This thread was started in August, 2015
KCSTrains
August 2015 edited August 2015 in HO Scale Builds
While I’m working on my layout, I am starting my second Sierra West build - the Water Tower and Storage Shed.
I chose this kit because (1) it will be in the part of my layout where I will need it very soon, and (2) it just seemed like a natural progression from the Woodcutter’s Shack. I decided to use the traditional soaking method for my wood and used a recipe from Mike Chambers. Thank goodness my wife wasn’t home when I did this.
Next I took on the resin stone house. I reviewed the notes I got from Bill and Ken about painting stone walls. I wanted more color on the wall because everything else in the build is pretty muted. As first, I wasn’t sure I liked what I had done. It was pretty bright!!!
However, I didn’t panic. You guys have taught me that. I added the A&I, followed by chalks (thank you Karl), and finally, some dry brushing with grey. See below, what do you think?
If you guys like it, I will finish the other three walls. Also, I will start on the water tank. I actually have some Floquil Rail Brown.
Phil
Comments
KKarns
August 2015
Phil, nice start on the Backwoods Water Tank & Storage Shed. I really enjoyed this build as well. Coloring the stone can be a daunting task and you certainly toned down your original color scheme very nicely. My personal taste would be to tone down the two orange stones and the one grey one right above the orange one on the right as you’re looking at the image. The grey stone to the lower left of the door looks spot on to me. In fact, that whole grouping right there looks great. Anxious to see how the wood turns out. Ken
Karl.A
August 2015
Looking great phil, a couple of things, love the brick work, colour is great to my eye, the darker mortar lines also show an aging building, moss, dirt, grime etc.
As Ken says I would dust the 5 or 6 blue/orange stones with some dry 408.5, just to dull them down a little more and blend them into the wall. Looking Great so far,
Karl.A
KCSTrains
August 2015
Thanks Ken and Karl. I see what you mean. Believe me, I’ve been toning down a lot, but I will continue to do so. Thanks for looking over my shoulder. It always helps to have a fresh perspective. On to the other three walls. Phil
KKarns
August 2015
Hey Phil, I think you’ll be happier with the stone pump house toned down. You mentioned you want color but I think you’d do well to get the “color” from the support castings rather than the stone pump house. Stone for a smaller structure like this would have likely come from the same source so color would only vary within a small range of colors. Like I mentioned, the grouping to the lower left as you look at your picture look really nice. Look forward to more pictures!..Ken
KCSTrains
September 2015
Now I know why Brett is offering laser-cut walls because building walls with 2x4 scale wood is hard. I finally built one wall and decided to go with a Mike Chambers recipe for the siding, which is a bit red. See below.
This picture is a bit more red than in real life, but I’m pleased with the overall wall at this point. However, I’m in it to get better, so comments and suggestions are always welcome. Thanks for looking.
Phil
mayhaw9999
September 2015
Phil,
Good start! I agree that the stone colors could be toned down a bit. Really like the color of the siding. Personally, I like less noticeable nail holes, but yours look very well done.
I’ve been very busy with summer activities - garden and fruit growing chores plus a couple other building projects for the house and yard. Sorry I didn’t reply to your comment about my Tool Shed build. Was that really June 29th??? I appreciate your checking in.
Love your new space.
David
KCSTrains
September 2015
David, I appreciate your comments. Welcome back. I hope you have a new build to start. Phil
admin
September 2015
OK Phil, wood looks great, looking for some progress!!! Lets see what you’ve been up to.
KCSTrains
September 2015
Brett, thanks for checking in. Due to business travel and vacation, no progress has been made. However, October looks much better. Look for some progress then. BTW I’m using my vacation to catch up on my reading. I read a great book on timber railroading that has given me some great ideas on my layout. Phil
MikeM
September 2015
A great book called…?
KCSTrains
October 2015
Model Railroader’s Logging Railroads. It was an easy read and had a lot of great suggestions. It also emphasized doing research on your particular logging railroad instead of duplicating a layout that is not representative of your region. That’s why I like Brett’s kits. They can be individualized to the situation. Phil
Karl.A
October 2015
Thanks for the info on the book Phil.
The wood wall looks good, some nice fading going on with the boards, knot detail is flush and well done. I also like the odd board you have with splits and pieces missing. It really shows off the beauty, character and ease of using individual boards. That, just can not be replicated.
Nice work.
Karl.A
KCSTrains
October 2015
Thanks Karl. I’m finally free from a lot of September travel and will hopefully making some progress on the water tower. Phil
KCSTrains
October 2015
I finally got off my duff and started modeling again. I built the other two walls and did a little dry brushing. As you saw in another thread, I started to learn how to weather signs. There were three techniques that I tried, but at the end of the day I learned that you take this information and develop your own style. Below are the pictures of my walls with the signs.
Now it’s on the putting the structure together with the stone wall. I’ll post those results tomorrow because I’m traveling again next week.
Please, let’s hear from you. The forum has really been inactive lately.
Phil
admin
October 2015
That’s the whole idea, take great techniques and own them! Signs look good. One thing I always look for is the quality of cutting job in a round sign. Yours look fantastic. Wood looks great, framing, coloring, weathering… Not in love with the nail holes but I have evolved my feelings on them over the years. Used to model them but don’t now. I would try using the smallest brush you have and putting a tiny drop of black alcohol stain in each hole to weather them a bit. The photo’s I know make them stand out more than they do in real life.
KCSTrains
October 2015
Brett, I agree with you. I will do that on the nail holes, but you are right, the photos may them worse than they really are. Thanks for looking. Phil
KCSTrains
October 2015 edited October 2015
Ok, there’s some building going on. I built the shed floor and weathered it as the instructions call for and glued the walls down. See below.
The angle of the photograph makes the wall look crooked, but they are not. Also, I have the water tower laying on the stone house, but of course, I have to build the platform for it.
Finally, here is a view of the overall layout. Due to my layout, the track will be in a 2% incline at the point of the water tower, so I had to allow for that. Also, I will have a stream flowing below the track.
I would appreciate your comments. Phil
KKarns
October 2015
Phil, wonderful stone work, and you really toned it down perfectly. Blends so well and all the stones appear to melt into one another without any one jumping out. Tank weathering looks great with the darkened damp looking bottom and the dirt and grime above each band. Wood coloring is really good as well. Coming along great. Ken
Bill
October 2015 edited October 2015
Phil-
Looks like you’ve got this one coming along nicely. Both Brett and I mentioned the nail holes…no worries! I think many of us struggled to find the right touch. Take a look at THESE bad boys. I’m not sure if I used a battering ram or a post hole digger, but BY GOD they’re there!!! WOO HOO! Nail Holes!!
What you did to tone down the colors on your stone is very nice! What’s important is that YOU can recognize why version 2 is more appealing than your first go at it. Seeing colors as they are in the real world can be a little tricky at first. But once you go against the natural instinct to use “crayon box” colors in favor of a somewhat more “boring” color, your results will always be more realistic. It appears to me that you’re getting a feel for this…it’s what Brett calls “subdued” or “muted” colors.
I’m having fun watching you progress with this one. I don’t have one of these kits, some I’m living vicariously through your build! If I’m not mistaken, this kit has the cast roof over the shed.
Keep sharing your progress and keep up the good work!
Bill
Ojaste
October 2015
Phil, be patient!
Sometimes structure looks oneway standalone, but when you put into a diorama or layout with looks completely different. The key is to have a rough idea/vision of what you want to create and build toward that. Balance and eye re-directing details or scenery can reduce the importance of a characteristic in the structure. By having the vision you will know what you can get away with and what you cannot. Easier said then done though.
Modelling is only a race 2 weeks before a show! LOL
KCSTrains
October 2015
Ken, Bill and Marty, thanks for your comments. They are useful and encouraging. Bill, this kit is a later model and doesn’t have the cast roof. However, I can’t wait to get a second crack at those cedar shingles. I do have one question about nail holes. Do you just avoid them or do you just try to be more subtle?
Now that I’ve progressed on this model, I’m ready to keep moving. If I could only get off the road. It’s seriously cramping my modeling style. Phil
KKarns
October 2015
Phil, my 2 cents here…I still utilize nail holes but very, very subtile. The attached picture is of my Loco and Service Shops. Notice the nail holes where the board ends join to the right of the steel air compressor line and to the right of the right window. Those board ends have nail holes but lightly done…just my taste here but illustrates the issue at the other end of the spectrum.
Bill
October 2015 edited October 2015
Phil-
I think Ken demonstrated scale sized nail holes perfectly.
And as Marty mentioned, nail holes aren’t even all that necessary. On the Deer Creek Mine build, I didn’t add any at all. However, there a couple different tools I use if I do put some in.
One is a pair of machinist’s dividers:
The other tool is one Karl told me about called “felting needles”:
You can pick them up at a fabric store or order a set on Amazon. Try and get the “fine” if you can. What’s nice about felting needles is that they’re really thin but also, they have little “barbs” on them and the point flares quickly so you can kind of feel when you’ve gone deep enough:
More than anything, it just takes a light touch and a little practice. Don’t worry…you’ll get the hang of it.
KCSTrains
October 2015
Ken, Bill and Marty, thanks for your advise. I’ll definitely experiment but will lean towards no nail holes unless the scene really calls for it. Phil
KCSTrains
October 2015
The building continues after being gone all week and traveling in all that rain in Texas. I pretty much followed Brett’s instructions to build the tank platform, the spout support and the tank platform railing. I then build the fences and the ladders. I have them in the picture, but they will not be glued until later.
I put nail holes on the ladder and spout support, but they are very subtle. I welcome your comments. Phil
Ojaste
October 2015
Yippee!
KKarns
October 2015
Nice progress Phil. The nail holes look just right, you can tell they’re there but your eye is not drawn to them. Fence and railings look great. Ladders are weathered and detailed nicely though I would limit the number of off-kilter ladder rungs as a little goes a long way here. Again, I love your weathering on the tank and the depth gauge. Spout support looks spot on as well. Really enjoying your work here.
KCSTrains
October 2015
Thanks Ken and Marty. Ken, I was having doubts about the ladders and will fix. Good catch. Phil
admin
October 2015
Looking great Phil! Completely agree with Ken on crooked rungs…
Bill
October 2015
Looks like you’re moving right along and making nice progress. The parts you’ve added look good color-wise and appear to belong in the scene.
Here’s the reason to go easy on the crooked rungs: one or two conveys the idea that there’s neglect, wear, or general aging. Add too many and it suggests to the viewer sloppy or amateurish modeling skills. The only reason I mention this is because I think the same sort of “restraint” can be applied to other modeling elements, too: sagging or crooked shingles, broken/missing panes of glass, sagging doors, broken fence pickets, nail holes, knot holes, etc. etc. Less is almost always more.
Let the viewer discover all these subtle little elements rather than having them jump out and make a statement.
Keep up the good work and keep posting pictures. Lots of them. That’s where MORE is always better!
KCSTrains
October 2015
Brett and Bill, Thanks for your advice. Lesson learned. I believe I have fixed the ladders and am moving on. I’m now at the casting stage which you know will take some time. I’ll post as I progress. Phil
KCSTrains
October 2015
Guys, I’m stuck. I’m trying to weather the big black tank and I want to give it a real rusty look. I tried the methods in the instructions (or at least I think I did), but didn’t like the results. It may be that the flat black base I used is the problem. Can you give me your recipe for painting industrial tanks that are really rusty. Thanks in advance. Phil
brownbr
October 2015
Try weathering powders set with mineral spirits on the tank. Start with either the black base, or brown if you want it totally rusted. Dab on your powders. Start with dark rust, then med rust, and light rust around where you think “fresh” rust should be. Work it in a little with a dry brush. Then dip a brush in mineral spirits and touch it to the tank. Capillary action will make it spread out over the tank. Repeat until the entire tank is wet.
KCSTrains
November 2015
Thanks Bryan. I’ll give it a try when I get back home. On the road again. Phil
Ojaste
November 2015
Phil, go looking for a prototype photograph and post it here. Then it would be easier to help achieve that look.
KCSTrains
November 2015
Marty and all,
See below. This is the look that I’m after.
Phil
KCSTrains
November 2015
Thanks Marty. That helps a lot. I’ve come to a realization that you have to have Windsor and Newton’s water soluble oil when rusting. I have some on order. Thanks again. Phil
KCSTrains
November 2015
Ok, I finally came to a resolution on rusting an industrial tank and I want to share hit with you. I happened upon it by accident. Scrape off 3 -4 of the rust family chalks and mix together. Apply to the tank very thinly and dry. Take an old hair spray bottle and fill it with alcohol and finely mist the alcohol over the tank. Don’t over saturate. The result is pretty cool and mottled. If you want to do more, repeat the process.
See my tank below.
I also finished the compressor. I really like the tarp over the compressor and went with more of a burlap look.
Thanks all for your help in solving my rusting problem. Phil
brownbr
November 2015
I like the rust effect you got. Very crusty and flakey as would be expected. I like the idea of a tarp over the compressor, but the burlap is a bit out of scale. The material for model ship sails might give you the woven look you are going for and be better in scale.
KKarns
November 2015
Nice job Phil. The rust effect looks great as does your subtile oil seepage. This is often overdone but your’s looks just right to my eye. Platform deck weathering matches the tank age and use. The material covering the compressor may be slightly out of scale but certainly plausible with normal viewing. I used the same stuff on my Water Tank & Storage Shed build and liked the results. The only thing I would suggest is trim the ragged end thats over the top of the compressor as this accentuates the coarse weave. If you look at the portion that runs down the back and side, the weave looks tight and more to scale. However…once tucked nicely into the Storage Shed with all the wonderful castings and such, it will look fantastic regardless!..Ken
admin
November 2015
Tank looks fantastic. Texture and color are just right. Try a little of the oil colors we were talking about to get a some gunky oil buildup around the fill spout on top - like you have on the front of the frame. Ken is right on target with the compressor tarp too. Excellent work!
KCSTrains
November 2015
Thanks for your kind comments. I may try to trim the tarp a bit to get rid of the out of scale ends. This is tough however. You need very small scissors.
Now, on to the rest of the castings.
Phil
KCSTrains
December 2015
I’ve been working on the castings. Below are some examples
Phil
MitchN
December 2015
Phil,
The coloring looks realistic to me. I particularly like the rust on the 55 gallon drums in the first picture. What was your technique?
Best regards,
Mitch
admin
December 2015
Excellent job Phil. Those are complex castings and you have nailed them!
KCSTrains
December 2015
Thanks Mitch and Brett.
Mitch, after painting the barrel, I start with putting a mixture of rust power on the top of each drum and mist it with alcohol. I accidently found out this gives a great look. Mist with a pump sprayer. I then dust the barrel with a brown powder. I use Winsor and Newton water soluble oil, burn sienna, and with a tooth pick apply this rust to the appropriate spots. This really gives you some depth. I then very light dab the rust spots with a round brush and the rust powder mixture. Phil
KKarns
December 2015
Nice work Phil. The detailing of the castings is an area that can make or break an otherwise good structure model. You have done well to get this technique down and to your liking. Look forward to more…Ken
SteveF
December 2015
I just caught up with this thread. Great modeling. You nailed the rust treatment on the tank. When you said “pump sprayer”, is that the trigger type similar to what is used on home cleaners like Fantastic?
Steve F
KCSTrains
December 2015
Thanks Ken and Steve. Steve, by “pump sprayer” I mean a normal hair spray pump bottle. Nothing special so long as it provides a fine mist. Merry Christmas all. Phil
KCSTrains
January 2016
Expo is only about 60 days away, so I needed to get busy. As you know, I’ve been busy with the castings, but I’m ready now to proceed ahead. The first thing I did was build a retaining wall with railroad ties. I also laid ties for the track and weathered them using Brett’s newest methodology.
I then ballasted the track with a rock I kept from my Spokane, Washington days. I put it through a small screen to get the smallest particles. I then laid the rails and put in some weathering.
I then started working on my stream by painting the foam and adding a bit of sand that I will use as the base of my stream. I also worked on some erosion on the hill side where the water would have run down to the stream from the water tower.
Finally, I started to put castings inside the shed.
Next, I’ll start on the roofs. Thanks for viewing. Phil
KKarns
January 2016
Great work Phil. I particularly like the weathering you gave to the track, ties and ballast. A detail that’s often overlooked. Casting work looks terrific as does the general “feel” of things. Nothing standing out, things well positioned and blended together. Treatment of the water tank is very well done…Ken
brownbr
January 2016
I agree with Ken. The coloring blends together like the entire scene has been in place and gathering dust/dirt for decades. Very nice.
Karl.A
January 2016
terrific colouring of the structures and the details are dead right, everything blends and fits together so very well.
Love the colouring of the ties also and the track is nicely weathered.
Karl.A
nextceo
January 2016
I agree with Karl…the colors blend together very nicely.
Alan
KCSTrains
February 2016
Thanks all. I’m finally getting it because of all the help I have received from the members of this forum. Karl, I still open up your tutorial when I paint castings as a reminder of what to do. My question to you all, should I apply the track nails? Phil
Karl.A
February 2016
I didn’t even notice they weren’t there.
Ken came up with a fantastic way to do this in HO in his loco shop thread, check it out.
Karl.A
brownbr
February 2016
Yes, spike the rail
KCSTrains
February 2016
I can’t find Ken’s early thread on the loco shop. Ken, can you point me in the right direction? Phil
Coors2u
February 2016
Phil
Everything is looking great. I can’t wait to see at the Expo.
Mike Engler
February 2016
Thanks all. I’m finally getting it because of all the help I have received from the members of this forum. Karl, I still open up your tutorial when I paint castings as a reminder of what to do. My question to you all, should I apply the track nails? Phil
I didn’t even notice they weren’t there.
Ken came up with a fantastic way to do this in HO in his loco shop thread, check it out.
Karl.A
I can’t find Ken’s early thread on the loco shop. Ken, can you point me in the right direction? Phil
Mike Engler
February 2016 edited February 2016
Like Phil I am looking for Ken’s great way of applying track spikes. I like to glue (epoxy, GOO, or Plio-bond) the rail in place, but it would be great to ACC something in place on each tie to represent spike-heads. Maybe Ken can repeat his method if the original thread isn’t around any more.
Four real spikes on each tie is a bit much, but one spike every 5 or 6 ties doesn’t look right either. Hand-laying the track with real wooden ties that are grained and weathered look much better than flex track, but then you need spikes and maybe even tie plates.
Great work Phil. I read this thread tonight, and am looking forward to seeing a lot of you guys at the Expo.
KKarns
February 2016
Hey Phil, I apologize that you were unable to locate my original Loco and Service Shops thread. The thread was accidentally removed from the server some time ago. I started a new thread but it was counter-productive to try and re-create the entire thing as you could imagine. Thanks Karl for your thoughts on how I handled my HOn3 rail spiking. Karl and I discussed the issue at some length and Mike Engler (see above) has the exact same issues of desiring a prototypical look without having to actually spike every tie.
So here is what I did with my rail…As you Mike, I did not want to actually spike the rail with real spikes (4 spikes per each tie..yuck!) and as you mentioned, skipping a few ties and spiking only every few wouldn’t achieve the prototypical look I wanted. So I carefully glued the rail to the ties with epoxy. I then took solder wire (.03 I think) and rolled it under my blade handle to create an oblong shape like spike heads would be. I worked off say 4-6 inches of wire at a time. Once I had the shape I wanted, I took a new one sided razor blade and cut off thin “discs” of the solder that would be the spike heads. I then blackened them in some JAX and let them dry then dusted with rust chalk. Now the tedious part…I took a pile of the “spike heads” and with a pair of fine pointed tweezers glued each spike head at an angle, part on the rail and part on the tie, 4 for each tie, 188 ties for a total of 752 spike heads!..yup…I counted em! I also made rail joiners out of styrene and applied those as well. Hope that helps Phil.
First picture is the rail joiners in place before apply the “spike heads”.
Second shot of the “spike heads” in place.
Third shot of how the thing looks overall when almost finished and from a slight distance.
Styrene rail joiners
“spike heads” in place
Overall look of things…
KKarns
February 2016
Oh, forgot, Mike brought up the issue of tie plates. Most backwoods logging operations laid their track directly on the ties as my scant research would suggest. My feeling is that there is enough detail here that the lack of tie plates even in a situation where they may have been used aren’t missed much. The addition of these could obviously be done but would add to the already tedious process. Mike, might be cool to see what it would look like…hmm
Side note: Phil, if you want these images removed from your thread once you take note, just let Brett know as I can’t remove them myself.
KCSTrains
February 2016
Ken, thanks and no, I don’t want your images removed, they are very helpful. This is ambitious and I don’t know if I have the patience to do as you suggest. I just got through placing individual cedar shingles on the roof of the water tank. However, I appreciate your ingenuity. Phil
KKarns
February 2016
Phil, I’m with ya! Not for the faint of heart that’s for sure. Some might say a bit of over-kill but once done, I liked the look and it fit in with my overall goals of this build. Would love to see some pictures of your roof. Ken
KCSTrains
February 2016
I’m working on the shed roof this weekend and will post pictures. Phil
KCSTrains
February 2016 edited February 2016
Making progress. I prefer the individual cedar shingles. I use a method taught to me by Bill. It really works well. I use the shingles from Sierra Scale Models and cut them in scale 24 inch lengths with varying widths from scale 6 inches to 16 inches. Then I use waterproof carpenter’s glue and glue them on. Shingling the tower was a lot more difficult because of the shape of the tower. And yes Bill, I followed your advice to keep the shingle line fairly uniform. Great suggestion.
Once I have the shingles on, I brush them with a wire brush and selectively rough them up a bit to show wear. Then comes the fun part - weathering them. Again, following a method taught to me by Bill, I dab on chalk liberally over the roof. I then wash it in with my AI mixture. I use AI because I want an older look. If I wanted a younger look I would have used just alcohol. I finish with dry brushing with dark grey. Finally, I added a little moss to the roof. I wanted to make sure I didn’t overdo it.
Thanks Bill for all your helpful hints. Next up, the start of the grounds around the water tower.
Phil
Coors2u
February 2016
Nice work Phil. It’s coming together.
Karl.A
February 2016
Really like the look of that roof Phil, it blends perfectly with the water tank.. and everything else, nice job indeed.
Karl.A
brownbr
February 2016
Love what you did with the roof.
djdutch
February 2016
wow it looks wonderfull and you do not overdo the moss thing
DJ
KCSTrains
February 2016
Thanks Dustin, Karl, Bryan and DJ. BTW it’s hard to tell in the picture, but I did add lighting on the inside of the shed. It really looks good in person. Phil
Bill
February 2016 edited February 2016
I’m late jumping in on the recent updates but…WOW!
First off, your track work is very well done and will certainly add to the final scene.
Congrats on hand laying those shingles. Nice job! And I’m loving the moss sprouting up here and there. What color/type of foam did you go with?
Cedar shakes can be a labor intensive chore, but I really enjoy the process. The final look almost always justifies the extra effort.
Your stonework, roof, and siding all have a harmonious feel even though they were constructed separately and with different materials and methods. You gotta be pleased when a plan comes together!
Can’t wait to see it next month!
Bill
admin
February 2016
Great job Phil. You have achieved a wonderful subtle coloration to the overall structure. Nothing stands out, all blends well and looks like it belongs together but it is not boring or dull. Lots of texture and color. Well done!
KCSTrains
February 2016
Thanks Bill and Brett. I’m working on the layout of the castings now and have really taken Karl’s advice to heart. Don’t just plop down castings but arrange them with a purpose. I’m traveling right now, but made my first arrangement. I’ll re-look at it when I get back and see if I still like it.
Bill, I used a blended fine foam which is my go-to foam. I’m looking forward to meeting you in person. Were you going to send out a materials to bring list? Phil
KKarns
February 2016
Terrific job Phil. You have a good eye for detail and what looks right. Impressive to say the least!..Ken
KCSTrains
March 2016
Bill, see the progress of my stream. Should it be a dry creek bed or have some water in it? Thanks. Phil
Bill
March 2016 edited March 2016
Man, that looks awesome! The undercut you’ve got going on with the bank is a cool look.
Don’t pour any water yet. As it is right, now it’s too perfect.
The undercut suggests to me that there was some fast moving water running through there and it was fairly recent (the grass is still green and the undercut hasn’t collapsed yet). Rushing streams and rivers will scour downward and cut away at the banks. That’s what would cause erosion like that. Something like this:
So…
I’d try adding several grades of small stones to the bottom, a few bigger ones to the left side along with some twigs and a bit of drift wood… Place some of that in there (no glue) and post a pic of how that looks. After that, I’m thinking probably a fairly small layer of resin just to line the bottom. If you fill it with too much “water”, my fear is it isn’t going to look right and become distracting
What you’ve got going on is really neat looking, so let’s see if the rest of the gang chimes in with some ideas.
Anybody else have an opinion?
mayhaw9999
March 2016
Phil,
Really outstanding result. Cedar roof turned out exceptionally well. Give us a night time photo with the lights on.
I’ve been sidelined by a medical issue lately and now traveling, but the Woodcutter’s Shack is slowly progressing.
BTW congrats on the photo in MR!
David
KCSTrains
March 2016
Bill, I will do that today and repost. The look I was going for is below.
David, I’m close to being finished and will post a lot of shots of the finished diorama including a night shot. I was a happy camper when MR selected my layout shot to be in the February issue. Phil
KCSTrains
March 2016
Bill, also in the South you can get such an undercut due to “flash floods” with the stream low or near dry for most of the year. Phil
admin
March 2016
I love the feel of the dio. It’s very rich with warm tones and color in all the right places. The ties in particular stand out to me. Profile, weathering, all spot on. I would like to see a little dirt and gravel randomly mixed into the grass - next to the track, to break it up a bit.
KCSTrains
March 2016
Thanks Brett. I can do that. Once we figure out the water, I am going to place some buffalo grass on the edge to drape over the edge of the undercut. The end is in sight. Phil
KCSTrains
March 2016
Bill, here is what I came up with. I’m not crazy about the small rocks, but this is all I have. Suggestions? Phil
Bill
March 2016 edited March 2016
I have a couple thoughts…
I’d take the bed all the way down so the the river goes all the way to the edge of the diorama. In other words…lose the bank on the right side (outer edge). That makes the river look like a rain gutter.
You certainly need more varied sizes on your rocks and stones. More sticks and debris are in order, too. I like mine to be REALLY cluttered up with “stuff” of different shapes and sizes.
Ask yourself which direction the water is flowing on your dio. Then place the clutter in positions where the current would have pushed them. Large logs, branches and stones act as a “catch” for other debris.
Here’s how I positioned stuff in the river on my Twin Mills…
And here’s a look at the different sizes of clutter on the bottom…
If it’s too sparse or if the sizes are too uniform (like the gravel) it kinda feels like an aquarium bottom rather than a stream or river bed. Can you get 4 or 5 different sizes of Woodland Scenics talus from a hobby shop or Michaels? This stuff:
Start with a powder or sand…then add the real fine stuff, then some medium, then coarse and finally a few groupings of extra coarse. Then do the opposite with twigs: start with the biggest and work to the smallest–keeping in mind how and where the current would push it.
KCSTrains
March 2016
Bill, thanks. I will take down the other bank and I do have a wider variety of rocks. They vary in color. Is this too colorful?
What is the scale of your ruler? I can’t tell. Is the extra course rock about one foot in HO scale? Of course, had I taken your class before taking this on, I would have been better prepared.
Phil
Bill
March 2016
I think that the colors are a little too “all over the road”. Try to focus the colors you use. Narrow it like a paint chip sample from the hardware store. Keep a limit within that range if possible.
In the talus picture, that’s just a regular ruler. So, use the large ones sparingly
nextceo
March 2016
One other comment…which is probably a given. Make sure you’re adding some dirt within the rocks…especially along the bank of the stream/creek.
Alan
KCSTrains
March 2016
Thanks Bill and Alan. I’ll give it a shot tomorrow and post a picture. Phil
KCSTrains
March 2016
I’m reaching the end. I still need to add the “clutter” and a figure or two, but below are pictures of my “almost completed” Water Tower and Storage Shed. Thanks again for all your help along the way. Bill, my stream turned out better than I expected. Phil
Karl.A
March 2016
Just terrific, some fantastic modeling, as I mentioned earlier such a great colour from details, to structure, to weathering, so very nicely done.
Karl.A
Bill
March 2016
That’s one you can be proud of Phil. Water turned out very nice!
Well done all around!
I know you said you’re not 100% finished. About the only suggestion I have would be on Picture #8 (the back side with the “Old Gold” sign). I’d make sure to get some weeds and shrubs growing on both sides of that large wheel casting–right up against the building. That’s something that catches my eye sort of like out of square corners jump out at Brett: manicured grass near buildings. I try to remember: “they didn’t have weed eaters back then”.
Can’t wait to see it in person!
Bill
KCSTrains
March 2016
Thanks Bill and Karl. Bill, I see your point. Bring out the weeds!!!
brownbr
March 2016
A great build all around. The rail looks great spiked.
admin
March 2016
Wonderful Work!
ironmountainlumber
March 2016
Wow. Fantastic diorama. Everything fits together beautifully,
Jim
shay987
March 2016
Great work !!!
very inspiring
nextceo
March 2016
Hey Phil…nice job! I like the colors of you scene and the stream turned out really good!
I also like your lighting. Did you use LEDs…and if so, can I ask which resistor you used?
Alan
KCSTrains
March 2016 edited March 2016
Alan,
I get my LEDs (there are two of them in the shed) from modeltrainsoftware. They sell LEDs that connect to a watch battery and a switch. I’m not aware of any resistors.
Phil
KKarns
March 2016
Well done Phil. Should be proud of this one. Nice touch not overdoing it with the LPs. Just enough to bring it to life…Ken
KCSTrains
March 2016
LPs? Phil
Karl.A
March 2016
Little People.
KCSTrains
March 2016
Got it I was thinking about a guy in the back with a dolly. Phil
mayhaw9999
March 2016
I like it!!
David
Ojaste
April 2016
Congratulations to Phil for winning Best 8x8 entry at the 2016 FineScale Expo.
Karl.A
April 2016
Congratulations Phil, a well deserved award for some terrific modeling.
Well done.
Karl.A
KCSTrains
April 2016
Thanks Marty and Karl. It was an honor to receive recognition from my fellow modelers. I couldn’t have achieved the authentic look without the help from the Sierra West forum members who unselfishly give of their time.
It was also really great to meet Marty, Bill, Dustin, and Ken.
Bill
April 2016
Congratulations Phil! What a journey you’ve been on with this kit and it ends in victory lane!
Well done!
Great meeting you as well. We’ll do it again soon. Looks like Fall of 2017 is the time table for the next Expo at a location that’s TBD.
KCSTrains
April 2016
Bill, thank you once again for all the help. I knew you were a radio personality, but I didn’t know you were a standup comedian. I still hurt from laughing so hard. Phil
nextceo
April 2016
Congrats Phil on your First Place Finish!
Well done…
Alan
admin
April 2016
Well done my friend! What a rush to win. Congratulations.
brownbr
April 2016
Congratulations.
mayhaw9999
April 2016
Super job and a well deserved award. Congratulations!
David U
sdrees
April 2016
Way to go Phil on your First Place Finish. We novice modelers can thank Brett for his great tutorials and the other forum members for developing our skills.
Very well done.
Steve
KKarns
April 2016 edited April 2016
Wonderful diorama Phil and it was a pleasure meeting you and being able to soak up your build in person. Congratulations and look forward to more productivity out of you in the near future…Ken
KCSTrains
April 2016
Thanks all and yes Brett, it was a huge rush to win. At Bill’s suggestion, I’ll post my final build pictures on a new thread and yes, I ordered the paints. I can’t wait to get them.
ironmountainlumber
April 2016
Congratulations Phil!!. Absolutely a beautiful build. Very well done.
Jim
Coors2u
April 2016
Congrats Phil. Very deserving award. I really enjoyed meeting you at the expo.
srankin6
April 2016
Great job Phil…love the Dio…have this kit on my shelf …this will give me some motivation!
KCSTrains
April 2016
Thanks Scott. You need to pull it down and start building it. I really enjoyed it. Phil
Karl.A
May 2016 edited May 2016
Like Phil says, grab that beauty off the shelf and get it started Scott. You cant get much more motivation than Phils terrific build.
Karl.A
ChuckB
July 2016
The wood looks great and the signs really set it off. I am blown away by the transition of the stone work from pic one to the end. The depth at the mortar lines is superb. Really like your build.
KCSTrains
September 2016
I couldn’t agree more. I’m just ready for Bill to wrap up the ski season and get back on the forum. Phil
vietnamseabee
February 2019
here’s another great build to review from 2015…Brett has a previously owned kit that’s offered on the SWSM website that I’ve been considering so I decided to review Phil’s build…plus I just like seeing the older threads brought to the ‘front of the line’ every so often
Terry
KCSTrains
February 2019
Thanks Terry. This one is very special to me since it won the 8X8 category at the Fine Scale Expo. I had a lot of help on this one. Phil