Modeling Bar Mills "Jerry's Small Engine Repair"


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I'm going to try to share with you my journey in building a Bar Mills laser cut model. Bar Mills is usually a fairly straightforward build. I will day that their instructions give a little too much credit to the builder. Sometimes I wish they were a little clearer, but if you look at the directions "in depth" you will find everything you need to complete the project. I think having the experts write the build directions is sometimes a mistake in that they think that you are on a level with them, and believe me....I'm not. I've always thought that having someone who was new to the model and has completed its assembly should write the instructions.
On with the build. I start out bracing the crap out of my walls. This particular models instructions state that bracing is not necessary because of its small size. Don't you believe it. Especially if you plan on using any type of wash. Don't ask me how I know.
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Next I spray both front and back with a gray primer. I use the Rust-Oleum brand, only because that's all they had at the store. I've read that the Walmart brand is better, and cheaper. Let the primer dry overnight. You'll be glad you did.
Next I choose the color. I paint almost exclusively with acrylics. Not because I think they're superior, they're just easier to clean up. On this particular structure I chose Delta Ceramcoat Adobe Red. I love this color. This type of paint is available anywhere model paint is sold, including Walmart. Cheap cheap cheap.
I painted with a very stiff brush cut down to the nub. Actually it's more like a "heavy" dry brushing. I didn't photograph every step because I didn't know then that I was going to post this stuff. Sorry.
I let the red dry a bit and then I mixed some of the Adobe Red with some whit acrylic to form a light pink. I then dry brushed a light coat of the pink across the walls, very light.
My pallet:
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I let that dry and then I use an India ink alcohol mix. I don't actually brush the wash on because I don't want to smear the colors. I kind of drip it on. The alcohol doesn't mix well with the acrylics and tends to blend the colors...this is what I want. So let's see, that would be a total of four coats..the gray prime, the Adobe Red, pink, and then the wash. Not done yet. My final step is to LIGHTLY rub on some PanPastel weathering pastel.
Here it is:
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This stuff is kind of a greasy weathering product. I put just a light touch of the black and drag it against the clapboard to make it stand out. So far that is a total of 5 layers. I will add some weathering powder later. I think that all of these layers give the model depth. Maybe it doesn't, but it makes me feel good.
That's as far as I've gotten so far, but I'll post up as I go along. I'm slow, so have patience.
 
Looks good so far.

I've done a couple Bar Mills kits now and I know what you mean about the instructions. They also seem to skimp on the strip wood too but I have a good supply so I can usually make due.

They do make nice models though.
 
Here are a few more photos of my progress:

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I painted and installed all of the doors and windows, but first I attached the signs. I especially liked the way the Shell Auto Oil sign turned out. Of course, it's on the back.

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Here is the front view. When I weather I will get rid of the very white lines on the sides of the sign. I can see that my models can't stand up to close up photos, but it takes me long enough as it is and no one will get close enough to the layout to see this view.
I made the shades by painting a piece of paper and gluing on the inside wall.

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Wow. I gotta stop with the closeups. It looks somewhat better at a distance.

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Again, my favorite side....the back.

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The remaining side. I'll post more as I progress. Thanks for looking.
 
Kevin - I get rid of the white edges when using paper signs by coloring the edge with a black felt tip pen or marker. Of course it has to be done before applying the signs. Hold the marker on the back side when doing this so when it slips, the stray mark is on the back. Depending on the situation, you could use other colors as well.
Very nice progress especially on the Shell sign application.
 
Here are a few more photos of my progress:

I painted and installed all of the doors and windows, but first I attached the signs. I especially liked the way the Shell Auto Oil sign turned out. Of course, it's on the back.

Here is the front view. When I weather I will get rid of the very white lines on the sides of the sign. I can see that my models can't stand up to close up photos, but it takes me long enough as it is and no one will get close enough to the layout to see this view.
I made the shades by painting a piece of paper and gluing on the inside wall.

Wow. I gotta stop with the closeups. It looks somewhat better at a distance.

Again, my favorite side....the back.

The remaining side. I'll post more as I progress. Thanks for looking.
No model can stand close up photos! You always find things to fix. Nice work so far. Willie's Sharpie trick will work. I have another that you might like. I tone my signs down with chalk powder. I dry brush a little on the front of metal signs and the edges as well. This ages them and does a good job of portraying rust. I use Rembrandt chalk sticks and shave them with a #11 blade or a single edged razor blade. I keep a small box of colors suitable for this handy. The numbers are the catalog number for the colors. Careful how much you handle them after the chalk is applied.

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Kevin - I get rid of the white edges when using paper signs by coloring the edge with a black felt tip pen or marker. Of course it has to be done before applying the signs. Hold the marker on the back side when doing this so when it slips, the stray mark is on the back. Depending on the situation, you could use other colors as well.
Very nice progress especially on the Shell sign application.
Great tip. Thanks Willie
 
Nice looking model and I like the use of the signs on the structure. Signs are important to set the era and use of a building in any scale. The tar paper roof with the exposed roofing below is a nice touch that many modelers miss when doing an older building.

Great work.

Greg
 
So I finished the build of the outside shed. Included with the kit is a piece of cloth that is supposed to model a tarp that goes over the shed.
I've got a question.
What is the worst thing you can do to ruin a fragile structure such as the outside shed shown above? Here are the options.

A) Crack it by sanding the edges
B) Drop the completed structure
C) Step on the completed structure
D) All of the above

If you guessed D then you'd be correct. The last thing my shed saw was my size 12 bearing down on it. I wasn't even drinking when I did this. Maybe that was the problem. I glued the pieces back together as best as I could using Aileens quick dry tacky glue. It worked surprisingly well, but I won't be entering any contests based on the results of the shed build. I'll fix it up on the layout so it won't be noticed by anyone but me.
Pictures to follow.
 



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