The all-brick facade on DPM's Trackside Transfer building doesn't look quite right for a SoCal prototype, so I've started the arduous task of converting the columns and foundation to reinforced concrete. After a day of putty, drying, and sanding, I have 60% of one wall done. Once I slog through that, it'll be time to replace all the windows and doors with less turn-of-the-century alternatives.
Kato 53 foot shipping containers stripped and repainted in the soon to be Schneider national Scheme Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am working on painting and assembly of two recently purchased Showcase Minatures vehicles. Decals have been a challenge and any hints on assembly of the stake bed would be appreciated. p
I have the long hood version of that GMC wrecker which has been sitting on my workbench for months. Thinking I need to get it finished up before I start losing pieces.
Freddy, good luck on the build and don't lose any of those tiny pieces. The boom and decals were the biggest challenge on the wrecker and the bed on the stake truck was slow and tedious. They are complete except for the windshields.
Took a break from endless windows to work on some doors. Pre-made roll up doors (i.e. Micro Engineering) are all too large, but this looks like a scratchbuilding task even I can manage.
Working on some cabeese, got the paint finished on the Southern Bay Window, just need the decals to show up. Working on the NP Bay Window in Merger colors, and have the decals, so as soon as the paint dries on it, it will be done. Oh and both are gonna need couplers swapped.
Well rats! I'm out of MicroSol, gonna have to head to Hobby Lobby tomorrow to find a replacement, hopefully don't have to drive an extra half hour to the nearest real hobby shop down here.
At this rate I ought to start a separate thread for this darned building, which is slowly becoming a Warehouse of Theseus. But I started adding roll-up doors on the rail side, and replacing the bottom windowsills that got filed away when I enlarged the window openings. The right door is complete and glued in place, but the left one is loose while I contemplate whether or not I want to leave some of the doors open to display an interior (that I'd have to scratchbuild). Also, some pen marks of where to transition from brick to concrete for the foundation, a task I am dreading (insomuch as one can dread a relaxing hobby).
For the foundation, rather than file down all of that brick, what about applying pieces of super thin .005 styrene sheet. It will look as if it is almost flush with the brickwork. Once painted and weathered, it would be hard to tell it was laminated.
You know, that's a *much* better approach that will save me hours of time and half a tube of solvent putty. Now I just have to pick up some .005" sheet on the way home today.
I really like the roll up doors and the concrete columns. That is really customizing the look of that building.
I would also recommend adhering it with a thin layer of plain white glue. If you use a solvent based glue, it might soften the super thin styrene and have the brick texture show through. That happened to me once.
Yikes! I've used .005" styrene for deliberately embossing details into, but never done it accidentally. The back-to-school crowd had snapped up all the white glue, so for now I've glued one test panel in place with Tamiya Extra Thin Cement, which dries fast enough that I've never had it damage a part. If it cures without a brick imprint, I'll move on to the rest of the perimeter.
Before I glue the walls together, I need to decide whether I want to leave any of the loading doors open. For that matter, I'm not even sure which side I want to face the tracks (and away from the backdrop); my research has turned up warehouses with any combination of open-platform and flush docks on the rail side and/or the truck side. I also still need to address the office's doors and windows, and fix its lack of a foundation. For that, I think I will raise the whole up a couple feet by scratchbuilding a foundation under the brick walls.
The big one now has an oval, two engines and three box cars. Tonight the little one is loaded with electrics gear to work on the electronics of my electric moped. See ya'll later.
That back side has a warehouse office on the end which would look better on the street side. The side with the 8 roll up doors would be better servicing the rail cars. JMO
Good point, I hadn't considered the warehouse office placement. Also, those are some A+ business names!
