Project Update: Gritty McDuff's by Bar Mills

Here is this secret project I mentioned in my previous post. Until about the end of November I have 3-4 hours per week that I can spend more usefully than being plain bored. I tried reading but it felt like I was forcing myself. Then I figured out that I could do some simple things that don't require complex setup, something I can do in the field conditions. I didn't get McDuff's before first availability after I came up with the idea so I tested it on couple of my own kits. One of them is way past initial clean up stage. Another I have put back in the box and it is now waiting for its time. I'll post about these projects later.
I have been working on McDuff's this way for about 3 weeks now. I have done cleanup of all wood parts, all plastic windows, and about half of castings. I have stolen some time from Houligan's Alley and Texaco Gas Station so I could continue working on McDuff's instead of grabbing next kit of the shelf. Actually, I stole a little more from the gas station than actually was needed. I just couldn't help myself. Anyway, I have enough work for about 2 more weeks. After that I will have to figure what else I can do on McDuff's. If not I'll have to come up with something else. I have about another 8 kits lined up for me to build. Ideally it would be nice to do initial preparation of 1-2 kits from that collection to speed up the process but I hate to ask since I already have two kits that I am working on right now. Or... I have been wanting for some time to try my hand at making wire armature trees. I have both "Making Trees" books, wire. All I need is few photos of real trees to model after. The process involves steps that are hard to do in the field setting but wire twisting surely can be done. Or... Perhaps I should look around my modeling room for something that would allow me to refresh some stale projects...

Project Update: Texaco Gas Station by Micro-scale Models

I fell asleep yesterday trying to come up with starting line for my post. It is attempt number two. I hope it won't suffer same fate.
I don't have much to mention. It is pretty much same routine. Clean up the castings, prime, paint, some work on the structure itself but nothing new or exciting besides perhaps Campbel shingles. I used them for the first time. On my Houligan's Alley project I used real cedar instead. I should have read George Sellios' instructions anyway though. Campbel shingles come with some glue that it is activated by applying water. It isn't very strong so George recommends using white glue instead. No wonder I had to re-apply water quite often and press shingles back in place. And then after I brushed shingles with A&I they popped up in some places. I thought I was going to have to use white glue but pressing them down was enough.
Further construction depends on few castings so it may be a week before I get back to work on the structure itself. Meanwhile I will be painting castings and maybe working on a secret project if time permits.

Project Update: Texaco Gas Station by Micro-scale Models

I received the Texaco Gas Station to build in the late spring. I had quick start but then other projects and real life pushed it to the side. I am getting back and intend to work on it until it is finished.
This is yet another kit that contains L shaped dimensional lumber for corner posts. My first reaction was to adjust wall sections for square 5/64 stripwood. Then after fit test I've decided to use L shaped stripwood that came with the kit. It looks like Texaco Gas Station has been produced after McGee's and some improvements have been made one of which is proper dimensions of corner post material.
Not everything has been smooth so far though. The kit comes with a sheet of dry transfers. At first I thought it was going to be a piece of cake to apply them. However, backing is quite thick and making it to "hug" clapboards is nearly impossible. My several attempts resulted in torn up, peeling dry transfer film. In addition, I believe such structure would have had one or two painted signs and the rest would have been hang on type. Therefore, I gave up on dry transfer after installing just few, recreated one of "painted" signs that I destroyed in the process but still wanted and glued it on using my standard technique. The rest of the signs will have  some thickness to them so they look like they are made of tin. I intend as well to cover up some of the signs I have already made using dry transfers since I don't like the way they have turned out.
I have a little bit more work cut out for me than just building the kit. Along with the kit I also received white metal casting set for service stations by Scale Structures. The set includes a number of details and some of them are quite unique. So far I have opened and cleaned up only one of the packages. The parts are nice but have quite a bit flashing which takes time to remove. That makes me appreciate quality of FSM white   castings for sure. Cleaning them up isn't what I like doing.