HO Morton's Brass & Iron Foundry Build

Mountaingoat

Well here we go. After asking which kit I should do next, Ken had suggested this kit and I realized this kit was purchased by my wife as a birthday gift last October. I think it prudent I do it next for the last reason.

I will follow the instructions pretty closely, but I have a few ideas for some minor deviations to make it my unique build. That said, I would love suggestions from those familiar with the kit of things you might like to see added or modified.

I have been asked to build a couple handlaid custom On30 curved turnouts for a close friend and another asked me to build some O scale Westside Lumber kits. These will slow me down a bit, but my focus will be this kit.

So, I'm off.

The most important part of this kit.



Of course we start with graining, knotting and staining wood for the pattern shop.




I did deviate slightly by using the mineral spirit method instead of the damp brush for the walls. The camera lightened the photo. It is actually darker than it appears here.




So it has begun.

Rick

admin

and... so it has begun. Following along with great interest!

brownbr

Looking forward to the build

TomMich

Great start! Peeling paint affect looks great!

Mountaingoat

Progress has been made. I finally have the 4 walls of the pattern shop built and starting to detail them. Here is the first wall complete.

Dave_S

Rick,

Nicely executed. Looking forward to seeing the four walls and roof come together and some additional photos. If this start is indicative of what is to come it should be an outstanding build indeed.

Later, Dave S. Tucson, AZ

Mountaingoat

Here are the other 3 walls. They really are all the same color. I shot them all in the same light, yet they do not come out quite the same. Anyway, they are ready to be glued together and the roof added. I do plan on several lights in the diorama including outside over the dock areas, etc., so I will have to do that as I go along.......Rick





Comments and suggestions please.

TomMich

Great work. The texture and peeling paint effect on the walls is spot on. One thing I would recommend is on your signs darken the edges with a dark rust colored chalk. It gives them more of an aged metal sign look. Just rub the edges with the chalk. If a little bleeds onto the face of the sign it looks like rust spots.

Mountaingoat

Interestingly, I did chalk the edges, but the camera lightens them up. I will try to darken them even more. Thanks Tom for noticing....Rick

TomMich

I do not mean to nit pick, I just love signs on structures I think they add a lot of character and interest. They just look like white edges in the photos. Don't be afraid to have the chalk bleed on to the face of the sign it really adds character.

Mountaingoat

I do not consider it nitpicking. Obviously we all want the best to match the quality of the kits Brett produces. Thanks Tom....Rick

brownbr

Nice! The "danger keep out" sign in the first pic looks most appropriate.

KKarns

I think Ed is right. What looks a bit “off” is the white border. Some signs, like the Danger Crane Overhead, look good as there is not a delineated color edge all the way around. The other signs with a color edge all the way might improve if cut to the edge of the color or the white margin darkened or rusted/stained.

Mountaingoat

Here is an update. I took the signs and ran a Sharpie along the edges.The edges are truly black.

The gooseneck lamps are operational as well as one inside light.

I am surprised no one familiar with the kit called out the change in the door in the right wall. The instructions called for the rollup door. I opted to swap that with the repair shed doors as that will be in the front from the main viewing direction, especially when installed on the layout. Brett made both doors exactly the same size making the swap super easy.





On to the repair shed.....Rick

sdrees

The building is fantastic Rick. Great job on the weathering of the siding.

admin

Wonderful Rick, glad the doors worked out so well!

KCSTrains

Rick, you are a crafting machine!! What tremendous progress you've made and the look of your building is very authentic. Great job. Phil

Mountaingoat

Had to take a bit of time away from the foundry to build this for a friend of mine here.



He models On30.

Rick

brownbr

A very complex turnout

Robert.G

Great work on the building and the turnout. This can NOT be easy to do !!

Mountaingoat

Thanks guys. I'm ready to get back to the foundry build.

Mountaingoat

After getting sidetracked for a couple weeks, here is what I have done differently from the proposed build of the repair shop. I decided to use the rollup door here as it is in the front as viewed later on the layout. Too cool to put on the back end of the side wall. I also wanted it mostly open and opened the windows as well as I plan to detail the interior with lighting. I simply inverted the door so it was up instead of down. The unpainted figure I added for perspective measures exactly 6' tall. Detailing the interior will be difficult with the door in the way, but I couldn't add the door later without extreme difficulty.




I'm not sure what I want in the interior yet. Suggestions welcome.

Rick

brownbr

That's a nice take on this area.

Will you still consider this to be the Repair Shop? If so, do you have any light machinery laying around? Workbench with grinder, drill press, table saw, etc. Those would look right at home. Some shelving along the left wall looking through the door might look good.

How is the open framing going to look through the door? Will you want to cover that section of wall?

Mountaingoat

I finally made the next step. I installed two work benches along outside walls then decided to put a couple cabinets and another bench to fill things out. I did not have the cabinet I wanted, but realized I had one that stood almost 11' tall that I cut in half.



I added a few items on the blank top then installed the finished shelving.



I wanted things to see through the windows and door. It will be lit, but the roof will not be removable. Here are the results so far. I need to get the lighting in then do the roof. Of course there is more to go on the porch yet too.




Suggestions and comments always welcome. Rick

KCSTrains

Good stuff. Good move on the shelf. Phil

brownbr

A fine interior

TomMich

Interior really looks great! Like that you can see details of the interior from the window and doors.

Mountaingoat

I am moving forward with the foundry build. I have finally completed the tempering shed and glued the buildings together. As noted earlier, I moved the overhead door to the repair shop for better visibility of the interior. To help with the focus on the repair shop, I shortened the tempering shed by one rafter space. That opens the view a little better from the left side of the repair shop. Here is where things are curently,







I also have finished the lighting. Kevin, I had the gooseneck over the repair shop door fail (probably my fault) after I had glued down the roof. What a pain to pry the roof back off without damage and change out the lamp. I did bump a couple of the stacks on the roof and had to redo them too.

Here is what the lighting looks like so far.





Of course, more details will be added to the docks, decks and surroundings as well as more finished weathering after the buildings are in place.

Guys, school is back in session which signals the start of modeling season. Let's get it on....Rick

admin

That's some awesome work Rick. I especially love the roll up door scene and lighting. Can't wait to see more.

sdrees

some really great work

Robert.G

Fantastic work. One would almost forget this is HO !!!!! Awesome.