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ETinBH
Fireman
USA
4242 Posts |
 Posted - 10/08/2011 : 7:26:09 PM
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Jaime of photography fame is making nice progress on Yejudah's on the other forum ( I am also posting on that thread) and the reporting of same is a fine tutorial for folks learning how to cope with craftman kits - I appreciate his detailing of the trials and tribulations as he encounters them. And with the other builds by Karl (postalkarl) and David (Kot2b) sure makes it easy for me to coast right in with my build.
Got the kit yesterday and did the customary rummaging of the contents - all castings are in tact and the usual parts are present. Scanned the contents of the instructions up to #3 and here I am. One point - George has you measure the quarter of an inch spacing for the brace and I feel a much better way is to use a spacer and an angle thingie. Here is a shot of the job after applying the glued braces, triple checking for alignment and spacing and test fit while epoxy is setting. Spot on and easy. Now to decide to paint first, or glue together first - hum?
Anyone else want to jump in and build with me - the water is fine! lol
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NEMMRRC
Crew Chief
USA
803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 07:16:07 AM
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Let's get this party started [:-party]
I'm anxious to see how you work your magic on George's first brick structure. Karl's and Dave's renditions are really cool. I'm confident you'll do a great job.
So did you paint before you glued?
Jaime |
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kruisyk
Crew Chief
USA
590 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 10:17:14 AM
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Jaime: I'm a former member of the kitforum and don't go back there, but a friend tipped me off to your thread, and it's great. Any thought of posting it here, too, for wider exposure? Looking forward to yours, Elliott. I've got several structures in progress already, plus Delabarre Woolens on its way, so I won't be starting Yehuda's 'til winter so I'll pass on joining in. Have fun!
Dave K. |
"Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate." |
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postalkarl
Fireman
6444 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 10:30:14 AM
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Hi Elliott:
Glad to see you kit has arrived. I'll be watching with great interest. Looks like you're off to a good start.
Karl S. |
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kot2b
Engine Wiper
USA
148 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 10:57:01 AM
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Good Morning Elliot,
I know what you mean about getting the kit and looking it all over. Kind of like having your first child, you check all the fingers and toes. It is a great build and everything goes together quite well. As far as painting goes, I always paint after the building is assembled. This way you have less of a chance of nicking any of the plaster and having to go back and touch it up later and it also fills some of the fine gaps that you might have on the seams. Only my two cents.
Enjoy the build and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Dave |
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NEMMRRC
Crew Chief
USA
803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 12:21:41 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by kruisyk
Jaime: I'm a former member of the kitforum and don't go back there, but a friend tipped me off to your thread, and it's great. Any thought of posting it here, too, for wider exposure? Looking forward to yours, Elliott. I've got several structures in progress already, plus Delabarre Woolens on its way, so I won't be starting Yehuda's 'til winter so I'll pass on joining in. Have fun!
Dave K.
Hi Dave.
Thanks for the kind words.
I've thought about duplicate posting. I'm perplexed.
Hear me out.
Postalkarl has duplicated his thread on here and at www.kitforums.com. He has gotten a lot of feedback. That is good.
If you read my thread about my experience building Yehuda's at www.kitforums.com you'll see I've gotten a lot of feedback also. I want that feedback. If I were to get even more feedback elsewhere, I'd have a hard time consolidating it. Mainly because I'm incorporating that very feedback to my building experience. I want all that to be in one place where it is easier for me to manage it.
Having said that and reading your request, I need to think of how I could duplicate my posts here and at www.kitforums.com so I can manage my building experience more effectively.
It takes a lot of time to build the kit AND write about it. Especially the way I am telling my story. I really only have 90 minutes per day to work on my build.
Lastly, the software at www.kitforums.com affords me the ability to pick up in the thread where I left off. A single link takes me straight to the next unread post in the thread. That is most valuable considering what I've explained already.
Give me a day or so to figure out how I could manage to duplicate threads before I reach a decision. Perhaps Karl and Elliot can provide some input on how I can go about that.
Jaime |
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ETinBH
Fireman
USA
4242 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 5:00:37 PM
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| Write it on kit forum, cut and paste it to this one - add the pics and you are done - respond to the thread only when you do the c&p. Create a bookmark to the current page and change it as the thread progresses - and there you have it |
Edited by - ETinBH on 10/09/2011 5:01:34 PM |
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NEMMRRC
Crew Chief
USA
803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 5:48:26 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by ETinBH
Write it on kit forum, cut and paste it to this one - add the pics and you are done - respond to the thread only when you do the c&p. Create a bookmark to the current page and change it as the thread progresses - and there you have it
I believe I can work with that. Thanks.
Since we are building together over at www.kitforums.com, would you be bothered if we build together here as well?
Jaime |
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kruisyk
Crew Chief
USA
590 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 6:08:20 PM
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Jaime:
Folks can always follow along over there, too. It's such a great thread so far I just thought I'd give the folks over here a heads-up to check it out. Yes, documenting builds for a thread easily doubles or triples the build time, depending on how particular you are about the pix and how much you choose to write. I've started a few threads, finished the structures, but never finished the threads (Laskey Cabinet for example)!!! So I'm very appreciative of a fantastic thread such as the one you're posting. You'll be off for a few days, I suspect, as you head to the Expo. Have a good time. Any chance you'll be at CSC'11? Happy building!
Dave K. |
"Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate." |
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ETinBH
Fireman
USA
4242 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 6:13:38 PM
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| Wow - I would welcome some company - build on dude. |
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NEMMRRC
Crew Chief
USA
803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 6:31:08 PM
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Dave,
I believe Elliot's suggestion makes it feasible for me to duplicate my postings here and still accomplish what I've set out to do. Thank you for your kind words.
I will preface each duplicate post as being originally posted to www.kitforums.com to differentiate my efforts here from those at www.kitforums.com.
Elliot,
What refreshments do you have on hand for a guest modeler?
Jaime |
Edited by - NEMMRRC on 10/09/2011 6:32:16 PM |
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NEMMRRC
Crew Chief
USA
803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 6:45:09 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by kruisyk
Jaime:
... You'll be off for a few days, I suspect, as you head to the Expo. Have a good time. Any chance you'll be at CSC'11? Happy building!
Dave K.
Dave,
I am heading to The Expo this week. I am excited about it.
I am also fortunate enough to be able to attend CSC '11. I hope I don't overload on super cool toy trains.
Jaime |
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ETinBH
Fireman
USA
4242 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 6:58:28 PM
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Jaime - Memphis fizz with a lime!
Here is the building assembled, seamed, and wood thingied - read to paint - hum, step 4. Details were amply provieded by Jaime during his build experience noted above.
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NEMMRRC
Crew Chief
USA
803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 7:13:21 PM
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I want to thank Elliot for his willingness to share his build space with me. Also, Thanks to Dave K. for suggesting I include rr-line on my efforts building Yehuda's.
Cheers Elliot and rr-line devotees.
Originally posted as "My Experience Building FSM's Yehuda's Heating Co. - JS14" at www.kitforums.com
When I first learned that George Sellios was releasing an FSM kit with a brick structure I knew I had to have it and build it. I believe this is a first for Fine Scale Miniatures. So, as soon as I learned of it I mailed George a check for $265.00 + $15.00 shipping.
George promised delivery in October of 2011 and sure enough he delivered. My kit arrived at my office on September 30, 2011 via UPS. I was very surprised.
Here you see the package after I opened it.
When I first ordered Yehuda's I wanted to build it as the instructions call for. I also wanted to share my experience in the event that anyone that has never built an FSM kit wished to find out wat it is like to build an FSM kit. There is already a [url=http://kitforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6106]great build thread by Karl Scholz[/url] here at kitforums and [url=http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=34096]at rr-line[/url]. I encourage you to follow Karl's work. My effort is a bit different. I want to share as much of the experience as possible. I'd like to give you an idea of what it is like to do this.
I'll start with the following:
- I was perplexed by George's instructions to first assemble the brick structure before painting it. I am accustomed to working with flat walls. You know, prepare the plaster castings, paint the castings, install windows, detailing the walls and then assembling the structure.
I debated whether to follow the instructions or venture out on my own. I even sought council from experienced modelers. In the end I stuck to my original plan and decided to stick to the instructions as much as possible. This is not trivial. When one invests $280.00 and lots of time on a kit the end result should more than satisfy.
My purpose is to include you on the decisions posed to the modeler and how to resolve them when building Yehuda's. I want to do this because it is likely that the only FSM kits that get built are those built by experienced modelers. Perhaps by modelers that could build the kit without the aid of instructions except to identify the parts and where to put them. Along the way I'll be faced with questions like "What primer should I use when preparing the plaster castings?". In the instructions, which I've began reading already before starting the kit, George only specifies the color of primer he used. That may seem trivial to most but to me it was not. That is what I hope to include in this thread, for the benefit of that gal or guy building an FSM kit for the first time.
Here is the kit outside the package in which it traveled all the way from Peabody, MA to Graceland (home of The King).
Next up, what the modeler gets for $265.00 plus $15.00 shipping.
Jaime |
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NEMMRRC
Crew Chief
USA
803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 7:20:01 PM
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Originally posted as "My Experience Building FSM's Yehuda's Heating Co. - JS14" at www.kitforums.com
George Sellios has been doing the craftsman kit gig for a long time. It is fair to say he has the whole thing down pat. I surmise many will concur.
For starters, George packs a lot of stuff into those yellow boxes (roughly the size of a shoe box). Not only does he cram a ton of model railroad goodness in each yellow box, he does so very carefully. Here you see the kit box as first opened:
And here we see the kit's contents all neatly packed:
For $265.00 plus $15.00 shipping the modeler gets:
- a bunch of color-coded stripwood,
- a thin roll of roofing paper,
- some rubber bands,
- 4 plaster castings (which are amazingly detailed),
- a small box of metal castings (the real reason many folks purchase an FSM kit),
- some plastic window castings,
- a small length of scale chain,
- color signage for the structures,
- corrugated roofing material,
- 4 very large instruction sheets,
- one giant sheet of detailing and weathering tips (which many testify have taught them to be the modelers they are today),
- a last minute addendum to the instructions referencing Karl Scholz's findings when first coloring the plaster wall castings
- and one large poster with photos of the finished model built by George Sellios himself and photographed by George's daughter Tara.
All comes neatly packaged in a manner that will cause the box never to close shut the way it arrived at your doorstep once you open the kit's box. I have no clue how the man does it. Yet he has been doing it hundreds of times each year for the last 30 plus years. This is very encouraging. It proves to the modeler that one has purchased a quality product. Perhaps that is why many of these kits sit unbuilt on model railroaders' shelves all over. The kits are just too pretty to muck up by taking everything out of the box =))
Here we see the artwork on the box's lid:
I've seen autographed box lids in the past. Mine is not. Perhaps this makes mine special.
A brief look at the instructions sheets and the color poster with delicious views of the pilot model:
And lastly the box inside the box. The highly detailed metal castings which for years have set FSM kits apart from the rest.
Next up, the new stuff. What makes Yehuda's unique among all FSM kits. The plaster castings.
Jaime |
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NEMMRRC
Crew Chief
USA
803 Posts |
Posted - 10/09/2011 : 7:24:04 PM
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Originally posted as "My Experience Building FSM's Yehuda's Heating Co. - JS14" at www.kitforums.com
2011 is the year that "subscribers" to the FSM kit of the year plan get a big surprise. FSM JS14 Yehuda's Heating Co. is a brick structure. George has done a plaster kit in 2011.
This brick structure is the reason behind all this dribble I'm typing. It isn't just an excuse for me to take lots of photos. It is the incentive behind my effort to provide a different perspective on building an FSM kit. I am not a contest winning modeler. Why I'm just barely an average modeler. It was not my luck to be born in Lake Wobegon or I'd be above average. Therefore, I purpose to build FSM's Yehuda's Heating Co. - JS14 according to the instructions penned by George Sellios.
Thus far I've shown you what you've perhaps seen a dozen or so times in your very own man cave, the insides of an FSM kit. Now, I'll show you what is different about Yehuda's. I'll show you what sets it apart from all the yellow boxes stacked on your shelves of unbuilt kits. Plaster castings.
Actually, I'm only going to focus on one of the 4 plaster castings. This one:
I was blown away by the detail found in these plaster castings. They are very crisp with lots of definition. But what really took me by surprise was the stucco already cast onto the wall. I was not aware that was possible. Perhaps this has been done before a lot by someone else. I do not know of it. But, I welcome examples of it. I'm truly excited about it.
Here is a closer look at the stucco:
I wish I were better able to show the detail of the stucco cast onto the walls. Perhaps once I've colored the castings the stucco will pop out at you. It did to me on postalkarl's build thread. I had to find out right away. Was this stucco George's work or Karl's. It is George's.
I am confident that those that have purchased Yehuda's and dare open the kit and unwrap the plater castings will be just as pleased as I am. If you are not, please let me know why.
Jaime |
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Topic |
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Yehudah's - again?
