Project Update: The Office by Railroadkits.com

I really thought I was going to be done by now. I have made a mistake by using matte medium for securing dirt. It all fell off while sanding. I had to reapply dirt securing it with diluted white glue this time. That set me back for another 24 hours what was past my available hobby time.

Project Update: Sokol's Mattress & Furniture Co by Bar Mills

Finished! Terminado! Finito! Finis! It must have been longest single structure project I have ever done. It has taken me 3+ months worth of lunch breaks. It is about 60-70 hours. That is where my limit of patience is. I am ready to move to the next project which I will reveal soon. I can only say that it is another Bar Mills kit.

Project Update: The Office by Railroadkits.com

After release of the latest FSM kit it seems like hydrocal kits are experiencing Renaissance. Threads dedicated to hydrocal are popping up in the forums almost every day. Just few months ago it looked like such kits didn't even exist. Encouraged by this hydrocal rush I have decided to build one too even though I have plenty of unfinished projects. I have picked The Office because it is small, can be built quickly, and it isn't big loss if I mess it up.
I am following directions of Randy Pepprock owner of Downtown Deco. The directions can be found here http://kitforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4576. Instead of Randy's recommended Terra Cotta paint I used Georgia Clay since my Michael's brand Terra Cotta looked too pale. I considered Heritage Brick as well but thought building would be too dark. I'll use it on another one. You can guess I am having fun.
So far I have painted the walls, windows, chimney, "wood" addition. And have weathered them as well. I may go over the eaves with Q tip soaked with rubbing alcohol and lighten up weathering a bit. I think I can finish The Office by the end of Thanksgiving weekend. Therefore, next update may be the last.

What's in the box: Davis General Store by Railroadkits.com

This is latest offering by Jimmy Deignan and Ed Fulasz. It is Limited Edition kit.

Project Update: Saw Pit Store by JL Innovative Design

As of yesterday the kit is finished. I had to make some modifications to the left side addition. Instructions call for one piece corrugated metal roof. That just didn't work for me so I cut up corrugated metal to pieces and because of it I had to add some support for them. I should have added more rafters. That would have made the addition sturdier but I was running low on stripwood...

What's in the box: Quinn Elbow Duct & Vent Co by FOS Scale Models

Latest offering from Doug Foscale.

Project Update: Sokol's Mattress & Furniture Co by Bar Mills

First update of the month... I have spent past almost two weeks worth of lunch breaks painting metal castings. Before that it took me quite some time to install cornice. It is challenging structure by itself  to build because of the angles involved. Throw in design mistakes and it becomes very challenging and time consuming and this kit has quite few. If it wasn't for the logo on the box and the style I wouldn't say it was Bar Mills kit. Here are the problems I have encountered so far. The walls are not the same height. I figured out that just before gluing them together. All walls had bracing going along the top so trimming was more complicated than it could have been had I discovered the problem earlier. The cornice parts do not account for thickness consistently. Some of the laser cuts are in the wrong places meaning some adding and trimming is required. There is not enough stripwood included. At least 1/32 square. I used what I consider 1 and a half piece of it for the door railing and still need maybe 3 pieces for the pallets. I may be short of 3/32 as well. Despite all that I am moving forward. I hope to be done by Thanksgiving. I am really looking forward to the next lunch break project.