This thread was started in March 2024
swissrail
March 2024 in HO Scale Builds
After attending Brett’s clinics at last year’s NMRA Convention in Grapevine, TX and having had the opportunity to speak to him in person, I am taking “the plunge”. Brett’s reassuring explanations of the techniques he and many others rely on for building the kits he produces convinced me that I too, can do it. Maybe (Well, most likely) not at the artistic level some on this forum truly exhibit, but something that I will be proud of.
I am planning to share my progress along the way, not quite to the detail level of a build thread, but rather to a) coax my motivation to continue so that I can post an update, and b) (more importantly) to ask for feedback and advice from the forum community.
This will NOT be a build with daily updates, or one that will be complete in six months. I am gainfully employed in a job that takes usually more than 40 hours a week, plus the sailing season is just starting. Nevertheless, I look forward to disappearing into my cave and working on O’Neills regularly.
Here are a couple of pictures to start:
My “virgin” O’Neills kit on my workbench before the start.
First batch stained using Brett’s methods - my hunch is I used a bit too much chalk and too little alcohol (input welcome).
The damp-brushed walls of the main building laid out on the glass work surface. On some of the earlier groups, I was a bit heavy handed (light means REALLY light), but overall I am fairly pleased. I think I was a bit too sparing on the knot holes. My excuse is I did not want to overdo it.
One thing I really enjoyed was the warm brown wood tones achieved with the artist chalk/alcohol method, vs. the alcohol stains that I had used in the past. Whichever variation of those I use, they seem to turn the wood mostly into a coldish gray, with a slight tint of what the bottle says. I sure will try Brett’s techniques too on other kits.
Any input is welcome.
Comments
Jerry
March 2024 edited March 2024
Looks great to me. Nice job!
And welcome to the forum I’m sure you will like it here.
Jerry
KKarns
March 2024
I agree…fantastic start to a great build. Look forward top following along with your work on this great kit! Welcome to the forum my friend.
TomMich
March 2024
Boards look very nice. Nice variation. Great start. Looking forward to your build.
sdrees
March 2024
Very nice start
Jim M
March 2024
It looks great. I loved building the O’neills, it is a fantastic kit. Enjoy the ride.
glandesjr
March 2024
Welcome to the forum. You will learn a lot from those contributing. Having just completed O’Neill’s (took me 8 months) it was a great kit to build. It has some intricate parts to it, but take your time and it will turn out great. Your initial wood work is spot on so you are off to a great start. Have fun.
swissrail
March 2024
Thanks for all the welcomes and positive feedback. I do look forward to the time spending to complete this build, and learning some new skills along the way. Hoping to get a bit of workbench time this weekend.
Kevin L
March 2024
Nice work and yes Brett’s instructions are great. This forum does help to teach new skills in achieving great builds.
Karl.A
March 2024
Great start on your first build.
Nice colours and variation, those boards are going to look so good when you have them up on the wall.
Keep us updated, it’s always fun to follow a build.
randyp
March 2024
As another relative new person to building Brett’s kits I look forward to following your progress. You have a really great start with your wood. Randy
swissrail
March 2024
Thanks for the additional encouraging feedback, Kevin, Karl and Randy.
Other “Stuff” this weekend kept me from making too much progress, but I did get my first wall done. It’s amazing how pictures just magnify everything. I think I overdid it a bit with “chewing off” the boards on the left end of the wall.
admin
March 2024
Love this build so far, you’re doing an awesome job. This wall looks fantastic!
TomMich
March 2024
The color and variation in the wood on the walls is just great! Great start!
swissrail
March 2024
Thanks for the positive comments! Hoping to get some good modeling time in this coming weekend to complete the remaining walls for the main building. I must admit I was dreading the tediousness of the board by board process a bit, but once i got into the groove I was in my zen.
Joel
March 2024
What a great start to this amazing kit. Love the damp brushing effect
randyp
March 2024
Great work on the coloring and the first board by board wall. Don’t rush the other walls. Take your tome and your work will show it. Randy
swissrail
March 2024
One question I do have - what do any of you do about bracing? I am noticing some slight warping of my first wall, even after putting it under some weight for about a day or two after I finished it. I have not seen Brett emphasizing this in his instructions.
ALCO
March 2024
Consider bracing edges of walls so they can be joined later. Don’t let edge braces on adjacent walls interfere with one another!
glandesjr
March 2024
I just finished doing O’Neill’s and remember calling Brett about bracing. He did not feel it was necessary and I don’t believe I used any bracing. The tower uses corner triangles and my walls did not warp. I’ve really only had to use bracing on kits where you just glue the prefinished walls together as they are not board on board.
MuddyCreekRR
March 2024
I tend to add some corner bracing and occasionally some horizontal…sometimes to locate a floor for detailing a door opening or as a light block if I light a structure…as a few have stated if you follow the steps in the instructions its not needed. Some acrylic paints can cause some bowing, as do some stains…just add a brace if this happens…
swissrail
April 2024
Ok, made some more progress over the weekend, and got the walls of the main building completed.
Still without windows:
Fabricated windows - they went together real well, including the pre-cut mylar, which is awesome:
I am noticing that my cutting board should probably be renewed. I enjoy working on the glass surface for all staining and painting, but prefer the cutting mat for general modeling, including cutting, graining and assembly.
The four walls including Windows and Doors:
As shared earlier, I did notice some slight warping. It was enough to had me add some braces, in particular since the interior will not be visible. I used some 1/8" basswood that I had on hand, and the walls are now completely straight.
I started with the addition and got my wood stained.
CarlLaskey
April 2024
Very nice work keep it up…
glandesjr
April 2024
Looking really nice. Good job on the wood. It looks great. It’s a fun build and looks like you’re doing a great job. Looking forward to seeing your progress. Take care.
randyp
April 2024
I like the color of the windows and doors. Randy
TravisS
April 2024
Just catching up. Great start and coloration on the walls
Kevin L
April 2024
Nice work
TomMich
April 2024
Doors and windows turned out great! Like the color, they compliment the wall color very well.
Karl.A
April 2024
Looking good so far, wood colouring is great.
swissrail
April 2024
I did find a bit of time this weekend to work on the addition. I decided that I wanted to give the addition a “lived in” look and put some light into tit, and therefore created an interior with the necessities for the plant foreman’s domestic life - a stove, a bed and a little wardrobe. I located some scraps to add a wood floor and found some castings and 3d prints in my stash that looked appropriate. I did not bother with cleaning them up and detailing too much, since they will be just seen through the window (I won’t make the addition roof removable).
I also found what I thought would be appropriate wallpaper, and attached it to the back and side walls with transfer tape (I love transfer tape for these applications) rather than glue.
All parts are ready for the addition to be assembled. I left the windows clear to make sure the interior will be visible. Will have to experience with the right amount of resistance for the amount of light that I want in there, my intention is to just fill the interior with a nice warm glow.
swissrail
May 2024
Time to report some progress. I guess based on the silence no one cared for my interior decorating skills. It is just to hint an interior when I put some dim lights in there to create a lived-in look. There will be no removable roof, so no reason to super-detail.
On to the loading dock overhang which was a fairly quick construction with the template. I took it easy with regard to clutter on the roof.
Loading dock wall and Addition wall, with a close-up of the addition wall just hinting an interior.
The four walls are assembled. I installed some additional bracing. There can never be enough bracing, in particular when there is no visible interior. The wire leads to the LED installed in the Addition.
I somewhat dreaded the tower walls, thinking it would be rather tedious to get the siding covered, but I got into a groove and accomplished it in a couple of settings. Loving the warm brown tones that the chalk shades produce which Brett proposes for this build. I did not think I wasted material, but I had just enough strip-wood to cover the tower walls, but will have to dig in my strip-wood supply for the side trim of the two walls that call for it. I must have used the wrong supply somewhere along the way … I am keeping the walls under weight until assembly, there is quite some warping.
Untrimmed:
Trimmed:
Finally, I started on the Tower Doors and Windows.
Jim M
May 2024 edited May 2024
This is looking very nice. I love the interior decorating; I wish I would have thought of doing that. Nice touch.
MuddyCreekRR
May 2024
Missed your post on the interior stuff…a novel idea…even if no one ever notices…you will always know it’s there…I have a Sasquatch at a window in one of my builds that no one has ever noticed…The tone of the wood for the tower looks great…Nice Job…
Mountaingoat
May 2024
I like the idea of a suggested interior in a window that can barely be seen. A person’s mind will fill in the rest of the picture if there is something there. Save the detail for the fully visible portion of the diorama. What I see so far looks great. Keep us the forward progress…Rick
TomMich
May 2024
Really like the weathering on the clapboard walls on the addition and the tower.
swissrail
May 2024 edited May 2024
Thanks for all the positive comments. I absolutely love the way the clapboard siding comes out with this technique of applying separate boards, it is well worth the effort. Hoping to get some more modeling in over this coming weekend. Work definitely get in the way. 
Karl.A
May 2024 edited May 2024
Looking great so far, really like the wood finishing, both the peeled paint and the raw wood, natural variation and randomness. The walls will stay straight once glued together.
The interior detailing is a nice touch, although minimal it will give some interest and illusion to the viewer when they notice there is ‘something’ inside when looking through the windows.
Looking forward to your next updates on this wonderful kit and great build.
swissrail
May 2024
I finished the tower yesterday. One thing I was dreading was to create the “tar” mixture with epoxy. There is nothing rational about it, but I just never get two-part epoxy to work for me. So I checked out some other options to produce the tar, and I ended up on liquid electrical tape applied with a piece of wire. I thought that worked out pretty well well (for sure better than the mess I would have created with epoxy).
Here are a couple of views my finished tower walls. I decided to name the business after my friend Mark and created some new signs on Powerpoint. While I really like the contrast, I am considering knocking down the paint on the windows and doors a little.
Robert.G
May 2024
You’ve got to use what works best for you, it’s the result that counts. In this case, GREAT !!!
MuddyCreekRR
May 2024
I’ve used that several times…and will continue to use it. It also works well as flashing around a flat roofed structure with a tarpaper roof..
sdrees
May 2024
I mix a drop of black paint with white glue for my tar.
TravisS
May 2024
Color looks great and construction crisp and clean. The warmer the weather, the quieter the forum so don’t take it personally. I used the wrong stock somewhere along the way on my Foundry build and it all worked out fine in the end…
swissrail
May 2024
Another Update!
I assembled the main structure and fabricated the roof, however, I did not yet attach it since I wanted to think through the lighting and make some headway with that. Here are a couple of pictures with the roof propped in place:
I love those angled vies, I think that is how this structure presents itself at its best.
Before making too much more headway, I wanted to conceptualize the lighting. Nothing worse that trying to install lighting in a completed building. In hindsight, I wish I would have started to think earlier about it, and installed some before putting the walls together.
My plan is to install 6 lights, but I might not light all of them ultimately:
- Addition interior
- Loading dock
- Under addition
- 2 Yard Lamps
- Gooseneck over welding shop entrance
I started with the buildings for the main building and addition. The light inside the addition was already installed together with the interior, so all that was left to do was to connect it.
I purchased this little microchip from ngineering, which simulates the ebb and flow of the glow of a furnace/fireplace, which is unfortunaly not visible in the photo.
Here is the light installed in the stove/furnace that I put into the addition.
I then installed the light below the addition. I used some Tichy 18" lampshades and fabricated a little bracket to hold them. The floor joist under the addition provide an ideal way to hide the wiring.
Note that the addition roof is just propped.
I will adjust the lighting later to fine tune intensity, and to not overwhelm.
Finally a picture of where Langley Fabrication will eventually sit on my small layout. I am planning to install the Sierra West Morton Foundry complex across the tracks, so that they can share a siding. Please excuse the appearance of my track for now.
admin
May 2024
Wonderful progress, looks awesome! Can’t wait to see it all lit up.
Karl.A
May 2024
Fantastic construction of the components, peeled paint looks fantastic and the contrast between the tower and main building is just right.
The lighting adds another dimension.
swissrail
May 2024
Sincere thanks for the encouraging words, Brett and Karl. I have built a number of laser cut kit structures and enjoyed doing so, but this build has already made me learn so many new techniques, that I will be applying to future structure builds. Also, I have to say, the fit of both the laser cut components as well as when working with the templates is just outstanding.
I am in the finishing stages of getting the roof done. here is a picture after the initial fit, as well as one while installing the rafters of the main roof (The picture tells me there is something going on the the corner where the roof meets the tower that I need to investigate).
While still finishing up on the roof and installing all the stacks and sign, I started on the walls for the weld shop. The wood prep took quite some time, but it was well worth it. I liked the look of the painted wood before the final step of dulling with some alcohol diluted brown chalk as per the instructions, but then realized that there would not be much contrast between the main building and the weld shop, so I am glad I followed the instructions.
Weld shop wall boards before and after applying the thinned down brown chalks.
I am happy with how the walls look in terms of knot holes and general appearance, but I wasn’t successful with the imitation of the saw blade banding.
Over the weekend, I did get the walls for the weld shop walls assembled. Here is a picture of one of the side walls before notching, and all four walls assembled.
Lots of fun, wish I had more time for modeling, but work gets in the way.
TomMich
May 2024
Coming along nicely!
randyp
June 2024
Nice job om the building. Lights are working great. Randy
Jerry
June 2024
Very nice!!
Jerry
Kevin L
June 2024
Looks great
KKarns
July 2024
Good grief, out for awhile and come back to this impressive piece of work! Wonderfully done.
swissrail
August 2024
Thanks all, your positive and encouraging comments are much appreciated. I have not made progress that is worth reporting in the meantime, due to some other activities (plus work getting in the way) during the summer months, but hope to be back at the bench more often after mid-September.
Karl.A
August 2024
We look forward to seeing more of your progress as time permits.
Such a great job so far and we know there is much more to come.
Thank you for sharing your build with us here on the forum.
swissrail
August 2024
Well, somewhat unexpectedly over the last weekend, I managed to get in some modeling time and make some progress on the weld shop.
I enjoyed building the dock and flooring. I love how these types of structures come together literally from a bunch of wood sticks. I know it is supposed to be tedious, but I get into a “zen” mode and enjoy it
One thing I was happy about though when cutting those 26 support posts was that I had the Ultimation Slicer that I purchased a few months ago. It was a bit of an investment, however, it made those exact cuts at a 90 degree angle easy, practically without any sanding.
Finally, here are a couple of views of the weld shop propped up on the floor. I have not yet installed the gooseneck light over the main door, since I think that will be one that will be lit, and I need to figure out the power routing.
KKarns
August 2024
Nicely done! really solid craftsmanship is evident here and love your bench shot.
Gd110
August 2024
That looks very nice. Great work
Robert.G
August 2024
Well done !! Love the chopper device !!
TomMich
August 2024
Nicely done!
Bntrainmaster
August 2024
I just stumbled upon this post and what you have done so far is nothing short of phonominal. I actually have this building and you have inspired me to get the rest of my projects done so I can start on mine. Great job, looking forward to seeing the rest of the build.
admin
August 2024
Outstanding modeling, looking forward too seeing your final diorama and the way it all comes together.
swissrail
August 2024
Thanks for all your continuing positive feedback. I found a bit more time to continue moving along. I have to say that with the instructions and templates provided, construction is an absolute joy. Instead of spending time improvising, re-cutting and adjusting, time can go into the process and applying the techniques so well explained in Brett’s manual.
Next step were assembly and installation of the addition landing & stairs. Never thought i would use that small 90 degree angle, but it came in handy here.
After that, I constructed the stairway from the main building to the tower with supports:
I finally took a couple of shots with everything mocked-up in its eventual location:
The temporary lumber yard behind O’Neills is the stripwood I purchased for the Sierra West Twin Mills. 
Also just noticed I damaged the support on the tower awning… Damn, those pictures reveal the truth!
Only few more structural components, and then on to the diorama and detailing, but there will be little time for modeling over the next month.
Urs
Robert.G
August 2024
It all comes together very nice ! Great work !!
Jerry
August 2024
Very well done.
Jerry
TomMich
August 2024
Nicely done! Can’t wait to see what’s next.
Karl.A
August 2024
Fantastic modelling, so hard to believe it is HO. Everything is so crisp, and cleanly modelled.
swissrail
October 2024
I am sorry I haven’t posted in a while here. Unfortunately, work has taken over my life to a degree that makes regular modeling activities near impossible, and it will continue to be the same until early into the new year. I know some of you are pretty good at carving out 20-30 minutes and making some progress, but I am just not good at chipping away like that. I need to sit down and sink myself into it.
Nevertheless, once time allows, I will pick back up where I left off and continue, including regular progress reports. Thanks again for all the encouragement and input received so far.
Karl.A
October 2024
No need to be sorry, life gets in the way for all of us.
There is no time limit on fun and we all get around to ‘it’ when we can.
As long as you are enjoying it that is the main thing, if things get in the way, that’s life.
10 weeks, 10 months or 10 years, we all have builds like that.
Just enjoy the time when you can.
geoawelch
November 2024
Your incredible modeling makes the wait worthwhile.