visit sierrawestscalemodels.com

HO Scale Brass & Iron Foundry Official Forum Build

1171820222326

Comments

  • Hey Ken,
    I thought the "slight of hand" with the photo was cute. In fact the photoshopped "shadow" made me start thinking about other ways to plant the "hidden" figure in the finished build... i.e. a worker in the same area's shadow smoking a cigar via a small fiber optic strand through the wall and out his lips. (That would also require a failing light bulb dimly flickering to keep the area darker) That fiber optic cigar might also work inside a building near a dirty window.)

    Anyway, Your details always keep it interesting!

    Bill
  • Inspiring as always!
  • Moving on around to the front and side of the Repair Shop. I have finished up all the details and got started on the access road in front.

    IMG_4668

    Front view with the side of the Tempering Shed to the left.

    IMG_4659A

    I added the low step in front of the porch. I wanted to funnel the foot traffic to allow plausible detailing below the porch on the right side.

    IMG_4670

    Moving around the foot path to the side of the shop. The mailbox seemed a bit low but one would need to be able to open and look down inside so it can't be too high...

    IMG_4688

    Working the way around the side...

    IMG_4684

    Small area of junk and clutter before opening up to the Pattern Shop scene further down the path.

    IMG_4687

    Everytime I look at this view it reminds me of how much I love that sign Brett came up with...

    I will post some low level and detail shots later today...
  • Rain stopped so I ran out and took a few ground level and detail pictures. Remember...I take a bunch of pics, not to bore everyone to adnauseam, but it helps me document and improve my modeling...so fast forward if you wish!...

    IMG_4736

    IMG_4702

    IMG_4679

    IMG_4697

    The last four pictures give more of a ground level look which I like... the next few are detail shots of the main areas...

    IMG_4700

    Couldn't add too much here as the door needs to open and foot traffic straight in...concrete block to prop open the door...

    IMG_4739

    IMG_4737
  • Fantastic work.... all the details and clutter just blend together so well and seamlessly....the colors all look spot on....Amazing
  • Ken, I really enjoyed the pictures. There is not a single component of your layout that doesn't make sense. I like the newspaper on the front bench. Too bad you don't have a coffee mug or an ash tray because I can see one of your mysterious lps sitting out front drinking some coffee, smoking a cigarette, and catching up on the latest sports. Phil
  • The thought and attention you put into every detail is evident. Outstanding work!
  • Brett....I imagine it must be gratifying to see your creations come to life like this
    Terry
  • Wonderful! That wire grate up against the wall is a very fine detail. Did you make the bricks yourself? I like them holding up the porch step with a little pile of left-overs nearby.

    What materials are you using for your dead grass clumps and the fine armatures on the briars?
  • Ken, The ground level pictures are wonderful and they show off your fine details very well.
  • Brett....I imagine it must be gratifying to see your creations come to life like this
    Terry

    Absolutely amazing to see my kits come to life on the forum by so many talented modelers!
  • The build is fantastic, really not enough superlatives - that second photo, even though the light is a bit muted the model looks 1:1 not 1:87. Incredible.
  • Ken,

    The photos and explanations that have accompanied this build have been over the top throughout. Always nice to see photos that include a birds eye view of the roof as well as the walls, but really amazing to see the build from eye level as if the viewer could walk right up into the scene and touch the structure or pick up one of the details around the building and start working. The ground level photos are fantastic and realistic, they pull the viewer into the scene much like the first sentence of a great novel or short story.

    Later, Dave S. Tucson (Not so sunny today but still in the mid 60's, so we'll take it.), AZ
  • I can't say more that hasn't been said before, it's an incredible build. Looking at it only makes me dream and hope it will come out in O scale one fine day.... Again Ken, so inspiring. Thanks for all the effort in posting all of these beautiful photo's.
  • I echo the O scale desire...patiently waiting...and working on my current projects...
  • Appreciate your thoughts here Brett...so much enjoy working up your kits.

    Thanks Muddy, I have been acused of being a bit dull in my diorama colors so your comment regarding same at least suggests I have some color!lol

    Glad you like it Phil and it comes down to knowing "when to say when" on the details. I tend to get carried away as it is.

    Thanks Bryan, and I'm always looking for scale materials that can be used in clutter scenes such as this. Brett provides so much of this in the form of white metal and resin castings I don't have to dig into my "clutter" bins very often!

    The grasses are made from jute string and one roll provides a life time supply! I like it as it looks more like real grass/weed than the commercial tufts and doesn't have the slight sheen that the tufts do. I do however, have a nice supply of the purchased tufts as they definately have the benefit of looking more like a grass/weed CLUMP where the string looks more like taller growth not to mention the great range of colors. I use both in my modeling. The bushes are made from super trees and a box lasts a very long time as you can make probably 20-30 bushes out of one super tree. Flock as desired or I also use the bush without any flocking to represent dead or leafless briars.

    Hey Stephen , I think Dave suggested more ground level shots and I am so glad he reminded me to do that as they do add a nice dimension.

    Hi Joel, yeah I noticed that pic as well. I hate that when you get the lighting and everything just right and have no idea how you did it! Thanks buddy!

    Dave, gave you credit for taking me to task on not providing those ground level shots. They sure are the money shots and give a wonderful perspective.

    I appreciate the support and kind comments Robert and glad there is tolerance to my plethora of pictures...


  • edited December 2018
    Can you get a sense of a kit manufacturers dedication to the fine scale modeler, the overriding commitment to provide the finest details possible, and consistently produce innovative methods and products year after year from just a single solitary casting?...I say absolutely!

    It struck me when I was working on the table saw casting Brett includes in The Foundry kit to populate the Pattern Shop dock scene. This casting, which has a footprint of only about
    7 x 12mm, is comprised of the main saw unit made of resin, three white metal adjustment levers, a laser cut saw blade with teeth, and four laser cut chipboard feet...all this for one single casting! Are you kdding me...such a wonderful design and I can't imagine how long it took to lay it all out and produce this one small but monumentally inspiring detail. Credit where credit is due...so when you look at this one detail and then look at the breadth of the entire kit, the sense of the sheer value for the price becomes clear!

    IMG_4775

    IMG_4773

    IMG_4819A

    Staged and ready to go!
  • Ken,
    Love the pics of the repair shed. Your placement of the details is awesome. Love the way you have blended them in with the foliage like the pulley wheels with the foliage growing around and through them. Your textures also set the scenes apart. Thanks for sharing these inspirational photos.
    Tom
  • Hey there Ken, everything is very well done. Marvelous job! The bricks in the pile is a really nice detail and the rag on the railing another great addition. It looks like you are getting close to finishing.
    Jim
  • That's a beaut. Need some sawdust.
  • edited December 2018
    Pattern Shop SAWDUST
    The attached photo shows that those pattern shop saws generate a great deal of sawdust creating original patterns and the latter replacements!
  • edited December 2018
    I'm sure Ken was simply showcasing that single casting in these pics.
    Knowing Kens exceptional work, sawdust and more details are soon to follow to make up and complete this scene.

    A fantastic job on that incredible casting/detail Ken. I cant wait to see the completed scene with it sitting in place when you finish it.
    I know you will blow us all away, again.

    Karl.A
  • Yes Karl, I know he will. I do like to rib on Ken for some reason...sort of like egging him on to add weld seams to his O'Neills tank stand.
  • Thanks Tom, appreciate that.

    Howdy Jim, nice hearing from you as always and thanks much.

    Thanks Bryan and more to come.

    Bill, cool picture, thanks.

    Thanks Karl and you are right.

    Guys, the table saw and my preamble to that post was all about that one incredible 1:87 scale casting of Bretts. I put it on the dock to highlight its purpose and future position. This will be my first go at laying out sawdust so the picture was great to see Bill. Working up the dock scene as we speak...anxious about the sawdust...we'll see...

    Also, I'm not bucking for favorable comments by posting each completed scene rather than waiting for the diorama to be done and then posting all the pics of all the scenes at once. Rather, I decided this may be helpful for those building the kit and to illustrate scene by scene construction.
  • Ken, I know that Brett showed a good deal of sawdust on his proto-build, yet the operator's platform seemed relatively clean.... You placed a grid like screen under the wall sign - I wonder if a grid would also make an interesting operators platform? Just thinking... That saw is just an outstanding detail.
  • Ken, I appreciate your step-by-step pictures. Since this is a forum build, your attention to the building details is greatly appreciated. I will certainly use as a reference. Phil
  • Ahh Bill...you are very observant...one must wait and see...Thanks for the thoughts on the saw.

    Glad to hear that Phil, hard to tell sometimes how its coming off.

  • edited December 2018
    Ah, late to the party again.

    This is truly a masterpiece, not only in the build, but in the creation of the the kit too. Brett, every time you produce another kit, you out do yourself. This being in HO, the detail you have put into the castings are incredible. Looking at all the cement castings alone, are as if you have just shrunk the real thing into HO scale. Your creative imagination, and design puts you in a class of its own, which, I don't think it can be compared. I model in O scale and I keep telling my wife, "this will be the last one", but then you produce another scene that I can't pass up. With the level of detail here in 1:87th, only makes me desire to acquire the next one. I have only just begun the O'Neills build due to several reasons as I can only work at the most, a couple of hours each time, and I want to do the best I can. I'm adding on to my On30 layout, and most of the O scale SWSM structures that I have, are going to be placed in one peninsula, all together. On paper, it looks good but I'm concerned it will be overcrowded. We'll see.

    Ken, your artistry in taking the best product available, into a world class diorama, is definitely second to none. Your vision, to add those extra little touches, in putting together such a brilliant, museum quality, scene is pure genius. You give us modellers that extra bit of encouragement, to help us build something to be proud of. Without your instruction, I don't think I could do it.

    Thank you Brett, for your great product, and also to you Ken, for taking that product, and showing us how a true artist does it.

    Cheers, to all of you, and have a Merry Christmas.
    David Cumberland.
  • Goosh David, that has to be one of the nicest comments I have ever received, made my day that's for sure! Thanks so much...notes like this make it all worth while. I agree on the hats off to the kit manufacturer...finest kits on the planet.
  • edited December 2018
    Finished up the Pattern Shop dock scene.

Sign In or Register to comment.