Once again I am combining multiple kits all laser cut and wood to achieve one scene. This time a large working ranch that is mostly self contained. I grew up around those type ranches of 50,000 acres or more that were basically self contained operations in the early 1950s so I am letting my memories guide me again. Some thin wood in these kits so warping has been a control issue and even with paint on both sides still has required bracing. I have had bracing also warp before so this time I am using small mini dowels whose shape is very strong and resistant to warping. Again a thick quick set ACC is my glue of choice that lets me work a little faster. I have found that a number of the kit instructions on these and others have one installing windows and glazing after sides are together. Not a good practice. It is easier to install frame, windows, and glazing with the pieces laying flat on the work bench as one can easily work from both sides as needed especially with the glazing. So at this stage everything has been pre-painted before assembly and braced where needed. I will have to use some of the scraps to build at least two more structures, one a bunkhouse and the other a garage, open front shed style. None of the kits have any fencing so that will be in my next order and I will try for the laser cut wood fencing rather than plastic.
About 3 hours worth of work before taking a break to burn food on the BBQ. About a gazillion parts for the porch left to go. Green patches are the window shades and I also cut out drapes for the lower front windows. I may end up not having to build the bunkhouse or houses since I just remembered that I have far more log camp cars than I need. May simply remove the trucks off of some and place them on a foundation.
Thanks guys. Installed the porch trim and lattice work under the porch this evening plus three sets of stair risers. Amazing what delicate work you can get from a laser. So far everything is fitting like a fine quality glove. So far about 6 hours in this. Tomorrow I hope to install the stair steps porch railings and the sub roof.
Thanks I hope to have a 8 or 9 bldg. complex when done in about the same footprint as the stockyards.
Except for some India Ink wash and some weathering basically done. Adhesive backed paper that simulates metal roofing with individual seam lines to be applied. P.I.A. to work with. And my motor skills haven't quite recovered yet for this crap. Next time I break out my styrene metal roofing. Looking at the right side and rear. The steps are separate wood pieces with adhesive backing which I hate. Difficult to apply and difficult to keep attached so I use some ACC on them. Much rather have wood pieces without sticky backing.
These last couple of photos have given me some thoughts. The angles remind me very much of Northern Pacific RY's section foreman's houses.
Speaking of NP I have a NP Class A depot by AMB which is a Laser Kit #649. If you want it give me a PM as I have had it for a long while and will never use it and I am thinning my stuff down to only what I will use. http://www.laserkit.com/laserkit.htm
When I look at a couple of those seam lines they do. However I think I can take a straight edge and maybe shift them some as that danged sticky backing does let you move some stuff around for awhile.
Started on the 2nd bldg. in the ranch complex which is the main barn. This baby has a complete interior that has stalls and a 2nd level hay loft.
Managed to start the stalls. Stall gates next then hayloft floor. This is the nicest kit yet and I wonder what other things await me in this kit. They even included the hayloft hoist beam.
Another cold and rainy day here with a chilly 54 degrees. So back inside at the workbench. Install the gates on the pens in the big barn and added a foundation and floor. Next up for it is to install the hayloft floor and some hay plus some bedding and a few critters inside the stalls. Also stared the small barn and finished the windows and doors. The brown cardstock is for the pasture area at the big barn rear which will have to wait until my order for fencing comes in. My extent of detailing inside the big barn will be determined by what I can see with the doors open and the hayloft installed.
This is a Laser Art Structures kit by Branchline trains and the ranch/farm house is a Laser Kit by American Model Builders. Both very well detailed wood kits. The only sanding I have had to do on either kit has been where the wood nubs held pieces in the parts sprue. Sanding stick, small square, single edge razor blade, fine pointed tweezers my dental pick to apply ACC and some thick ACC is about it other than paints. In my opinion the wood laser cut kits are far superior to any styrene kit, or plain wood kit where you have to measure and cut parts from a big sheet and the two manufacturers I have mentioned above lead the pack..
Big issue is not all are created equal and all seem to lack something in the obvious details like floors, foundations, and in the case of some of the agricultural stuff fencing. But on the other hand that might be a two edge sword in that including the other goodies might significantly raise to prices to put them out of reach of some. I've done two non laser kits that were a P.I.A. to build and lacked good instructions and some of the obvious parts that should have been included as castings. One was the recently done quarry the other the sawmill. The two manufacturers products I am assembling now have about the best instructions of all that I have come across, good assembly diagrams, and decent materials that the parts were cut from. Would have been nice though to have included a parts sprue of wood fencing for both of these kits and I would not have to be setting awaiting an arrival of fencing just ordered.
