This thread was started in January, 2013
KKarns
January 2013 edited January 2013 in HO Scale Builds
Have gotten underway with the congener to the Tool Shed…The LineSide Storage Shed. What a great little build this is and I really like the contrasting styles of the two. Brett’s recommended coloring on the LineSide, which I used, is a nice compliment to the Tool Shed. I have taken pictures of the walls in various phases of completion and will follow with the five walls totally done.
Front wall with just siding, no battens.
Rear wall with about half the battens installed.
Left wall with battens most of the battens installed. battens will be trimmed even with the top. Window frame not weathered/aged yet.
Center wall with top gable battens installed..gaps in siding will be covered by battens later.
Right wall pretty much done…few little tweaks and it will be..
Comments
KKarns
January 2013
Oops, rear wall with ALL battens installed and mostly done. Left wall will have a horizontal batten all the way across the top and overhanging each side by about a batten width.
Karl.A
January 2013
Terrific start to the build Ken.
Joints are all nice and tight and the texture looks good.
You’ve really nailed that colour !!
Karl.A
Wes
January 2013
Great start Ken
KKarns
January 2013
All walls done!..don’t mean to be redundant on the pics but I like looking at lots of pictures, hope you all do as well, and it helps me document my progress. Thanks for the comments and will post again with windows and doors completed.
Karl.A
January 2013
The more pictures the better Ken, especially when they look that good.
Karl.A
ironmountainlumber
January 2013
I really like the color and texture of the walls. At the bottom of the walls the boards really look like they have wicked up water and have become rotten and darkened from water. Did you use alcohol and ink, black chalk, straight higgins ink or some combination? The effect is really excellent.
Jim
KKarns
January 2013
Karl..Good, I was hoping that was the general sentiment. I plan to make a small note book of each build with Brett’s manual, my notes on the prep used including colors, techniques, etc. and pictures of each build. Should make a nice reference for future projects.
Jim..the board end effect as you described is just what I was after. I did this more on this LineSide build as it sits on the ground where the Tool Shed sits on a platform. The techniques I used was to weather each board and batten before I glue it to the framing by roughing up the ends by splitting the end, taking “chunks” out etc..then I darken the ends of each board individually with Rembrandt Raw Umber 408.3. Black was too dark and I didn’t like it very well. I think treating each board as it goes on keeps things random. I dab on some chalk then soak it in with some pra. After all the boards and battens are on I follow with a dusting of Raw Umber 408.7 which gives it a decidingly greenish tone which simulates the damp, wet, mossy rot that develops. You’ll notice I did this on the eaves as well to give it that dirty dusty look where grime gets concentrated between the roof and the siding. Doors and windows are in progress! Ken
KKarns
January 2013
Here are the walls with windows and doors installed.
ironmountainlumber
January 2013
Thanks for the color number of the chalk. I was trying to get your effect with alcohol and ink and black chalk yesterday and couldn’t get the look. Black was too dark.
Very cool technique. What is pra? The windows look great. Very nice dirty effect. Thanks for sharing your build. I keep learning alot from everyone. By the way there are some plans in Timber Times for logging layouts. I haven’t seen them but they may be worth a look.
Jim
KKarns
January 2013
Jim..I’m the same way, I was telling Karl how I bring up pics of one of his stellar dioramas and just study each picture for a long time and soak up all the subtile details.
Brett coined the acronym “pra” which stands for just “plain rubbing alcohol” it thins, blends, soaks in, and somewhat fixes the chalk to the board ends. Key here is to not have a defining line between the treated and untreated boards end. A gradual fade.
I have heard of Timber Times but have not seen an issue either. Will search it up!
Thanks Jim…-K
KKarns
January 2013
Walls together and fence done…all that’s left is the roofing and castings.
Karl.A
January 2013
Ken, the walls, battons and fence really look great.
Colour and texture are all really well done.
To be honest I think you need to put more effort into the doors. They just look rushed.
Karl.A
Wes
January 2013
Ken your work is really looking good.
I agree with Karl though. The doors look way too new and “easy to open” compared to the rest of the structure.
The angled cuts at the top of some of the fence planks are a nice touch that i will be using in the future.
KKarns
January 2013
The doors prove more difficult to age other than using color and chalks. The laser cut sheets are adhesive backed and glued to a backing of equal thickness of the doors and are not board on board. Any holes or pieces missing would reveal this double thickness and would not look right. How would you age and stress these pieces? Brett does not have any comments regarding this in the manual. School me…class is in session! -K
Karl.A
January 2013
Graining can be added to the laser board with a new #11 exacto blade.
Many light strokes will add some grain effect giving depth and character to the door panels.
I use this on the laser board windows also.
The "Z’ bracing could be treated the same way in the direction the grain would appear.
Some heavier ‘stiff’ wire brushing along the bottom edges of the door panels will roughen up that clean cut look and again add depth and character.
Re-colouring of the doors will then add darker contrast into the graining and bring them more in-line with the walls.
Finally adding the darker colouration to the bottom of the doors, as you did so well with the walls will make them become part of the structure and not stand out as different.
Also as a side note, a little darker chalk colouring around the door handles will depict useage and will also break up the currently monotonous colouring of the doors giving another subtle colour variation and level of depth.
Karl.A
KKarns
January 2013
Sweet!..Just the response I was looking for Karl. Really great advise and opened my eyes to what can be done with the laser cut material. I wrote these off initially as “not much to do except coloring and chalking” Thanks and I really appreciate your taking the time to outline the treatment that can be undertaken on these guys. -K
KKarns
February 2013
Re-worked the doors. I think a big improvement.
HOn30 Bob
February 2013
Ken, I agree the doors look much better now.
Bob
Karl.A
February 2013
The re-working of the doors looks good Ken,
what’s next?
Karl.A
KKarns
February 2013
Bob..Thanks for the note, one of those light bulb moments after talking with Karl et.al.
Karl..Thanks so much for the advise on this!
Next…I’ll post some pics of the finished build and castings. I have two classics that I want to do while I’m waiting on my Logging Camp Essentials and Loco & Service Shops kits that I have ordered, one is the Backwoods Water Tank and Storage Shed and the other is the Railroad Camp. Likely get on the Water Tank kit as the Railroad Camp is a good sized build and I’m slowly ramping up here!
ironmountainlumber
February 2013
Hi Ken,
Fantastic job on the build. I really like the doors. I had no idea that your could make the doors look this way or scribe grain into the door stock. That is really cool idea Karl gave. Can’t wait to see the water tank build. I don’t have this kit and wish I did. Keep up the fantastic work.
Jim
LSNRwyAl
February 2013
Ditto.
KKarns
February 2013
Jim, Yup, Karl really came through on that one. Thanks Alan.
Here are pics of the finished LineSide. I’ll post a couple pics next with all the castings next. They’re done just didn’t get them all together for the picture this time. Will be starting the Backwoods Water Tank build thread soon.
Ken
Wes
February 2013
Ken that looks awesome. The castings are really going to add to the buildings realism.
Bill
February 2013
Very nice work, Ken. Good recovery on the door as it looks like it “belongs” and has aged along with the rest of the building.
A couple suggestions for your next structure–
It’s easy to get heavy handed with nail holes (trust me…I excell at out of scale nail holes). The ones on the fence pickets look perfect to my eye. On the shed, they’re starting to get too big.
For tar paper roofs, I like to break up the perfectly straight lines between the rows with a few rips or tears. I’ll take the strip of tar paper and a piece of fine sand paper or emory board and sand it down from the back (so, place it face down on your work surface and gently sand the back side of it). Focus on an area here and there so it wears through the edge leaving it uneven. I’ve sanded it from the front, but it usually comes out looking like a mistake that I tried to scuff off. Then, glue them down and add chalks and streaks.
Minor details, for sure, and not meant to take away from the fine work you’ve demonstrated!
Looking forward to the next one!
Bill
KKarns
February 2013
Thanks Wes, casting pics are next. Can’t wait to get going on a diorama as I’ have been following you guys on your amazing work. Want to make sure I do the builds and castings adequately before the next step of dioramas and adding to my layout.
Bill, love hearing from you and what a great technique on the tar paper. The edges would naturally get thinned and start tearing or wearing unevenly over time. I looked at my nail holes from the front on view and pictured myself to scale and I would have been able to walk up and poke my finger right through one of those holes! Thanks for reeling me in there. Saw your Twin Mills piece on the news spots…really nice to get recognized for the work you did and a gem of a build as well. -K
Karl.A
February 2013
Really nice Ken. I said it before but I’ll say it again… you really nailed that siding colour. I need to come up with another structure for that colour tone…
I’m looking forward to seeing your details.
As a side note I’m currently scratchbuilding the water tank in O scale so I will be very interested to see your build of it here.
Karl.A
KKarns
February 2013
Hey Karl, The siding color did turn out better than I had expected. I didn’t want a stark red color but did want a subdued look in that flavor. Again, thanks for the tutelage on the doors. I have been mulling over the water tank build as I think the coloring of the stone pump house will set the stage for the rest of the build. I’m leaning towards a darker, maybe more brownish stone color than Brett illustrates on the web-site and box cover. Your thoughts…-K
KKarns
February 2013
Couple of shots of some of the castings temporarily “plopped” down.
brownbr
February 2013
Castings look good as does the overall placement
KKarns
February 2013
Hey Bryan, Thanks for your comments. I would love to be in a position to build dioramas with my builds but I’m still planning and laying out my Logging Railroad. May just be tempted to do a small one for the show this fall. This stuff is addictive…as if you all didn’t know.
admin
February 2013
looking great Ken, I like the overall blending of casting and structure weathering… pretty stark on the white board - can’t wait to see it planted in dirt!
Wes
February 2013
Those castings have come out perfect Ken. Wow.
Where is the truck from? Looks like a beauty.
LSNRwyAl
February 2013
Very nice!!!
sfc
February 2013
Looks great Ken - good work.
ironmountainlumber
February 2013
Awesome build. The castings look fantastic. Which caulk color did you use to mute the colors? Nothing stands out and the castings look very natural. I like the windows. The clear centers look like someone wiped off the dirt. Really well done effect.
Alright lets see a completed mini scene with this beautiful work you have done.
I am amazed at the results you get. Wow!
Jim
KKarns
February 2013
Thanks Jim, I know ,I know, the mini dioramas are my next project. I have been slacking in that area but with the discussions I’ve had with Karl and you guys I feel better about proceeding with them. Have to begin getting the materials together and will be modeling with a bit more ground cover and debris that a Pacific Northwest forest area would have. most of the Dioramas I’ve seen have a more western flavor. I fine to medium sifted three 1 gallon bags full of dead wood, leaves, bark etc. and am drying it now. Will be scouring the online catalogs for other materials.
I plan on attending the 2013 Expo this fall and likely will take an 8 x 8 diorama if it turns out OK.
Regarding the castings, I used several different colors of chalk for the final “dusting”. On the wood items I used either Raw Umber (ranges 408.7, 408.5, 408.3 my favorites) or Grey 704.5. Metal stuff I used mostly Burnt Sienna (411.3) for rusty stuff and Raw Umber 408.3 or 408.5 or Grey for dulling and aging things like the painted metal barrels. I change frequently to get a different subtle look even on similar items. I also change the base color on similar items for the same effect. For instance a metal (proto) barrel I may use Grimy Black on some and Reefer Grey on others with a final dusting of rust on some and Raw Umber on others. -K
ironmountainlumber
February 2013
Hi Ken,
Thanks for the caulk colors. Your eye for color is excellent. Everything blends very naturally. I am hiking around in the Shawnee National Forest looking at stuff to use for ground color and debris and plan on going to Hobby Lobby with a 40% coupon to get some moss and supplies like Karl used. Then I can start trying to put the logging essentials together. My next task will be to learn how to post pictures and post a build and show what I have done. Maybe I can add something to the forum ( I am still working on lights for the fuel depot rigging shed and tool shed. There is a large learning curve. Micro LEDs are so tiny. Hours pass before I have a light that works.) I really appreciate all the information you have generously given when I have asked a question ! I have been wanting to post pictures for some time. I have managed to destroy two of the indestructable olympus stylus cameras and need a new camera.
Have you decided what you may use for rock castings? I am wanting to try the Bragdon foam system. Look foward to more of your builds.
Jim
KKarns
February 2013
Jim, your very welcome and I would gladly share any information I have that may be useful to you or anyone else. I have also learned a great deal from the knowledgeable contributors to the forum. What good is a hobby like this without sharing ideas and our work with others interested in the same thing. Anxious for you to begin posting some pics and don’t forget to post some of your already completed builds as well as the Essentials. The lights sound great, can’t wait to see how they look.
I think I might try Woodland Scenics rock mold system with Hydrocal to get started and then I’d like to try making my own. Will be posting on the Backwoods Water Tank and Shed very soon as my paint order arrived so I can get going!
Keep me posted Jim, -K
KKarns
February 2013
Hey guys…missed a few of your posts. Thanks for the comments. You bet Brett, I’m chomping at the bit to get started with my builds as dioramas. Have it figured out how I’ll work them into my layout. Will be starting with the Backwoods Water Tank build that I’ll do as a diorama. I’d like to bring one of them to the show this fall.
Wes, the truck is a Wiseman Model and it turned out great in my mind..but…The castings were a bit dirty and had to clean them up a good bit. Not like Brett’s stuff! we’re spoiled.
I also have a tow truck to build as well. Wiseman has a great selection of early 1900s trucks and I really like how they look with Brett’s kits. I would recommend putting them together with Epoxy. The parts didn’t fit real snug so a strong binder is a must. They weather up great though.
Wes
February 2013
Thanks Ken. Ill go have a look.