At last months clinic we discussed the basic tools and procedures used in building wood kits. The “Miracle Chair Company” a small laser kit from Bar Mills was used to illustrate the early steps in construction. The instructions included with the kit are excellent clinic material. After any structure is built, it is only about half ready for your layout. It should be painted, signed, weathered, detailed and made into a realistic scene.
Painting is one of the simple parts. You can use the colors the manufacture recommended or change them at your pleasure. Floquil or latex paints are both OK but according to a local hobby shop dealer Floquil costs over $500.00 a gallon if you could buy it in that size. I use it mostly on detail parts. The use of color can also be used to attract attention to the structure. Signs are another way of making your structure stand out from all others. You can change the color of the
sign or name the business after a friend or modeling pal using Photoshop, Paint or other software available on your computer. A very good web site for signs that you can use to download and modify signs is http://www.Trainweb.org/tylick/. Check it out, you’ll like it.
Weathering with an India ink and alcohol solution will highlight the nail holes and other imperfections in the wood siding. Additional weathering using a soft brush and Bragdon powders will further help blend it into a layout ready scene.
Detailing and kit bashing is the best way to make any structure unique. A shed has been added to the side of the chair factory for storing lumber used in making chairs. Its roof is intentionally very different from the one provided with the kit. A trash can with scrap wood is also added with scraps of wood on the ground that missed the can. Animation involves workers doing the things appropriate to the business or scene. A truck has delivered lumber for the shed. A worker is carrying wood from the shed to the building and other workers are loading built chairs on a delivery truck. The factory has a partition inside and a light added to all but the front office. Everyone one is planning on a late night shift. Every thing is put in the ground not on the ground using several colors of real dirt, tea for texture and some Woodland Scenics products. The scene is mounted on a 5 1/4 X 8 inch piece of gator board. Items added to the scene but not shown in the photograph include the shed for storing lumber, the 32 Ford truck delivering lumber, the model T truck picking up finished chairs, the trash can with scrap lumber on the left side, three workers, the dog on the right side of the building and a sign on the right side of the building.
Museum quality structures aren’t necessary for most home layouts. If it looks good from three feet it will be fine. Whether you have a circle of track around the Christmas tree, a four by eight table with DPM buildings or a large layout with scratch built kits, model railroading is fun. It’s your railroad so enjoy it!!!!