This thread was started in August, 2017
Joel
August 2017 in O Scale Builds
Well here we go. Been out of the game too long and itching to get back in. I’ve been waiting for some time to devote to this masterpiece but now realize it ain’t never gonna come so I’m going to start this anyways and slowly make my way through it. I read through the instructions and am very excited about trying some of these new techniques. Today I went out and bought some craft paint (still can’t find the “Bluegrass” for the trim. I spray painted the concrete castings so I am officially started. Also I’ve started this thread so now I am committed to build one of the most stunningly detailed models ever produced. I realize there are other threads out there so feel free to follow any or all of them. Off to distress a few dozen boards.
Comments
Karl.A
August 2017 edited August 2017
Really looking forward to following this build Joel.
Incredible kit coupled with an outstanding modeler, couldn’t ask for more.
Karl.A
admin
August 2017
Gonna be awesome to see you bring O’Neills to life!
Joel
August 2017
OK here’s those casting I spray painted black. An important step because I promised myself that I love the look of this kit so much I want to follow the directions explicitly.
Joel
August 2017
Today is wood distressing day. Got all my tools out and a disposable wood surface to scratch away at. You can see the various wire brushes I use. I try not to stick to the same to get variety. I never use a razor saw as the grooves are always too even and pull focus.
KKarns
August 2017
Great news Joel! I’m really looking forward to see what you do with O’Neills and so nice to see you posting your work…we are all in for a great ride here!
nextceo
August 2017
Thanks for the build thread…will be following along.
Alan
Joel
August 2017
Hey Ed sorry about not answering right away. I guess I thought you were being facetious with this being a modelling thread. Well I did the first step according to the directions. Small change to step two. I tend to accentuate the grain with a dull blade before adding the knotholes. Then I put them in spots where I feel they fit in with the grain. I do this on each piece. That way I avoid having the grain go through the knothole (most times anyways.
This weekend I can get to " Damp Brushing" and hopefully start building next week. Very exciting.
Joel
August 2017
Here’s a few boards I’ve added some colour to. Quite pleased. A few were a bit too light so I gave them a quick wash of alcohol and asphaltum (an acrylic aging liquid sold in Lowes this actually set the chalk so they were easier to handle and gave me a nice variety. I wanted the boards a bit dark as contrast to the Ivory paint to come.)
Karl.A
August 2017
Looking great Joel, personally I love all the first steps and the ‘prep’ work as this is what starts the foundation for the finish look.
Can’t wait to see your next steps. I haven’t done it yet so I’ll be looking forward to following you.
Karl. A
admin
August 2017
That coloration is going to provide an excellent base for the next step!
KKarns
August 2017
Great coloring and wood detail. I’m with you on the graining first followed by the knot holes.
Joel
August 2017
Well I tried the “damp brushing” technique and am quite pleased with the results. A few boards were not quite consistent so I strategically brushed them again. Also I found those that I had “fixed” with the acrylic wash the ivory stayed a bit brighter as the chalk didn’t affect the ivory paint as much. I went back and re-brushed a few of those and had some nice variation in colour. For the Bluegrass green I damp brushed and then made a second mix of paint with more white in it and dry brushed on top to give a bit more variety and depth. Over all I don’t know if I love the effect more than the resist and peel method but I completed all the strip wood in 45mins when I would have completed 10 boards doing the resist. I will now go through the stripwood and pick out the best pieces to use on the front of the building.
Joel
August 2017
Joel
August 2017
Not that I want to derail my own thread but I think the problem is my camera is too good ( my photography skills suck but still…). with the naked eye these boards look great and even with the macro lens they look pretty good. I think I should be modelling for the eye not for the photos but I am torn.
admin
August 2017
I love your ivory boards. They are going to look incredible. My only concern is the trim color. It is designed to be a blue-green but the pic posted is almost an electric blue.
nextceo
August 2017
Nice wood man!
Slimjerkins
August 2017
Joel said:
Not that I want to derail my own thread but I think the problem is my camera is too good ( my photography skills suck but still…). with the naked eye these boards look great and even with the macro lens they look pretty good. I think I should be modelling for the eye not for the photos but I am torn.
Nothing like taking a a good, sharp photo and zooming in on it to find the flaws. Especially when it comes to painting detail castings.
Bill S.
Karl.A
August 2017
Those ivory boards looks great Joel, such a good peel effect you have achieved with this method.
The blue boards instantly reminded me of my boards on a front wall I built once, and that turned out great. I like the way they are less peeled than the ivory boards and I’m sure the blue isn’t as stark in person, plus, once its further weathered and toned down it will look different.
In regards to your other comment, 99% I model for the camera, mainly because no-one will ever see it in person, only in a close up picture on a screen.
Karl.A
Joel
August 2017
Well a good days work (after a long days work). i lined all the windows and doors and completed one wall. I used a tiny needle to make nail holes so most are invisible but you get an impression of them at certain angles. I’ll probably hit a few with chalk or rust but I want to see how things come together first.
Joel
August 2017
I realize the picture looks like the boards on the left are a different colour but that’s the lighting ( I told you I was a terrible photographer). The middle area is indicative of the true appearance.
Karl.A
August 2017 edited August 2017
Looks fantastic Joel.
Nice tight joints on the window trim and great board selection on the walls.
Really nice variation in the peel effect but also great tonal differences in the underlying wood colour, came together beautifully.
Yes, I see what you mean about the lighting, however, the ‘yellow’ light is also visible on the manual below the illuminated boards, this does not detract from a great wall.
Karl.A
MuddyCreekRR
August 2017
Looking great Joel…I have been trying to get back in the shop to get my build back on track…and your work has made me more anxious to get going again…
Karl.A
August 2017
Nothing wrong with the photography, crisp, clean and focused on the crisp, clean, dirty modeling.
Switch out that ‘yellow’ bulb and any others you work under with 75 or 100W daylight bulbs, you’ll be so much happier… both working under them and with the pictures you take.
Once again though, that wall is superb.
Karl.A
KKarns
August 2017
I agree with Karl that wall is fantastic and a great start to a great build Joel. Following closely…
Joel
September 2017
Well I chickened out and redid all the trim in olive green. I tried multiple shades of the "teal"ish blue and tried adding more and more but I really wasn’t satisfied. Hope it doesn’t throw the balance of colour off too much.
Joel
September 2017 edited September 2017
Today I did the trim on all 4 walls and completed the front wall. Karl I try to make the joints as tight as possible and still show the boards as individual. My secret (if anyone cares) is I don’t measure off the plans but measure off the actual model and then add about 1/64th and then use the true sander to slowly approach the right size. This is particularly important with the headers as the sides of the doors and windows are ever so slightly bigger than the intended dimension (not sure if that is because of humidity changes or what). As far as my work flow goes I deviate slightly from the manual. If anyone has followed my builds before you know I save the stripwood end pieces for special places. Not sure why but the process of Brett cutting the strip wood leaves a slightly rougher board end than I can achieve with my wire brushes. So I use these pieces to but ends or to line the bottom of the wall on important walls. So I jumped right to the front wall and used almost all my “best” strip wood and board ends. The other pieces are more than acceptable but these are the ones that by luck have turned out best. Sop I try to fit the bottom pieces that need to be finished on both ends right to the model. Cut the piece - finish the ends, stain them and then glue in place. All the overhang is on the top edge. I also run a little A+I along the bottom edge and let it wick up. Really pleased with the Knothole on the second board from the left.
Joel
September 2017
mikemettelka
September 2017
Looking good!
brownbr
September 2017
Looks good. Thanks for the commentary. Always good to see the thought process behind the construction.
admin
September 2017
Loving the peeling paint - I think the olive was a good move.
KCSTrains
September 2017
Joel, that’s ok. It’s what you like best that matters. I like the color. The wall looks great. Keep on keeping on. Phil
KKarns
September 2017
Great looking wall Joel. This is my favorite part of the build…detailing the wood and you nailed the peeling paint and weathering. Your knot holes look great because they don’t look like you made a knot hole! They look perfectly natural and random, great work.
nextceo
September 2017
Thanks for all the pictures Joel…at this rate, the diorama will be done in time for the Expo in November!
Karl.A
September 2017
You say you like the one on the second board from left…
I also like the one on the second board from right, then…
I scrutinsed the wall and found quite a few more that I like, at
first glance they add something to the wall, texture, difference,
individuality to the boards as an overall feel, but then looking
deeper at the separate boards they become visible, perfect.
Karl.A
Joel
September 2017
Thanks Karl for the kind words. I have to say it is coming along well. The four walls are done and the trim is done. Not sure what happened but I ended up with enough strip wood to build another building. Today i made my first major departure from the instructions and built a door. Really I’m in O scale now because I built Brett’s amazing rigging shed. I remember the day I built that door, board by board. The results were fantastic. I bit time consuming but in my mind worth it. I could have fininished all the doors and windows in that time but It’s a nice little touch. I used the supplied base layer and glued a layer of stripwood (distressed and painted to match) on top. I added a doorknob (sewing pin ground down and a scrap of paper painted brass), also some hinges for the transom. Not done but a good start for this wall.
sdrees
September 2017
Joel,
Your peeling paint looks great on the siding and the door. Great job.
mikemettelka
September 2017
The olive looks great.
Wes
September 2017
Love how the paint is less faded up under the roof Joel. A subtle yet important detail that adds to the visual effect.
Joel
September 2017
Well a pretty productive couple of days. I used the bottom door layer as a base and built me some more doors. I did discover that after painting the laserboard if you scratch it with the tip of an 11 blade held upside down you can get a bit more character into the material. Hopefully the pictures show that.
Joel
September 2017
Thanks Wes for noting the paint under the eaves. It probably should be under any overhang including the awnings and such. If I was really crazy I would make each wall different as I’m sure Karl can attest depending on the exposure there will be more fading and moisture damage on one side versus the other. I just never know how I am going to orient my model until it is done so I leave this for the truly committed.
Joel
September 2017 edited September 2017
Stained the wood for the addition and worked on the “white” door. Still needs a handle and some distressing of the base layer but it’s a good start. Too tired to do any more tonight.
Joel
September 2017
Finished the door and did the siding for the addition. In this picture you can see how I used the precut ends to best effect by using all the stripwood ends on this prominent wall. I used them for the abutting boards and for the ends of row on one side or the other. I used a piece of stripwood along the side to keep the edge sharp. Very little samding and cutting on one side. The cut edges are used toward the window and door openings.
KKarns
September 2017
Love the green doors Joel. The paint peel effect is terrific. Looking superb and your wood treatment is getting the utmost attention which I really enjoy seeing.
Joel
September 2017
Thanks Ken. Don’t want it to go to your head but I did read through your entire clinic on wood before doing any of this. Quite pleased with the results so far.
brownbr
September 2017
That’s a weird shaped window in the last pic.
KKarns
September 2017 edited September 2017
Glad to be of some assistance even if it was just moral support, as I have seen your wood treatment in the past and you need no help from me in that department. However, as Bryan mentioned we must discuss your window rough opening technique!
KKarns
September 2017
Maybe Ed does his windows the same way!
Joel
September 2017
Ok I think I improved the window opening a bit.
MarkG
September 2017
Wow Joel. Simply excellent craftsmanship.
Mark
Karl.A
September 2017
Fantastic Joel, terrific modeling and effects.
Karl.A
KKarns
September 2017
Great looking door and window. Love the mail slot and the grimy…sorry…grungy weathering at the bottom half of the door.
Bill
September 2017
Joel-
Your peeling paint on this build is once again top notch! Precise construction all around.
Love the hint of brass around the mail slot–very cool attention to detail!
Jerry
September 2017
Joel
Your coloring is beautiful.
Jerry
Joel
September 2017
Just got my set of reaper paints and part II of this kit. OMG the paints are great but part two is incredible. I have been building kits for almost 50 years and this is the most superdetailed kit I have ever attempted. It is so fantastic I am rambling. The pictures only scratch the surface, there are dozens if not hundreds of details I missed while pouring over the published photos on the web site. It is breathtakingly stunning. I am in awe. I only hope to live up to all the effort Brett put into creating the finest kit ever produced.
Joel
September 2017
Back to work. Last night I built the small canopy over the rear door. Went together easily but I was so tired I made a few gluing errors. All came out ok in the end. I cut the supports but I guess I’m not as good at this as others and could get the blade to stay perpendicular. I made a couple of simple cardboard jigs from the scrap in the box and the template. (This would have been a great time to have a laser cutter).
Then I used them with my true sander.
brownbr
September 2017
I like it a lot.
KCSTrains
September 2017
Looking good. You are certainly getting the hang of it. Phil
KKarns
September 2017
Love your comment regarding the O’Neills Kit…well stated. Brett’s material just gets better and better if that’s even possible. I’m working on BlueSky which is 22 years old and its a killer kit. So very nicely done Joel, the siding in combo with the weathered doors and window looks great. The “awning” addition just finishes it off.
Joel
September 2017
Well I got all the wood distressed and painted for the tower. Some really great effects. Adding the grey really adds a lot. Reminiscent of Brian Nolan’s technique. I used a couple of different greys so there are more variations. If you look at my chipboard wall you can see I marked where Brett abutted his boards and copied the exact layout. Talk about lazy. Truth is if he spent all that time creating the perfect balance and I like the look why fiddle with it. Started laying the boards. Same sort of thing as with the addition.
KKarns
September 2017
Really nice coloring on the boards, and I was drawn to how nicely detailed each board is and the obvious attention you gave each individual piece. Nice idea to mark the areas where the board ends meet ahead of time. The Tower is such a focal point ofO’Neills and your giving it the proper attention for sure!
admin
September 2017
Really loving where this is going. Coloration is superb…
KKarns
September 2017
Wanted to say again Joel, how much I love the main building loading dock wall picture further up this page. Simply wonderfully executed (i can say that if I want!). Those doors are just awesome. I’d say more about the tower wall but you only have 11 rows done…geesh…get busy. (bet ya everyone checks em to see if i can count!)
Joel
September 2017
Ok I didn’t do a ton but I painted a few details and finished the first tower wall. I actually photocopied the sign sheet onto a piece of tissue paper ( after taping it to normal paper) for the fire extinguisher label. Karl taught me that trick a while ago.
I lost a lot of the vibrancy and some clarity but the thickness is more prototypical so I think it was worth the tradeoff.
KKarns
September 2017
That first picture is just amazing Joel. My eye goes straight to the door…so masterfully weathered…then right to the planking that simulates the wood floor of the building just a perfect light worn wood color…then on to the grey weathered timbers of the loading dock tire bumper…that is one stellar casting and your finish is perfectly done. The wood grey color is so good…tell us how you achieved that perfect grey. Fire extingusiher is a wonderful detail.
Joel
September 2017
Ah Ken, you know I hate to share my secrets. This was a little bit of magic I never tried before. I followed the directions. Brett gives you all the tools, not only the best castings but the best directions to finish them. Spray paint flat black, dry brush/damp brush with Reaper Earth and then when dry I rubbed on a little brown chalk.
Right out of the directions.
Bill
September 2017
Outstanding Joel!
I’m on board with Ken’s comments on the gray wood.
The label on the extinguisher is perfectly aged/colored. Thanks for the reminder Karl’s tissue paper-copy paper trick. That’s one I’d forgotten about…or more accurately, have never been brave enough to try!
Wes
September 2017
Wonderful work Joel.
Joel
September 2017
Ok planked the second wall of the tower and did a bit of detailing on the first wall.
I used .006" brass wire blackened as the protruding nails where the board has slipped. A bit oversized but the effect is subtle enough. Not quite done yet but closer.
nextceo
September 2017
Hey Joel, Awesome work in the wood walls!
Alan
brownbr
September 2017
Nice extra detail.
KKarns
September 2017
I think the effect is perfect, visible but not overdone. I see you cut the template backing away to install a framing board…well done.
Jerry
September 2017
Joel nice job on those nails.
Jerry
Joel
September 2017
Seems like such a small step but gluing the walls is one of my favourites.
Bill
September 2017
Looking terrific, Joel. There’s a nice contrast between the brown siding of the upper story and the peeling cream color on the lower section.
nextceo
September 2017
Looks Great Joel. You’re moving really fast..you might be done in time for the Expo at this rate…
Karl.A
September 2017 edited September 2017
Looks great Joel, I know the contrast of the bare wood ‘sticky out bit’ is a design element but damn it looks good. Your treatment of the weathered bare wood next to the weathered paint wall is such a great contrast, but, blends so well.
I’m also loving how you worked that ‘almost’ white band around the top of the main walls, obviously you show a consistency where the paint would be protected by the roof, but, there’s also great variation between adjacent boards. They follow the same guidline, and yet they all vary, just enough. Superb.
You might wanna paint the inside of those walls with a quick an easy coat of flat black while you still have easy access, yeah I know you can flip it over and do it later, but, hey, roof on, more details added, more structure… just leads to more possible mishaps. A thought for you.
Gluing the walls together is my favorite step too, yeah, if you follow the instructions they look great flat on the bench, but, I still always get impatient and rush the last couple of steps just so that I can see it all together, then I sit back and just look.
Karl.A
Joel
September 2017
Thanks for the nice comments. I think I will take a bit of time and paint the inside black and get some wiring for some lights I plan to add. No way this one will be finished in 5 weeks. I don’t think I could even paint the castings in that time. I hope to have the roof on and maybe a sketch of the welding shop. Who knows it is coming together quickly. I guess that’s what happens when a kit is engineered so well. Also I am itching to start detailing the loading docks and don’t get me started on that boiler scene…
brownbr
September 2017
Looks great. Nice coloring on the bare wood.
Joel
September 2017
Rarely do I get to assemble 2 sets of walls in the same week. I still have the awning and some weathering to do but it is progress.
CarlLaskey
September 2017
Joel Nice work there one of the best i have seen…Carl
sdrees
September 2017
Great job with the grunge!
brownbr
September 2017
Love the siding. It sure looks old. Door is very nice also.
It would be kind of cool to have a letter half-way hanging out of the mailbox…or whatever that box is.
Bill
September 2017
Excellent! That sagging piece of siding in the third picture is killer!
KKarns
September 2017
Wonderful work Joel, love the door weathering.
Jerry
September 2017
Great coloring Joel.
Jerry
Mike Engler
October 2017
Very nice. The best superlatives have been used by others. You seem to have gotten the hang of the weathering.
Wes
October 2017
Absolutely nothing wrong with that Joel.
admin
October 2017
Mighty fine work! Colors are wonderful…
Joel
October 2017
Thanks for that. First pass at getting the foundations done. Couldn’t help but pose the model pieces to get an idea of where I’m heading. I did replace the guy wires with thinner ones as I wanted a more rickety appearance.
Spent the day day prepping some castings.
Joel
October 2017
It’s good I’m posting these picture as obviously the concrete is too blotchy and not weathered well. I’ll improve it in pass 3 or four.
KKarns
October 2017
Now that’s a fine collection of castings, ready for you to work your magic…
Right…putting the structures together gives you a good “feel” for how things are and will look like and drives your progress…looking great Joel.
kebmo
October 2017
not to mention the over 100 white metal castings. you’re gonna be a busy guy.
Karl.A
October 2017
That is looking terrific Joel, the weathering is just great and everything (apart from the dock) is so well done.
Cant wait to see your results on those castings…
Keep up the great work, and the pace!
Karl.A
Joel
October 2017
I primed all the castings (the resin ones) and will let them sit for a few days while they dry.
Karl.A
October 2017
Work in progress, a joy to behold.
Joel
October 2017
While waiting I cut the ribbed roofing and decided to play around with the colouring. First I tried to finish a piece as per the instructions:
Then I tried using a brown primer, then a coat of hairspray and then grey acrylic paint and then chipping away at it as Alan has suggested. These are quick studies to see which I like.
Not sure why the primer was so textured but the effect is not bad.
Next I tried the above method and sponged on a bit of brown and orange paint and then a bit of chalk.
Lastly I primed with grey and then sponged 3-4 different grey colours to emulate the sort of galvanized roofing and then sponged on some brown and orange rust.
After all this dries I’ll place each on the model and see what works best to my eye but I think I like where the last one is heading. It’s obviously a quickly done cartoon sketch but it has potential. Comments?
Karl.A
October 2017
Halfway between the last two would be my preference.
The dark aged rust in the last one is great, but, maybe a small area or two
with the lighter/orange new rust in a few specific areas/seam lines would enhance it.
nextceo
October 2017
Yep, I agree with Karl. That last image would be perfect if there was some hints of brighter orange in the patches of rust. Nice work Joel…
Jerry
October 2017
Looks good Joel. But I agree with Karl on this one to.
Jerry
CarlLaskey
October 2017
Joel. I live in a area where there are a lot of tin roofs and very few if any are rusted most have the faded paint from new my choice is the first one, I would be glad to take some pictures of the roof’s around here if anyone would like to see them . …Carl
Joel
October 2017
Ah Carl,
Here’s where you open a huge can of worms. I agree most roofs are just a dirty grey but visually that is less appealing. Aside from abandoned buildings, I rarely see so much peeling paint. 99% would be fine with a couple of boards here or there that peel and maybe the lower couple of boards at that. I think one has to decide on the level of art vs realism one is trying to achieve. I think the rusty roof adds a ton of visual interest and the shades of red work well with the wall colouring. A flat grey roof may be more prototypical but I would rather be a bit of a caricature and be much more visually appealing. I think this is a balance everyone must strike for themselves. The beauty with Brett’s kits is you can finish them with as much grunge and decrepitude as you want.
Karl.A
October 2017
All of the metal roofs I see on commercial/industrial buildings are rusty to some degree, minor to major.
Karl.A
CarlLaskey
October 2017
Well what do I know not much I guess enough out of me. …Carl
KKarns
October 2017
Right on Ed…I couldn’t bring myself to model a metal roof anything but rusted and dull. It may be one of those things that not everything prototypical looks good in either HO/O scale. No matter how well a galvanized roof is done, to me it draws just too much attention and stands out. I personally like the first panel per Brett’s instructions that’s dulled down and weathered. I think some rust on that first panel like the pics you showed here Joel would be nice. But that’s coming from a grungy guy like me!
The rust effects you got Joel are really nice, hard to pick a favorite as they are all well done.
Joel
October 2017
I took a piece of packing sponge and picked at one end until it was really uneven.
Then I went over the pieces of primed ribbed roofing with about 5 different shades of grey. I used SW grey and kept adding a drop of white to the small pool.
This is my result so far.
Tomorrow I’ll add the rust.
brownbr
October 2017
I like the look you are getting with this technique. How do you think it might look with adding fading washes? Will you seal the acrylic paint with something like Dulcote prior to adding the rust, if the rust is going to be chalk/alcohol?
Joel
October 2017
So I added the first coat of rust with 3 shades of red/brown paint using the same sponge. I then added a bit of water mixable oil paint and dabbed on dry chalk. So far everything is compatible so I don’t have to worry about a barrier or any fumes. Now I’ll let it dry for a couple of days and then add some grime and rust streaks. I likely will fiddle with these for a few days.
Bill
October 2017
Very effective, Joel. I think your layering of the gray color(s) is key.
Yep, rust and corrugated roofing are highly subjective. Often personal taste is the deciding factor since you can find a protype photo of any level of rust and rot. Often the final placement on the roof is the only sure way to see if the roof panels “fit”. I’m positive yours will be stellar as always!
Joel
October 2017
While waiting for the roof to dry before installing and weathering I thought I’d start on the welding shop siding.
Joel
October 2017
Ok so I tried the damp brushing with antique White as per the instructions.
Not bad but seems a little washed out. I decided to use the old Mineral spirit resist that Brian Nolan taught me at the first Craftsman Kit Show. I’ve had variable results before.
Joel
October 2017
Now I looked at the pictures of Brett’s model and realized that he has almost no white paint on his welding shop. Ah well I’m pretty happy with this look but I hope it doesn’t throw everything off balance. Not sure if it was worth all the extra time I spent detailing the wood as almost everything is covered. The effect is pretty good though. Hopefully the roof is dry so I can install that tomorrow.
Bill
October 2017
It’s always worth the extra time, Joel!
The first attempt looks a little fuzzy. Almost like the paint was too thin maybe? In The second batch (mineral spirits), even though there’s more white on the boards, the cracks and peel are in scale and very effective.
Some of those from your first set have almost no white and are mostly gray–they might mix in nicely as an accent board or in a spot that would be exposed to more water.
KKarns
October 2017
Looking great Joel. My welding shop in HO/HOn3 had a very light well worn paint effect like Brett’s O Scale pilot model, as this was done to create a contrast to the paint peel on the main building. Once you get the two together on a mock up check the effect and see what you think. I can see the wonderful wood detailing even with the paint…well worth the work you did here!
Joel
October 2017
The roof panels are dry. so I glued them on and started the job of flashing. I supported the peak trim with a small square piece of strip wood, just for some added support.
Joel
October 2017
This is just the undercoat. Hopefully the washes bring it to life a bit.
nextceo
October 2017
I really like the two different shades of wood. Very well done.
Alan
KKarns
October 2017
Glad you added that note Joel! Your wood siding on both the main building and addition are just perfect. Still amazed by how that tire bumper loading dock and doors turned out…splendid my man!
Joel
October 2017
OK rafters tails are all done and first set of washes are done (grime and rust (two shades)). I just set the loading dock and tower next to it to give a sense of what’s coming. Really picking up a bit of steam here. No way it will be done for the Expo but I should have the main building complete.
brownbr
October 2017
Definitely like the mineral spirit peel effect
Joel
October 2017
A day of boring work. Made a pile of shingles. Got some old balsa 1/32 sheet and sanded it down to less than 1/64th. Cut in strips and then snapped the boards with the chopper. Now just to sand most of the edges and stain them to match. Like I said boring.
After much discussion and review I’m gonna increase the percent of rust on the main building. Hopefully pictures tomorrow.
Joel
October 2017
As promised here is a slightly more rusty roof. Still a few shiny spots but I’ll work it out. A better contrast.
admin
October 2017
Love it!
**
Karl.A**
October 2017
I love individual shingles, def worth it.
Metal roof is looking fantastic, like the protected areas and variations.
Really nice.
Karl.A
brownbr
October 2017
I liked the idea of a “beginning to rust” roof, but the full-on rust does look better.
KCSTrains
October 2017
Joel, I definitely like this version of the rusted metal roof. I also like the contrast in the wood tones. It adds a lot of character. Great job. Phil
Robert.G
October 2017
Very nice. I totally agree with KCSTrains
Karl.A
October 2017 edited October 2017
I noticed the way you have a more defined rust streak on the tar paper roof in that one area.
Your thinking would be…? More water running off the tower roof, dropping down over the overhang onto the metal ribbed roof. The ribbed roof prevents water going sideways in either direction. Thus creating a concentrated waterflow in that one area causing more rust run off and discolouration onto the tar paper below… ?
Nicely done, and noted.
Karl.A
nextceo
October 2017
Great Job on the Roof.
Alan
KKarns
October 2017
Sweet looking roof Joel! Great analytics on the tar paper roof rust stain Karl…great execution Joel…something I wouldn’t have thought about.
Wes
October 2017
Man that roof came out good Joel.
Well done bud.
MuddyCreekRR
October 2017
Looking outstanding…the rust is just right.
Joel
October 2017
been working on adding some lights so not much to show here. I weathered some corregated and finally added the detail to the back awning.
Robert.G
October 2017
This is one bad ass roof you patinated there. Super work, and very inspiring. Thanks for posting.
Jerry
October 2017
Great job Joel.
Jerry
KKarns
October 2017
Coming along splendidly Joel.
SteveCuster
October 2017
Great job Joel. That roof is excellent.
-Steve
Joel
October 2017
Thanks everyone. Here is another roof. I “strengthened” the support by using HO scale NBW castings.
I also started shingling the tower roof.
Lastly worked a bit on the oil tank. Maybe a bit too much. I may tone it down a bit. I did try to make the welds with “gel medium”.
Joel
October 2017
The lighting did some weird things to the oil tank. I’ll bring it to the show and see what you guys think.
Karl.A
October 2017
I really like the treatment you did on the ends of the timbers, real nice work.
Joel
October 2017
Thanks Karl, I’m pleased with that too. Really easy just went at it with a file card. I then exagerated a couple of grooves with the exacto knife. Just the lighting makes the grime and oil streaks seem very non vertical. Also I can barely see the mottled rust on my model tank but it is obvious in the picture.
Jerry
October 2017
Nice job on those timber ends. Very realistic.
Jerry
Joel
October 2017
OK finished the roof for the tower. Now I think I’ll take a small break and go to the show.
I’ll bring her along in case anyone wants to see. I’ll debate the pros and cons of repainting the oil tank at the show. See you there.
sdrees
October 2017
Hi Joel,
You have just nailed it!!!
Robert.G
November 2017
Very well done. All the colors are just right !!!
CarlLaskey
November 2017
Joel. Very nice great work. …Carl
KKarns
November 2017
Beautiful Joel! Well done
Jerry
November 2017
Great job Joel.
Jerry
MuddyCreekRR
November 2017
Hope to see you in Altoona…I only wish I had had the time to get mine further along…keep an eye out for me…Art B. white mustache…
Joel
November 2017
Lots of fun in Altoona. Great group of people but still missed quite a few of you. I had a few hours and finished the work bench and details for the back dock. The chains are actually hanging on .01" wire hooks.
The work bench was a blast. Nicest comment I got at the show was someone inquiring if I built it up board by board. A testament to Brett’s brilliant castings.
As far as the barrels go, not much point because Robert has posted the perfect way to paint them. I only wanted to show mine to tell a story about how I “Blew it”.
So I followed Roberts directions and painted them and then covered them in brown chalk. Then I don’t have any good markers so I just used a sharpie to colour in the bands. I must have done it too quickly because by the time I finished “painting” the bands the entire barrel had lightened up too much. I figure no harm in a quick wash of AI to tone it all down. Well apparently Sharpie ink is alcohol soluble (who knew) so I got these lovely streaks of black. I actually like the way it looks. I will probably add a bit of rust to the bands and leave them as is. BTW the details on the dock are not glued down yet. I just tacked them there with scenic accent cement so I can work on it all a bit more.
KKarns
November 2017
Nice effect Joel. many great methods are discovered by accident thats for sure. I may have been the one that asked if that bench was built up…
Bill
November 2017
Joel’s peeled paint on this structure is one of the best I’ve seen. He shared some of his early test samples and gave us a cool glimpse into the process which took him to the final result.
I always enjoy a “behind the scenes” tour of modelers and their methods.
Karl.A
November 2017
Outstanding work Joel and congratulations on the award(s).
So many great things to see in that second to last photo, (as with many of the others)
Also nice to read that your trials lead to discoveries,
I’ve always said, test things out and you’ll learn a lot along the way.
Karl.A
Robert.G
November 2017
Karl, you’re so right. I discovered many effects and techniques by trial and error.
Joel, this O’Neills is really very beautiful. Congratulations.
Joel
November 2017
OK after a whirlwind tour of Altoona and all she has to offer I’m back home. Got the replacement parts from Brett and hopefully I don’t blow it again. Here’s the first wall. Still have some detailing to do and colour to add but I haven’t posted in a few days and wanted you to know I’m not slacking - too much.
KKarns
November 2017 edited November 2017
Great seeing you at the EXPO and what a treat to be able to admire your work on O’Neills. Welding Shop siding looking superb, love your butt joints on the boards.
brownbr
November 2017
The streaks on the barrells turned out nice.
Joel
November 2017
Oops, used the wrong trim on the doorway. Here it is corrected.
The next two walls The boards are spaced slightly which improves the appearance and makes the most use of the board on board. Only problem is light leaking from inside when I light it.
One more wall and then the real fun begins. Detailing…On to ONeils part II
MikeM
November 2017
I’ve always puzzled about the balance; light leaking out = cold air leaking in, and I have to wonder how much of that the guys working in the building would put up with… But you can’t argue with the beautiful appearance.
Joel
November 2017
Working on details, details, details… here are two but the shelves and workbenches have a ways to go.
nextceo
November 2017
Nice work on the tank…and that hose looks fantastic. That’s something I struggle with…
Alan
CarlLaskey
November 2017
Nice Joel
KKarns
November 2017
Great detail work on the delivery pipe assembly. Love the valve and hose nozzle on the equally well “grunged” kerosene tank!
Joel
November 2017
Thanks I sort of struggled with the tank. Tried peeling paint then I just painted it rust and scraped a bunch of chalk into the wet paint and covered with a very thin layer of paint. Let it dry and then rubbed the casting so some of the chunks of chalk broke off and removed the top layer of paint exposing the chalky underbelly as it were. A bit out of scale but it looks good.
MuddyCreekRR
November 2017
Really nice work…
KCSTrains
November 2017
Joel, continued nice work on this structure. Keep up the good work. Phil
Joel
November 2017
A couple of work benches. Pretty much following the directions. Just changed the wire handles for the paint cans to .006" - a bit more prototypical and a lot more difficult to work with.
Robert.G
November 2017
Excellent work !!!
brownbr
November 2017
Those are looking great. Nice job of matching colors on the wood/resin bench. The wheel grinder/polisher looks to be a new casting…unless I never noticed it in another kit I like it.
Jerry
November 2017
Nice job on the castings Joel.
Jerry
nextceo
November 2017
Favorite casting…the Paint Can. A SierraWest Original.
Joel
November 2017
In my haste I forgot the paint drips and rings from paint cans. I did want to do some paint can lids too but I have to find a small hole punch. I made a tool to make rings by taping a piece of paper to a drill bit after wrapping it tight. Dab it into paint, remove most on a paper towel and dab on the workbench. Much better I think.
KKarns
November 2017
Nicely done Joel. Love the paint cans and associated details. The drips, rings, etc…look great.
Bill
November 2017
Well done, Joel. The wet paint rings on the work surface are a nice touch.
Joel
November 2017 edited November 2017
One wall almost done. Still some shiny spots and touch ups to do but will wait until it is assembled to finish
Joel
November 2017
admin
November 2017
Hoses look great! That shovel is a monster to cast…
Jerry
November 2017
Looking good !!
Jerry
Bill
November 2017 edited November 2017
Nice work Joel. Love the subtle pop of color on the hoses/ropes/cables. Just the right amount.
What did you use to make the barackets that they’re hanging from?
admin
November 2017
Bill said:
What did you use to make the barackets that they’re hanging from?
Castings included in the kit of course!
Bill
November 2017
Those are cool. I didn’t recall seeing them in Kevin’s build.
KKarns
November 2017
Now that’s some nifty details. Well done Joel and love the finish work on that shovel, great stuff.
Joel
November 2017
Thanks all but I really can’t seem to leave well enough alone. I worked for another few minutes on it and made some improvements. I believe the wall hooks are one of the many Super detail items not available in the HO model. Wait until you seethe paint brushes and clip boards. Amazing stuff.
Then I spent an hour building a window. Since it is at the forefront of the model I thought why not build it board by board. A stupid idea and now I have 3 more to build.
Its pretty much hidden under the drive through. Ah well one step closer to being institutionalized.
Wes
November 2017
Wonderful Joel. So glad I bought this kit. Cant wait to jump in and build it.
brownbr
November 2017
Most impressive.
It would look really cool if you had some subtle scratches on the wall where the chain dangles down…in a short arc like they have swung back and forth a few times.
CarlLaskey
November 2017
Joel. Save some of your talent for the rest of the build just outstanding. …Carl
KCSTrains
November 2017
Joel, Wow!!! You are making me want to convert to “O” scale. Heaven forbid!! Phil
Joel
November 2017
Phil,
It is truly a wonderful scale in which to model. Love the idea of the chain making gouges in the wall. I finished the windows and just for the heck of it I added some trim on the inside edges and made the channels in which the windows move. No one will notice but it’s a small detail I’ve always wanted to model.
Now on to the details…
Robert.G
November 2017
Even just knowing these details are there are very satisfying for the builder himself.
Great work Joel !!
KKarns
November 2017
Great window detail Joel. That next to the last picture is the money shot for sure. Beautiful looking wall.
Joel
November 2017
Wall number two almost done. Just some rust and shiny spots to fix up.
CarlLaskey
November 2017
Joel Your build is looking real good it need’s some vines…Carl
Joel
December 2017
Just a quick update. I started detailing the inside walls and took a picture to see all the flaws. I think I have about 20 thing to fix in this one shot. Great tool the digital camera.
KKarns
December 2017
I don’t know Joel…pretty darn nice from where I’m sitting! My eyes are squinting to see one particular detail…hmm…just can’t quite see…
Wonderful details, love the head gaskets, fan belts with packaging!, welding hoods, etc, and of course that one detail…geesh…put my glasses on and that didn’t help.
brownbr
December 2017
Looks really good Joel. The floor might be a bit clean though.
CarlLaskey
December 2017
Joel I see it is it on the right the third board on the left looking south. …Carl
Wes
December 2017 edited December 2017
Wonderful Joel.
My only nitpick is that the 1 number plate in the door may be in a great location to take someones ear off. HAHA
MuddyCreekRR
December 2017
It looks to be the perfect balance between a busy yet not often cleaned workshop…too much grunge in a busy business doesn’t tell the right story…but the right grease mark…or slightly dirty tool…works great…you won’t find much if any rust in a busy work area…well…maybe that one wrench that fits nothing…lying on a shelf…keep up with the great work…
Bill
December 2017
Hmm…20? I can only see a couple so can you at least give us a hint on The others??
Bryan picked up on the clean floor. (Possibly the same could be said for the walls: a little build up of dust).
The chair needs something to my eye…looks a bit new.
The one large license plate on the bottom: I don’t think they’d have it extend into the doorway.
I spot more stuff that I like:
Labels on the fan belts, the clip boards, the old welding helmets. The way you’ve placed things on the wall is spot on, in my opinion. There’s a feeling of “just hang 'em over there and I’ll deal with it later” from an O’Neills employee.
Joel
December 2017
Most of the flaws are shiny spots I need to dull down (really obvious on the bar holding the chains), there are edges of the signs and license plates that are too pale, the grey wash on the masks leaked over the visor part a bit, the floor and stool are way too clean, the edges of the framework are much darker than the fronts, the drawer pulls are just too darn clean and bright, as are the clips on the clipboards. I think the bottle on the welding desk should have a label…don’t worry I’m on it. The placement of most details is identical to Brett’s as he captured that natural messiness so perfectly. I’ve just added a few small details (like making sure both clipboards didn’t have identical writing on them and some added signs and bottles).
Thanks for playing the game though, it’s a weird kinda fun.
Joel
December 2017
OK on to wall 3. rsz_img_2508
SteveCuster
December 2017
Great work Joel! That outside wall looks incredible, the texture and color is perfect. The interior is looking great too, did the cylinder head gaskets and belts hanging up come with the kit?
-Steve
admin
December 2017
Everything you see in all of Joel’s pics came with the kit… If you would like to see this kit on my website you can go here:
SierraWest Scale Models | O Scale O’Neills Fabrication Part Two
Joel
December 2017
Ah you beat me to it Brett. Yup just about every single thing came with the kit except a couple of signs and I added a few bits of an old watch to some of the workbenches. I think I added a couple of extra castings from my last SW build too (a small can on the window sill comes to mind). As I said when starting this thread this is one incredible kit. There is nothing out there that provides this level of detail throughout. It is mind blowing really.
KKarns
December 2017
Another great wall with super details. I like how you planned ahead and detailed the left side with the fan belt and gaskets to match up with the back wall where the other gaskets and belts are.
Joel
December 2017
Thanks Ken but once again I’m pretty much copying Brett. He is such a master of making a mess look believable. I added one fan belt and one extra gasket but that’s about it. And before anyone asks they are all in the kit along with the little labels that really sell the illusion. Not saying I haven’t done anything but the hard work is done for you in this kit. The rest is just good old elbow grease and a steady hand. In some ways it frees me up a bit knowing I’m following the directions.
sdrees
December 2017
Joel, you do a very good job at following directions and making it look like your own. Most of us follow Brett’s directions to build up the skills and techniques and then we can build our own thing.
Joel
December 2017
Ok just a bit of painter’s tape holding the walls together to get an idea of what it’s going to look like. The floor needs more dirt and I think I’ll add another clipboard to the side of the shelves on the left wall.
MarkG
December 2017
It looks amazing Joel. You’ve really done well with the look and feel of the shop.
KKarns
December 2017
Beautifully done Joel! Such a sweet little scene both in design and how you executed it my friend. Oh…that bare spot on the wall straight ahead just to the left of the door is just begging for a small barrel without a lid for a trash can…full of trash of course…here’s a beer bottle you can throw in!..clink…
brownbr
December 2017
Looking awesome
sdrees
December 2017 edited December 2017
Ken, you are just like my wife, she can’t stand any empty spaces when she is decorating our house. She has to fill every nook and cranny with something.
Joel
December 2017
Ah you guys. Brett wouldn’t leave a space empty. I think I have 20-30 castings to complete the scene, Mostly old cylinders waiting to be repainted but lots of other details. Stay tuned. My real debate is finishing the shed with all the details and then “Planting” it or should I glue down the building and then figure out how it interacts with the big picture later. I usually like to get to this point and then play with the various buildings and styrofoam levels and experiment. Don’t think I’ll have the luxury this time.
Joel
December 2017
Thought I’d try Brett’s technique to weather gas cylinders and barrels. It seems a bit hit and miss at first but some lovely results. I’d say I’m going to repaint about a third but hopefully I will improve. Did get my best cylinder ever out of this batch so not even slightly complaining.
Bill
December 2017
Well done, Joel. It’s got a real nice texture that suggests it’s been used, abused, and repainted many times.
brownbr
December 2017
That turned out looking good
sdrees
December 2017
and it should be disposed in the junk pile because it is unsafe to use.
Joel
January 2018 edited January 2018
Well it’s been a long time since my last post. The holidays and family made me put away the model for a while but I’ll be back at it again this week as everything gets back to “Normal”. I finished about 30 various gas cylinders and a few barrels. I also found a small hole punch and made some lids for my paint cans from some thick tinfoil.
I need to take a better photo so you can appreciate the rims of the lids. I need to find my macro lens.
admin
January 2018
Awesome! We want a close-up…
Jerry
January 2018
admin said:
Awesome! We want a close-up…
“DITTO” on that one.
Jerry
KKarns
January 2018
Genius!
Joel
January 2018
Hope this is better.
MikeM
January 2018
Are my eyes deceiving me or do you even have the dents on the edges of the lids from getting a bit carried away using a hammer to close the cans?
Joel
January 2018
Thanks for noticing the extra detail. That’s what I was trying for on the one lid. A bit mangles from opening with a screwdriver and closing with a hammer.
brownbr
January 2018
Love it. I’m using this one.
admin
January 2018
I really like the way the “bristles” on the brush look.
vietnamseabee
January 2018
To quote Robert Duval in the movie Apocalypse Now “I love the smell on fresh paint in the morning”
Joel
January 2018
Thanks for the kind words. The “Bristle” are all laser cut by you Brett so painting them was rather easy. One last detail I tried to achieve was the colour of paint on the lid. I used two different greens to try and simulate the unmixed/oily layer often seen on the inside of paint lids. The big problem everyone is so kind to overlook is the .006" handles that are not going into the paint can but sticking out. I’ll have to fix that on some of the foreground models.
Joel
January 2018
OK a busy weekend. I made my base out of styrofoam and painted it tan.
then I covered the area where the building would go as well as where I put the concrete slab for the pump and the wooden boards for the side loading dock scene.
Then the first layer of dirt and glued down the build, the dock, the base for the welding shop and the stairs. After it was dry I finished the wiring for the first 8 lights and tested them. Just 5 lights more to go. The dirt dried a bit coarse but it’ll all work out as I finish the scenery (hopefully).
Now start the real fun of creating all the little scenes.
KKarns
January 2018
Can’t wait to see the lighting come together. The sneek peak you are showing here looks fantastic so far.
kebmo
January 2018
i really wish i had the wherewithal to mess with lighting, but at this stage in my modeling “career”, lighting is above my pay grade. this looks really great lit up like this.
Joel
January 2018
Even if you just put 2 lights in the welding shop it will make a huge difference to your completed model and it really is quite easy. The gooseneck lamps are a whole other issue.
kebmo
January 2018
i am completely clueless. resistors, capacitors, watts, volts. it’s all a foreign language to me.
MikeM
January 2018
Left you a PM
brownbr
January 2018
What’s your power source on the lights?
Geezerbill
January 2018
Joel, this is such a great build thread! It is so good to see you modeling again and presenting your build here. I am with Kevin, lighting is way beyond my abilities. If I ever do another kit I may try it. Looking foreword to your next post.
Geezerbill
kebmo
January 2018
i’m open to the idea. i checked out woodland scenics plug and lite or whatever it’s called and they sure do make it look easy, but i think their gooseneck lamps look a bit balky. i may go with their streetlights in place of brett’s light poles. i haven’t decided that though…
mikemettelka
January 2018
I have the woodland scene stuff they are ok with a little work… the resistor that controls the brightness is a little touchy. I just got the bulbs by themselves and was going to try to fit them into the castings so that I’m not limited to just theirs.
Joel
January 2018
I use the power board I got from Microluminata. Great product and it allows for at least 16 lamps. The lamps can all be dimmed individually but I am a bit lazy and just connect groups of 4 in series. I think it adds a great level of interest to a model but more importantly allows you to see the interior after spending all those days detailing it.
Sorry Mike I never got your PM please resend.
Geezerbill
January 2018
I agree with Joel that a lit model looks wonderful at night allowing to see interior details. I wish I had lights in my recent Freight house build. I put a lot of details inside but they are not visible. Some would have been with lights. Allan also presented a great tutorial on lighting here in the forum which I will review again should I build a new kit. Then I will contact Microluminata for the parts. At my age I’m not sure I can handle the fine wires and soldering. We will see…maybe.
Geezerbill
Slimjerkins
February 2018
Microlumina - not microluminata. If you Google the latter Lord knows what might show up considering it’s the internet and all.
My website isn’t the best so anyone can PM me if they’re looking for something for lighting. I don’t advertise because I want to enjoy this hobby too and don’t want to spend my free time knocking out hundreds of gooseneck lights for strangers that are looking for sweatshop prices. Sorry if I sounded cranky there. I’m really not cranky. But my wife Lisa will disagree with that statement. Seriously though - I like working with folks on the smaller forums like this one or Modelers rather than with the masses.
I did a watered down version of my “Lighting the Sierra West [type of] Kit” at last weekend’s show in Springfield. Folks told me they liked the clinic - but I doubt they were SW kit builders. I wish I could do this clinic on-line but it seems that if you want to stream presentation you need to subscribe to a service of some sort. Well, NNGC is always a possibility if I can figure out the logistics. In the meantime I’ll see what I can get down on “paper” and uploaded.
Bill S.
Geezerbill
February 2018
Bill, thank you for the clarification! I would love to see your “paper” here. Hope you can do that and thanks!
Geezerbill
SteveCuster
February 2018
Looks great Joel. The lighting really adds a lot.
-Steve
Joel
February 2018
Getting really close now. Working on some supporting details.
Also I am torn about the instructions in terms of finishing the details for each scene and completing the scene and then working on the next set of details. In principle it is a great plan but I’m not so great with all the details and would rather do most of them up front so I can choose the best for the foreground. Here’s all the tanks and quite a few barrels done.
Now I’ve glued two of the walls together and am trying different combinations of tanks next to the work bench. Here I am using mostly the worst of my attempts as most are hidden. The black wire sticking out of the floor is actually a conduit for the lighting.
KKarns
February 2018 edited February 2018
Wow Joel, really nice work. Dr. Grunge says the heck with the tanks…that oil spillage and grate looks flat out beautiful! Perfect color and so natural…love it!..I want to go play in it!
Robert.G
February 2018
Indeed, nice work. The vast quantity of details still amazes me.
SteveCuster
February 2018
Looks great Joel. The acetylene tanks are perfect.
Geezerbill
February 2018
Joel, I agree with what everyone has said. Just splendid work. As Ken mentioned, the grate and oil spillage really caught my eye as spot on. Very nice.
Geezerbill
Joel
February 2018 edited February 2018
Thanks everyone for the comments. The oil is really easy if you don’t mind the smell. Unfortunately it is an enamel paint. I put a bunch of black chalk around the grate and then wet it with AMMO fresh oil (a shiny transparent brown). Takes a few days to dry but personally it is worth it.
Today I finished the first work bench with everything glued in place.
sdrees
February 2018
Wow, this is some piece of work. I like the labels on the paint cans, the gages on the oxygen and acetylene tanks, the red color is on the right places on the vise. Nice Job!
Robert.G
February 2018
Nice composition ! A treat to look at.
brownbr
February 2018
that bench is a masterpiece. Pencils in the can are a nice touch.
CarlLaskey
February 2018
Joel. You O scale guys make it very hard for us HO guys not fair. Great work my friend so easy to look at and find everything that is on the bench. …Carl
Joel
February 2018
Glad you like it. The pencils are really cool and so easy to add. I didn’t come up with this gem though. Pretty sure Karl did it on his amazing Loco Shed and that’s where Brett got it from. I can never get enough of looking at the photos of that model.
KKarns
February 2018
Stellar casting work Joel.
Joel
February 2018
Ok seems like a small thing but I glued down the work bench and so starts the fine tuning of the interior details. Next is the door and then the right wall.
I dirtied up the floor. The bucket of sand and stove are not glued yet. I want a figure in here but I think it might obscure to much of the fine detail work
KKarns
February 2018
Joel, how about a figure sitting in a chair by the stove drinking coffee…scene construction is such a fine aspect of fine scale modeling and your approach is terrific.
brownbr
February 2018
The dirt is in all the right places. The floor has a well-worn path. May want to consider some grime around the stove.
MikeM
February 2018
Even without an improvement to the doggone scene, still stunning.
Robert.G
February 2018
Nice composition ! A treat to look at.
Geezerbill
February 2018
Looking excellent! Just great Joel.
Geezerbill
kebmo
February 2018
whatever it takes…
Joel
February 2018
One step forward and 2 steps back. Finished a couple of detail pieces (everything comes in the kit except the paint can cover and the kleenex:
Then I finished the lamp posts and wired them for lights. Unfortunately while soldering the lamps to the circuit board I dropped the model. Yikes. A few things were dented and a dozen details came loose but I think I’ve tracked them all down. I guess I know what I’m doing this weekend.
Robert.G
February 2018
I like the idea of the rags. Indeed, they are to be found in any workshop. And they are very realistic. Great work man!
Joel
February 2018
Thanks for the remark. I was think the large one is a small tarp or drop cloth not a rag. Believe it or not this is actually a backround detail, tucked under a ladder behind some stuff.
Geezerbill
February 2018
Stunning modeling Joel. Very, very nice. You sure have a talent for it. Always a joy to see your work.
Ed, I won’t mention the Silverwood stain I spilled on my carpet. I’m going to pull it up and put down pergo this spring.
Geezerbill
admin
February 2018
Love it Joel, great detail work.
KKarns
February 2018
Hey Joel, nice progress through the details and your attention to same sure eats through the castings in a hurry. Sign of a good modeler is how well they “fix” things and we all have stories of accidents during a build…your paint can detail continues to amaze..
Joel
February 2018
Ok 4 more fun castings done and I actually think I’m ready to start detailing around the welding shop.
kebmo
February 2018
these details look fabulous! i really like the mailbox. as a former letter carrier, i can honestly say i’ve seen that mailbox many times.
brownbr
February 2018
Those turned out very nice.
KKarns
February 2018
Great rust effects Joel. I have always admired that gas pump casting of Bretts. You did it justice for sure. Belt on the compressor is a nice detail.
Joel
February 2018
Thanks very much gentlemen.
I worked a bit last night and planted the compressor and it’s surrounding details. Still some small details to add but a pretty good start.
Bill
February 2018
Right on track, Joel! That gas pump is really well done…from the faded color to the rust and the fogged display glass: it’s all spot on!
KKarns
February 2018
Wow Joel, that wall looks awesome! Great scene composition.
Robert.G
February 2018
Totally agree !!!
Jerry
February 2018
Great detailing Joel.
Jerry
SteveCuster
February 2018
Fantastic work Joel. The scene is really looking great.
One thing I noticed was the hose on the compressor looks a little big for an air hose. Everything else looks perfect.
The rust texture on the pump is really fantastic.
-Steve
Joel
February 2018
Thanks all. Steve I agree the hose is a bit heavy. I have thinner solder and should have used it but who knows maybe they hooked a garden hose up to the compressor. The above scene is nicely composed because I copied it from the manual. Maybe added a few extra weeds but that’s about it.
I made a bunch of paper cups (as per the manual. I used tissue paper painted bone white and wrapped them around a very small paintbrush.
Here they are in the scene. I’m not convinced they are not a bit large. I have a bunch of garbage and crushed cups to add to the scene but it is at least started.
SteveCuster
February 2018
Looks really great Joel. The white acetylene tank paint wear is fantastic. I love the cup idea. Another creative use of tissue paper on a model.
MarkG
February 2018
Stellar work Steve. There are a lot of excellent details that really bring the scene to life. Keep up the great work.
Mark
Robert.G
February 2018
Very artistic, But yet natural composition. Great idea with the paper cups.
Joel
February 2018
Thanks all. I have to reiterate the cups were not my idea. As a matter of fact the entire build is straight out of the box. I substituted painted tissue paper for a more prototypical thickness but that’s about it.
Almost done the stairway…
brownbr
February 2018
Niiiice!
Jerry
February 2018
Nice! Real nice detail Joel.
Jerry
sdrees
February 2018
There are a lot of coffee drinkers around there, or were they drinking booze?
Geezerbill
February 2018
Outstanding Joel!! so great to continually look at all the details. Just perfect.
Geezerbill
ironmountainlumber
March 2018
What a fantastic job!!! Absolutely brilliant. I am amazed at what Kevin, Bryan and yourself do with the castings and the details, absolutely amazing. It says a lot about the beautiful kit Brett designed and you as a modeler. Keep up the fantastic work. I am going to keep looking over the pictures. So many details! Hummm O scale…
Jim
Joel
March 2018
Nothing like O scale Jim, even if you just do a small diorama it is fantastic fun and brings things up to a different level. Highly recommended but the worry is loving it so much you decide to switch over. A risk well worth taking. Thanks for the comments.
KKarns
March 2018
Wonderful work Joel. That shelf unit and details look so good. That first pic is just great, love the bowed stair treads here and there, mailbox and barrel are terrific, and so on!
CarlLaskey
March 2018
Joel. I think that all of the words are used up on the wonderful site that you are creating. I would like to see a few hand prints on the paper cups. Thank’s for sharing. …Carl
nextceo
March 2018
Your weathering looks fantastic on all the metal items.
Thanks for sharing!
Alan
Geezerbill
March 2018
Joel, as always your work is outstanding! Really enjoying this build.
Geezerbill
Joel
March 2018
Thanks so much guys. Not much to report. I’ve made a dozen pallets and 4 saw horses and am busy painting castings as it is time to get the detailing done.
kebmo
March 2018
insert thumbs up emoji here _____ 
Joel
April 2018
Sorry had a whole bunch of family things and had to store away all my modelling stuff. Hopefully back in the swing of things now. Worked on the burn barrel scene. The nails are made from magnet wire which I burned to get off the insulation and then blackened. You can see a few stray nails next to the can on the board.
KKarns
April 2018
Wonderful scene Joel! Love the last pic with the green barrel with the oil can…very nicely done…the wood color tones and weathering are fantastic. The nails…well…you nailed it! Beautiful detail.
brownbr
April 2018
You are upping the game with nails and the charred wood. Well done.
Karl.A
April 2018 edited April 2018
Fantastic Joel.
That last picture is exquisite… from the texture and colour of the old wood, to the rust effect on the green drum, to the individual nails in a can with a few scattered… and no visible residue at all where you glued/attached the individual nails… seamless.. perfect…
Karl.A
Jerry
April 2018
Detail work absolutely perfect!
Jerry
Robert.G
April 2018
Can’t say more, just perfect.
nextceo
April 2018
Yep Joel, great looking scene.
Thanks for sharing!
Joel
April 2018
Thanks everyone but I’m pretty much following the instructions and placing details where Brett says to. Scene composition is pretty easy when you are copying. I changed maybe 2 small castings and added the saw from my parts box. I just used way thinner wire to make the nails and used thinned matte medium to glue them down. No rocket science here.
Joel
April 2018 edited April 2018
Finally had a chance to glue down all those details on the loading dock.
For those wondering, every single detail is included. I love the clipboard and the lunch pail/tool kit (in red on the barrel) but everything works together to form a glorious organized mess. Still have to add some rags and newspapers. Maybe tomorrow.
Karl.A
April 2018
fantastic Joel, everything is coming together beautifully.
Karl.A
SteveCuster
April 2018
Great work Joel. The loading dock and the saw horses look fantastic.
admin
April 2018
Excellent color and weathering. I really like the grey old wood appearance of the saw horse/burn barrel scene.
Joel
April 2018
Another junk pile.
MarkG
April 2018
Joel,
I really appreciate the composition and craftsmanship of your work. Bravo!
Mark
vinceg
April 2018
I model in HO but I can definitely see the appeal of building O scale dioramas just for display purposes. Exquisite detail. I’ll have to think about that sometime in the future.
KKarns
April 2018
Beautiful work as always Joel. Love the scene composition…so very well done my friend!
Bill
April 2018
Another great update, Joel. Colors are spot on: faded and sun bleached just as in the real world.
Joel
April 2018
Thanks. Just humming along. Not quite finished and I’m not sure about the oil stains on the ground. but I like the unloading area quite a bit. Tomorrow the drive through structure.
Karl.A
April 2018 edited April 2018
Humming along ? at this rate I should say so… !!
As for the oil stains on the ground… I also don’t like them, If you ask I’ll give my reasoning. If you don’t ask, i’ll keep my mouth shut.
Karl.A
brownbr
April 2018
I can’t get over the extra “pop” that the labels on the bottles, drums, crates, etc. makes.
Karl.A
April 2018
That extra little ‘pop’ as you say Brian makes a huge difference, a whole new level.
Karl.A
Joel
April 2018
I also love the labels. On the smaller bottles and cans I just photocopied the kits label sheet onto a piece of tissue paper (I first taped it to a normal sheet of printer paper). The colours fade a bit but i just dip them in dilute white glue or matte medium and they melt onto the casting. Karl go for it because I’m not happy either. Some of it is that the area covered is not contiguous but also the sparkly black isn’t quite right for me.
MikeM
April 2018
Interesting idea but I wonder if I tried that with my printer I might end up with it having either the tissue, tape or both for lunch… What kind of printer?
Joel
April 2018
HP inkjet - standard one bought at Costco. I’d love to try a laser printer and see if it is better but this works for my purposes.
Karl.A
April 2018
As long as you use thin scotch tape along the entire edge of the tissue paper and press it down smooth it wont snag in the printer. It’s a great method I’ve used for a long time to get super thin signage.
I came up with it originally to replicate painted on wall signs, which it does, but it’s also great for really thin labels. which Joel has definitely mastered the art of.
Karl.A
Joel
April 2018
Thanks Karl and sorry I didn’t credit you with this idea. I had forgotten who had devised such a devilishly brilliant idea. Now that I use the word “devilishly” I guess I could have inferred it was you.
Joel
April 2018
almost finished the drive through support. Love the detail. Added some NBW and may have overdone the rusting metal signage but pretty sure it will work.
Joel
April 2018
I also started on my door stop. Took Bretts idea of a crate and some junk and built this:
Robert.G
April 2018
What a wonderful build you’ve got there. Love you pay so much attention to the details.
brownbr
April 2018
It’s almost a shame to have the woodwork of the drive-through covered by corrugated sheets.
I keep thinking that there should be a pulley system of some type under the drive-through to maneuver the drums of oil around.
Jerry
April 2018
Joel nice sign work. How much did the American Pickers charge for those signs???
Jerry
KKarns
April 2018
Love the wood treatment on the drive through support. Your sign weathering and rusting is very nicely done, particularly the yellow stop sign. Masterful work Joel.
SteveCuster
April 2018 edited April 2018
Everything looks perfect Joel. The color and the texture of the wood really came out great. I hope you’re planning on bringing this to the expo. I’d love to see it in person.
For the tissue paper sign/label technique are you using tissue paper like you would use in a gift bag or tissues for blowing your nose?
Joel
April 2018
Gift bag type of tissue paper. It has two sides, usually the printing is a bit clearer on the shiny side but you can try both sides and see which you like.
Joel
April 2018
Ok re did the oil stain and am much more pleased with the results. also finished detailing the tower dock.
Joel
April 2018
Here’s a couple of questions:
-
I’m adding a figure in the yard doing some welding. I was hoping to add sound and lighting effects but the commercial ones seem to be arc welders. Anyone know of an acetylene torch sound/light module? What does an acetylene torch sound/look like anyways?
-
I’m thinking of trying to define the left side of the diorama with a fence. Problem is I don’t want to lose the detail on that side as I would with corrugated or even chain link. I was thinking of a cedar split rail type fence. Thoughts?
Karl.A
April 2018 edited April 2018
I like the oil stain revised much better joel.
I had the same dilemma when doing my O’Neills, (not the kit but O’Neills Wheels)
I wanted a definite dividing line on the front edge, but nothing intrusive, something to define the perimeter but not impede on the scene… we came up with a ‘post and rail’ solution to the issue, I think it worked very well. Look back at that build, it might work for you too, or at least give you some ideas.
Some good fence pics in this thread.
Dirt, Details & Dioramas… Karl.A - Techniques - SierraWest Scale Models Forum
Karl,A
MikeM
April 2018 edited April 2018
Ngineering has both arc and gas welder lighting effects; unfortunately the last time I checked their website their sound modules didn’t include welding sounds. effects for the railroad.
KKarns
April 2018
Beautiful work Joel and just keeps getting better! Your detail work is stellar my friend. I put in a wire fence with old hand made posts for just the reason you mentioned. The wire is very subtile and doesn’t detract from what’s behind…I attached a pic here of my wire fence.
Joel
April 2018
Went back and looked at both builds. Forgot how fantastic they were. Thanks for the ideas and that is exactly what I’m looking at doing.
If it seems that I am zipping through this last bit that’s because all my model stuff was put away so I finished detailing all the castings and so finishing the scenes is very straightforward and honestly a joy.
Joel
April 2018
This weekend I got to do what I’ve been itching to do since starting this model. I glued the front wall of the welding shop together and began detailing the front dock and gas pump scene. If there is any scene more fantastic in all of fine scale model railroading that comes from a box I do not know of it. I’ll try and do it justice:
vietnamseabee
April 2018 edited April 2018
Holy smokers…looking good
Terry
Karl.A
April 2018
Fantastic work Joel, such a great scene…
The thing that drew my eye was how perfectly right you got that hose on the elevated oil/gas/whatever tank… that hose hangs so perfectly.
Of course, I’ll have to go back many times and find all the great work you did, such as that awesome finish on the yellow screw jack in the last pic, sweet.
Karl.A
vinceg
April 2018
And how about the puckering rust bubbling through the finish of that gas pump in the last pic. Exquisite.
SteveCuster
April 2018
Really great work Joel. The color and texture of everything is just perfect. I agree with Karl about the hose. Both hose on the tank and the gas pump look great. The rag hanging off the pipe wrench is a great detail also. Great work all around.
-Steve
KKarns
April 2018
Such a treat to see your detail work here Joel. So, so much color yet perfectly balanced and nothing sticks out and steals the show…save for your work! Your barrel work is incredible, love the green barrel in the next to last shot as well as both of the ones on either side of the gas pump. Think not for a minute that these beauties aren’t noticed. What a testiment you have created to Brett’s casting and laser cut details he provided for O’Neills…I mean really…that red screw jack in the next to the last picture is absolutely perfect!..so well done Joel, looks like you could walk up and start using it. I’m with Karl…that hose on the elevated tank on the dock is awesome and not just the deftly way you have it hanging but the unique color…splendid. Wood crates with hand holes cut in…who does that…Brett does! OK…monkey wrench hanging on the side of a barrel with a rag slung over the handle…did I suggest you do that?..no…wish I had…that’s a great detail…can you tell I like this thing?..Ken
Bill
April 2018
Put me down for a “wow” on the gas pump as well. That color fade and rust combination is perfectly executed.
I also just caught the pipe wrench clamped to the side of the barrel with the rag draped over it! Love it!
Joel
April 2018
Thanks so much guys but as always these are not my ideas just my execution. Thanks for noticing the treatment on the barrels and jacks. Brett suggested the wrench and even the rag hanging from it in the instructions. I’m pleased that I have an eye for what to keep (usually) and with ONeil’s it’s about 99% straight from the instructions.
Now on to the big junk pile, the individually shingled roof and wiring the lights for the welding shop. Quite a bit left, yet I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Jerry
April 2018
Beautiful details Joel!
Jerry
Robert.G
April 2018
Super scene ! Really nice work on the detailing and composition. Everything blends in so fine. Great work !
Joel
April 2018
Bit boring and hard to appreciate but finished the electrical hook ups and put in the rafters. I’m gonna try and make it removable but I’m not sure about the clearance between the two roofs.
KKarns
April 2018
Rafters look great as does the entire scene. Could make just the one side of the roof removable so the issue of the other side of the roof clearances would not be in play.
Karl.A
April 2018
I agree with Ken on all of his comments.
Make the removeable side “hook over” the glued on side.
Seamless when on, spectacular when off…
Karl.A
Joel
April 2018
Thanks guys, That’s actually what I’m trying to do but I’m trying to be too clever and remove 1 1/2 sides of the roof. In the picture you can see the rafters actually are in two parts on the right side of the roof. The two halves join over the board so it’s a bit hard to see the gap. Now I have to see what happens when I add the shingles. I should be able to slide the left side up and out. This way I can have the proper flashing on the drive through roof and the smokestack can have the guy wires attached. I guess we’ll see in a couple of days after I get to shingling.
Joel
April 2018
Easier if I just show you a picture.
So I planted the drive through and made my first major departure from the kit. I used a bunch of left over castings and old signs and made yet another junked up area. One of the boards isn’t quite leaning against the fence so I’ll have to fix that but I do love a good mess.
Now on to shingling…
brownbr
April 2018
That is an interesting idea with the roof.
Karl.A
April 2018 edited April 2018
Joel said:
Thanks guys, That’s actually what I’m trying to do but I’m trying to be too clever …
Yeah, that happens to me on ALOT of my builds, that’s why I have 3 or 4 models sitting on the shelf at 75% done…
Overthinking stuff is sometimes my biggest stumbling block… that’s why it’s so nice for someone else to do all the thinking for me when I can just follow Brett’s instructions…
Your solution/design/deviation on the roof looks like it is going to work out perfectly, nicely done !!.. and..
another interesting little area completed right on the edge of the diorama where most people would have just thrown some weeds and a vine, great stuff.
Karl.A
vietnamseabee
April 2018
What a joy to follow these builds
Terry
Robert.G
April 2018 edited April 2018
I like the roof ‘solution’ and love those corrugated panels. They look very natural.
I find it hard to work on several kits at the same time. When I am in ‘the zone’ with one, I like to finish it. Ideas and solutions for one particular build might get forgotten when this build is put on the shelf for some time.
But that’s perhaps because I am one of the male gender. Can’t do two things at the same time… 
vinceg
April 2018
Robert.G said:
I like the roof ‘solution’ and love those corrugated panels. They look very natural.
I find it hard to work on several kits at the same time. When I am in ‘the zone’ with one, I like to finish it. Ideas and solutions for one particular build might get forgotten when this build is put on the shelf for some time.
But that’s perhaps because I am one of the male gender. Can’t do two things at the same time…
Sometimes I can’t even do one thing at the same time…
KKarns
April 2018
Ingenuous roof solution Joel. No clearance issues with the roof of the main building I gather. Wonderful detailed scene on the covered drive through…
Joel
April 2018
Shingles - I’ve struggled with this one for years but really only get the look I’m after when I individually shingle a roof. It’s only a week extra of work and I’ve already spent months on this project. Some projects are worth going that extra mile and Sierra West almost always gives me results that make me want to push the envelope.
So my strange work flow is as follows: (pretty sure this will scare anyone from ever attempting it)
-
get a piece od 1/32" balsa sheet and using a palm sander 240 grit I sand one side until the sheet is as thin as possible (around 1/64). Don’t sand both sides as the unsanded side retains it’s definition and is the upperside of the shingle.
-
colour - I used to use chalk and alcohol but much of it came off despite trying to set it with fixative. So now I cut it into strips and fasten it to a board with double sided tape. A very light brushing with a wire brush and then I use asphaltum paint (dark brown) or black craft paint and some alcohol so there is some colour variation. This is a modified Don Railton technique. Then not really caring if the first step is totally dry I dry brush white craft paint (nothing expensive as the better pigments ruin the effect) really scrub on the dry brushing and the white almost fades to various shades of grey and tan.
Then I used a chopper to cut out the shingles but instead of cutting through I use the chopper blade to hold the strip down and then snap the balsa so it breaks along the line of the blade. I find most of the shingles have edges that are too ragged so I drag one edge along 400grit sand paper (very lightly) and then dip it in A+I.
Then it’s simply a matter of gluing the shingles on.
With this build I tried something a bit different as I had some thin slices of walnut from trimming a cutting board so I dry brush some of that and made some extra shingles (you can see them in the top part of the picture) No need to colour the edges.
With this technique there is a wide variation in colour, width and thickness so the results are anything but boring.
Dave_S
April 2018
Joel,
Great technique with simply awesome results. I think that modelers that choose to build Brett’s kits tend to go that extra mile and take whatever time necessary to get this one of a kind look. You have definitely given me a technique to add for one of my next builds. In fact I’m working on a scratch build now that I think I’ll attempt this technique on. It will give me something to do outside in the early mornings before the heat gets to oppressive. Thanks for taking the time to share your shake shingle technique and take some extra photos to illustrate your tutorial.
Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ
vietnamseabee
April 2018
I have sheets of cedar (2 1/2" x 5 1/2") that comes in (3) thicknesses that I purchased from Sierra Scale Models…I’ve been wanting to try individual shingles using these. Reading Joel’s technique may lite the burner under me to give it a try…Thanks, Buddy
Terry
vietnamseabee
April 2018
The above Sierra Scale Models not to be confused with Brett
brownbr
April 2018
Individual shingles are a must in my book. Yours look great.
Karl.A
April 2018 edited April 2018
Fantastic results and many thanks for taking the time involved in sharing the technique.
I’m with Brian in that individual is a must. I’ll give this different technique a try on my MEBH.
Your extra effort was definitely time well spent.
Karl.A
nextceo
April 2018
Hey Joel, just catching up. That clutter area at the Front Dock looks amazing. Really like the weathering on everything…from the Gas Pump to the gas can sitting on the ground with the handle on it (must be a new casting from Brett).
Thanks for Sharing!
Alan
Geezerbill
April 2018
Joel, you are doing an amazing build here! Your detail parts coloring is superb as is the complete build. As I recall Allan installed scale barb wire on his O scale Tractor repair dio that looked very nice as did Ken on a HO dio. I also like what Karl referenced in a build of his with the split rail and post fence which is really nice! Either of those ideas would work very well in your build. You may be following Brett’s manual for the placement of the details but your ability to execute the coloring and weathering is exceptional. This is such a great build! Thanks for sharing,
Geezerbill
Joel
April 2018
Thanks guys. I am pleased with the build so far. i think that gas can was actually from a pile of castings I bought on Ebay. I just thought it would fit in nicely. Painted so it fit looks almost as good as one of Brett’s. I’ve added a bit more clutter, most of it from an old watch and maybe 3-4 castings from my parts box, the rest is all Sierra West.
Joel
May 2018
Finished the shingling. You can see the gap in the facia board where the removal part meets the rest but otherwise it is pretty well camouflaged. I have to detail it a bit and add the stove pipe then on to the big boiler scene.
Jerry
May 2018
Excellent!!
Jerry
sdrees
May 2018
Joel,
This is a wonderful build. I just cannot say it enough.
brownbr
May 2018
That turned out great.
KKarns
May 2018
Well executed Joel. Beautiful detail work. Elevated Tank is superb…Ken
Robert.G
May 2018
I think we all agree on this one…Just fantastic. Thanks for sharing, it will be a great inspiration when I get to build mine.
MuddyCreekRR
May 2018
I like it a lot…
Joel
May 2018
The roof is now complete. I added a bit of stripwood to the underside to stop the roof from curling and it sits better. I added the smokestack, with flashing and guy wires.
Karl.A
May 2018
perfect, in both design and execution.
Karl.A
brownbr
May 2018
I believe that I will be borrowing your roof removal system.
Joel
May 2018
A couple of small experiments tonight. Bought some N scale decals to try a different way to get labels on bottles and cans.
I also tried to print my own labels and make a campbell soup can. Not to happy with it so I threw it in the trash.
brownbr
May 2018
I also tried to print my own labels and make a campbell soup can. Not to happy with it so I threw it in the trash.
Funny stuff right there.
Joel
May 2018
The first part of a major junk scene.
Karl.A
May 2018
Just wow.
Karl.A
Robert.G
May 2018
When junk becomes art. Beautifully done.
vinceg
May 2018
Masterful. Thanks for sharing.
Joel
May 2018
Thanks. Well it’s coming to an end. Finishing up the left front corner fence and junk pile. Still a few things to add. The area next to the large boiler is not done as I am considering adding a figure cutting apart the boiler rings with a welding torch.
Here’s a figure I was thinking of using but he seems over 6 feet tall. Might be 1/43 figure not sure if I can use it. It has to be repainted anyways.
Still have to clean up the track and add some details. I would love to add a truck but I’m pretty sure there is no where to put one that doesn’t block a huge amount of amazing Sierra West details. Maybe in the back corner before the railway tracks.
Anyway I’m probably gonna sign off for a few weeks as I contemplate figures vehicles and animation and when I sort it all out I can do some final pictures.
I’ll leave you with this:
brownbr
May 2018
For starters, WOW. What a great project. A few of the many highlights that stand out to me are the color of the torch-cut on the boiler piece, the split rail fence, and the overall sense of order that you have given to the junk-pile chaos of the boiler scene.
A flatbed truck unloading barrels by the sump might look interesting if you want a truck.
vietnamseabee
May 2018
Outstanding…anxious to follow your next build
Terry
nextceo
May 2018
More Pictures!!
Jerry
May 2018
Looks great Joel. The figure should be fine as long as he isn’t with a scale 1:48 figure. No one will know the difference.
Jerry
Coors2u
May 2018
The tipped over wheel barrow is so subtle, but yet a fantastic detail.
KKarns
May 2018
Beautifully done Joel!
ironmountainlumber
May 2018
Hi Joel,
Fantastic job! Lots and Lots of details to take in.
Jim
Karl.A
July 2018
Any updates yet on this spectacular build ?
Joel
August 2018
Ah Karl, bit of a set back this Summer but still working on the gas welder and the partially cut boiler. Also trying to build a couple of vehicles to see which I like best. Final details are very finicky. Hope to get some pictures up soon.
Joel
October 2018
Wow it’s been a long time since my last post. Diorama is 95% done and I slacked off. Had a really busy Summer and couldn’t get back to the bench. I painted some figures and the welding cart and built 3 vehicles to try out for the diorama. I haven’t loaded them with junk yet as I wanted to see which fit best.
geoawelch
October 2018
That’s some fancy painting there, Joel.
Robert.G
October 2018
Holy crap, that’s really very well painted man!!!
Joel
October 2018
Actually it’s a larger scale. Just thought I’d have a bit of fun. No way I could paint argyle socks in O scale
brownbr
October 2018
The tanker makes sense but I do like the Nash a lot. I also love the large scale figure.
trains4ms
October 2018
The figures and tanks look real nice. Who makes the trucks?
Mike S.
Joel
October 2018
Thanks for the comments. The trucks are CHB (Now Sierra West) , Nash Quad - McKenzie (Now Wiseman) and finally the Ford tanker By Ulrich which is a lot cruder than the other kits but with some patience and lots of fitting looks pretty good.
Did one more figure - a welder and now I can try composing some scenes I can already see that the trucks are quite large and block too many of the fantastic details. Not really wasted time as I’ll still use them but maybe not for this project.
nextceo
October 2018
Nice work on that Quad Nash. Those are difficult kits to build…
KKarns
October 2018
Trucks are fantastic…I love the yellow!..weathering is superb…
Karl.A
October 2018 edited October 2018
Fantastic stuff Joel, worth the wait indeed.
Those gas tanks are amongst the best I’ve seen and the O scale figure is up there as well. The trucks are finished beautifully and apart from the finishing the assembly is beautifully done also.
I don’t care what scale it is Joel, those socks and neckerchief are crazy good. As are the facial features, shading, shadowing highlighting etc through out the figure, great work on that.
To be honest I’m not too keen on the dog, it’s not up to your finishing standard of everything else shown, , it just needs ….
Superb work throughout, a joy to see.
Karl.A
Joel
October 2018
The Nash Quads do take a bit of work but they go together well. Glad you like the trucks Ken. Karl I agree looking at the pictures the dog does not meet my standards. Weird cause in person it looks fine. Guess fine is not good enough these days. I’ll try and repaint and repost.
Karl.A
October 2018
After seeing what you can do with those figures Joel, painting in shadows and highlights and texture, I know you can step it up some more with that pooch…
Karl.A
Wes
October 2018
Wow Joel. Brilliant painting work. Love the trucks and the figures.Welding cart is a masterpiece too.
How on Earth did you get the guys socks painted?
EricMG
October 2018
Joel, great stuff! The trucks are so wonderful. I just built a truck. Love to show you photos, but I’ve been advised not to post such stray items on this forum. I’ll send you my e-mail if you like or perhaps Brett can forward it. The bed contains SW details. What say you Brett?
kebmo
October 2018
i’m more curious about the shoe laces…
Joel
October 2018
Hey Wes glad you like the trucks and figures. The socks were pretty straightforward. Lots of masking tape, well not really very much tape just dozens of very thin pieces. I painted it white then criss crossed the first layer and painted it grey. This gave me every second diamond. Then I removed the tape and placed new tape to get the rest of the diamonds. Then I removed the tape and placed two pieces of masking tape almost touching and painted a red line. When that was done I removed it and put a new pair of strips on the next row. Took about 3-4 days to complete the socks but no rocket science just finicky work.
kebmo
October 2018
what scale is the dapper fella with the way-cool socks?
Karl.A
October 2018
kebmo said:
what scale is the dapper fella with the way-cool socks?
I’m hoping it’s a 1:1 scale mannequin Joel ‘borrowed’ from ‘somewhere’…
Joel
October 2018
It’s 1/9 and I hope to bring him and his ride to the Expo next week. I staged all three truck near the loading dock and under the over hang and front dock. They block so much of the stunning detail.
Joel
October 2018
I really think I have to leave it open and place the trucks on the road to or from ONeils.
I burned out my welding flashing circuit so will need to pick one up next week to finish off the model.
Karl.A
October 2018
I have to agree with you Joel, if the base were an inch or two wider in that area it could work, however the truck(s) being so close and confined in that small area does hide so much of that great detail. The AB gives a little more viewability, but still seems ‘cramped’.
Karl.A
KCSTrains
October 2018
Joel, looking good. I won’t be at the Expo this year. They just wouldn’t listen to feedback and it appears to be the same old same old stuff. I will, however, miss seeing the SW bunch. Phil
MuddyCreekRR
October 2018
I agree with Phil…for years they have heard from me that it’s the same old same old every year…I heard from some vendor friends of mine that they were having a hard time filling tables…I also model On30…and those that run it for the most part are heavy into the HO…I complained that they asked me what scale I modeled…but still gave me HO freebie coupons…and was told to basically suck it up…too bad…used to be a real good show…I hope they can turn it around…but it’s all up to them…Good luck in the contest room to all the SWSM entries…
admin
October 2018
Looks fantastic Joel, I love how you have finished this off. Your usual high standards!
Joel
October 2018
OK down to the last few detail. Finished up the welding scene and repainted the dog. All that’s left are a few minor touch ups and the railroad crossing. Gotta say in the end I am most disappointed with the flex track. Even though it is hardly seen I may have to pull it up and hand lay the ties.
Joel
October 2018
Robert.G
October 2018
VERY NICE !!!
KKarns
October 2018
Beautiful scene work Joel!..you know just how to work the LPs to enhance the scene…the rust effects on the boilers is terrific as is the finish on all your details…simply wonderful work…
brownbr
October 2018
I could take all day to take in the details in that one area.
Joel
October 2018 edited October 2018
Nice sunny day today so I took some outdoor shots. Just proves I’m bad at photography.
KCSTrains
October 2018
Joel, are you taking this to the EXPO? This could certainly be a winner. BTW, can you take a picture from further back so I can see the full diorama? Phil
kebmo
October 2018
excellent!
brownbr
October 2018
Love that first shot! Second one not bad either.
**
Robert.G**
October 2018
It comes to life. Beautiful !
Wes
October 2018
Something to be truly proud of Joel. Fantastic work bud.
Whats next?
Joel
October 2018
Thanks everyone. Looking back I think the indoor pictures with LED lighting were the best. I will be taking this to the Expo but I’m not sure if it is eligible as I entered part of it last year. Hope to see some familiar faces down there.
CarlLaskey
October 2018
Joel. Very nice great job. …Carl…
Joel
October 2018
Obviously need a new bigger backdrop. I’ll see if they have such a thing at the expo. meanwhile as Phil requested here are a few more photos.
KCSTrains
October 2018
Thank you. A really, really nice diorama. Very professional. Phil
KKarns
October 2018
Fabulous Joel in all respects!..Love that first pic with the lighted interior…so, so nice.
Karl.A
October 2018
Fantastic work Joel, beautiful all around. Such a superb job on everything.
Karl.A
kebmo
October 2018
pretty spectacular!
Joel
October 2018
Thank you all for the kind words but most of the credit goes to Brett. This kit was so fantastic to work with. It is such a great base and allows you to add the little things if you want but is so spectacular to start with it wasn’t necessary. I pretty much built it as directed.
vietnamseabee
October 2018 edited October 2018
A ‘best of show’ for sure…well done, Buddy…
Terry
trains4ms
October 2018
Great job Joel. Just outstanding every where you look. Thanks for sharing the whole build.
Mike S.
Robert.G
November 2018
To be proud of ! Fantastic.
Jerry
November 2018 edited December 2018
Nice work Joel.
Karl its a junkyard dog not your average puppy in the house!!! (Why don’t we have a smilie here!!)
Jerry
KCSTrains
November 2018
Foscale has already posted a partial picture of your build on their FB feed. Phil
geoawelch
November 2018
Joel, great example at what is possible. Stellar modeling
vietnamseabee
December 2018
Joel…can you explain the mineral spirit paint peeling method you used
Terry
Dave_S
December 2018
Terry,
A while back I found the site Ed has talked about above. It is Chuck Doan’s Fotki Fordson Farm 1935 site.
It features a close-up of Chick’s barn siding and a description of the technique he used to achieve his weathered look. It is well worth the effort to find this site.
Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ<img
vietnamseabee
December 2018
Thanks Ed and Dave…a great reference site for sure
Terry
vietnamseabee
December 2018
A question for Karl (A)…I’m going thru Joel’s build page by page because it’s such a great teaching tool…back several pages you (Karl) commented that you weren’t fond of oil stains on the ground…I haven’t been able to find your reason for not liking it…can you please enlighten me(us)…thanks
Terry
Joel
December 2018
Hey Dave thanks for stepping in and answering. Yeah Chuck Doan is the master of the peeled paint effect and nothing else comes close. Lots of pretty good methods but nothing nailks it like Chuck Doan’s method.
Karl.A
December 2018 edited December 2018
Terry, I didn’t really like the original oil stain because it looked dry and dusty, more like ash/embers scattered on the ground and not oil soaked earth from a spill or oil leak, wet and shiney.
Joel and I talked about this and Joel created the much improved revised edition very shortly later which looks superb.
Karl.A
vietnamseabee
December 2018 edited December 2018
Thanks, K…I see that now
Terry
Joel
February 2019
Well it’s been a while and believe it or not it’s not quite done, I have some repairs and rebuilding after a bumpy trip to the expo. That said I picked up a cheap lighting kit so I don’t have to wait til the spring. I also got a small backdrop to help with photos. Here’s my first tries - not perfect but better than previous I think.
vietnamseabee
February 2019
Very nice…background looks like the Blue Ridge mountains in SW Virginia…a good location for O’Neill’s
Terry
KKarns
February 2019
Beautiful Joel!..so much color…and the right kind of color. Love the wood…details are handled perfectly. Such a pleasure to view.
admin
February 2019
Superb, so nice to see this diorama with the awesome background! Especially love the “vintage” shot…
CarlLaskey
February 2019
Joel. Outstanding from top to bottom great pictures. What kind of camera do you have? …Carl…
sdrees
February 2019
This is a terrific project Joel.
Joel
February 2019
Thanks everyone. I am just using an iphone right now but hopefully I will repeat these pictures with my Nikon and see if there is a difference.
brownbr
February 2019
I like the backdrop a lot.
prsdgt65
February 2019
Joel,
Looks awesome!!!
Frank
Robert.G
February 2019
Great work. Love all the colors in the details. Nice photographs!
MuddyCreekRR
February 2019
Fantastic work…I really like the brighter yet weathered colors working with the grey tones…it all come together so well…wish I could have made it to the Expo to see it in person…and the photos work well too…Nice Work!
KCSTrains
February 2019
Joel, I like it. Very nice. Phil
Wes
February 2019
Well done Joel.
The owner really needs to de clutter a bit. HAHA
Karl.A
February 2019
Fantastic modeling and photography Joel. A wonderful job.
The backdrop really allows the model to shine.
Great stuff.
Karl.A
Dave_S
February 2019
Joel,
I keep looking back at your final photos captivated by their color vibrancy. What sort of lighting did you use for this final set of photos?
Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ
Joel
February 2019
Karl, thanks, I really like working with the backround. I’m learning that photography is a whole separate art form and in the end the iphone usually takes better photos unless I sit and tweak things endlessly.
Dave I bought a cheapo lighting set off ebay for $59 - with a couple of lights (compact Fluorescent) and umbrellas. Still need ,more wattage and I have to correct the white balance but it beats trying to set it all up in the snow and take pictures outside.
nextceo
February 2019
Nice build Joel..all of your colors seems to flow together quiet nicely…
Alan
Sakman
July 2020
Very nice. I plan to plagarize some of your work on my O’neills. Thanks sharing.
KCSTrains
October 2020
Joel, I was going back over previous builds of O’Neills. Your O scale build is just outstanding. The detail is unbelievable. What are you building these days?? Phil
Joel
October 2020
Hey Phil,
Glad you like the build, it was great fun. I’m trying to work on a whole bunch of smaller projects while waiting to get back to work on Morton’s. Quite excited about that one.
KCSTrains
October 2020
Good deal. Can’t wait to follow your Morton’s build. Phil
dick52
October 2020
Fantastic, what more to say , beautiful !