How Many Of Us Are Working On A Project?

[finescalerr]

You seem to be making satisfactory use of your time. -- Russ

[Bill Gill]

Very slowly preparing details for the hardware store on the C&VRR (HO scale)
Repainted and added spokes to a Woodland Scenics bike
shortened a tall Central Valley step ladder and added spreaders
painted tank and dial from an old Revell kit
scratchbuilt kerosene heater
added handle and painted the toolbox

[finescalerr]

Difficult, fiddly work with good results. -- Russ

[TRAINS1941]

Very nice work Bill.

Jerry

[Bill Gill]

Thanks, Jerry.

[finescalerr]

Beginning around late December I've been working on the HO scale Southern Pacific depot I mentioned at the start of this thread. It has required a few test cuts and assemblies and, of course, I made a couple of (dozen) mistakes. I thought you'd enjoy seeing some. -- Russ

[Bill Gill]

Looks like you're getting pretty good at it.

[Bernhard]

Good preparatory work. Now we are looking forward to seeing the finished building!

Bernhard

[finescalerr]

I have been fumbling around with this HO scale model of the Southern Pacific depot at Goleta, California since late December. I drew plans from photos I shot in 1991 and laser cut nearly every part from Strathmore cardstock. As I showed in my last post, it has been necessary to redesign and recut many parts more than once and I have no idea how many hundred hours I've devoted to this project so far. I spent the last two days cutting and test fitting sub-roof panels; the final parts will be from 1/32-inch thick basswood. When it's complete, I'll probably title the post "Depot from Hell". -- Russ

[Bill Gill]

Russ, Hell is in Michigan rather than California, but aside from that geographical gaff the depot is looking really good.

On page one of this thread you showed a colorized version of your plan drawing. The colors match the partially assembled model posted just above here and the colors are remarkably uniform and saturated. Did you cut them from precolored stock? If you printed the colors, how did you get them so even ?

[finescalerr]

The vast majority of the model is Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Smooth. I found an SP color chart online and matched the colors as closely as possible in Affinity Photo. Then I used the bucket tool to "pour" the color onto a sheet of paper and printed it with my Epson inkjet.

I scurried off to the laser with the colored paper and told it to scribe the board lines at a very low power and cut out the parts at full power. Although the colors probably look perfect in the photos, the printer is not perfectly consistent and the texture of any given sheet of paper also can affect the shade. The results may be close but rarely an exact match.

I recut the walls so many times I finally just accepted the imperfections of the laser and printer and forced myself to shrug off the lovely imperfections I contributed.

If it turns out well, this project may end up providing a degree of satisfaction and education but no fun.

Russ

[TRAINS1941]

Well that is a fine looking building.  Hell you should be real proud of it!

Jerry

[Ray Dunakin]

Looks great! It'll be a very impressive structure when finished.

[finescalerr]

RUINED.

Some ash from a laser cut part fell on a wall panel (can you guess which one?) and left an indelible stain, enough to spoil the model. Since it was a lost cause anyway, I tried to minimize the stain by dusting with some powdered pastel chalk. Somehow the soft watercolor brush I used roughed up the far too delicate surface and, of course, the pastel color also didn't match the wall. The only solution is to trash the whole thing and start again from scratch ... with basswood for everything but window sash, trim, and shingles.

Russ

[Ray Dunakin]

Bummer!