I still haven't decided how to detail the interior of my last building, so for now I'm starting on the next building. Here's the CGI mockup I created when I designed the third and fourth buildings:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FwIMG_3880e%2FwIMG_3880e.jpg&hash=6360cbbb552d8fa81e2763992b4463aaaad9707b)
This new building will be the fourth for the town of Dos Manos. Photos of the build (so far) begin here:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#30 (http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#30)
As with the previous building, the first story will be quite small, with additional rooms merely suggested by the presence of a door. The second story will be longer and extend past the rear of the first story, to rest on a shelf of rock on the cliff behind the town.
The building will be made of real stone. Walls that will be hidden from view will only not actually have stone, just reinforced mortar.
So far I've finished the basic structure of the first story. It's a simple box shape, tapered slightly at the rear to fit into the angled space on the town site. The front has a single, large rectangular opening where doors and windows will be added later to create a typical storefront.
As with my other stone buildings, I began by building a box-shaped form out of foam core art board. A large piece of 1/2" thick foam core was used as a plug to create the opening at the front of the structure.
On my last trip to Nevada, I picked up a lot of thin, flat slabs of sandstone. I broke some of these up and shaped them into rough, tiny blocks using tile nippers, then carefully placed them into the form. I also added a narrow accent tile from the hardware store, to simulate a decorative cast iron beam.
Next I added reinforcements -- brass rods and 1/4" hardware cloth -- and then poured in a mix of high strength mortar and vinyl concrete patcher. This completed the front wall of the structure. After the mortar hardened, I turned the form over so I could work on the next side of the structure, adding hardware cloth and mortar. This was repeated for each of the two remaining sides.
When the last side had fully set, I carefully cut and pulled apart the form, revealing the completed structure. Here's how it looks setting next to the existing buildings:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_4524%2FIMG_4524.jpg&hash=8ef68b1d5201017009f93cd409eeca24596b447c)
That's as far as I've gotten. Next I'll start building the form for the second story.
You're off on another nice adventure. Each creation is showing something different, adjusted to the geographic circumstances.
Glad I have the oportunity to follow this from the other side of the world.. 8)
Jacq
I just finished the basic structure of this building's second story. Here's a shot of how the building looks on the town site...
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Shaping the stones for the window arches was a pain. I started with rectangular marble stones, from a tile sheet I bought at Home Depot.
The walls were made using sandstone slabs I got in Nevada.
Photos of the build (so far) begin here:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#39 (http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#39)
Next I have to make the doors and windows; the sidewalks, balcony and roof; and then the interiors.
I finally got some more work done on the new building. I built the whole "storefront" assembly -- the support structure, door and windows -- out of styrene. It's all painted and weathered. I haven't glazed the windows yet, I'll do that later. Here's a shot of the lower half of the building with the storefront assembly temporarily in place:
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I haven't glued the storefront in place yet -- I'll do that after I get the interior built, which is the next step of the project.
If you want to see how the storefront assembly was made, I have a few photos beginning here:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#72 (http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#72)
After I put in the interior walls and ceiling, I'll start building the "wood" sidewalk.
Looking good, Ray. It's interesting how you deal with the the outdoor element in your construction.
Ray,
Very nice indeed. I'm with Chuck interesting how you deal with the outside elements in your construction.
Jerry
Will you be adding "mortar" and, if so, what weatherproof material would you use? -- Russ
Quote from: finescalerr on February 08, 2010, 12:18:38 PM
Will you be adding "mortar" and, if so, what weatherproof material would you use? -- Russ
That's a good question -- I'm still debating my options.
The walls were built by placing stones in a mold and pouring mortar over them from the "inside" (along with some "rebar"). I was hoping that the mortar would seep between the stones enough to fill any small gaps between the stones, but that didn't happen. Where the stones fit closely together it doesn't matter, but there are too many places with gaps, and those just don't look right on a structure of this type. So I do want to fill them somehow.
The simplest solution is to just mix up some mortar, smear it into the gaps, and rinse off the excess. I've done this before on other stone walls. The downside is that no matter how well you rinse it, there's always a thin residue of mortar that dulls the appearance of the stone.
Another option might be to use grout. I've never worked with grout before, so I don't know whether it would also have the same problem of dulling residue.
Dulling the stones probably wouldn't hurt anything. It would just seem like dust and might even help the appearance. Especially if it's the gray stuff they used on our bathroom floors. I assume it will hold up to the elements since it seems to resists breaking down in water. -- Russ
A small update... I built and installed the interior walls for this section of the building, complete with authentic 1910 wallpaper!
New pics begin here:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#80 (http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#80)
Looks impressive.
Jacq
It sure does, Jacq.
Nice job, Ray.
Ray
Well the next time I need to wall paper I know who to call. Very impressive. Is that Crown Molding or just ceiling support??
Jerry
If using grout putdoors, might be inclined to use one of the grout sealers available in the same aisle at the home center. The clear liquid sealer doesn't change the color or make anything shiny, but it does seem to make it resist stains, mold, and damage for a long time.
Mark
Quote from: TRAINS1941 on February 15, 2010, 06:54:42 AM
Is that Crown Molding or just ceiling support??
Both. I made the "molding" by gluing a styrene quarter-round rod into a styrene angle.
Looks good Ray. Very cleanly built.
I had almost that wallpaper...but very dingy and gritty/dirty looking as the desktop paper on my monitors ;D
Marc
Here's another brief update...
I finally fixed the gaps in the stone walls. I mixed a small quantity of mortar, added some "charcoal" pigment to darken it a little, and smeared onto the walls of the building by hand. When I was sure it had been pressed into all the gaps, I carefully rinsed off the excess while lightly rubbing it with my hand. In some areas I also used a soft paintbrush.
After the mortar had set, I scrubbed the walls with stiff brush under running water, to remove some of the residue. It still needs a little touch up here and there, but I think it looks a lot better now:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_5076%2FIMG_5076.jpg&hash=4b29dfae735bfbbba7bdfc161f1bb50bf3d8bb39)
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Looks like the morter didnt effect the stones at all. Glad you found a solution!
A considerable improvement. It looks good. -- Russ
Here's the latest update...
I started working on the furnishings for the storefront interior. I built some cabinets with shelves out of styrene. These were "distressed" to look like they've been around a long time and have never been refinished. The design and "weathering" were inspired by photos from the J. A. Merriam Drug store in Colorado, which I got from a "No Frills" photo CD on ebay.
Using regular spray paints, I sprayed them with gray primer, then a mist of red-brown primer, and a little bit of light brown. Then I brushed on a reddish-brown mix of Apple Barrel flat acrylics. I used a dark brown mix for the trim. After this had dried, I brushed on a thin wash of artist's gloss medium, which really gives it a nice varnished look. When that had dried, I chipped and scraped away small bits of the surface paint. Then I went over it with a Scotch-Brite pad.
I still have to make the merchandise to fill the shelves. I also have to make some other furnishings, "weather" the interior, add signs and displays, and lights. The false doorway at the rear will have a curtain draped across it.
Here's a shot of the interior with the cabinets temporarily placed in position:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_5100%2FIMG_5100.jpg&hash=2d734acd990d8d6d177f669d4709fe1abc3e728a)
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It would be very difficult to tell, from the photos alone, that the scale is smaller than 1:1. Very nice work. -- Russ
Nicely done Ray... I'm curious to see what you're going to be using to "stock" the shelves.
Paul
I am curious to see the "process" of making the items for the shelves.......
Seems like a GIANT PITA!
shelves look great though!
-Marty
Ray, those shelves to indeed look real. The finish is perfect.
Great job.
I'm anxious to see how you stock the shelves, too.
Ray,
This will be a wonderful addition to your town.... looks great. I am also wondering what will be sold in this shop?
Geoff
Ray,
I can only echo everyone elses sentiments.
Marc
A really nice room, Ray. The furniture finish is excellent.
I just finished a wood framed, glass display case for the drug store interior:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_5122%2FIMG_5122.jpg&hash=e01a7056e43c1067513274217d8e7b8fd7530f38)
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_5128%2FIMG_5128.jpg&hash=89d158c661f84cad7f32054dae4cfdf2ef9d81ae)
The frame was made of styrene. The glass is polycarbonate, and was installed after the frame was painted. I used artist's gloss medium to glue the polycarbonate into the frame. The middle shelf was put in last.
The cabinet was "distressed" to look old and a bit worn. The weathering looks harsher in the photos than in real life. I may try to tone it down later.
I have a couple photos of the cabinet under construction, beginning here:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#96 (http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#96)
I'm still working on the merchandise to stock the shelves.
Lately I've been busy making merchandise to stock the shelves of the drug store. I've made about 150 bottles so far. These were turned by hand using a power drill as a crude lathe. I use a Dremel with a cutting disk to shape them as they turn, then smooth them with steel wool and finally polish them with a bit of toothpaste on a rag. Some of the bottles are then painted with transparent colors. Then they're labeled using decals I printed out, from scaled down photos of vintage medicine labels. After decalling, the bottles are sprayed with glossy Krylon clear. Here's a few of the bottles.
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_5140%2FIMG_5140.jpg&hash=595d95bf059569d5d0592a84f49acc6dd0f98e1f)
I'm also making small boxes for the shelves. These a cut from various sizes of styrene rod. Most are glued together, then painted. Labels are printed out on self-adhesive vinyl.
Here's a test shot of the shelves in place, with some of the bottles and boxes installed. I still have many more to go, plus lots of other little details:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_5159%2FIMG_5159.jpg&hash=5f2a4acf575aa8c1676502b4bff82fcc4d22e130)
Ray,
WOW. you are outdoing yourselve.
Jacq
your drygood shelving, wallpaper, and bottles .
nice touch!
Philip
It's wonderful, Ray. All your efforts on bottle labelling lead you to a fine result.
Most satisfactory. -- Russ
Those are terrific Ray... very well done and well worth all the fiddly effort. Third from the left, front row looks like a particular favourite single malt... ;) Don't forget Prince Albert in the can...
Paul
Wow. That looks really great. The bottles and boxes came out beautiful.
Marc
Hey Ray,
Those are beautiful as is the structure. Lots of little fiddley work there.
Just a couple of thoughts.
Most all the early Patent Medicine bottles were flat rectangular so they could be easily slipped into a jacket pocket to be carried around. Not a bad idea as most of them were mainly alcohol, cocaine, or opium base. Also most poison bottles were triangular in shape with round tops and they sold a lot of different poisons in drug and grocery stores.
Keep up the great work.
Rick
Quote from: NORCALLOGGER on March 15, 2010, 09:58:13 PM
Most all the early Patent Medicine bottles were flat rectangular so they could be easily slipped into a jacket pocket to be carried around. Not a bad idea as most of them were mainly alcohol, cocaine, or opium base. Also most poison bottles were triangular in shape with round tops.......
Rick
Interesting info. Thanks. When you say the poison bottles were triangular...I assume you mean in plan view?.....and why was that...for ease of identification by what was probably often only a potentially semi-literate consumer base?
Marc
Those are good looking bottles Ray. It always surprises me how quickly little detail bits get used up after all the time spent on them. There's never enough!
Marc,
Yes, most poison bottles were done in distictive shapes and/or bright colors mostly for the reason you mention. Of course not all poisons were that way just as all patent medicines were not flat rectangles, as with all things nothing is definitive.
Here is a link to some pictures of various groupings of old bottles. Note the different shapes and colors involved.
http://www.antiquebottledepot.com/bottles.php
Later
Rick
Can you guys believe the vast amount of knowledge on these pages? We're learning how to model bottles on this thread. Others deal with every other imaginable topic. I'm blown away by what you guys turn up! -- Russ
I said the same thing after my cat's last hairball.
Quote from: Chuck Doan on March 17, 2010, 08:58:44 AM
I said the same thing after my cat's last hairball.
I'm still laughing :) Great sense of humor!!!!!
Jerry
But the bottles are really cool. Great job as is the building.
Doan, back to the corner! -- Russ
Finally got into the mood to do some more work on this building. Among other things, I made a wall clock and five ceiling lamps for it. Here's the clock:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6359%2FIMG_6359.jpg&hash=cfbc03ae8099e3f47e4a86f7083546cd9880921c)
And here are three of the ceiling lamps:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6351%2FIMG_6351.jpg&hash=4ce6999706ae5ed9373d77c429987d9f5486d451)
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The clock was made from a ring-shaped necklace clasp, with the clear plastic dome from a "googly" eye. The lamps were made from a couple of metal necklace beads soldered to a short length of brass tubing. I used Plastruct clear acrylic domes for the "glass" lampshades. The Plastruct domes were very thick, so I hollowed them out more using an oval carving bit in a Dremel tool. The domes were then given a coat of white spray paint on the outside.
I have some pics of the construction of these items on my website, beginning here:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#106 (http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#106)
Wow, amazing and inspiring work detailing this interior. Great stuff.
I've made a lot of progress on the upstairs office of the drugstore. The interior is almost finished. I used some 1/24th scale dollhouse furniture for the desk, chairs and bookcase. They're a bit crude but I made a few modifications, and heavily aged/distressed them to fit this old, grungy office space. I also made a small cabinet and a lot of boxes and other details. The desk lamp will have a working bulb. Here are some test shots:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6427%2FIMG_6427.jpg&hash=4a12c652ddfad34aa84d1c1c6ce77673be47e520)
The walls are "weathered" to look stained and a little grimy, and the floor was painted to look like old, worn linoleum:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6428%2FIMG_6428.jpg&hash=6f08c72e46df29309cd67eca6ae48b2df8da0a18)
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I still need to add a few more details, and put in the ceiling and lights. I've built the door and window frames but need to add "glass" and then install them into the openings. I also need to build the roof.
There are a couple more pics on my website, beginning here:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#115 (http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#115)
Enjoy!
Ray --
Pretty much looks like I could just walk into any of those rooms ... for some goofy reason, the oval metal trash can stands out as a familiar old object in my memory ... the junk spilling into cardboard boxes is a nice touch and those look good ...
Also reminds me a bit of my Grandmother's house ... with the high ceilings and heavy molding around the top. The walls were plaster, so all pictures were hung from wires going up to the wood molding.
One object stands out as not quite fitting in to me ... the lamp on the desk looks heavy and awkward. A more delicate piece would look better there.
PS -- I had to stop and admire the light switch! ;)
Cheers,
Dallas
Thanks! Yes, the desk lamp bothers me too. But I wanted it to work, and couldn't fit the bulb leads through anything smaller.
Jeepers Ray that is incredible. The bottles and boxes are a delight to look at. I like the look of the place with the old shelves and lamps. So much more humane than a CVS or Walgreens!
You might want to look into using surface mount LEDs for lighting small objects if you're good with a soldering iron. You could use magnet wire for the leads so they would fit anywhere. The LED would need a resistor as usual.
John
Funny thing about that waste basket -- I made it from a piece of an oval-shaped plastic tube I've been saving for something like 25 years. I knew if I ever got back into model building, I'd eventually find a use for such a unique item.
Here's another brief update on my progress...
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6446%2FIMG_6446.jpg&hash=0c2b64face49a376e74d348c5922e62d34b5220c)
I've installed the "glass" in the drugstore's windows and door, and glued the whole assembly into place on the front of the building. The ceiling lamps are installed and the bulbs wired up in such a way that it will be simple to replace any bulb that burns out. The ceiling assembly connects to the power via a tiny two-pin plug, so the whole assembly can be removed as needed. The upstairs portion of the building will connect via a second plug.
The sidewalk is finished and installed, along with two pillars made from brass tube, and the lower part of the upstairs balcony.
Additionl new pics begin here:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#117 (http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#117)
Enjoy!
This afternoon I decided that the balcony really needed to sag a little bit, between the two support pillars. Ideally the sag should have been added before that part of the structure was installed on the building. So I placed the building on a slope, shielded the storefront, and put a lead weight on the bottom section of the balcony. Then I poured boiling water over it. This softened the styrene enough to let it sag just a little, and when cool it held that shape.
The rest of the balcony structure will be given a matching sag when it's built.
And you plan on leaving that little work of art outdoors? -- Russ
A really good idea turned out to be a really bad idea...
The balcony of this drugstore is in two sections. There's a thin, simple piece attached to the ground floor of the building, which acts as a "ceiling" over the sidewalk and provides a way to mate the upstairs portion to the downstairs portion. As seen in my previous posts, I have already installed the groundfloor piece, and used boiling water to induce an appropriate sag.
So I've been building the rest of the balcony, which will attach to the upstairs part of the building. It's a more complex structure, with decorative trim. Rather than trying to bend each piece of styrene to the correct curve to replicate the sag, I had what seemed like a good idea at the time. I built the structure, complete with decking, and even added the simulated wood grain texturing. Then I placed the whole thing on blocks to support the rear and sides, so that only the front end would sag -- and put it in the oven on low heat (about 225 degrees).
In just a couple minutes it was becoming soft enough to sag when I placed a lead weight on it. Unfortunately the heat was having other effects as well. The deck planks became severely warped and distorted. The "liquid weld" glue joints softened more than the styrene, and all the joints shifted. The individual components failed to bend as one unit.
End result: A lot of time and effort wasted.
It looks like I can salvage the frame, after stripping off the deck planks. The deck will need to be replaced. The frame had to be almost completely disassembled. I bent the front section of the frame separately, by hand, after pouring hot water on it.
Rather disappointing. -- Russ
Sorry to hear it Ray. I think we've all been there.
I successfully repaired and rebuilt the balcony frame and replaced the deck. In these photos you can see the way it sags a little in the middle. You can also see how this part of the balcony will be attached to the upstairs part of the building, and how it slips over the lower portion which is attached to the ground floor. I still have to add the railings, posts and roof, and then paint the whole thing. :
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I wanted the balcony railings to look like slightly ornate wrought iron or cast iron. It took me a while to come up with a suitable way to do this, without excessive amounts of labor. I found some cheap wooden boxes at Michael's. These boxes have a somewhat elaborate metal grill in the top. I cut this grill into sections and soldered the sections to 1/16" square brass tubes:
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In the above photo, the railing still needs to be cleaned up, excess solder removed, and the horizontal members trimmed to the appropriate length.
Ray,very nice job inside and out.
Gordon Birrell
http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/
Ray
Nice fix. It looks to be getting back in shape. The inside work way more than adequate.
Jerry
Hi Ray --
Glad you got the "fix" on the balcony ... I've done myself in with "clever" use of steam before. :-\
Looks like a good find on the railings too ....
Cheers,
Dallas
I didn't get much time to work on the model today but still managed to get the frame built for the roof of the drugstore's balcony.
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When I first worked out the rough plan for this building in my 3D program, I made the store's false front taller. Then when I started putting together the foam-core form to make that part of the structure, it looked way too tall. So I cut a little over an inch off of it. Now I wish I hadn't done that! I would have preferred more space for the sign that will be painted on the front of the building.
Glad its on the rebound!
That's some nice work with a lot of angly, anglicized, angular or angst-invoking bits of styrene there. ;D
I think I even see little notches in some of the bits for structural integrity ... and maybe I'm having an MC Escher moment here, but I can't quite tell if the back is higher than the front ... it looks like it ... but then I keep following these stairs that go nowhere and then back to where they started and ... nevermind.
Enjoying the build ...
Dallas
I'm making good progress on this building, and getting close to completion! First off, I decided to replace the original desk lamp with something a little slimmer. Instead of running the bulb leads through a brass tube, I twisted the leads together, coated them with glue, and then painted them gold. The result isn't perfect but it is an improvement:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6523%2FIMG_6523.jpg&hash=1170c748d901473991f21fc52abbe8b8e79dbbfb)
I finished the balcony railings. Thin, vertical brass rods were soldered on at each end. The square horizontal pieces fit into styrene "boards" that will be glued to the balcony posts:
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The roof of the balcony was created using individual styrene "planks". Each plank was textured with simulated wood grain. I used an X-acto knife to carve large cracks into some of the boards, and cut away small broken sections:
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Finally, the balcony was painted to look like aged, weathered wood. The railings were then painted and glued into place. I had to touch up the paint on the posts afterwards, as the solvent made the paint come off at the slightest touch.
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Next I will partially cover the balcony roof with some sort of worn out roofing material -- I haven't yet decided whether it will be rusty metal, shingles, or something else. In any case, parts of the material will be missing, leaving some of those nicely weathered planks exposed.
I'm still debating whether or not I should add a little bit of worn, peeled paint to the balcony's wood.
Once the balcony is finished, I'll installed the arched doors into the doorways, and paint a sign on the front wall. Then I'll glue the balcony to the building.
And after all that you're still going to let the thing cook in the sun, freeze in the cold, and suffer the effects of sprinklers, rain, dew, winds, bugs, and the other ravages of nature? You must be NUTS! -- Russ
I'm still trying to decide what to do with the balcony roof, so I'd like some opinions...
I'm leaning towards a standing-seam metal roof such as this one, with some of the panels torn or missing to reveal the weathered wood:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FEureka_NV_files%2FMedia%2Fw9479_0Eureka%2Fw9479_0Eureka.jpg&hash=8ab38983fc1c3747f4e06fd39583602441fa56bd)
But I was thinking of maybe doing it in old, green copper instead of rusted tin. Copper roofing was uncommon on Old West buildings, but not completely unheard of, especially for small, prominent features such as this balcony. I would use rusted tin on the main roof of the structure.
What do you think?
Hmm, dunno ... Spanish tile is the first thing that pops to mind when I look at that structure ...
Store looks fairly new and well-kept ... somehow green copper sounds kind of wrong ... though a new copper roof might actually look good with the coloring ...
Hoping others will chime in with some better ideas and/or stronger opinions ...
Red standing seam would play off the trim on the lower level ... and go with the idea of the store front trying to create visual appeal to passers-by ...
Cheers,
Dallas
Yeah, the more I think about it, it just seems like the copper wouldn't be quite right for this.
Red-painted metal would tie it in better with the lower half of the building... though I still want to make it rusty, with pieces missing. My thinking is that this part of the structure would have received little maintenance over the years, being in a hard to reach place, especially since it's a non-critical roof (leaks won't matter much) and the balcony hasn't been used much since the upstairs was converted from living quarters to office/storage space.
Time for another progress report...
I painted the sign on the front of the store over the weekend. First I made a stencil by printing the word "drugs" on a sheet of printable, self-adhesive vinyl. I cut out the lettering, stuck the stencil to the building, masked off the surrounding area, then sprayed it with flat black paint. Turned out pretty well:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6533%2FIMG_6533.jpg&hash=940f40434aeb9bf67ea470147dd341c7096ab878)
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As you can see, I also finished both the main roof, and the balcony roof. On the balcony, I used .001" brass sheet to create individual strips of "standing-seam" metal roofing. I wanted it to look rusty, with sections torn and missing to expose some of the weathered wood.
The metal strips were first spray painted flat black. Then I stippled on several layers of color using Apple Barrel acrylic paints -- mainly Chocolate Brown (more of a red-brown than chocolate), Espresso, Nutmeg Brown, and a mix of Black and Dutch Blue. This was topped with a coat of Krylon UV Matte finish.
(I had considered painting them red, but changed my mind after seeing how it looked. It seemed too garish distracting from the rest of the structure.)
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The main roof was .060" styrene sheet, braced underneath with heavier square strips. Then I used .020" x .250" styrene strips on the sides, creating an overlap on the sides of the building. The standing seams were simulated with strips of .020" x .060" styrene. Painting was handled the same at described above.
This morning we had some visitors come to see the railroad, so I put the building out on the townsite. Here are some shots of how it looks so far:
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(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6544%2FIMG_6544.jpg&hash=620c4cfa59813977afd545553218800e1f224cb0)
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I still have to add a few small details, and finish wiring the lights.
Nobody would ever guess you had to "save" that model. It turned out swell. -- Russ
It's a great structure, both inside and outside, Ray.
Ray,
That came out just superb.
The whole "town" scene in that last picture looks great.
Looks like your brother could use a little sun ;) ;D
Keep up the great work.
Rick
I'd photo the balcony roof decision a success ... along with all the rest of the build. Looks great in place ... fits the scene ... and your outstanding figures really give a lot of life to the place. Well done!
Cheers,
Dallas
Beautiful work. The whole thing came together nicely, and it fits the layout perfectly.
Yet another progress report...
I added the sign over the door of the drugstore, and also installed and wired all the lights. Here are a few test photos I shot this evening:
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6598%2FIMG_6598.jpg&hash=2bde9d40d8fb1c78893786d0a0ff0611fd7b445b)
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Dos_Manos_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6600%2FIMG_6600.jpg&hash=fe77cb6806484dcee5aca491e8fc88ae0ce213d7)
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You can see more pics beginning here:
http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#144 (http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#144)
I've also begun work on detailing the interior of my previous building. It's the white building with the "Cora's Closet" sign. I originally planned to make it a dress shop but now I'm going to make it a bakery, called "Cora's Cakes". So far I've built a glass display and several shelves, and I'm in the middle of sculpting lots of cakes, pies, breads and pastries out of polyclay. Sorry, no pics of this stuff yet.
I have to set my modeling aside for a bit now... I'm leaving on the 28th for my annual Mojave/Nevada camping trip. I'll be exploring old mines and ghost towns, and also doing some rocket aerial photography. That was my main hobby before I started building the layout. So for the next few days I have to go through all my camping and rocketry stuff and make sure everything's in order, fresh batteries in cameras and altimeters, etc.
I shot a few quick pics this afternoon showing how the town fits into the layout...
Eventually there will be buildings going almost all the way to the base of the trestle in this photo
(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.raydunakin.com%2FSite%2FIRR_Miscellaneous_files%2FMedia%2FIMG_6638%2FIMG_6638.jpg&hash=ba55fbeb9463b6ad7de264724d25c5bfbe76500b)
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Here's an overhead shot of the town site:
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And here are a couple shots of a train passing through:
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