Pop's General Store by KCs Workshop - Build With HO Scale Customs - #002

The model is coming along nicely.  I would not say it was easy because of the directions and lack of included photos, but building it along with the gang on HO Scale Customs has been wonderful.  Its great to see varied techniques and I've experimented with quite a few of them already.  Click on photos to enlarge.

 I'm still trying to figure out how they lasered the brick stick!

I put the copies (never the originals) of the instructions on my hand metal desk stand, held firm by a magnate. 

 I have both color and black & white photos of KC's finished model.  The black and whites really make the details pop.

 I cut out all the main wall sections, sanded the edges to remove the kerfs and sprues...

 A washable sanding block (I get the cheap knock offs from Harbor Freight) and use them to finish the edges.

 The color photos give me a chance to plan and design my version of the model.

 The walls are thick and look really good.  Nice clear clapboard or board and batten sides.  From looking at the construction I noticed that this side required no paint or primer, so I marked it with a #2 pencil.

 I roughed up the front with a carding file (used to clean steal files) and then lightly sanded the rough surface.  A 1" brush is handy for removing the sawdust.

 Next I began lifting and breaking boards.  I use a single edge razor blade because it is thinner than X-Acto #18 chisel blades and a bit safer.

 Watching along with Todd Wiley on HO Scale Customs as I'm building along with him.  This is a fantastic use of technology and hope we do more of them.

 As I measure I keep a yellow dot on the HO side of the rule.  It is very easy for me to go O Scale on the other side!

 More board damage!  This is the fun part!

 A saw blade also helps distress the surface of the wood and I'll make several passes using an older blade.

 You must add structural support to kits like this as the boards/walls will warp.  Using the thicker stock from the kit I glue supports onto the backs being careful not to block windows.  Later I found out that there is a support diagram in the kit, mine was just missing so Brett Wiley sent me a copy.

 If you don't have 1-2-3 blocks get some!  The are the best weights and supports around.

 Distressing of the wood is done.  Now lets make it look really old!

I use these cheap baking pans from Wally Mart to keep my kit parts together since they don't usually fit back in the box.  This way I can work on three kits at a time, and can keep the pieces together.

 The backs of the building are primed with a dark grey primer.  I never use black because very few things you see are as black as spray paint.

 Using some scrap I made a test of the two green colors that I thought would work best.  Going with avocado.  Later I found out that Todd had picked the exact same color!

 I added nail holes with a ponce wheel and gave the walls a good coat of ink wash, then let them dry overnight.  Using masking tape I taped off all but the bottom 5 clapboards.

 Using the avacado paint, I painted the lower parts of the wall using a sea sponge and blotting the paint on.  This was a new technique for me and I liked the results.  Looks like really bad peeling paint.

 To paint the trim boards I taped them to the glass work surface and blotted them with the sponge.

 The Tichy windows and doors were removed from the sprues and were made ready for paint.

 Here are all the wall sections ready for painting the white upper part..

 Keep your workspace clean.  At the end of the evening I always pick up and clean up a little, especially before detail work or more painting.

 I will be using Chuck Doan's peeling paint technique, which is what I used on Wicked Wanda's kit.  Here is a video showing how it is done.

 I paint the OMS where the white paint will go, being careful not to saturate the wood.  Just a light coating will do.

 Before painting I cover the green paint and secure the part to the glass surface with masking tape.

 Just a nice, even coat.  Don't saturate or the walls will curl, bend or even break.

 Using the Apple Barrel paint....

 I paint a light coat onto the surface, painting with the grain of the board.

 I let the paint dry to the point that it is still a little tacky and not quite hard.

 A mistake I made was trying to do several at a time.  Better to only work with one wall and go slow.

 Grab a roll of Scotch Tape....single sided is better and press the tape onto the painted sections.  Rip the tape off and see the paint come off randomly.

 The look I get is of worn paint that has faded and disappeared in the South Georgia sun.  Play with different paints to get different effects.

 Using the brass bristle brush I give it another good brushing.  Enough for today!