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The Dr. Grunge Advanced Wood Clinic

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Comments

  • Great tutorial Ken. I picked up a few of those sanding sticks today at a local show. Will definitely apply this info to my next build.
  • Very, very well done. Lots of unique techniques that will be added to my knowledge base. Thanks for this clinic,
    David U
  • Ken, now it's on to the "rusting" clinic. You do such a great job rusting things, that I want to know your secrets. I'll give you a chance to catch your breath and work on your present project, but I would really like to see it..... Please!!!!!
  • No problem sdrees, glad there was something there of potential use!

    Hey Bill, thanks buddy appreciate that. Time is the key, no rushing this type of detailing as you know. I'm looking at my BlueSky build...one wall with 7 boards put on and I have been working on that for 3 evenings! Will shaw that later on.

    Heard your echo Ed...thanks.

    Thanks Steve. I think you'll like those sticks, and so glad we adopted the word "stick" rather than "wand" like the manufacturer describes!

    Good David, and appreciate your thoughts. Don't hesitate to contact me later on for any questions...and that goes for everyone...

    Phil, sounds good and we can always make sure we have something to ponder in Altoona...your up to your armpits in alligators with that bench work from what I see...
  • edited January 2017
    Outstanding tutorial....I can't wait to use the techniques on my "O' scale O'Neills....Thank you for taking the time to do it for us all....
  • Ken, I have finally been able to catch up here. Sure glad I had the front row seat! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful techniques with us. It took a lot of time to do so and the clinic came out fantastic. I now have everything in Word ready to print off. Thanks again.

    Geezerbill
  • edited January 2017
    Muddy, thanks for your support of the clinic, means a lot to know it was useful.

    Hey Bill, heard you had some computer issues to resolve! Thanks for the kind words and support of the clinic. The lack of follow-up questions would lead me to two conclusions; one would be that I covered things pretty well, and the other would be the hot air hasn't filtered from the room yet!
  • HOT AIR Ha Ha
  • Hey...I'm not the only one full of hot air...just the only one right now!
  • Brilliant tutorial Ken. Thanks for taking the time to put it together.
  • Ken, I'm sure there will be follow-up questions once we start trying your methods. This will be a great reference thread. Phil
  • edited January 2017
    Heard that Ed.

    You bet Wes, and thanks for your thoughts on the clinic. Never sure how that kind of thing will turn out.

    Thanks Phil. Oh.. by the way, our itinerary for Altoona are quite a ways off, as I'm getting in later on Thursday and leaving early Sunday. Sorry it didn't work out any better than that.
  • No problem Ken. I'm sure I'll just rent a car.
  • Thanks for all the close-up pictures...that one with the insect marks is fantastic!
  • I agree with Alan and I also really liked the pic with the insect damage. Very, very convincing.

    Geezerbill
  • Great work. Thanks for taking the time to present it all so nicely.
  • Bill, that was a really fun detail to add and so easy. If you do a couple of boards together it really gives that rotten "punky" wood look.

    Glad you liked it Joel and always nice to hear from you. Putting the methods to good use and am heavily into my BlueSky build. I hope too see you at the EXPO...
  • How would you go about doing the clapboard siding?
  • Right Mike...I should have titled it "Dr. Grunge Advanced Stripwood Clinic" as I did not touch on clapboard. The manual should be referred to in this case and Brett does a splendid job of describing the techniques for wethering and detailing clapboard and goes further to outline the specific treatment for each individual kit that calls for clapboard. I illustrated a few advanced types of weathering and damage that are possible with clapboard siding in my BlueSky build thread. If you have any specific questions regarding clapboard I'm sure the experts here would be happy to help...
  • Ken, thank you very much for your tutorial. I will definitely apply these techniques to my future builds, and hope they will turn out almost as good.
  • You bet David....if you have any questions as you're working up your wood, don't hesitate to post...
  • Thanks Ken, I followed this and it is nice learning from a master. I really appreciate the work you did on your Loco and Service Shops. A question to the group about nail holes. Is less, more? Theoretically, there would be nail holes at the internal framing, not just the board ends. I also realize that too many nail holes can be distracting. Your thoughts?
  • Great question Mark, and one that hasn't been tackled here in several years...

    Nail Holes.... where to begin? One of the best aspects about our hobby is the diverse opinions and for the most part, community acceptance of those differing opinions. I'm not trying to be pc. Model railroaders tend to be pretty mellow folks. There's always the exception for sure but usually not the rule! OK, I got stories about crazy ass modelers but thankfully I have many more stories about awesome customers!

    I usually do not model nail holes or nail heads as I find most of us make them too big and obvious. A pair of subtle nail holes at a board end emphasizes the fact that two boards are meeting and I will usually add them there. But I avoid rows of nails holes along a stud line. Yeah, I can go and search for images and find plenty of examples of old clapboard siding with rows of nail holes. So yes, the prototype exists but that doesn't mean you should model it. Think about any SierraWest diorama set in say 1935. It would be prototypical to plunk a shiny brand new cherry red Ford pickup truck in the middle of the scene. No weathering, straight from the dealer, 5 miles on the odometer. So yes, prototypical, but looks like crap. To my eye the same holds true for row after row of nail holes.

    Now if you are determined to add nail holes good for you. I refer you back to my original statement about mellow hobbyists. And yes Ed is probably the "mellowist" of us all. But please, please do not use a pounce wheel to create your rows. The pounce wheels available in our hobby leave a rectangular impression in the wood, not round. Just horrible, terrible, crap. You can find pounce wheels from the clothing/pattern making industry that leave round impressions behind if you search hard enough. Very tough to find today where the holes are spaced close enough for HO or even O Scales. Also please keep your rows straight. The studs behind the siding is presumably straight so make sure your rows follow the "stud lines".

    Now Karl Allison has some nifty techniques for making nail holes but that is his story to tell....
  • edited April 2017
    Well thank you "mgietz" the Loco and Service Shops is an outstanding kit and was so much fun working it up. Glad you got some good use out of the wood clinic.

    Page 3 of this wood clinic outlines my use of nail holes.
  • edited April 2017
    I disagree with you 909, of course the nailholes have to be perfectly straight. Otherwise they'd miss the stud. A stud edge is only 1+3/4" wide, if you miss the center, the stud will split, the siding will fall off.
    True, there may be a max 1/4" variance in real life but that is impercievable in scale models.
    In real life there is either a stud or a guidline that you follow as you nail each board on, working up the wall, to ensure it is secure, you therefore hit center stud within an 1/8th.... straight lines.

    Nothing ruins an otherwise great model more than bad nail holes.

    HO, selective, distinct areas subtly done for effect.
    O, if done right you wont see them except in close up pictures.

    A model with no nail heads will always look better than a model with badly done nail heads.

    Karl.A
  • Thanks for the thoughtful responses. I'm in the design and layout process now to place my structures in such a way as to bring them to life and tell a story. I've been away from the modeling for a few years as life happened, but am excited to be back modeling again.
    I've talked with Brett quite a few times, and kept up with the build threads and am blown away by the openness of the group here, and the experience and skill. Yes, I know experience is what you get when you find out there was less skill than anticipated.
    Thanks for welcoming me, and for the helpful ideas.
    Mark
  • Ed not to be picky but do you mean Chuck Doan??
  • edited September 2018

    i plan on texturing stripwood today. i'll probably have an update mid-week. between o'neill's and the backwoods water tower scenery i'll be busy today.
  • Ken, what a complete tutorial on modeling within modeling. Such a great accompaniment to Brett’s written and video instructions. I learned so much from this tutorial.
  • Appreciate that George and glad you found it useful. I do take a good amount of time working my wood on my builds. It sets the basis for the entire project and thus so important.
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