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HO O'Neill's Fabrication Non-build thread

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  • I assume we can call you 'JP'? First I'd like to say thank you for your service...it's great to see a fellow dedicated SWSM enthusiast come on board. You have a wonderful stable of kits waiting to be worked up. Very unique perspective on the arrangement and use of the structures, like utilizing Railroad camp as a harbor scene...very nice. Your work on the Jewel, in the above image, is really nicely done. Love the green color. You are much further along with O'Neills than I am and it is a great kit. Keep posting as I'd love to follow your progress on your SWSM dominated layout. What a great choice!...Ken

  • Yes Ken, you can call me JP or Joe or hey you. I have even answered to other names. LOL.

    Thanks for the replies and nice comments. I have read these and other forums for many years now. I felt it was about time to participate. O'Neil's is the kit that I just could not share. I think I will be getting a second one to get creative with, and do some bashing. It is SO perfect to inspire more creativity and ideas, into what is already an amazing main building. I would like to build the tower as a stand alone building to add to another tower, i.e. two towers. Then attach an adjoining walk way between them. connecting the two towers on the blank wall that currently butts up to the main building. I would use it at my car service facilities as an inspection facility for the local branch line or N&W mainline. They share some facilities and this would be another one. Small layouts call for non-protocol solutions like shared facilities. I will start a new thread and move my prior posts, this will keep the threads cleaner. It will be about using SWSM kits for dioramas and layouts.
  • edited June 2016
    Here is another view of my tower and main building. Note that the tower roof is not attached at this time.
    image

    Today I had some good feedback on the roof and white being to "contrasting and brite" for a scale model build. After looking a while, I washed the green doors and windows with a brown AI stain, then reworked the roof with Raw-Umber chalk and the same brown AI in one pass. I will post those when it dries more.

    image

    My O'Neil's weld shop has no trap. Once again I was working too late in the morning trying to fight off pain. So after looking at it I added boards (very thin) where the trap should be and it seems to have fixed things. I will share that fix when I post the new raw Umber color choice, likely later tonight.

    till then, keep on staining, graining and gluing. Also, take time and share this hobby with your children and grandchildren, they after all are the next railroaders who will not forget that you took time to teach and entertain them.
  • JP, was wondering about the traps so good catch there. Said before...a sure sign of a good modeler is not that they don't make mistakes, it's how well they fix em! Toning down bright colors is always a wise move for most applications so good advise there. Look forward to seeing the progress...Ken
  • JP I have in previous models done just, cut off the traps while trimming, and had to find a fix with additional boards. It happens, but there's always a way forward with Brett's kits. Michael
  • Thanks for looking and the kind words. Here are the fixed/repaired builds. Enjoy and comments wanted.

    image
    toned down colors.

    image
    fixed traps.

    Have a great night.
  • Now you're talking...roof treatment looks good. Toned down colors are working for you. Freight doors and siding there look nice an aged and used but not run down. Great adjustment "JP"...Ken
  • Not sure what "traps" you guys are talking about, but nice work JP- I like what you are doing. I first thought your coloring was a little dark, but I'm seeing that your lighting isn't adequate in some of your shots.

    On a beautiful spring day I took the model out on the deck after I put together the main building, tower, foundation, and dock. Outside light will quickly turn up some sins to fix. The harsh shadows give me away every time. I did get some nice joints where all the pieces joined each other- a result of beautiful castings rather than modeling skill.

    The color of weathered concrete has only given me trouble for about 45 years. One problem was I colored the two pieces at different times. I might have to clean them with some alcohol and start over.

    One thing I did not want to over-weather was the sign- Kevin would not have allowed something very beat-up to adorn a building with his name on it. A few snapshots:

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  • Hi Mike,
    Great job! Another unique build. The tower, loading dock doors, color of the siding, all look great. I like the signs around the loading dock doors too.

    Hello JP,
    Great job ! I like alan like the contrast between the old tower and the newer loading dock.
    Just show you how personalized Brett's models can be. I am looking forward to seeing how everything looks. Keep the pictures coming.

    Hi Alan,

    How is your model coming. I am expecting a lot. Terrific modeling on your other builds.
    I saw some of the HOn3 logging trucks Brett used to make on Ebay. Did you finish your collection?

    Fellas keep all the great work coming. It would be really cool if there was a side by side picture of all the finished models together for sure. Very individualized.

    Jim

  • edited June 2016
    Hey Jim,

    Just working thru all the castings. Yes, I bought those disconnects on ebay...

    Alan
  • Working on my doors & windows. The fit up is great. The transom was a bit of a stinker, but looks good. Green fingers from painting with an old towel. It does give great peeling paint effects.

    Alan
  • Thanks Jim-

    Another milestone- the main building is capped. The ribbed metal roofing material is in place on the main building and the addition, and sprayed and weathered. I couldn't wait to use the "Mars Violet"- a way cool color. There was fascia and rafters and rafter-tails to add, and roof caps. Also the main roof sign and several vent castings.

    Also, one of the Alans forgot to click the "insert image" thingy and the photo of the bonus car didn't post.

    image

    image
  • edited July 2016
    Hey Mike,

    Turned out great. Awesome job on the roof!

    Alan

    PS Congrats on getting a whole page in Brett's new photo Gallery.
  • Looking good everyone! I have been working on the rails, stairs and porches, will post updates this week-end.
  • Mike - wow, just wow!
  • Thanks for the comments. Made some more progress in the last couple of weeks. I love the lines and angles of this structure, and the coming nooks and crannies.



    ONeills 2 071916

    ONeills 3 071916

    ONeills 1 071916
  • Looking good Mike. Is there going to be room for this guy on your Monster Diorama?
  • The welding shop came out fantastic...
  • Sure looks good all together.
  • Thanks guys. Alan, Monster Diorama 1 is finished, so this will go on the new Monster Diorama 2. Actually, the Twin Mills was probably MD 1 as it was twelve square feet.

    A couple of progress snapshots. Some of the elements are just positioned and not glued, but I'm just scoping out the scene. I never can wait to see where these things are going.
    I really am fond of how Brett has made the construction a series of mini-projects- like the old "one evening projects" that MR used to feature in the old days. Fun stuff.
    ONeills 072916 1
    Oneills 072916 2
    Oneills 072916 3
  • Geesh!...there's that tank again...the one I can't wait to get to! Mighty fine work Mike...really looks nice...except you spelled O'Neills wrong....ah..made ya look!
  • Mike, you've been holding out on use. The O'Neills tank is wonderful. The lettering is excellent. Really well done. Would expect nothing less from you!
  • Looks awesome. Great job on that Tank!
  • Mike that looks great. The tank and the roof details really look wonderful.
  • Mike,

    I enjoy looking at your build photos for this kit. Do you have any close up pictures of the tank and the corrugated roof in the last picture? Did you just follow the instructions for these items or did you do something special? I struggle with "subtle" and close ups of these could help me with my build.
  • MitchN said:

    Mike,

    I enjoy looking at your build photos for this kit. Do you have any close up pictures of the tank and the corrugated roof in the last picture? Did you just follow the instructions for these items or did you do something special? I struggle with "subtle" and close ups of these could help me with my build.

    Mitch, when I am trying for a subtle technique, I keep reminding myself that it is easier to add more than to remove some. Add light layers of whatever you are doing, blend them together and stop when you have enough. It takes patience.
  • Thanks all. Any misspelling would have been Brett's Ken- all I did was spray the stencil. Actually I'm real happy with the lettering but I must admit it was a bit of a do-over. Brett cautioned about making very LIGHT passes when spraying the stencil but I didn't listen. But I love working with these chalks- a little alcohol, a little sanding, and a clean slate, and another chance. Just like my putting- if I had gotten a second go at them I would have made most of them.

    Incidentally, Kevin O'Neill was close to a scratch golfer much of his career. We used to talk golf as much as modeling the few times we got together.

    Mitch, this isn't a close-up but it is a different angle. What is important is that there is no magic or special formula- I almost always try to follow Brett's weathering instructions and have never been disappointed. If it goes wrong you didn't pay attention. I'll try to get a few close-ups this weekend.

    The welding shop roof is resting and not glued down. It is actually an alternate roof experiment, and if it goes well about 45% of the roof will be removable, and I'll be able to show off the incredible interior detail. Once I complete it I'll post a little SBS. I love removable roofs- I think Twin Mills had seven roofs and I was able to make all of them removable.

    roofs outside
  • Mike,

    Thank you for the extra effort taking close up pictures of the tank and roof. I am inspired by the postings of the best modelers in the hobby. The quality and the number of award winning builds you have speaks for itself. Much admiration.

    Mitch
  • I like removeable roofs also. Can't wait to see how you do it.

    What-if anything-do you think might accumulate on top of the large tank? I could imagine leaves, dirt, etc. But seeing how close the stairs are to the tank, I could see a worker laying a hammer or something there and forgetting about it.
  • After a week off with the grandkids in San Diego I'm back at O'Neills. The construction isn't completely done, but I have started to decorate some of the many incredible castings. Don't tell Brett but there are probably $300 worth of castings in this kit based on what is available in the marketplace. And you won't come close to the quality of these anywhere I have looked, and that has been extensive.

    There are nine separate areas of the kit that are about this size and have approximately this many detail castings. Good luck trying to find the best side to face the front on a contest table. I take lots of photos of these as you just don't see all your errors and places where you could make improvements. Here is where you see the seams on castings you can hide, ladders and signs that are too clean, barrel bands needing touched-up, etc.,etc.

    The two main overhangs will present a challenge to light all of these details properly as they are simply too good to hide. A nice problem to have.

    Welding shop dock
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