Alan's O'Neill's Build

MuddyCreekRR

Looking really nice...

KCSTrains

Looking good Alan. You're staying about 2 pages ahead of me in the instruction manual. Thanks for setting the pace. Phil

Alan_H

Finished the upper deck and rear landing. This assembly was a bit more free hand than the other, so a bit more challenging to keep straight, but slow & steady will get you there. On to the overhangs!

You're welcome Phil, but the pace is subject to change depending on who gets busier at work, I think.

Mountaingoat

You're doing great. This turning out really well....Rick

Alan_H

Here's the main building overhang going together. I got the basic frame done last night, and will tarpaper it tonight and build the support frame. Be careful when you attach the stringers. It's not too hard to knock the rafters off plumb. I'll probably tar paper before removing it from the template for added strength.

TomH

You’ve made some great progress!
I’m loving the look you’ve achieved.
I too own the Ultimation sander and love it. Well worth the money.

Karl.A

Great work on the framing, nice and square !!

brownbr

Not a bad idea to add tarpaper while secured.

Alan_H

Thanks for the positive comments gents. I didn't get as much done as I'd have liked last night. I did work on the main building drive under canopy. It still needs a bit of tweaking with color and some tarpaper fit issues but it's coming along. I did have a problem fitting it under the rafter tails on the main building roof. As in "no way this bugger is going in there". I had to remove the header board and lower it about 1/8" Getting it off was easy enough. Getting it repositioned and level was a bit of a challenge. I got it done, and in the process damaged both stair and landing assemblies. The language got rather foul. I tend to profanity, and being an ex-Navy type, I've had professional training in it. So most of last nights work session was spent fixing what I broke. Fortunately it was mostly separated glue joints, and the only real damage was to my ego. I got the 5/64th lumber grained and stained, and will be working on the support framework today. It's neat to see the used templates accumulating, and the lumber supply dwindle.

admin

Looking great! The faded tarpaper portions look fantastic. I loved this comment:
"It's neat to see the used templates accumulating, and the lumber supply dwindle. " Well said!

Alan_H

Moving along. I got the canopy support for the main building finished. I've started on the oil dump canopy, and am attaching the corrugated tin. I weather mine a little differently. The pieces get brushed with various rust and dark brown colors from Brett's paint set, then mounted, then dry brushed again and accented with chalk, randomly tinting or shading as the mood strikes. I've also weathered this material with the airbrush, and it actually worked pretty well. You paint the pieces before cutting, apply your colors randomly, then cut the panels and mix them up to get variation in the finished roof. In those days I was exploring just how many uses I could find for the airbrush. Being an Iwata dealer and one of their clinicians a the time, this was important. I have found that I prefer brush painting here though. I prefer the control a paint brush gives me. The only time I've used an airbrush on this build was on the main building metal roofing. I didn't get the shade I wanted from the Mars Violet chalk, so I airbrushed the roof with a coat of clear flat to fix the chalk that was there, and hit it again with more chalk. The airbrush is also pretty handy if you have any shiny spots from stray glue, or any place you want to knock an unintended shiny spot down.

Alan_H

We're moving right along! I finished the drive under for the oil sump area. The frame work assembly was harder for me than the manual said it was going to be. I'd recommend solid jigging and a glue with a very high initial tack.

The awning was easy enough. I used a light rust from the SWSM/Reaper paint set with an overcoat of Ruddy Brown, then various light and dark red/rust chalks. I did this by eye. The ambient lighting makes it look more orange than it actually is.


A preview of the assembly:


Last for this evening I did the tower dock assembly which is currently drying:

Alan_H

Here's the tower dock and stair. I'm down to the oil tank platform and the fence. The granddaughter is here today so I'm guessing I won't get much more done this weekend. I'm excited to begin working on the castings and assembling the diorama!

brownbr

I think a bit of color variation will look good on the corrugated. Drybrush lighter color rust and maybe a darker rust wash in the recesses.

Alan_H

brownbr said:

I think a bit of color variation will look good on the corrugated. Drybrush lighter color rust and maybe a darker rust wash in the recesses.

It will get tweaked, but the bright light is washing out the colors that are actually there. It's darker than it shows in the photo.

Alan_H

Working on the oil tank platform now, but I decided to see what everything was going to look like. It's all just sitting in place and some things aren't quite where they should be but it gives you the idea! now I have to start finding all of that scenery material I have squirreled away!

Robert.G

Pretty satisfying I believe...

KKarns

Nice to see it all come together.

Alan_H

The oil tank and platform are coming along. I have to attach the styrene bracing, and do a little additional weathering. I textured the large timbers with a razor saw blade in addition to the wire brushing. The oil tank painted up pretty easily. There is a little bleed under, which I think is unavoidable when using a rattle can. I probably cold have done better with an airbrush, and if you have one and are good with it I'd probably recommend trying it, but that's the perfectionist in me. This photo is enlarged quite a bit and what's actually there isn't that big of a deal really. It will likely be hidden by weathering. I have found with this build that I don't care for five minute epoxy very much. For me it's difficult to control, but I don't think anything else would have worked as well securing the timbers to the trusses. CA holds great in tension, but lousy in shear, and shear loads are likely what this assembly will see in handling.

Karl.A

It looks fantastic all placed together Alan.
You are really doing a wonderful job with this kit, each element belongs together.
Really nice.

I think the stencil will be fine after weathering too, like you. I look forward to seeing it.

EmeryJ

It is fun watching this one come along. Lots and lots of good work here!

Alan_H

The tank weathering process was different for me and fun. Here are a couple of in process shots and the tank mounted to the platform. I used canopy glue instead of epoxy, and wood glue for the planks. Next is the fence which is the last wood construction item, and the last template use except for placement!

Jim M

Looks great, nice job.

Karl.A

Tank came out great, nice, accurate construction on the base and the weathering came out perfect on the tank at this stage... surface corrosion but still solid, just right.
Already waiting for the next post/steps.

brownbr

Turned out very nice

KCSTrains

Alan, you are really cranking on this build. A lot of great progress. It's really coming together. You'll be doing scenery before you know it. Keep up the good work. Phil

Alan_H

Thanks for the kind words everyone!

Karl, as we both predicted the very slight bleed under was indeed covered by the weathering. I was pleased to see that.

Phil, I seemed to have reached that point in the project where the road is no longer uphill but has started a gentle downhill slope. It's a nice feeling , but for me, I have to be careful here. It's very easy to get what I call "end of project tunnel vision". You're so focused on the finish line you can get rushed, followed by sloppy. Slow and steady progress, and stay focused.

KCSTrains

I agree Alan, but the next part is what I consider the best part. It allows you to bring in your individual imagination and make O'Neills your own unique model. I doubt I will ever follow the suggested layout template, other than to use it for the proper placement of the buildings. However, the world outside the building is for you to image. That's why I put my mine in the middle of the desert. Phil

Alan_H

My thoughts are this kit, the Brass & Iron Foundry and Quincy's Salvage on a siding. Western scenery, probably Central California style.

KKarns

Great work Alan. That tank is such a focal point of the build.