I got my first building kit in the mail this morning, A Walthers Merchant’s Row lll.
I would like to start on it soon but would like any advice you can offer since this will be my 1st attempt at a building kit. For starter, I would like the brick on the sides to be a redish color with a white morter. How is the correct way to go about diong this? Looks like painting the parts will be the first step, am I correct?
I am sure I will have several other questions as I go along, and will ask as I need to know.
loather, You made a comment earlier here that you are building yours, any advice or tips from someone that has built one? Thanks, I appriciate all comments. Mike
Yes, if you don’t like the color of the walls, you’ll have to paint them (preferably prior to construstion). THere are a lot of methods for this, painting the walls red followed by flour/chalk/pastel/etc, or starting by painting the walls the mortar color, then drybrushing the brick color(s) on top.
As for the actual construction, make dure the joints are clean/free of paint, or else the glue may not stick very well.
I have never built that kit, but I have built a few others. Since I don’t have an air brush, I use spray paints. I look through the directions to see where each piece is going to go. Usually I can paint each group of parts one color. They make these kits so you don’t have to paint them. I spray them with a white or gray primer, then whatever colors I’m looking for. As far as the brick color goes, I used a rust colored primer. It looks much better than the building that I tried to paint red. I then assemble the building. After that, I add the grout lines using watered down light gray paint. The paint will find its way into the grooves. Once it’s dry, I spray the whole thing with a dark wash to weather it. This is a very abbreviated description. I just thought I’d start somewhere.
I’ve used Boxcar Red to paint my brick buildings. (It’s more of a deeper red than an actual brick red.) I find that it gives it a well-aged “industrial grime” look to the brick. The Floquil and Pollyscale Boxcar Red paint is thin so it goes on very nicely with a broad-tipped brush.
Mike, you have built a lot of cool stuff, so you kind of know what will happen. You know that all the advice in the world will not eliminate the practice, practice, practice rule. I also like to paint first, but a lot of touchup is needed.
Getting square corners is hard
Keeping glue off that sides is harder. A tooth pick helps a little.
When you are done it will be the best plastic kit you have ever made, but it will not be the best you will ever make. Have at it and learn as you go. As Bob Ross says, “there are no mistakes, only happy accidents.” If you are going to weather it much, you can cover all the problems nicely unless you plan to enter it in a contest.
For a realitively small building like that, I assemble the walls before painting them. It’s easier to get everything to match that way. Whenever possible I paint the windows before installing them. For the brickwork, I have several methods.
Base brick color with mortar paint:
Paint the walls you’re brick color (Testor Red here). I then brush acrylic craft paint onto the walls (Delta Creamcoat Flesh Tan) Before the paint sets, wipe off with a paper towel, leaving paint in the mortar lines, and a slight film on the brick surface.
Mortar color first:
Here I sprayed the whole thing with Krylon Gray Primer, and used Pental Watercolor Pens to color the brick. Working at a 45 degree to the mortar lines works best.
Here I sprayed the walls white and used colored pencils to color the brick.
First thing, be neat. Avoid glue squeeze out of the joints, glue spills any where, gluey fingerprints upon the glazing, paint spatters, that sort of thing.
Then check all the parts for good fit. File to fit as required. Make sure the walls go together squarely. Make up some jigs to hold things square while the glue sets up. Use clamps, rubber bands whatever to hold it together. If the walls are warped (unflat) try to flatten them. A very gentle heat and some clamping might do it. Or glue some wood or plastic stifferners to the warped walls. While you are at it, remove all flash, mold parting marks, and sprue attach spots.
Use the right glue. For styrene plastic, Tenax or Plasticweld.
Cover the flat roof with black 220 grit sandpaper for a good tar-and-gravel look.
Glaze the windows.
Make a second floor out of card stock or plastic. Without a second floor, the view in the second floor windows will show a bottemless pit. Just a simple floor is nearly as good as doing a full detailed interior.
Light the building. Paint the inside to prevent the plastic from glowing in the dark and seal up any light leaks.
Paint everything that shows. Plain plastic has an unrealistic gloss to it that paint will cover. Especially paint the window frames. Make the paint lines neat, mask as required to prevent slops over the line.
Paint the exterior brickwork with a spray can of red sandable auto primer. It dries dead flat, covers well, and is an excellent brick color. Then rub or brush white chalk powder into the mortar lines. Wipe it off the surface of the bricks, it will stay in the grooves of the mortar lines. DO NOT spray DullCote over the chalk. DullCote “marries” with chalk and makes the chalk just disappear. A structure doesn’t get handled like rolling stock does and the chalk
Ahh… Merchants Row III. I built that kit first while starting my layout, and I will say it is one of the easier ones. Since the window trim, doors, etc. are all separate pieces, you can just paint those whatever color with an airbrush or spray can without having to use a brush like the “molded in with the walls kits.” Much easier…
When you build the kit, one of the more difficult spots will be fitting the storefront parts together, like the recessed front door area. You will probably need to sand and file some of those parts to fit well.
Overall, that is a nice, fairly easy kit. I would say you made a good choice.
I find it is easiest to paint first then assemble, but be prepared for touch-up.
I like to paint the brick first. Then depending on the look, I may go through and paint several bricks white or black to vary the color. Then I use a thinned out mortar color brushed in and wiped off with a rag. This weathers the brick at the same time as filling in the mortar. Then I go back and add streaks where water would drip and run like around windows and roof vents.
This is a Lifelike Engine House I got off eBay for $9.
My first step is to paint the insides of the walls and roof with cheap black paint from a rattle can. That reduces “glow-through” if you light the structure from the inside. Even if you don’t plan to light it, do this anyway. It’s a lot easier than trying to do it later if you change your mind.
Next, realize that you’re not going to finish this in one night, or even two. I generally plan on a week to 10 days to finish a structure, mostly spent waiting for paint to dry, or for the rain to stop so I can go outside and spray something.
I use a variety of paints for brick color, but my favorite is rust primer from a can. One coat does the job. After the paint is good and dry, I rub Hydrocal powder into the mortar joints. I set the walls down flat, and spray water above them to allow the water to “rain” down on the walls, rather than spraying directly. Again, wait for the Hydrocal to set. It will look very white, but be ready for that. Take a damp paper towel and rub off the excess Hydrocal, and then brush it with a thin wash of India Ink in water. That will gray down the Hydrocal and begin the weathering. I usually set the walls at a 45-degree angle while the ink wash dries. The excess will run down and collect the way real dirt would.
Next I paint the trim. I use cheap acrylics and a small brush for the window sills and arches. Take your time, and have a wet paper towel handy to wipe off mistakes. Once that’s done, you can glue it all together. Clean the black paint off of any mating surfaces so you’ll get a good bond. I like to use tissue paper inside the windows for shades and curtains.
Think about fire escapes as a detail on these. Walthers makes a couple of different sets, and Tichy also has one.
Go by the makeup aisle in wallyworld and pick up a couple of packages of foam applicators. I got some that looked like triangles and round sponges. To that add a few different colors of whatever color you what from the craft aisle. Then after you’ve done all the painting you want dip a sponge into the color and then stamp it on a newpaper until only a small amount will appear. a few lite stamps on your painted building will vary the colors like real bricks.
This was my first attempt.
A few more buildings later. This shows some different colors on stone.
I use the Ambroid Safeweld as it has the brush inside the glass bottle very precise but also extremely easy to get glue where you dont want it because a drop will take off, run down the corner crack and then pool out anywhere it can find following gravity… brick mortor creases etc.
Painting is straight from the can, airbrushing to happen in 2008. But until then, I paint a part, let it dry a day (Minimum) sometimes I will sniff a part and continue to let it dry undisturbed for days until it quit making paint odor. That is my first line of defense against fingerprints, hair, dandruff etc. Ick!
Spareparts. You can see a stack of spares to the left. There is more in a box nearby. If something gets fubared really bad, I’ll get the factory to send me the replacement part or buy a second kit of the same kind for more spares. Accumulate spares from EVERY plastic kit you build. You never know when that one widget comes in handy.
The tools are what I used on the building. What is not shown is the dremel moto tool. I carved out a roof corner with the dremel. Then covered the gaping holes with the air blower and associated rack, piping etc… but that roof fits and does not look too bad.
Sharp xacto knife and no coffee or other nervous system altering stimulants. If you feel jiggly, nervous, cranky, bad tempered… PUT that knife down and WALK AWAY from the workbench. Why? The very first part you pick up to trim will recieve a whittle wood carving that will render it destroyed.
That’s all for now.
Your first plastic kit will look… ok. Not great but ok. sorta… umm… wow…hmm…
Every kit you build in your lifetime from that first kit WILL get better and better.
Those instructions? Well… check, recheck and check again and YES that window pane you installed WILL be upside down.
Some things to think about are: Are you going to (eventually anyway) add an interior to the building?? Are you (eventually) going to add interior lighting to the building (for nighttime operations)??
If you’re going to add lighting, you need to paint the walls or the building will glow like a big christmas tree bulb when you install the lights. Some people paint the interior walls black to block the light…which leads to the first question. If you’re going to add an interior (now or maybe later), real buildings rarely have black interior walls.
Since it looks like the walls are already kind of a brickish color, here’s an idea that I picked up from a magazine (and my own experiences):
Get a nice gray color spray paint, I like Tamiya light gray - goes on very smooth and even. Lay the building walls out flat and spray one side completely. A day or two later (acrylics usually dry pretty quickly, but I’d wait at least a day) turn them over and spray the other side the same way.
Now using some fairly fine grit sandpaper or an emery board or something similar, carefully sand the side with the bricks on it. The bricks are raised up a little so if you’re careful you can remove the gray paint from the bricks, but leave the gray ‘mortar’ in between…plus you have a nice primer gray interior which you can leave as is, or spray / brush paint another color.
I’ve had al lot of success using acrylic paints from a craft store - they’re cheap - around .30 (yep thirty cents) per bottle when on sale at Joanne Fabrics or Michaels. Applebarrel is one. They brush on well or spray, come in a variety of colors and are flat (no gloss).
I usually paint first then assemble - its easier to keep the colors seperated (ie trim)
As for assembly, try to use a liquid cement - an old paint brush works well to apply it. These dry pretty quickly and if you dont flood the area are pretty forgiving
Gosh, you just have to love this forum. I have been in model railroading for years and have built some outstanding structures and some that were…well…better sited at the back of the layout. In reading the answers to your question, I learned several new techniques myself! Thanks everyone…you are the reason this is the world’s greatest hobby.
I guess I should contribute something to the cause. My best advice is less weathering is better. As you drive around town, take a good look at the buildings…they are fairly clean. One of my biggest mistakes (and I have made hundreds) was applying too much weathering material to a structure. LIGHT weathering will go a long way in making your structure “fit” the scene. It is far better to apply weathering in a couple of light coats - rather than one heavy layer. So begin looking at real structures…what becomes dirty or stained? Where does the rust form on a metal roof? Where are the side walls NOT weathered? By the way this same skill of observation can be used on rolling stock. See a great building - but are afraid you won’t remember the details? Use you digital camera to take a photo. You can print the image and hang it on your bench while you work on your model structure. Good luck…you’ll do fine.
When painting brick I paint the brick color first then mix up a wash of 10% off white paint (apple barrel etc) and 90% rubbing alcohol, brush the wash over the brick and the wash will settle in the motar lines and give the brick a worn faded look.
All the replies I have seen so far are great. Floquil makes a red primer that is nice for brick color. I have found that rubbing water based paint to make the mortar lines works well but be sure to do a good rub down. I use old wash clothes my wife needs to discard. Some she doesn’t even know need discarding! If the walls seem too white or whatever, sand the surface lightly with 400 or finer paper to bring out the brick color. Many brick buildings today have been painted since construction and will not have mortar lines.
To hold a 90deg angle on the walls it is good to use clamps but you needn’t rush out and buy expensive fixtures right away.Here is an N scale building fixtured with scrap aluminum tube and clothesline clips. It helps to work in a race car shop with lots of scrap, but HD or other hardware stores frequently have thin wall square tube or perhaps you have some other source such as broken lawn furniture and a hacksaw. Anyway here’s what the fixture looks like in use.
