First Craftsman kit.....


As a Millitary Modeler also both are good but I like Microscale Krystal Klear. I just used it to put these lights in this F7 I like for windows also. Here a B-25 Mitchell I made windows for using Krystal Klear and used it to install the windshield on this GMC cckw Dump Truck that I built View attachment 117476View attachment 117477View attachment 117478View attachment 117479

Very nice! Can you describe the process to create them? Was is just using a toothpick and filling in the hole, or was it more involved?

Also, @Patrick, do you mind the discussion in your thread, or would you prefer if we moved to a separate one?
 
Sorry for the delay in the response. I don't mind the discussion in the thread.

Ok, It's taking me some time. Hopefully now that the grass SHOULD be going dormant with the snow we're getting today, the yard work should just about stop. Here is some new progress on my building:

20201025_163231.jpg
20201025_163253.jpg
20201025_163317.jpg

I don't know why the windows in the last picture look crooked. They may be. The roof isn't attached yet and I have the balcony and stairs to put on yet along with all the other detail stuff. I'm not sure I'm happy with the way this is turning out, but some of it is me trying to decide on colors and stuff that should have been painted before assembly.
 
The camera amplifies every little sin you commit. I've caught several errors on my current build as I document it over on the SWSM forum. Photo angles and lighting can also spoof you by making things look crooked when they aren't. In some cases you need to decide of a correction is worth the effort. Pics like these are not what it's going to look like on the layout. This is a very good first effort. If I could offer a suggestion, it would be something I still have to be mindful of: watch those gaps! 1-2-3 blocks and corner bracing are your friends. So is test fitting before gluing. Nice work!
 
The camera amplifies every little sin you commit. I've caught several errors on my current build as I document it over on the SWSM forum. Photo angles and lighting can also spoof you by making things look crooked when they aren't. In some cases you need to decide of a correction is worth the effort. Pics like these are not what it's going to look like on the layout. This is a very good first effort. If I could offer a suggestion, it would be something I still have to be mindful of: watch those gaps! 1-2-3 blocks and corner bracing are your friends. So is test fitting before gluing. Nice work!

Thank you for the suggestions and kind words. If I were to do it over, I'd do it different as it isn't like the plastic models I've done in the past. or even the firehouse I've already completed. Last Craftsman type stuff I did was when I was in HS over 40 years ago and was building out of balsa and using 3"X5" index cards for siding (use the lines to cut along and then use the strip as siding) on my Lionel stuff.
 
Ok,

I had some more time over the weekend to work a little more on the model. Posting here as not everyone goes to the coffee shop:

20201115_161822.jpg
20201115_161824.jpg


Stairs attached and east coast guttering attached to the roof. Still waiting for some glue to dry when these were taken. Started cutting the railings for the stairs, but stopped when I broke the stairs off before the glue was set and had to reattach. Teach me to hurry!!!
 
More progress:

20201121_150659.jpg
20201121_150710.jpg
20201121_150718.jpg
20201122_163130.jpg


Bottom attached and railings completed. Those were a pain. Roof not glued on yet as I still have a couple of details to add before the roof is glued on. I'm going to make this a little different than the original as where I'm thinking to use it doesn't warrant some of the details. Hopefully more time over the holiday to get more completed. In the last picture you can see the downspout gutter of the roof. The final bend on that is waiting for the roof to be attached. One thing I've learned to this point is choose the colors and paint before assembly. this structure was half built before I decided on the colors. More picts to come.
 
Ok some final pictures.

20210101_150942.jpg
20210101_150947.jpg
20210101_150959.jpg
20210101_151006.jpg
20210101_153952.jpg
20210101_154003.jpg


Still some things I don't like about it and I do need to weather it once I get closer to finalizing it's position on the layout. Overall I can live with it as is. Not bad for a first effort, but at least I know what to expect going forward with other kits.
 
Patrick, yep late to the party. Craftmen kits are either fun or not, I have not found any in between.

The only craftsman kits I have built have been the Fine Scale Miniatures from George Selious. The 1st was a team build the summer I graduated college in 74. We were 8 and under the direction of 2 old at the time brothers, probably in their 40’s then. They basically made it a classroom lab situation and it was enjoyable. Then in 4 groups of 2 we built another kit the same way. This helped fill up the brothers basement size layout pretty well. My next kit was the coaling station built on my own in the back of the brothers hobby shop. Not as much fun but George S is known for his exact instructions, so I got through it. It got done and was sold about 20 years ago when the layout was dismantled and I was asked if I wanted it.

We sat down before the builds and figured the colors, clothes pins for clamping, what stains to use and made sure we had stiffeners for the walls. Then we stained, assembled the walls added the stiffeners or braces all using a Elmers glue, then walked away for a few days.

While I currently am building kits with some kitbashing, I prefer scratch building using styrene with foamcore bracing. I have not done a wood kit in years as I model modern.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

Your build looks good and the next ones go better.
TomO
 
Looks good. I have this same kit I have started looking at building it. It was started already, about 40 years ago, before my time. I have done some other wood kits and I have found the more I work with them, the better my skills get. I have moved past gluing my fingers to things with crazy glue, finally. :)
 
Very nice. Early on, you said you warped the wood and flattened it out. I have a kit that received some real 'weathering' several years ago, in the form of a flood in the basement, which warped a very nice basswood building with clapboard sides. I am attempting to rebuild it, after cleaning the creek mud from it (yes, it got my brass trains, too, but they were relatively easy to clean) but I'd like to know the best method for flattening the wood rather than replacing all the sides, if that's possible. I did use extremely hot water to make covered bridge arches, leaving them to dry in the curved position for a long time, but I have heard people add stuff to the water, like alcohol, to permeate the wood better. Any tips?
 
Looking forward to seeing how you do with the weathering. I like the color of the roof - does need some "streaks"!
 



Back
Top