I’m close to completing my first laser kit, a Laser Art schoolhouse. I’ m impressed with how it has gone. The parts are easier to separate than I feared, and fit together well. I next need to add the shingles, paper stripts that get glued on, then painted. Do you think these will look good, or do you recommend a better material? And if painting the paper shingles, would acrylics be ok. I have lots of them from which to blend a preferred color. On another note, what brand laser structures do folks like for wood buildings? I like the Cornerstone kits for brick walled items but want to try more laser wood kits for wood type walls.
I would use acrylics to paint the shingles.
I’m not sure that I’d agree with this. Would not acrylics, being water based, have the potential to create a problem with paper shingles? Or is this not a concern?
Acrylics will work ok provided you don’t soak the paint on. Apply it almost like a dry-brushing technique so the paint dries almost immediately. If you apply it too wet, it could curl the paper shingles, potentially warp the wood base they are attached to or even loosen the glue they are applied with.
Mark.
Paul,
I have put together Branchline, Blair Line, Model Tech, and American Model Builders (AMB) laser kits. Of the four, I think AMB has the best quality for both parts and fit.
AMB’s window glazing has nice sharp clean edges and the window molding is not oversized. OTOH, the window glazing edges for a couple of Branchline kits was pretty crude in comparison. Even so, it wasn’t noticeable once it was installed to the back of the window pane.
ABM carries a wide range of products in N-, S-, HO-, and O-scale. It’s definitely worth looking into.
Tom
You could’nt replace the wood by something other; use laser wood kit.
I have build severals of them in Nscale, my scale from Bar Mills, Branchline Trains, Nscale Architect, Blair line, BTS Nscale distributed by Republic model works, Gc laser kit and a HO Fine Scale Miniature kit for a friend.
All of them were paint whith acrilycs paints because I only use acrilycs; from the model stuff like Polly scale but also arstist brand, like Liquitex and Golden.
For the parts you want to paint, it’s important to seal the wood before You start construction. I always lightly spray gray automotive spray paint on both side of all the parts before to start. This step is not necessary for part to be tinted.
Don’t forget to brace big panel to avoid them to wrap.
Glue the model on a rigid base like thick multiplex or gator foam.
For paper part like shingles, I first spray a matte varnish on them, and latter paint them, this protect and seal the paper from the water.
Today laser kit are so precisely cut, they are often easier to build than plastics one, asking less filing and adjustements.
Anytimes they are great and have a lot of character and want to be pictured.
Welcome to the world of laser kit.
I have shared pictures of my least two kits in the WPF of this week end.
Marc from Belgium.
What does the manufacturer recommend? Always the best to follow their suggestions.
I agree, poor advice.
I have recently built a number of Bar Mills craftsman kits with shingles or rolled roof material, and have found flat spray paint works very well. I usually give the surface a LIGHT coat of primer gray, followed by the final color after the primer is dry. The key is to go easy on the application of paint - too thick a coat can completely cover desired detail. On a Bar Mills’ “Waterfront Willy’s” kit I followed the gray with a pimento red and got a very realistic faded look to the shingles. Another advantage to using spray paints is you don’t run as much risk of saturating the shingle/roll material.
Will.
And yet, people recommend acrylics and have used them with great results for applications such as this. I like how you suggest that my recommended method is bad advice, yet give absolutly no advice yourself! Wow, how helpful!
Peahrens, If the kit manufacturer has a paint recommendation, then follow they’re recommendations.
ONR Fan, I suggest that you consider if you are being helpful before you make a post; or, are you simply showing your dislike of a specific member of this forum!
Unless you are very confident that you can control your air-brush, I would suggest you use dry powders like Bragdon etc. The key is to stay away from PAINTING and just high lite the shingles . I have built many laser kits and never wet painted the shingles at all.
I’ll cast my vote for Banta model works. I got mine from Micro Mark at a good price. Flawless laser work and great instructions.
I have built some Kanamodels kits. Other than a couple of missing parts I thinks they are great. I used Krylon spray on the paper they provided for the roofing. I did a flat black followed by a very light misting of gray. A little weathering with powders and then dullcoat. I couldn’t be happier with the result.