Large Scale Central

In-ko-pah Railroad: Brick building

Modeling
#41

I finished building the frames for the upstairs windows. Here’s one of them:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8785c/IMG_8785c.jpg)

Then I decided it would be fun to have an old air conditioner hanging out one of the windows. I was inspired by this building in Tonopah, NV:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_3657window/IMG_3657window.jpg)

The air conditioner I modeled is meant to be older and has a simpler design. It will also function as a vent for the structure, to equalize the interior air pressure and prevent build up of humidity:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8787c/IMG_8787c.jpg)

Here’s how it turned out. I still have to add the glass:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8814c/IMG_8814c.jpg)

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8819c/IMG_8819c.jpg)

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8828c/IMG_8828c.jpg)

I had wanted to paint the AC a color other than white, and this yellowish-tan was the only thing I had on hand. I’m not sure it’s the best choice but it’ll do. Adding the bird poop, rust and grime was fun.

.

#42

LMAO…You are a disturbed man Ray!!!

That is GREAT!!!

BTW…don’t forget the condensation water stains from that unit under the window and down the wall

#43

The windows alone are a major model.

I have to ask,what is it that you used for the grate/screen on the air conditioner?

#44

Thanks!

The grill on the AC is made from some photo-etched O scale roof walk material from Plano Model Products.

The small rectangular mesh on the side of the AC is very fine brass screen which I got from McMaster-Carr.

#45

Thanks!

#46

Nice work Ray. That AC looks so real.

#47

I wish I had your talent. That looks great. The details are amazing.

#48

Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if it worked, too…:wink:

#49

Richard Smith said:

I also really like your “drawer” idea for interiors.

I forgot to reply to this earlier… the credit for the drawer idea must go to Bob Santos, a large scale indoor modeler who posts on the Railroad-Line forums. He’s also had a few articles in GR, including one on using “drawers” for interiors.

#50

suspiring…
your modelling is unfair to normal folks…

#51

More progress… I’m finally getting to the fun part: painting!

I started by coating the exterior of the building with the same concrete-colored exterior latex paint that I used on my previous building:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8845c/IMG_8845c.jpg)

Then I made a couple small, flat stamps out of scraps of Sintra PVC. The larger one is about .5" x 1.75". The smaller one is about 5/8" long and less than an half inch wide:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8878c/IMG_8878c.jpg)

I used a paint brush to apply a thin layer of paint to the face of the stamp. Then I press it down onto the brick surface. The paint sticks to the raised face of the bricks, defining their shape. The smaller stamp was used to get into narrow places:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8850c/IMG_8850c.jpg)

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8855/IMG_8855.jpg)

Obviously it doesn’t cover everything, especially on the “decayed” bricks, and so there is a lot of touching up that has to be done using a fine brush. Still, it beats painting each brick one by one.

Here’s a close up shot of the bricks after touching up:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8863/IMG_8863.jpg)

The upper portion of the side walls has a small section of bricks which will be visible above the adjoining buildings. As you may recall, I had used automotive spot putty to smooth the joints, which caused problems when I tried to scribe the lines using the custom tools I made. What I ended up doing was using a carbide tipped metal scribe, and going over it fairly lightly to avoid crumbling the putty. The photo below shows how it turned out. It’s not great but it’ll do. It’ll look better after I touch up the paint in the mortar lines:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8865c/IMG_8865c.jpg)

Here are a couple shots of the building in progress, setting on the foundation:

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8866c/IMG_8866c.jpg)

(http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2_files/Media/IMG_8873c2/IMG_8873c2.jpg)

More to come… Enjoy!

#52

What can I say!

#53

Ooh, neat idea for the pad printing! What type of paint are you using?

You must have to experiment to get the right amount of paint, or do you do multiple printings?

#54

David Russell said:

What can I say!

You could say “.”

#55

Bruce Chandler said:

Ooh, neat idea for the pad printing! What type of paint are you using?

You must have to experiment to get the right amount of paint, or do you do multiple printings?

I’m using exterior latex house paint. At Home Despot you can get it in “sample” size jars, custom mixed to match any color. When using it, I place a small quantity onto a paper plate to work from, rather than leaving the jars open.

One problem I encountered was on the bricks that had been given a somewhat uneven surface. The paint tended to stick only to the high points, making little blobs, especially if the paint was starting to get too thick from drying out on the plate. I unwittingly compounded the problem by going over it a couple times in an attempt to cover more of the surface, and all it did was make the blobs thicker. This made the surface much more uneven than I wanted, but I couldn’t tell until I painted the whole brick by hand.

#56

Joe Zullo said:

David Russell said:

What can I say!

You could say “.”

nothin’…just do as i do. try to get your jaws back up.

#57

Joe Zullo said:

David Russell said:

What can I say!

You could say “.”

He needs Amtrak operations through his town! It’s prospering way to fast not to have them pass through!

#58

A number of years ago, Doug Matheson helped build the passenger station at Craig Leigh.

(http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Buildings/StationM.1.JPG)

He used a stiff artist’s brush and dry brushed the stone surfaces with diagonal strokes.

(http://ovgrs.editme.com/files/Buildings/StationR.1.JPG)13

#59

Very nice! What’s that building made of?

#60

Ray, that i beautiful. The air conditioner is amazing, a small work of art in its own right.