Project Update: McGee's Hotel by Micro-Scale Models

I don't have much story to tell other than it is real pain in the neck to deal with all these ornate pieces. I am glad I am done with them although I still have few minor adjustments to do.

Project Update: Houligan's Alley by FSM

I have been gluing cedar shingles one at a time for the past week and half. It is very time consuming but end result is completely worth it. Besides it is very therapeutic.

Project Update: McGee's Hotel by Micro-Scale Models

I am working again on much neglected McGee's Hotel. I am at the point when all these fancy shaped pieces of stripwood come into play. I must say the road isn't without the bumps. Sometimes I wonder what goes in the kit designers minds when it comes to engineering. Take for example McGee's. Is it necessary to use angled and T shaped stripwood? Even better result can be achieved with regular 2 by Ns.
Lets take, for example, little appendix that goes on the side. Entire building is done using 1/16 stripwood for corner posts but instructions call for use of 1/16 angle for add on. It seems there is nothing wrong with that. Problem is that 1/16 is on outside. Inside is less than that and it doesn't cover completely the edge of clapboard wall. Easiest fix for the problem would be to trim one wall by 1/16 on each side and use 1/16 square. Unfortunatelly, with windows already in place the task isn't that simple. To fix this I sanded down the inside of angled stripwood as much as I could then I painted clapboard wall edges trim color. This way exposed clapboard edges blend in with the trim.
Basically, the same issue I have run into while making cornice. The instructions call for use of T shaped stripwood. The width of the top part is 1/8 but "leg" T is standing on isn't zero thickness. Therefore top part doesn't cover exposed roof tabs completely. I think regular 2x12 would have done better job. I didn't have any stripwood of that dimensions and I wasn't willing to do all painting again so I ended up cutting the "leg" off and essentially making 2x12.
Other than that kit is coming together fairly easy. The cornice is quite time consuming though with all those 45 degree angle cuts. I imagine all fancy balconies will take some time to do as well.

Project Update: Nemchik's Salvage by Bar Mills

Nemchik's is finished. I haven't posted much about the progress of this project and the biggest reason is that I've cluttered my modeling room badly and I have run out of room for setup to take pictures. The other reason is possibility of modeling fatigue. Otherwise how would I explain the fact that after being Bar Mills kit fan for few years I had constantly remind myself that I promised to build this kit. Had I been making it for myself it would have been shelved long time ago. I am glad I pushed it through though. I don't have any problems letting go of finished kits. Selling unfinished ones is another story. I have my own Raglan Road. I know that I won't build it one more time. There are enough other kits for me. It would take me at least 5 years to build the ones I already have. Still I find difficult to get rid of the Raglan Road I own. I am working on it though...