Jim Rowson 2023 Mik challenge build: Bank of Durango

[Jim_Rowson]

I’m going to build a bank for the town of Durango on the Durango & Jasper. Here’s the napkin:

Here’s an inspiration picture. Not sure yet if I’ll do the curved top window, but that is the aspiration:

There is a “downtown” in Jasper that currently has 2 buildings: a jail and a general store. While looking at this picture, the bank will be on your right (well, it will be outside of course):

I know I can’t actually do anything yet, but I did tidy up my work spaces:

Not exactly the same neatness level as Cliff or Rick, but then I’m not Cliff or Rick.

[Devon_Sinsley]

Neat building. And I know you will do it up nice.

[WaverlySouthern (Dan Hilyer)]

Looks like a great candidate for some of that Taylor cut stone that was used a few challenge back, Jim. I like a bank that is well fortified and that one certainly appears to be fortified. Looking forward to seeing it come to life.

[Cliff_Jennings]

I’m looking forward to seeing your technique on that stone, Jim. Great subject building!

[Bob_Cope (Curmudgeon at Large)]

Jim,

Look back at some of Ray Dunakin’s builds. Here is one with an arched top window In-ko-pah Railroad: Brick building Not exactly what you have but maybe some ideas.

And this is the one I was originally thinking of. In-ko-pah Railroad - Another new building

Many of the photos in both need the links repaired, maybe Ray would do that for us, I know folks use his post for reference, at least I do.

[Jim_Rowson]

I know we are in the 3D printing era. And that windows and doors are a relative sweet spot for it. But I am going to make my first attempt at my arched window by hand. We shall see.

I need 2 things: a solid plug for the window that I can use to form the rock walls around, and a form to bend and otherwise jig up the frame made out of styrene.

I think. I also need plugs for the door and window above it.

Out came my old fashioned drawing aids:

A bit of time with my bandsaw and powered and hand sanding and I have these plugs:

With luck the round top window plug will also be my jig for creating the frame. Yeah, I will no doubt need to leave the frame in the jig when I build the wall around it, otherwise it won’t fit. I foresee some serious frame cleaning in my future.

A tiny bit of progress. Maybe.

[Jim_Rowson]

First try at curving some styrene for my arched window.

This is 1/4 inch wide, 0.040 inches thick.

I am using a heat gun that I bought for shrink tubing for wiring. Not as uniform as I would like but seems to be an ok result so far. Tomorrow I will try gluing in cross bracing and see if it works.

We shall see…

[Rick_Marty]

Jim,
Try boiling water to pre heat the strip for a more uniform bend.

[Jim_Rowson]

Yup. My next alternative. Thanks!

[Devon_Sinsley]

While it is the 3D printing era, and I obviously have fully embraced it, there is some real satisfaction in scratching it together. And with your ability it will look great.

[Bruce_Chandler]

Those look great! (For some reason [perhaps because I did it that way] I thought these would be brass! )

Your way seems a lot easier and looks better!

[Jim_Rowson]

Making window and door frames. Making 2 of each so I can be sure I have enough room to fit the frames in the rock walls. @Rick_Marty : the hot water did a better job. Excellent suggestion, thanks.

If you look at my first post, the inspiration bank has some cool rounded stone mini towers on each side of the bank.

I thought: cool! I should be able to grind a couple of my rocks into something similar. How hard can it be?

Turns out the granite rocks I am using are REALLY HARD! I am slowly beating them into shape. Ear and eye protection are a must.

This may take all 30 days. How did Michaelangelo do it?

[WaverlySouthern (Dan Hilyer)]

@Jim_Rowson

How did Michaelangelo do it?

With a hammer and chisel

I am following closely to see how your windows come out. You have set the bar pretty high on your previous builds so we have high expectations

What is the strucutre in the top right of the last photo (stones)? I like that paint job and wondering how you accomplished it. I am sure you have detailed it in one of your builds. If so just point me in that direction and I’ll go refresh my memory.

[Jim_Rowson]

Top right? That is a grinder.

Now, top left! That is Mackenzie’s Mercantile from a few Mik’s ago.

https://largescalecentral.com/t/jim-rowsons-2019-mik-challenge-build-log

From the topic:

The color is Sherman-Williams exterior Downing Stone from their vintage collection

[WaverlySouthern (Dan Hilyer)]

My bad, Jim. Its been a long day. It is actually the photo above the one with the stones. Red structure with lap siding.

[Jim_Rowson]

Ah! That’s from my first ever Mik build, cliffhangers.

Jim Rowson's 2018 Mik challenge log

I’ve decided to try building some more cliffhanger-style worker shacks for the Durango & Jasper. I chose to draw my concept on tonight’s pizza box: [image] Black == rocks, green == decks and stairs, red == shack Here’s the destination rocks: the one in the center and the one behind it to the right. [image] I’m hoping to build some stairs and have these 2 shacks connected to each other so they are sort of a single structure, possibly with the steps going up over one to get to the other. We…

That color red is actually a Tru-Color, Caboose Red I think.

[WaverlySouthern (Dan Hilyer)]

Thanks, Jim. I remember the build well, now. I’ll re-read your build log.

[Devon_Sinsley]

I don’t want to hijack this thread, and I am not sure how Jim did it, but there are two tried and true techniques for chipped or peeling paint. If the weathering is what you are referring to as much as the color. For peeling paint more like you might find on a painted metal surface where you might say you want rusted bare metal underneath you paint the substrate with red oxide primer (if you want rust color) and let it dry thoroughly. Then mist water on it and then sprinkle salt on it and let that dry. The size of the droplets of water determine how large the peeled area will be. Small drops with only a few grains of salt look pitted. Large clumps of salt look like large sheets peel off. After the salt and water dries spray the final color. I will add here I have only ever done this will oil based enamel paint either air brushed or with a rattle can. Once that paint drys you go back and with a soft bristle brush like a toothbrush or even your finger you rub off all the salt. It is a very fun technique.

The other way looks more like chipped paint coming off of wood. You paint a raw weathered wood color, like a greyish brownish color and let it dry. Get aerosol hair spray and and spray a healthy coat on the what you want weathered. After that dries paint on your finish color. Now this works very well with acrylics. After that coat dries you can take any number of tools to pick and chip and scrap away the top coat. The paint does not adhere to the hairspray, acts as a barrier between the two paints, and it will flake away. It is the very best technique I know of for making peeling paint like on window trims and siding.

[WaverlySouthern (Dan Hilyer)]

Devon, thanks for the tutorial. I’m more interested in the peeling paint on wood effect. I’ve used the aerosol hairspray method before, but it is hard to control where a broad mist goes

I think I’ll try the pump style hair spray and apply if with a brush or piece of sponge so I can put it where I want and with more control.

[Jim_Rowson]

I’m too low tech for you guys. I took a sanding stick to it and removed some of the paint in a random pattern. One coat of paint, no spraying between. Then mother nature took over. Below is a picture of what I ended up with. Doesn’t look like peeling paint. Just looks old and faded.