Kevin’s great thread Bryan reminded me of something I was meaning to do, but forgot, so I just went back and added it.
A tear in the drivers seat with the foam showing underneath.
The paint is still a little wet/shiny and it needs a little chalk, but, I aint got time to be sitting around waiting for paint to dry right now. I’m happy with the result.
Joel
July 2021
Just fantastic
kebmo
July 2021
pretty damn convincing. looks excellent.
Karl.A
July 2021
Thanks Joel and Kev.
Robert.G
July 2021
What a great detail. It is so frequent, but never reproduced. Super Karl !!!
brownbr
July 2021
Surely a result to be happy with.
admin
July 2021
Absolutely Fantastic. Everything is just right, texture, color, etc…
KCSTrains
July 2021
Great result Karl. Phil
ALCO
July 2021
Cool! Nice touch.
TomMich
July 2021
Great detail how did you do it?
admin
July 2021
TomMich said:
Great detail how did you do it?
hah! we all want to know that…
Karl.A
July 2021
Thanks guys, really appreciated.
Paint dry and a little chalk to blend/dull.
Karl.A
July 2021
admin said:
» show previous quotes
hah! we all want to know that…
I’ll post that shortly, really simple.
Pappy
July 2021
Fantastic work Karl!!
Karl.A
July 2021
Torn / Split PVC Seat
I cut a pice of the tyvek material Brett uses for belts to fit over the seat with a little overhang at the front to curl over the edge.
I used the tyvek as I thought the texture would look like creased and worn PVC.
Regular paper would work if you dont have tyvek
Next I cut a staggered cross where I wanted the split and curled up the edges.
I painted a blob of raw sienna onto the seat where the split would be to represent foam, this seemed a good color to my eye.
The seat cover was then painted black and the front edge curled to match the resin seat.
Glue was then added to the back of the cover and put in place
Lightly dry brushed with hippo grey to enhance the texture and the split edges.
Very lightly dusted with 408.9 to dull.
Quick and easy with a great original result.
Karl.A
July 2021 edited July 2021
Figured I’d post this here as well while I was on to keep it all together for this build.
My technique for lighting the forge…
I obviously just slapped some black paint on there not being careful, and used a cheap little flicker LED, but, you get the idea, besides, it’s deep inside the structure.
Hollow the casting out from the top,
Get rid of all of the resin that’s blocking the light from coming up and out.
then..
Install the lights into the vacuous space.
Crumple some clear cellophane and stuff it into the cavity over the lights to fill the void.
Light up the lights and you will have a multi faceted display of orange flickering color.
While lit touch the top ‘crinkles/creases’ with a little black paint to simulate new coal… about 20% , you want way more light than dark.
You aint gonna get any metal soft enough to work with if you aint got plenty of heat !!!
As Brett correctly advises “Wear a mask !”
Jerry
July 2021
Well light my fire!! He did it again, nice job Mr. Allison!
Jerry
kebmo
July 2021
i figured out how you did the seat tear, except i thought it was either black paper or electrical tape. don’t worry, i won’t be copying you. but i do wish i’d thought of it first. it looks excellent.
i will be copying you on the forge however…
Karl.A
July 2021 edited May 2022
Thanks Kev, use what ideas you want, that’s the point of us all sharing.
Brett taught me well when we develop techniques…
1: keep it simple so anyone can do it
2: no more than three steps
That’s why anyone who follows the manuals can get the results on the box, and feel that satisfaction.
The hard part isn’t following the techniques and getting the results.
The hard part is coming up with the techniques and developing them so 300 kit buyers can replicate them easily. Brett is the master at this. Among other things. .
This seat is a great example, many thought of doing it, in this and other situations, but, in 20 years of this kits production nobody did it (to my knowledge) or on similar builds.
So simple to do after you’ve seen it, almost an anticlimax.
Remember where you saw it first, lol, SWSM Forum.
Karl.A
July 2021
Thank you Jerry,
It’s always great to read you in my threads, hope you and the girls are enjoying the boardwalk.
More details to come…
TomMich
July 2021
Thanks for the explanation on the torn seat. Great tutorial and seems so simple to do.
geoawelch
August 2021
Timely build, Karl, as I’ve got this on order with Brett and will follow along with great interest. Nice to be back. Cheers, George
kebmo
August 2021 edited November 2021
karl hasn’t been around for a couple of weeks. I’m sure we don’t have to be worried about him…
Jerry
September 2021
Has there been anymore progress on this Karl? Your students are waiting.
Jerry
kebmo
September 2021
kebmo said:
karl hasn’t been around for a couple of weeks. i sure we don’t have to be worried about him…
it’s been a month since i posted this. has anybody heard from karl?
Karl.A
October 2021
I’m just sitting back watching and admiring your work on this kit Kev, especially your disconnect, looks great, I love that mini kit.
Mike Engler
October 2021
Good to see Karl’s comment!
Jerry
October 2021
Mike Engler said:
Good to see Karl’s comment!
Yes it is!!
Jerry
kebmo
October 2021
welcome back!!
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
Thanks Kevin, Mike and Jerry, always great to read you all.
Cleaned up the desk here in the office a little tonight after working on some of Brett’s amazing new 3D details for a few evenings, those things are incredible.
So, now I’ve got enough space to do some ‘woodwork’…
Time to get the battens put on, install the windows, and then get to the next page in the manual…
Robert.G
November 2021
This is way better for us than watching tv… 
Glad you found joy in doing this again..
kebmo
November 2021
Robert.G said:
This is way better for us than watching tv… Glad you found joy in doing this again..
no kidding
admin
November 2021
Robert.G said:
This is way better for us than watching tv… Glad you found joy in doing this again..
Extremely well stated Robert, we are all super glad Karl is back at it!
Jerry
November 2021
Well done my friend. I’ll be following along as usual!
Jerry
vietnamseabee
November 2021
I’ve made a habit of reading “old” threads to reacquaint myself with great techniques and I constantly come across names of commenters who no longer appear in “today’s “ threads…I wonder what happened to them…I know several have passed on but for many I ponder where they have gone, lost interest, etc
Jest thinkin’ out loud
Terry
brownbr
November 2021
I’ve wondered the same thing Terry.
Jerry
November 2021
I have a friend who use to say.
Railroad modelers they come and they go. But once it’s in your blood you’ll always be back!!
Jerry
KKarns
November 2021
Many are likely still following the forum. Would enjoy seeing them back in action as they say…
Karl.A
November 2021
vietnamseabee
November 2021
Karl…that is some seriously good looking wood both in the coloring and dilapidation
Terry
bpiffero
November 2021
Beautiful woodwork. Looks like something you would find on a hike in the backwoods.
brownbr
November 2021
Excellent woodwork.
admin
November 2021
Fantastic, nasty, grungy, dilapidated, well you get the idea. Love it!
EmeryJ
November 2021
Looking good Karl!!
Karl.A
November 2021
Thanks guys, basics done for now, I’m going to leave the actual windows until later.
I guess I’m going to move forward with the details so I can start planning out.
It looks like all the metal is still in the box.
The resin was primed 10 or so years ago so needs dusting off but appears to mostly be there, a few more still to be located.
I played around with the bates many years ago, I’ll likely strip it and completely redo it later in the build
Hopefully some work on these this evening.
Pappy
November 2021
Fantastic work Karl!!
Karl.A
November 2021
Thanks Chris,
I found another six of the missing details so, now I think there’s only two missing,
I guess that’s enough to get started, so here we go…
Pappy
November 2021
Can’t wait to see Karl!!
Jerry
November 2021 edited November 2021 73.195.204.248
Looks like the Lathe could be brought up to date also!!
I want to know how you did them good so many years ago and your still striving for more perfection today?
Just love the way you persist!! Excellent job my friend!!
Jerry
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
Thanks, I got the basic painting done Chris,
now I’ve got to do the weathering and detailing, so, you’re going to have to wait a little longer.
Thanks Jerry, I always try to find something new, different, original to add/do, to keep it interesting and challenge myself to do better and push further.
Of course, Brett’s/SWSM outstanding details and kits offer many opportunities for me to do this.
kebmo
November 2021
karl, i know i’ve seen a finished forge lit up. what up witdat?
Karl.A
November 2021 edited May 2022
Well spotted Kev,
I’ve sent that previously finished and lit forge off to a new home with Jerry.
I’m replacing it with the same forge from my SWSM Blacksmith detail set. Over the years most of the other details from that amazing set have been used on my many different SW scratchbuilt upscales, but the forge was still rattling around in the box, so I can use it here.
kebmo
November 2021
aswesome. if you’re planning to light this one the same way, please do a step by step
Pappy
November 2021
Karl, the colors on the shelves and others are looking fantastic.
btw, who’s the girl on the shelf in the back ground..love it 
Karl.A
November 2021 edited December 2021
I’ll be doing it the same way Kevin, I’ll SbS it for you.
Thanks on the shelves Chris,
Chris, that’s a figure I was using to practice painting highlights and shadows using various shades to enhance castings. In that case such as shadows on her face, spine, around her clothes, her legs, ribs and abs to try to subtly define areas. Also adding small details such as lips and eyes.
Most of the shadows and highlights you see on her body in these pics are actually painted on her with different shades of paint and not the actual lighting.
Break time over, time for me to get back to some real castings…
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
I’m guessing this is the Lathe you were refering to Jerry?
It’s an amazingly detailed piece, not sure how I can update it, but,
I will do my best with it to do Brett’s casting justice, but… not until tomorrow.
Pappy
November 2021
Karl, she’s beautiful!!!
Karl.A
November 2021
Thanks. Not as beautiful as Brett’s details, I’m trying to upload them now but my phone keeps disconnecting.
Here’s one.
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
Most of the intricate ‘wooden’ resin done.
Moving on to the ‘metal’ resin tomorrow.
Everything on these castings is cast in place and comes as one piece, nothing separate has been added to them, it’s amazing how Brett can get this much detail and clarity into a single casting.
I’ll need to redo the bands on the barrels as they turned pinkish after an A/I dip. No big deal to darken them down and get them darker and ‘rusty’ again tomorrow.
Jerry
November 2021
Beautiful work on those detail parts.
I have a pile of wood that needs to be cut so you can send her over when she’s done at your place!!
And thank you for the forge and being a friend.
Jerry
Robert.G
November 2021
beautiful paintwork on the castings. And yes, it has to be said that those castings are incredible !!! ( it’s just the smell of them… bbbwwweeeuuuurrkkk) Not exactly my favorite perfume…
And the girl … every lumberjack’s wet dream… 
brownbr
November 2021
Excellent work on the castings.
KKarns
November 2021
Wonderful!
admin
November 2021 47.32.246.71
The resin casting master back at work! Superbly done and something to aspire to!
Pappy
November 2021
Fantastic work Karl!
bpiffero
November 2021
Those castings are absolutely lifelike. Wow!
TomMich
November 2021
Castings turned out GREAT! Nice subtle coloring.
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
Thanks guys for the great and motivating comments.
To be honest I’m always a little intimidated when I first prime one of Brett’s big shelf castings and all that intricate detail pops out. But then I get started with one colour, then the next colour and they are such a joy to work on and I’m always happy at the end.
So, after my regular Sunday phone call with Mum who’s back in the UK its time to move forward with the ‘metal’ resin.
I dusted them off while I was on the phone and they’re ready to go. There are about 20 or 30 more drums, bottles and cinder blocks that I’ll need to add back to this collection to make it whole again as I stole them for other projects, I’ll dig them out as I go.
Also I used the AH&D hoist boiler on my recent MainStreet Warehouse upscale. Luckily I have a similar basic boiler so we’ll see what I can cobble together to look similar with that one.
To start with though, the simpler items and then onto the lathe and the hoist at the end.
Updates as they happen…
Pappy
November 2021
Thanks for the updates Karl! And hope your mom is doing well at home in the UK with all this crap going on.
Keep up your fantastic work!
KKarns
November 2021
Shame to spread these stellar detailed castings around a diorama…they look so good all together like this! Lol.
Karl.A
November 2021 edited December 2021
Thanks Chris, she’s doing great, at 76 it’ll take more than a worldwide pandemic to keep her down.
You’re right on that Ken, I often think the same thing myself sometimes at this stage in a build, however, I’m perculating an idea…
Well, I’ve been bouncing around between these and a few other projects on my other desk. I have all the base colours done for these so now I’m going to settle down to the weathering and finishing.
I do need to blacken a few metal parts (seen bottom left 2nd pic) to finish this resin selection so I’ll do that first, then move on.
As per your post in the other thread Chris, no, we don’t all have a vast selection of Vallejo, AK and Reaper paints. Some of us just use cheap craft paints from Walmart, as shown below.
The small bottle shown is Brett’s/SWSM ‘tarnished steel’ the only one I’ve used so far.
I do however have Brett’s great full set of paints, but, I need to wrap it in a towel and throw it in the clothes drier for 30mins before I can use them, (to shake them up). Maybe I’ll do that while the metal is blackening.
vietnamseabee
November 2021 edited November 2021
Karl…I certainly appreciate the progress photos and watching you do your magic from start to finish…thanks
Terry
Karl.A
November 2021
Thanks Terry, always good to read your comments and know you are watching over my shoulder.
Pappy
November 2021 edited November 2021
Karl, so glad to hear your mom doing great at 76 young! I just turned 71 on the 12th this month and still kicking. You guys keep my mind active and alive with this great hobby. 
Also my wife who keeps me in line..lol
Keep up your great and beautiful work!
Karl.A
November 2021
Seems like there’s quite a few of us Scorpios hanging around here… mine was on
the 10th, yours the 12th, Jerry’s also got a big one this coming week and a V.I.P is not far behind us.
It must be something in the stars…
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
Well, I couldn’t resist it any longer, the lathe kept calling my name and grabbing my eye while I was working on the barrels and things so,
I spent an hour or so putting on the basic colours and getting everything just right…
Now its time to get it weathered and not so pristine looking…
Pappy
November 2021 edited November 2021
Karl, happy birthday to us Scorpios..love it Nov 12 1950…damn I’m getting old..lol
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
I guess I should have epoxied the ‘legs’ on before I finished it out, but hey, I’ll worry
about that later. For now I’m happy with it for an interior detail that unfortunately is
going to get buried inside the structure and barely seen… I am however really pleased
with the result.
I guess I’ll go back to the barrels etc tomorrow and stick this up on the shelf until needed.
Robert.G
November 2021
Great work on the castings as usual. And you are right, a lot of those fine castings won’t be seen at the end, but you know they are there and that counts… That’s why I believe in removable roofs… And …euh.. I am looking over your shoulder as well..
brownbr
November 2021 68.10.151.217
The lathe picture is a perfect example of how to mute a red detail in a grouping. It is easy to have a red/yellow/orange/white detail stick out like a sore thumb sitting on a shelf. I personally like adding color variations and your example above shows how to add that color without the color taking over.
KKarns
November 2021
Oh my!..that lathe is just amazing…you’re in “the zone”!
TomMich
November 2021
Lathe turned out great!
Pappy
November 2021
Karl, wish you lived close by so I can pick your brain!..lol
Keep up your great work!
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
Resin basically finished, some epoxying to do when installing. I’m not at all happy with the finish on the drums, I’ll need to practice on some more drums and replace a few of these.
Group shot of most of the resin details
I may go on to blackening and working on the metal details tonight, or, I may cut a piece of foam and work on laying the floor boards and ties for the dio base.
I haven’t decided yet.
Joel
November 2021
Just fantastic work Karl. Such an inspiration. I can’t believe the speed at which you create art. Keep up the amazing work.
brownbr
November 2021
They all look very nice.
For drums, I like to sponge on a rust colored acrylic. Once dry, give a dirty/dusty wash and let it settle into the nooks.
KKarns
November 2021
I’m with Joel…your productivity coupled with the unparalleled quality is crazy good.
Karl.A
November 2021
Thanks guys I appreciate all of the replies.
I’ll have a removeable roof Robert, but, they’ll never be seen this clearly again, shame.
Great thoughts on colour Bryan, and thank you. I feel the same as you, colour needs to be there but, it needs to be subtle, I try.
Thanks Ken, I’m sure you understand that when ‘you get the feeling, the feeling just gets you’.
Thanks Tom, it was a fun piece.
Pick away Chris, I’m only a keystroke away.
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
kebmo said:
how’d ya do the bedroom eyes??
Kevin, I paid for dinner…
Keep in mind, the head is only 1/8" wide and 3/16" high… The face less than that.
I wanted her to appear with her bent head down, and tilted to one side, but also
looking up, so…
I added shadows more to the inside top of her eye sockets and eyelids,
also down the right side of her nose and also darker on her top lip. Giving the
the effect her head was tilted down and to one side.
To enhance this feel/look I painted in the highlights just above her eyebrows,
the bridge of her nose and the point of her chin whilst also adding shadows to
the hair line and beneath her jaw on the neck.
This gave the effect of her head tilted down, this coupled with the highlights I
added to the top of the cheek bones just under the eyes gave a good look.
Now that I had the facial shadows and effects done I worked on the eyes. To get
her appearing to look up and sideways from beneath the now lowered eyelids I painted
the whites of her eyes narrower to appear slightly closed with the lowered lids.
I then painted her pupils closer to the top of the whites, right next to the eyelids, instead
of in the middle, this gives the effect of looking up.
I also painted the pupils slightly off center, in the opposite direction to the way her
head was turned.
Once finished with her eyes, I added shadow under her bottom lip, between her lips and
added a highlight in the middle of her lower lip to enhance the look.
This all combined gave the effect that…
her head is slightly bowed and turned away, but, she is looking up and slightly back at
the viewer through lowered eyes.
Probably more than you wanted to know, but, that was my thought process while doing the face and some of the steps I took.
This super close pic shows the flaws that I need to work on, I do think its great for my first
try.
It was a good learning experience that I’m proud of.
Well, I didn’t do crap on the actual build tonight, life got in the way. Hopefully I’ll have some progress tomorrow.
kebmo
November 2021
you should be proud of her. i wanted to get her phone number…
Karl.A
November 2021
Well I spent last night going back through the forum and scouring and admiring the outstanding builds of this kit by Bryan, Joel and Robert. Admiring their work and marvelling at what each builder had done with this great kit. I got lost in time and by then it was too late to do anything but eat and sleep.
As usual I’m following Brett’s direction in the manual on this one so after work tonight I moved the finished details safely over to the other desk behind me and then found some foam for the base. Cut to the specified 14.5"x15.5".
I’m not sure how I’m going to do the landscape yet so I just cut the top layer to this overall size so I can move on with the structure, I’ll cut it down as needed later when I decide.
Nothing else to do now but start graining and staining strip wood for the floor, and then on to the roofs…
Karl.A
November 2021
Still early stages and not really happy, but, there’s a long way to go, I guess, it’s time to go eat and walk away until tomorrow.
Jerry
November 2021
Karl.A said:
Seems like there’s quite a few of us Scorpios hanging around here… mine was on
the 10th, yours the 12th, Jerry’s also got a big one this coming week and a V.I.P is not far behind us.
It must be something in the stars…
Yes Karl I made it!! 80th birthday today!!
Jerry
Ps Your work is just outstanding!!
brownbr
November 2021
Making good progress
MuddyCreekRR
November 2021
Just revolved the sun for the 65th time on Nov. 6…
Mountaingoat
November 2021
I’m a Scorpio too. Turned 71 Oct 27th. What a crowd of Scorpios…Rick
kebmo
November 2021
MuddyCreekRR said:
Just revolved the sun for the 65th time on Nov. 6…
me too, back in july
Karl.A
November 2021
Happy ‘late’ Scorpio Birthday Art and Rick.
If/When ‘the modeling shows’ start again in November we’re all going to need to get together and buy ourselves a table full of drinks and celebrate together.
Pappy
November 2021 edited November 2021
Cheers to all Scorpio’s here
Brett, let’s have a birthday calendar for everyone
MuddyCreekRR
November 2021
On30 show in Harrisburg PA. in June of 2022…
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
I googled it Art and Harrisburg is ‘only’ a 16hr drive from me… I don’t think I’ll be at that one unfortunately.
Not much modelling time for the last three days, but I managed to do an hour or two each night to work on the roof panels.
Roofs still only have base boards added as I’m not sure of my final direction yet.
I do like to get all the main components to a point where I can start visualizing, putting them together and planning things out.
Nothing weathered yet or finished, just the basic levels.
Work again tomorrow so no progress, but, plenty of thinking time.
ALCO
November 2021
Your “basics” are pretty impressive in themselves. Look forward to seeing the transition to final state.
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
Thanks Alan.
I wanted to go back to how my rigging shed looked and get that kinda feel again.
Jerry
November 2021 edited November 2021
Well your right on there with the coloring will see where you take this one to!!
Jerry
It sure would be nice to sit down with a bunch of the guys and have a beer or two!
I know Karl, Brett and me are up for it!!
Robert.G
November 2021
Looking very good , even at this stage… This was a great build for me to do. It is a great kit, period !!
vietnamseabee
November 2021
Karl…nicely placed knots…not too many but enough to make the viewer aware of them without being distracted. Dark water stains at the board bottoms is very nice…one question on your window trim that I can’t discern from the pix. Is the trim set flush with the vertical boards or does it sit on top of the boards?
Terry
brownbr
November 2021
A very good base to build on
KKarns
November 2021
Fantastic woodwork!..love the saw banding.
TomMich
November 2021
Great weathering on the walls! The split, checks, and cracks really add character, and as has been stated, just enough knots to be believable.
Joel
November 2021
Really nice base, looking forward to seeing you finish the colouring cause it looks pretty good right there.
Pappy
November 2021
You guys are lucky to live back east with all the train shows and get together.
Used to be a couple of shows here on the west coast but after all this covid bs they cancelled
kebmo
November 2021
TomMich said:
Great weathering on the walls! The split, checks, and cracks really add character, and as has been stated, just enough knots to be believable.
what are checks?
MuddyCreekRR
November 2021
Looking great Karl…I have been trying really hard to get into the shop and even spend an hour…so many fire departments catching up on training I’ve been traveling a lot. Was lucky to get to the NNGC and find some treasures…large Pre-Christmas Greenberg show this weekend…but that’s not what I am looking for…trying to find craftsman type stuff shows is hard. The show I mentioned is all On30…we re also doing one in April that is all “O”…a few other shows pop up, but not often enough. I like your idea of laying out the main components…gives you a good visual of tones matching or not…and a concept for weathering…I hope to get some work done once it gets cooler in the northeast and we are driven inside…
TomMich
November 2021
Kevin, checks in wood are similar to splitting caused by seasoning of the wood.
kebmo
November 2021
TomMich said:
Kevin, checks in wood are similar to splitting caused by seasoning of the wood.
thanks tom. i learn something everyday here…
Jerry
November 2021
kebmo said:
» show previous quotes
what are checks?
Something you get in the mail!!!
Jerry
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
The ‘saw banding’ that has been commented on in my build are not my work so I cant take credit for them. They must just be naturally occuring in the strip wood.
All I did was grain with a wire brush and add the knots and splits/checks.
I did however select and place each board due to the effects and the way they looked, whether I added the effects of not.
Thanks for all the continued comments, I appreciate them all.
Karl.A
November 2021 edited November 2021
Well not much work on this for the last couple of days, I couldnt visualise how to tie this in to a couple of other things, so I’ve been working on something else for a few days.
Tonight I got back to this and figured the basics were always going to remain the same so I painted the base and epoxied the flooring down.
After that I went ahead and epoxied the ties down because thats not going to change either… (I dont think…)
Obviously after that was done I couldn’t resist propping up a few walls and throwing in a few details to look at things.
Almost time for dirt and details…
geoawelch
November 2021
Not too shabby at all, Karl. Your modeling is always an inspiration.
Cheers
George
TomMich
November 2021
Like the corner braces. I’ll have to give them a try.
KKarns
November 2021
Nice!
Pappy
November 2021
Looking great Karl!
I love using the clothespin clamps as I have many and in multiple sizes.
Karl.A
November 2021 edited March 2023
Thanks guys, hopefully I’ll get back to it this week.
TomMich said:
Like the corner braces. I’ll have to give them a try.
I came up with the idea for the braces and built 10 of them when I had to take my loco walls up and down so many times. They’re quick and easy to use with the modified/adjusted clothespins and ensure everything is square, even though temporary.
They’re really great for holding walls in place during a build while you are planning and laying things out.
Jerry
November 2021
Looks great Karl.
Jerry
Karl.A
December 2021
Thanks Jerry.
Time for some progress, I cant go any further until I get the vast array of metal details finished, or, semi finished, so I’m going to work on them tonight.
The first step is to get them all blackened and ready for finishing.
Here’s a quick view of my process…
I’ll come back and add some text when I’m done, but if you have questions ask away.
Pappy
December 2021
Karl, you got it right. Alcohol first, blacken, then add parts to water and let dry overnight.
Works every time with no bubbles flashes on the parts.
Then polish and paint/weather.
Karl.A
December 2021 edited December 2021
Thanks Pap, great to see you’ve been paying attention.
Karl.A
December 2021
I got all the remaining metal blackened, now its time for paint, finish and placement.
But, that can wait until tomorrow… time to eat and sleep.
MuddyCreekRR
December 2021
When I did mine…I was taken back with all the hammers…I thought Brett lost track during the count…but the more photos I looked over on blacksmiths…it all made sense…
ALCO
December 2021
A post from Karl is like a present under the tree!
CarlRowe
December 2021 edited December 2021
Merry Christmas Happy Holidays
brownbr
December 2021
Good start
Karl.A
December 2021
Thanks guys, much appreciated.
Had to work today but now it’s time to relax.
Pappy
December 2021
Have a great holiday Karl!
Karl.A
December 2021
Thanks Pap, you too.
I always love polishing up Brett’s (SWSM) metal castings and watching all that incredible cast in detail pop out…
It’s like dry brushing with a dremel…
Polished the ones that will need it and left the few specific ones alone as necessary.
The hammer heads and tools dont really show up in these pics.
Time to get out in the yard for some fresh air… blue sky and 77, time to go walk around and be back later.
Karl.A
December 2021 edited January 2022
Back at the desk, started with this beauty.
I must have worked on over 20 or 30 of Brett’s vice castings over the years…
I never noticed before that the adjustment rod in the middle was
actually threaded, so, I had to polish it up a little after I chipped the paint.
Pappy
December 2021
Fantastic Karl!
Have never seen this part in all my kits. Love to have this puppy!
brownbr
December 2021
excellent work on that vise.
Robert.G
December 2021
It has the right color, great work Karl ..
Sakman
December 2021
Very nice work.
Jerry
December 2021
Looks great Karl.
Jerry
Karl.A
December 2021 edited December 2021
Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments, it’s a beautiful casting.
Sorry Pap, it’s O scale, you’re going to have upsize your game to O if
you want to see this detail in your kit box. As good as you are doing in HO
a small O kit for display you would enjoy.
Pappy
December 2021 edited December 2021
Ya, was thinking about doing an O scale larger kit in the future.
I did my first kit from SW a few years back which was the Dueling Shacks in O scale…great kit for newbies to get started and learn.
Keep up your great work Karl!
Joel
December 2021
Karl, love watching your attention to detail on the details.
Karl.A
December 2021 edited January 2022
Thanks Joel, that is very appreciated.
Whenever I do something, all I’m thinking is, what could be better, what have I missed, what’s the next level, as I’m looking at the picture before I hit ‘post’.
As soon as I hit ‘post’ and the picture pops up on screen, thats!! when I see all the things that Kevin ‘O’ would say to me to fix and could be better, lol.
I sure do miss our semi-weekly calls and pushing each other to do more, go further. He’s still with me in my head every time I paint details, driving me, watching over my shoulder, supporting each other and coming up with ideas for each other.
For example, I went back and cleaned off the sloppy paint from the top ball of the handle slide rod and shined up the handle of the slide rod slightly as it should be, because it was bugging me and I know he would have seen it and mentioned it… haha.
“Every detail is it’s own little model…”
geoawelch
December 2021
Always nice to have someone whose talent you respect (no matter the endeavor) to drive you to do better.
George
MuddyCreekRR
December 2021
Kevin O is missed by many…in particular those that were very close to him…I was very lucky many years back in a hotel breakfast area in Foxboro Mass. when Brian N. noticed I had a firefighter’s shirt on and invited me to sit and eat with both him and Kevin. We chatted fire stuff…and that drifted to modeling…both of them had great interest in what I was doing (at that time I had just ordered the sawmill machinery from Brett) and our conversation continued during that show anytime we crossed paths…It was a great time…
Pappy
December 2021
I didn’t know Kevin O.
He sounded like a great person and modeler.
Joel
January 2022
Kevin did have a way with details but you and Ken do carry the torch forward. Nice to remember our yearly get togethers.
admin
January 2022 edited January 2022
There’s a story behind this pic of Kevin, I suspect a few forum members know what Kev is holding. hah! Miss you buddy.
Karl.A
January 2022
Yup, a great time that was, hah, I’ve still got that pic up on the wall in here.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Spent some time this evening working on more of the metal details, there were still plenty left to do even after building the cat, the bates, the disconnect(which I cant find) and the AH&D winch. So I finally got at it…
The ones on the big sheet will just be general junk so they will just get rust effects and heavy weathering.
Painted, chipped, dusted and rusted the ones that needed it.
Not sure where these are going yet so just painted and chipped for now, I’ll either rust or weather accordingly dependent on where they end up, ie’ a junk pile, so, more rusty and dilapidated, or, in the shop as spares, so more oily and cleaner. Time will tell.
I guess nothing else to do but clean this mess up, get the dio base back onto the desk, get the scenery supplies out and finish this beauty off…
I hate cleaning up, it’s what slows me down, but I do love Brett’s (SWSM) details. Time to get it done…
brownbr
January 2022
Ah yes. The little details left after the bigger details have been assembled. Once you’ve completed this stage, then on to the details on the details.
geoawelch
January 2022
Love that you can see the bristles on the push broom
Karl.A
January 2022 edited May 2022
Indeed Bryan, the spiral of the rabbit hole… fun !!
Thats all Brett’s masterful masters and exquisite casting George, I havent touched the bristles other than to blacken and then rub to show up his incredible detail in the cast in details.
I still have a few specific resin and metal details to finish up, even after all those previously shown, so, I did get the desk cleaned off and I’m going to do those before the scenery and base.
First one to do tonight is the forge casting…
I’m going to light it up again first before I paint it.
Pappy
January 2022
Your doing great as usual Karl. Can’t wait to see more
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Thanks Pap,
forcing myself to clean up always slows me down, but I got it done.
Here’s an update on the forge, same process as I did the last one. Now I just need to paint the bricks/stone and detail it, then put it away until needed.
After that it’s time to get this nice clean desk all messy again… haha
Thanks for following along and all the input.
BenPopper
January 2022
that is an awesome series of pictures showing the progression!
MuddyCreekRR
January 2022
Just an observation…a little soot by the cleanout in the front…
Pappy
January 2022 edited January 2022
Beautiful job Karl.
Did you use one of those little Hobby lobby flicker lights inside the forge?
I have a box of those and was thinking making a campfire or a oil drum/trash can with wood fire.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Thanks Ben, Art and Pap.
That will be done when I install it Art so I can blend it into the dirt. Also, it will be more of a grey ash colour rather than a black soot colour.
Yes Pap, thats what I used.
Trash can
Vertical boiler
Pappy
January 2022 edited January 2022
Awesome Karl! Again beautiful detailed work my friend.
Now make a campfire with hobo’s sitting around the fire
Those flickering lights look exactly what I have.
Pappy
January 2022
I may be going a bit crazy and just thinking out loud.
But, has anyone added smoke to theses little features?..Karl?
Had a train layout years ago and remember adding smoke fluid to the train engine.
I know there has to be a heating element to get the smoke flowing.
May be a bit of a challenge.
Just a thought
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
I messed around with pulling out a smoke unit from a cheap loco quite a few years ago and hooked it up to a small power supply to generate the heat, and therefore the smoke.
It worked without a problem and easy enough to do.
The trouble with it is… you heat oil to get the smoke, granted at low temp so thats not a problem, the problem is with the residue the ‘smouldering’ oil produces in the smoke, not so much a big deal for a train dispersing it as it goes around a track, though it does eventually coat things.
That residue is not something I would want coating one of my SierraWest structures from a static burn barrel or similar static effect next to, or even inside the structure.
So in answer, yes I’ve done it, no it’s not too complicated, but no, I wouldnt use the feature on anything near a high quality SWSM model that I’ve spent so much time on.
Look at anybody’s loco with a smoke unit, the stack and top of the loco will be coated in an oily residue, usually also droplets from where they ‘spit’ occasionally.
I definitly wouldn’t recommend it but its easily done.
Pappy
January 2022
Thanks Karl.
Never thought a residue from the smoke. Have never heard that.
There are many layouts out there with SW kits with train loco’s with smoke.
I wonder if these folks have the residue problem on structures…don’t know.
Appreciate the info.
Just trying to think of new things to do is all.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Never stop thinking Pap,
The residue is a common and regular topic on many train forums…
Google :- " model train smoke residue on layout "
As I said, a moving loco with a smoke unit disperses the residue around the layout, still not ideal though. Certainly not something I want all over my SWSM structure.
As with everything though, it’s up to the individual modeller on what they want. I have also seen a sawdust burner with a smoke unit installed… somewhere… can’t remember where.
As you asked me specifically, I answered with my own actual experience, and results.
Not right, not wrong, just what I have personally learned and can offer as a reply, and something to think about.
Pappy
January 2022 edited January 2022
Thanks again Karl for your info on this subject.
Maybe we can do water steam instead..lol
Keep on doing your fantastic work!
Quote
Jim M
January 2022 184.60.89.255
Karl, the forge looks great. BTW, a friend of ours who has a beautiful layout and does a fantastic job of weathering his locomotives told me that he never uses smoke on his weathered locomotives because it wrecks them. The oil residue isn’t good.
randyp
January 2022
Karl, a great build. I am just up to page four. I love the two color wood siding. Thanks for the tutorial on the wire brushes. I will need to try the round wire brush on the wood for the open shed on the truck repair. I love the mud and caked dirt on the treads. looking forward to read the rest of the thread. Randy
Pappy
January 2022
Thanks again Karl, Jim for the info on smoke residue.
I never knew was a problem on structures.
I will scratch that idea..lol
Pap
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Well today I am a happy modeller, I found my disconnect… after searching my shelves and drawers for two weeks… I actually found the disconnect in it’s packet in the kit box under the bag of roofing, signs, shingles, brass wire and other goodies Brett puts in these amazing kit boxes.
I’ll probably build the disconnect tomorrow, so for today as I was in a good modelling mood I decided to make some O Scale spectacles/glasses
Yup, that’ll work…
brownbr said:
Once you’ve completed this stage, then on to the details on the details.
Time for the rabbit hole Bryan…
Looks like Frank the foreman left his glasses on the desk again while looking at the plans…
He’ll be looking for those later.. haha
Pappy
January 2022
Eye glasses seriously? You have no life Karl…lol
Now make HO scale eye glasses…lol
Jim M
January 2022
Wow, I suppose there are prescription lenses too. Incredible job.
Pappy
January 2022
Karl, how the hell did you make those? or did you purchase them somewhere
Karl.A
January 2022 edited May 2022
I made them.
Pappy said:
Eye glasses seriously? You have no life Karl…lol
Now make HO scale eye glasses…lol
I made them in HO 10 or so years ago Pap… that’s where I got the idea from to use them here,
there’s no challenge in repetition… been there, done that…
I gave this little HO guy to my Mum on her last visit here to the US as she was so impressed with him and the fact that I had made the glasses, the HO figure travelled back to the UK with her safely in a match box.
Pappy
January 2022 edited January 2022
Jim, was thinking the same thing. Next Karl will add glass to these..lol
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
They already do have lenses in them,
dont ask me if they’re 1.5 or 1.75 though, this isnt “VisionExpress”
Pappy
January 2022
And Brett says he can’t make kerosene lanterns in HO due to too tiny? The valves on the tanks are super tiny like these ho specs
Pappy
January 2022
Unbelievable work Karl!!
Pappy
January 2022
Lets see a close up on these lenses attached
Karl.A
January 2022
There you go…
Pappy
January 2022
Karl, you are unbelievable!!
Pappy
January 2022
Wish you were my next door neighbor so I pick your brain on the fly…lol
brownbr
January 2022
Top notch right there. You beat me to the joke about the magnification strength.
geoawelch
January 2022
Setting new sights…as it were. Your modeling prowess is otherworldly, Karl.
randyp
January 2022
Karl, I love the weathering on the lathe on page six. It looks well used but not for a long time. I love the touch of rust on top of the belt drive. A step by step on something like this for us new members would be grate. After I am on my first SW kit. Thanks, Randy
ALCO
January 2022
(Jaw drops…)
TomMich
January 2022 108.205.14772
Amazing!
Robert.G
January 2022
NO way… Elton John…
randyp
January 2022
Ok Karl, I am now caught up with your build. Your detail is outstanding!!! Randy
Pappy
January 2022
Sun glasses with dark frames…
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Pappy said:
Sun glasses with dark frames…
There you go…
Black frames with tinted lenses, (yes, they are tinted not just black paint ).
Red metallic ‘fashion’ glasses with clear lenses.
I did make some silver ‘Aviators’ with mirror lenses but I dropped them…
Now the ‘Aviators’ are lost somewhere under my desk with the hammer from my “Tool Shed” …
and a few other things…
I can’t get a clear pic with the blade there, but, you get the idea.
I’m headed off to make some pallets and saw horses and get back to the kit.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Thanks for all the comments, great to read them all, really appreciated.
I’ve been thinking about doing another detail thread actually Randy, or maybe even video, especially with Brett’s new line of 3D parts to work on, but I’ll discuss that in a separate thread.
I’ll maybe make some clear yellow for the lenses and do those ‘Eltons’ glasses for you Robert one day, maybe even star shaped, after all, he is ‘the rocket man’.
For now though, I’m back to the build…
Pappy
January 2022
Karl, fantastic work. You going to add diamonds on Eltons..lol jk
Robert.G
January 2022
Karl, as far as I see it now, YOU are the Rocket Man !!! great work.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Thanks so much Pap and Robert, very encouraging.
I made a few pallets using Brett’s awesome jig that’s included in the kit yesterday evening while I was watching TV.
The jig makes assembly really easy with great results.
I think that should be enough …
This afternoon I started making some saw horses to scatter around on the diorama, once again using a jig thats
included in the kit to ensure great results every time.
Now that the sawhorses are done I can get started on building the included disconnect to go into the workshop.
Pappy
January 2022
Karl, again, you do fantastic work
admin
January 2022 edited May 2022
Love the pile of pallets!
randyp
January 2022
I wish I had a pallet jig. I would like one or two Old beat up ones around my Truck Repair. Very good consistent work. Are you sure they aren’t castings, they are so much alike.
admin
January 2022
Randy, shoot me an email and I will send you a jig. If I have the email I won’t forget!
randyp
January 2022
Thanks Brett, email is on the way.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited March 2022
There it is, Brett’s Customer support at its best…
Thanks Brett.
MuddyCreekRR
January 2022
You can never have too many pallets…a great rail side business for a line that does logging…
PaulS
January 2022
KKarns said:
Nice work Karl. Jigs for 1:87 would be useful…do they exist?
Agree on both comments Ken …
Excellent modeling as always Karl, just gets better and better.
And 1/87 pallet and saw horse jigs would be most useful !!
Just sayin’
Thanks and be well,
–Paul
brownbr
January 2022
Save your jigs. I have 2 different sizes of pallet jugs. Makes for interesting clusters of pallets.
kebmo
January 2022
brownbr said:
Save your jigs. I have 2 different sizes of pallet jugs. Makes for interesting clusters of pallets.
i’ve kept every sierra west jig since my first swsm kit.
Robert.G
January 2022
I always impregnate them first with diluted boat varnish. This way, they are much stronger and last longer…
brownbr
January 2022
I like that idea Robert.
Pappy
January 2022
Brett, please put me on the list for pallet 1:87 jigs if they exist…thanks
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Thanks Paul.
Thanks so much Philip, I love the look of these included ‘Link and Pin’ couplers, they’re perfect on these small log cars from SierraWest.
Philip, the three finished disconnects were taken from my car shop diorama, I looked at them to decide which style I was going to copy on this new build. I’ve decided to copy the middle one which is halfway through a re-build and will be placed inside the repair shed as per the manual.
With that said, I epoxied the pedestal plates in place with the wheel sets last night. I left the 5 minute epoxy to set for 24 hours while I did other things.
Tonight I’m ready to start applying the new deck boards and then add the rest of the car details that are provided in the kit.
Pappy
January 2022
Looking Great Karl!
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Thanks Pap, appreciated.
Disconnect done and it’s headed over to the other desk for storage until needed.
Now I’m trying to think of anything else I need to finish up before I get the dio base back out on the desk and start finishing things up …
Jim M
January 2022
Incredible, I thought the pile of nails was real.
brownbr
January 2022
Better hammer that nail in before someone snags it and needs a tetanus shot.
randyp
January 2022
Good Job Karl. what are the nails piano wire? Is it my imagination or does the nail just below the pile of nails have a head? Randy
admin
January 2022
Old coffee can of nails and the ubiquitous claw hammer. Terrific!
kebmo
January 2022
unreal. nails. sheesh…
Pappy
January 2022
Unbelievable!
ALCO
January 2022
Just goes to show that it doesn’t always take a lot of stuff to make a good scene, just the right stuff. Nice work, sir!
TomMich
January 2022
Karl, you raise the bar with every model you build! Your details are incredible!
Joel
January 2022
Just Fantastic detail work. Can’t wait to see what you come up with next. Amazing.
Karl.A
January 2022
Thanks guys, the comments are always appreciated and motivating, I love working on Brett’s amazing details.
The first time I did it (here) Joel was my original disconnect, then I seem to remember you doing it on, i think, your amazing O’Neill’s build, now I’m back at it… I guess it’s your turn next again …
Thanks again.
Sakman
January 2022
Brett, Would it be possible to make a sawhorse jig out of Styrene? White glue does not attach to styrene. Not sure what the laser does to plastic. Just a thought. Maybe a ladder jig also.
admin said:
Randy, shoot me an email and I will send you a jig. If I have the email I won’t forget!
JimK
January 2022
Karl,
Just catching up on this fabulous build, instructive through out and have saved many sections for further reference. Will begin following along now. Thanks
Pappy
January 2022
admin: can we all get these Jigs?
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
The jigs that have been mentioned and shown Pappy are all O scale and generally come included in most of the O scale kits.
Pappy
January 2022
Thanks Karl. did’t know just for O scale.
Karl.A
January 2022
Thanks so much Jim, glad to read you have enjoyed the thread so far.
I have been side tracked by three other builds while also working on this one, hence the slight pause.
One of those builds has been done,
Another one will be finished tonight…
The third will remain an ongoing project… but,
I am planning on cleaning up this desk tomorrow and getting out the scenery supplies and diorama base after that and getting to work on finishing the diorama over the weekend, so, stay tuned.
kebmo
January 2022
mine’s on hold. molly takes up all of our time. its no wonder mike engler hasn’t posted since he got his pup…
i’m really anxious to see your base and how you go about the landscaping.
Karl.A
January 2022
I’m trying to come up with a plan Kev, I guess I need to just jump in and stop thinking.
kebmo
January 2022
i had a few minute downstairs early this morning and realized i have to put the circular saw blade back on my dremel. the groove i cut in the base to accomodate the leds for the forge stopped about 1/4" short of the wall; sheesh. whatinthehell was i thinking.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Ha Kevin, glad you spotted it in good time .
Now if that was me… I woudn’t have realized until everything else was finished and I went to plug it in …
I only just started getting things laid out before I noticed I need to build and install the windows and also the post and beam missing wall.
Oh well, at least it’s on my desk and ready to go … kinda.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
While working on the windows this evening I’ve been looking over at the Bates, the more I look at it the more I know I’ve got to redo it.
Even though… it will be inside the structure and barely seen and I originally did this base layer finish 10 years ago, I’ve just got to try and update it a little…
But that can wait until tomorrow … I’ll just add it on the ‘to do’ list for now.
Back to the windows…
Karl.A
January 2022 edited May 2022
My good friend and a great fellow modeller ‘Wesley Becks’ once posted this in my Sawmill thread…
Wes said:
Beautiful Karl. How about showing us one of your screw ups sometime …
So, here’s one of those back steps, (back steps makes me feel better than saying ‘screw ups’)
I do generally try to show when I redo something, to show that most things can be redone if you’re not happy the first time. It’s quicker to do it twice than not do it at all.
Jump in and give it a go.
Here’s the Bates for this kit, I did it about 10 years ago, using the rocksalt and overspray method… I didn’t like the results, so, I put the kit away at the time and moved on to something new.
So, now I’ve faced the facts and I am stripping it back down…
After a 24hr soak in alcohol, a toothbrush scrub got most of the craft paint off.
Once that was done and dry… I dipped a toothbrush into xylene and gently scrubbed the rest off…
Looks like I originally primed it with ‘red oxide’ but I dont have any of that, so, this time I’m going to prime it with flat black…
So, lets see what I can come up with this time around.
randyp
January 2022
Karl, I am looking forward to your stepback. I am sure it will come out fantastic as do all your models. Randy
PaulS
January 2022
Karl, I am also looking forward to your ‘step back’. and producing a better Bates !
Great lessons all around,
Thanks,
–Paul
Karl.A
January 2022
Thanks Randy and Paul, I’m hoping so myself.
I let the black base dry over night.
brownbr
January 2022
Good job stripping that down
Jim M
January 2022
It’s comforting to know that even the masters have to take a mulligan every once in a while. It seems like I have to re-do just about everything I do at least once. I’m sure it will be a beaty once it’s done and you’re satisfied.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Thanks Bryan, (almost) everything’s fixable.
Thanks Jim, re-doing things is part of learning, none of us always get it right the first time. Practice and repetition makes us better.
Basic, rough painting done…
finishing details to be added, some final painting needs to be completed in areas, such as the seat and tool boxes and maybe some chalk to finish it off.
Apologies for the variation in picture quality / colour balance … just progress pics.
EmeryJ
January 2022
Much better. Man that looks good.
brownbr
January 2022
Very nice. Surely a machine headed to the repair shop
vietnamseabee
January 2022
My eye caught the pile of pallets in the background as well. The idea of a haphazard grouping of pallets adds a lot to a mini-scene
Terry
kebmo
January 2022
now i want to redo mine…
admin
January 2022
Love it, especially the rust snail trails. Very realistic…
PaulS
January 2022
Quite the wonderful transformation Karl !!
Looks like it needs some reconditioning and repairs, most excellent !
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
thanks guys, I’m much happier with it now, so far.
I didnt bother redoing the tracks as they wont be seen… a little chalk and then onwards.
Joel
January 2022
Just stunning. The rust pattern is so realistic. The paint is worn away in all the right places.
Karl.A
January 2022
Thanks Joel.
randyp
January 2022
Karl, as I suspected your stepback produced outstanding results.
Karl.A
January 2022
Thanks Randy.
Karl.A
January 2022 edited January 2022
Work day over and time to assemble the tracks…
Kinda reminds me of one of those jigsaws where all the pieces are the same shape, hope I get them in the right order…
January 2022
A little progress tonight after work.
I got the tracks epoxied together, and then to the drive train. Perfect fit as always.
I tried to get the tracks that come over the top a little uneven to show that they were loose, but not so much to be ‘theatrical’ …
I plan to try and get this great part of the kit glued up and finished up tomorrow…
CraigH
January 2022 162.72.22.30
Karl, the tractor looks better with the redo !! I have a tractor to heres a picture of
EmeryJ
January 2022
Tractor is getting better and better Karl.
Karl.A
January 2022
Thanks Emery, appreciated.
Over the years I seem to have lost the styrene that Brett provides for the stacks so I soldered up some brass tubing with added mufflers to suffice.
I also seem to have misplaced, or used somewhere else a couple of the control levers that come included in this great kit. However, because the Bates will be inside and barely seen I’ll prob just ‘fab’ up some basic levers from brass rod and add handles to give the illusion.
I also will probably turn a gas cap and oil filler cap from brass rod for the gas tank cap and oil filler cap… I love the amazing detail on these, it’s unfortunate that I lost a few of them over the years, but hey, when you stick it up on a shelf for ten years these things happen.
Progress will happen through-out the week…
brownbr
January 2022
I’m sure you will come up with a solution.
vietnamseabee
January 2022
Karl….if I remember correctly it was you that had spark plug wires on one of your tractor builds
Terry
Karl.A
January 2022 edited May 2022
Good memory Terry,
it was the tractor I built for my SWSM BlueSky kit in about 2012, the build of that tractor appears on page 3 of that thread. The other additions to that tractor are shown in that thread, but, here’s the plugs and wires you mentioned…
The tractor was ultimately stolen from BlueSky and ended up on my O’Neills Wheels diorama build which was featured for the Dirt/Details thread.
ALCO
February 2022
Crazy. Cool, but crazy.
randyp
February 2022
Karl was the spark plug wire just brass wire bent very neatly into a half circle?
Karl.A
February 2022 edited May 2022
Thanks Alan,
Randy the plugwire was an offcut of the thin beading wire that Brett provides in the kits for various things, I used this because it was black and smooth, like a rubber cable. You can also get this in the beading area at a craft store.
Brass or copper wire would also work at the right dimension, I usually would use the stranded copper wire out of an electrical cord and blacken it which is what I did for the various wiring on the Cat earlier in this thread with various thicknesses.
Thanks for following.
Karl.A
April 2022 edited May 2022
Step 1 Kevin,
The hardest step, I got the desk cleared off of all the other crap tonight so I’ve got room to work on this tomorrow.
My desk at 730 tonight… just a little cluttered…
The desk at 930pm, much better for the job at hand.
I guess we’re all ready to go tomorrow.
Unfortunately Kev I have to work tomorrow, (and Sunday) so, don’t bother getting up too early, no more progress until tomorrow evening.
Right now I’m hunting down ‘supplies’.
kebmo
April 2022
i’ve got a front row seat and a sleeping bag, just give me a kick when you’re ready to go.
Jerry
April 2022
Looking forward to this project.
You know that bottle of beer is the best detail part I’ve seen in a long time nice work on the labeling!!
Jerry
randyp
April 2022
Karl, your work bench is better at 7:30 than mine is even when it is"clean". Randy
Karl.A
April 2022 edited April 2022
I guess I’ll give you a kick toma Kev, not a good day today for me, but, I did find all the supplies I needed and cleared the site.
Thanks Jerry, thats my prototype I use as a reference,
Thanks Randy, I’ve been trying really REALLY hard to keep it (semi) organised over the past year or so to keep myself motivated and at the modeling bench.
I decided it would be a good idea before I starting throwing plaster and grout around to tape off the area I was going to be working on to avoid getting it all over the epoxied down floor and ties.
Now that the area to be worked on was safely taped off I continued on with the demo-work on the dio to get it ready for the next steps.
So, I guess thats about it for now.
kebmo
April 2022
love the police tape! dare i ask where you got it?
ALCO
April 2022
I’ve got to look into these OSHA regulations!
brownbr
April 2022
Funny prep work. That would make an interesting diorama detail in itself.
Karl.A
April 2022
Thanks Kevin, I made the ‘caution’ tape.
Thanks for the posts Alan and Bryan, gotta keep it fun.
Update later, (when the sun goes down).
Karl.A
April 2022 edited May 2022
I’ve done this method before, 2007/08 but only in a rough situation, so, I’m going to try to take it to a more refined result here and now.
Someone’s probably done it before(2007), done it better, done it different, however…
I’m going to share how I do it, as it happens.
Step one,
test piece, I decided to do one side plaster, one side grout.
For the plaster side I ran a large wire wheel over the foam base, I think this will give more ‘tooth’ for the plaster to grab hold of the base and stick.
Next thing to do was make some fake tractor tracks to make the impressions in the ‘dirt’.
I cut a strip of thin card to the width of the castings tracks. Then I used the ‘chopper’ to cut some strip wood in order to replicate the casting.
I then used a strip wood guide (a technique from many of Brett’s unrivaled manuals) to glue the track pieces in place and keep them aligned.
After gluing 20 or so flat pieces and 20ish ridges i figured that would be enough.
I did want to be able to follow the contours of the scenery so I decided to create a curved ‘stamp’ in order for me to do this.
The ‘track’ was then glued to the ‘handle’ which will give me the versatility that I will need, in case I need it.
Next I painted both sides of the test piece with a tan paint. It wasn’t really necessary for this test piece but I wanted to show every step I will take on the real diorama.
The added texture on the side that will have plaster shows up better now, the other side will just get my usual grout and white glue method.
I’ll be slinging dirt and making tracks tomorrow … also, a couple of tips on using plaster.
(As a side note, it only took about 15-20 mins with the chopper to make the tractor tread stamp thingy.)
kebmo
April 2022
what a great idea. thanks karl.
CraigH
April 2022
Lot of work to lay down some Tracks… waiting to see the final results
vietnamseabee
April 2022 edited April 2022
“Lot of work to lay down some tracks“….certainly is but then that’s what distinguishes Karl’s modeling …simply another technique to try and emulate
Terry
admin
April 2022
So well said Terry, why skimp or take shortcuts on the dioramas we work so hard on?
Karl.A
April 2022 edited April 2022
Thanks Kev, Terry and Brett ,
I got everything ready to go tonight, then couldn’t find any shrink wrap in the kitchen, so,
a trip to Kroger tomorrow and then next steps tomorrow.
randyp
April 2022
Some great ideas Karl. I already used one of your ideas on my truck repair. The one about building up the sides and middle of a road and leaving the wheal tracks at the original level. Thanks for your great modeling and sharing it with the rest of us. Randy
Karl.A
April 2022
Thanks Randy, great to read my ideas and techniques have been helpful. Hopefully you got great results, as I’m sure you did, judging by everything else you have shown so far.
Hopefully that technique I shared wasn’t a lot of work for you.
Karl.A
April 2022 edited May 2022
A couple of tips for using plaster, some of you may know, some may not.
First tip, if you want to extend the setting time of the plaster so you have time to ‘work it’, one method I implement is to use iced water when mixing it up. If you’ve touched plaster as its curing it gets warm in the mold. Using iced water slows this curing process down, a lot.
(I have also heard of adding white vinegar, but, I haven’t personally done that so wont comment further, but, google it and try it if you want to.)
The iced water in the mix extended the working time of this small batch from the usual 5 minutes to about 30 minutes and more.
It actually wasn’t ideal and I wouldn’t recommend it for this situation, but, it definitely works for other applications.
Frozen water bottle, thawing out, used as needed.
My second tip for using plaster is to add some paint to your water before mixing so that the plaster is coloured all the way through when mixed.
I actually added some raw umber to this colour and then some black to make it really dark before mixing, it still dried quite light, but not as bad as having a bright white chip or crack if that ever happens.
I think this also extended the curing time of the plaster.
More soon.
Karl.A
April 2022 edited April 2022
You want to have a thick mix of plaster, not like the soupy mix you would use to make rock molds, kinda thick like whipping cream so that it holds its shape.
Put the plaster on the diorama area where you require it, also put a blob somewhere close by.
The blob is so that you can touch it and test it until it gets to the right setting point without disturbing the plaster on the dio.
Once the ‘blob’ has cured to the point you like cover the blob and work area with clingfilm and leave to set a little longer.
Test by peeling the cling film off of the ‘blob’. Once the blob is fairly firm and the cling film peels up relatively cleanly you are ready to make tracks.
Roll the track stamp (or wheel, or whatever…) made earlier over the plastic covered plaster. This can be manipulated and redone several times until you’re happy.
Do this over the blob too. leave to set some more.
Test peel the plastic off of the blob, when it comes off how you like it you can continue on and repeat the process on the actual work piece.
More dried plaster will peel off smoothly, wetter plaster will give a rougher finish, but you may lose the clarity of the impressions.
This one was a little too damp hence the rough surrounding terrain, (it stuck a little to the plastic), but, I managed to keep the clarity of the impression.
I let it dry a little more (because of the time delay drying) for 5 extra minutes, you can see how the wet sheen has dulled down some more.
While still damp at this point I sprinkled on some dry grout to give some texture.
Because the plaster at this point was pretty much surface dry, and was covered with the dry grout I lined up the stamp in the grooves and carefully (not careful enough) rolled the stamp over one more time to push the grout into the soft plaster and redefine the track marks.
I’ll let this dry now and see how this basic start looks…
randyp
April 2022
Karl, great looking tread tracks. I don’t know if I will ever need the technique but I now have it. Thanks, Randy
Karl.A
April 2022 edited April 2022
Thanks Randy, you might use it somewhere else, such as setting a building, or model you want to sit down into the terrain, but you may want to keep it clean and removeable.
My clingfilm method also works for boats in water scenes or other items. Hope you can use it, or an adaption, somewhere in the future to make your modeling easier.
The second side of the test piece was done using my usual grout mix. Everything else was basically the same.
The grout was mixed with room temperature water as if I was just going to grout some tile. A little too sloppy but that just means some extra time waiting for it to dry out and set up.
Once again I put a test blob on the desk next to the ‘diorama’.
I kept testing in the test blob, once it reached the consistency and results that looked good to me I did the impression in the real piece.
It’s very forgiving, I think I did it three times and smoothed it back out between tries.
Do the imprint, carefully lift the film. if happy remove and let dry. if unhappy smooth back out and retry.
So, now I’ll see how the grout side dries, and go from there on the ‘real’ diorama.
Job done …
Edit:- probably just under 1/8" thick for both plaster and grout base layers.
kebmo
April 2022
that turned out really great. i think both sides look incredibly good.
randyp
April 2022 edited April 2022
Keven is right both sides look good. I think it would depend on whether you want new or old tracks. The grout side is much sharper and crisper, new tracks. The plaster side, I guess because you sprinkled on the grout after the tracks were made, looks more weathered, older tracks. Anyway Karl great modeling. Randy
brownbr
April 2022
Nice work
Karl.A
April 2022 edited April 2022
Thanks Kevin, Randy and Bryan.
The comments and thoughts are appreciated.
Jerry
April 2022
What a great tutorial! Thanks Karl and well done I might add.
Jerry
Karl.A
April 2022 172.58.193221
Thanks my friend, great to read you.
Karl.A
April 2022 edited May 2022
Proto pic for anyones future reference …
MuddyCreekRR
April 2022
Another great tool in the detailing toolbox…Thanks Karl…this also makes me think on realistic tire imprints too…
Karl.A
April 2022 edited April 2022
Thanks Art, glad you can file it away until needed.
As I noted, it also works great for the Fordson tractor tracks, use the impeccable castings provided by Brett in the kit for the impressions before you paint them.
It’s also great for any general wheel and tire (or other) impressions, because my method keeps them clean.
Joel
April 2022
Two great choices and both would work well. Love following the detailed process.
Sakman
April 2022
I’m impressed. Really great and thanks for the detailed instruction.
Karl.A
April 2022
Thanks Joel and Paul, I’m happy with the result and it’s a
really quick and easy method.
kebmo
April 2022
vietnamseabee said:
“Lot of work to lay down some tracks“….certainly is but then that’s what distinguishes Karl’s modeling …simply another technique to try and emulate
Terry
couldn’t have said it better
Karl.A
April 2022
Thank you Kevin.
Karl.A
April 2022
Cleared off the desk from several other projects because of some infused motivation and then reloaded the desk with the components to get this one finished.
Pulled all the parts from their various places around this room, dunno how Brett packs this much stuff into one box, but, always thankful that he does.
So, now I need to make some progress and get this beauty finished so the desk is cleared for the next one. I’m looking forward to this…
I do love seeing all the finished castings laid out in front of me, able to see all sides of them clearly and admire them, but now its time to pull it all together.
brownbr
April 2022
Looking forward to seeing it come together.
admin
April 2022
Awwwwww yeah, intermission is over, hah! Finish this beauty up!
Jerry
April 2022
I agree time to finish this beauty up.
Jerry
TomMich
April 2022
Looking forward to it all coming together.
kebmo
April 2022
pulled up a chair and can’t wait…
vietnamseabee
April 2022
Says the man who has 1 day and a wake-up
admin
April 2022
vietnamseabee said:
Says the man who has 1 day and a wake-up
hah! TRUE
kebmo
April 2022
i wish i had kept my short timers hat…
Karl.A
May 2022 edited May 2022
I got the basic landforms done last night and smoothed them out with a little tinted plaster.
Dark spot in the middle is where the plaster is still damp.
Put the base layer of dirt down at 11 this morning but it’s still wet.
Hoping it dries out soon, I’m getting impatient just looking at it…
Jerry
May 2022
I don’t think it’s dry yet. But very impressive!
Jerry
randyp
May 2022
Karl, I too am looking forward to your getting it all put together. I see the the time you spent on the Cat tracks paid off. They will look great with the Cat setting at the end of them. Randy
Karl.A
May 2022 edited May 2022
Yeah, I’ll have to agree with you on the first half of that statement Jerry.
Still not quite dry yet which is really frustrating, at 7pm.
After doing the base dirt this morning I was really hoping to be gluing down some walls and details tonight and making progress …
Karl.A
May 2022 edited May 2022
Thanks Randy, I hope so, I may back the Cat up a little so the imprints protrude out the front a (scale) foot or so, so that.. it looks like they “backed that thing up” a little. I’ll see how it looks.
The (fake) Cat stamp only took 15 mins to make, so not a big deal in the whole scheme of things, hell, I’ve been waiting 7 hours for the dirt to dry so 15min is the blink of an eye. haha
Had a couple of really good motivational phone calls this week from two of the best modellers (and friends) I know so I was really fired up for a lot of progress this weekend. Oh well, I guess we still have tomorrow. Or maybe later tonight…
Karl.A
May 2022
Finally dry.
brownbr
May 2022
Worth the wait.
kebmo
May 2022
indeed. and the effort pays off…
MuddyCreekRR
May 2022
The soil is grout…correct?
Karl.A
May 2022
Thanks Kev and Bryan.
Yes Art.
admin
May 2022
So very happy to see this coming back and moving into the most interesting stage!
TomMich
May 2022
That’s the right statement Brett! “Interesting stage” it is. When the scenery and details come together it brings everything to life!