NAPM Backdrop ELA Tenements

The next section of the backdrop, eight to ten feet, will be a series of tenements.  The inhabitants of East LaSalle need a place to live.  It seems appropriate to include them in this retail, light manufacturing environment.  To maintaining the consistency of the background these buildings will be angled to the backdrop with the side of the structures being the primary exposure.

Finding appropriate models will be a challenge.  On Monday I purchased a Scale Structures Victorian Townhouse kit as a starter.  I have found from past experience that building these kits is a challenge, nothing fits very well, and this one proved to be consistent with this experience.  I took the kit to the club on Tuesday and got an idea of how the angles would work out.  At home that afternoon I got started.

 I plotted the angle on the roof section and then sliced the two sections apart.

Next I cut the angle.  It does take some courage to attack an $80 model with a hack saw!

Next I tacked the three wall sections together with CA.  When the glue hardened I then added a substantial bead of five minute epoxy to the joints.

I added the second rear wall segment and then fitted the roof.  The roof is shorter than the side walls so I butted the front edges to keep the side wall step downs even.

These photos show the mismatch on the rear and slight gap in the front.

I filled the gap in the back with some 1/4 x 1/8 basswood strip material.  Luckily it was an exact fit.  I also used some of the same strips to continue the side walls.  An 1/8 sq strip was used to fill in the top of the right rear wall.

These are the other two sections assembled.

Again a filler strip was added at the rear to fill the gap in the roof.

 On Wednesday I spent some time painting the right hand building.  I spray the interior black in the event that someone at some time might want to install lighting.  That is not my bag, I just build models! The next step will be weathering.


 
 

NAPM East LaSalle Backdrop

 This is the block of buildings in there positions along the backdrop.  The yard seen in the foreground is the Seeboth St coach yard.

 The above photo is of the block east of the prior one.  

This is the east end of the above block. 

Today I worked on contouring the edge of the engine pocket track.  I cut back the Homasote to match the height of the pink foam.

This is how it worked out.

I found some wall casting in the storeroom.  I reduced their height to 2 1/4 inches and cut them for a matched fit.  It looks like they will work out so next week I will bond them in place.

Repositioned foreground buildings.

NAPM Backdrop Buildings

Magnuson department store.  It has been chopped at an angle for placement against the backdrop.  All of the backdrop building have been configured in that manner, it really enhances their appearance.  I have painted the model to appear as thought it was built from cut limestone blocks with a pinkish sandstone for the window cornices and trim.  I painted the walls with Polyscale Antique White and the trim with aged concrete (this happened to be a pinkish batch of aged concrete).  I like to use Dr. Bens aging solutions, I used very dilute black on all surfaces.  Next I used Dr. Bens pigments ( #1380 Silverton Gold and # 1377 Ocher Russet) to color the limestone.

Napm Backdrop Buildings

 DPM modular with Walthers fire escape

Magnuson Tinkers Washer Works wall sections stacked up with Walthers fire escapes

Rear of Magnuson Model, not sure which one, possibly the department store.

Rear of City Classics building

These are the latest creations for the next block on the NAPM backdrop.  These are face on pictures, the buildings are actually angled when placed on the layout. 

NAPM and something for me

Latest NAPM background buildings for East LaSalle.  These with the last set will fill in one block.

Got back to building the DSS&A F6 Consolidation.  Adding piping, it is a slow process.  In this photo all of the parts are dry fit allowing me to remove and test fit everything before final fixing.

Copper Country Project

I have been working on some models of homes found in and around the Calumet and Hecla mining company.  This is a private home on rented company land.  Top prototype photo, bottom 1:87 scale model.

NAPM East LaSalle Backdrop

This set of buildings will be added along the backdrop in East LaSalle.