| Author |
 Topic  |
|
jaynjay
Fireman
USA
4334 Posts |
 Posted - 07/02/2012 : 11:00:56 AM
|
This is my first Build Thread and I probably don't use the correct techniques; but bear that in mind and point out any my mistakes...cause I'll probably do them again if no one says anything.
I bought the MTS The Hotel background kit for a fill in spot.
The kit comes in a plastic bag with everything (note: everything is a misnomer) that you see here.
The instruction's (2 pages) consist of a colored picture of the finished Hotel plus two drawing illustrating where the wood pieces go.
The front of the building (plus the sides) consist of two wood pieces with one end undercut so the gluing the 2 pieces together hides the butt joint.
I added nail holes to the front and side pieces and gave them a A&I treatment on both sides.
I glued the ends together and let the the glue set for a couple of hours.
The kit comes with two really small square pieces of wood to help straighten and support the sides. This wasn't strong enough IMO and used 1/4 inch basswood.
I then let the 1/4 inch wood dry with a few weights to help set the gule.
|
John |
|
|
jaynjay
Fireman
USA
4334 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 11:30:41 AM
|
Oops, I hit the wrong button and the topic got posted...anyway here is the picture
I then glued the two side pieces to the front
This is how The Hotel looked at this point
The instructions come with suggested colors. The walls I painted as suggested: Delta Wedgewood Greenwood. The cornice (more on that later) Delta Buttercup Yellow...which I didn't have...replaced by FolkArt Sunflower.
Here is as far as I have gone with The Hotel. The windows are in (no glass material comes with the kit) and the cornice is painted a pale yellow.
I made a mistake on the cornice. The cornice was supposed to be built with the smooth side of the wood facing out. There is a cornice piece that is then glued over the smooth side. As you can see; my RFS (Restless Finger Syndrom) kicked in and I glued it on with the smooth side facing in.
The laser-cut signage is probably some of the worst pieces I have ever seen. Cardboard stock is used and the laser didn't go through all the layers, meaning you have to razor out ALL the pieces; and even then there is fuzzy paper shreds on all of them.
Now I'm at a standstill. The model looks like a brand new faded paint Hotel. I gave the building an A&I stain and it still looks to clean. I've never weathered anything beyond an A&I application so don't know what to do now. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated
Note: there is a couple of foundation pieces still to be put on.
|
John |
 |
|
|
postalkarl
Fireman
6439 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 11:37:05 AM
|
Hi:
Looks good but it doesn't appaer to have any doors. I think I'd pull that center bottom window and add a nice double door.
Karl S
|
|
|
|
postalkarl
Fireman
6439 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 11:41:44 AM
|
Hi:
I looked this kit up. Now that I see it has firescapes I think I'd offset the door to the right.
Karl S. |
|
|
|
mabloodhound
Fireman
USA
4613 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 3:00:24 PM
|
I agree with Karl, it does need a door. Easy enough to do at this stage.
Don't forget the corner boards to hide that joint.
So far it looks like you have a good handle on it.
 |
Dave Mason
D&G RR (Dunstead & Granford) in On30
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”~Benjamin Franklin
The 2nd Amendment, America’s 1st Homeland Security
|
|
|
|
Ensign
Fireman
Canada
3705 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 3:15:07 PM
|
Hi John,nice to see you doing a build!
I hope it comes with some luck of the Irish included!
Being a M.T.S. kit you will be needing it.
I will be among the lucky ones watching you build it.
Greg Shinnie |
|
|
|
postalkarl
Fireman
6439 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2012 : 3:31:42 PM
|
Hi:
Now that I'm looking at it adding a door may also be a problem. Not enough floor space under the windows. But I'd do it anyway.
Karl S . |
|
|
|
Tabooma County Rwy
Fireman
USA
4193 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 11:54:23 AM
|
John, if this is supposed to be a background kit, maybe this is also the back of the hotel? If you want to go along those lines (and often the backs of buildings faced the tracks), you could add a freight door to replace one of the windows on the bottom row. I'd do that, and probably board up the other window (or two, depending on where I located the freight door). I wouldn't try to replicate the siding for the boarded up sections - maybe some different scribed wood, or even plywood. It would add some interest and break up that whole wall of windows.
As far as the sign goes, if you don't want to use it, or can't salvage it to your satisfaction, you might consider asking someone like Walt at Rusty Stumps to cut you a new sign. Or, another idea would be to check the Miller Engineering website - I think they have some hotel "neon" signs - maybe even a Shamrock Hotel neon one?
Al Carter |
|
|
|
Quark
New Hire
38 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2012 : 2:58:09 PM
|
If its hotel back or alley wall then could be there is no door. Its fine. But the low windows are so close to the foundation. And the top windows are far under the roof. Can you not take the top part off and glue to the bottom? That will fix it. I think so.
Andy |
|
|
|
mark_dalrymple
Crew Chief
New Zealand
517 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2012 : 3:18:23 PM
|
Hi John. Comming along nicely.
What about adding a foundation? This would be appropriate, give enough height for a door to be put in if wanted and line the top of the door up with the top of the windows (the foundation would need to go a bit lower than the bottom of the door), give the walls a footing to sit on, and, if it has a timber floor, allow enough space for the joists, bearers and piles. It could be block, or plastered concrete. Just some styrene sprayed with a grey primer would work, but you could always apply some light weight spackle over some scrap timber or use some air dry das. Normally the weatherboards will sit just proud (about a scale inch or two) from the foundation so the weather is kept out, and the bottom board extends slightly below the top of the foundation.
Cheers, Mark. |
|
|
|
jaynjay
Fireman
USA
4334 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2012 : 3:29:28 PM
|
| This is suppose to represent the back of a Hotel, and yes it is a background kit. I searched all my stuff and couldn't find a stupid door. I ordered a few and I will see how that looks |
John |
|
|
|
mabloodhound
Fireman
USA
4613 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2012 : 4:35:01 PM
|
Andy has a good point about the windows being so low to the ground. A hotel would have kept them up off the floor and I almost thought the wall was upside down.
But then I visited the website and that is exactly how they show it. I guess a foundation is the only way to make it look OK for a door.
|
Dave Mason
D&G RR (Dunstead & Granford) in On30
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”~Benjamin Franklin
The 2nd Amendment, America’s 1st Homeland Security
|
|
|
|
jschumaker
Crew Chief
USA
853 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2012 : 7:38:55 PM
|
I am wondering if the section with two rows of windows should have gone on the bottom.
Jeff S. |
|
|
|
mark_dalrymple
Crew Chief
New Zealand
517 Posts |
Posted - 07/04/2012 : 9:45:00 PM
|
Hi John.
I thought I might put to rest some peoples view that you might have put this kit together wrong. With that in mind, here's the link to the structure as build by Model Tech Studios for anyone who wants to compare.
http://modeltechstudios.com/3dbackgroundhoscalehotelkit.aspx
(for all the doubters) Johns build is not upside down (I must admit - my first thought - only because of how close the bottom windows are to the ground ) and its not put together wrong.
The join can be clearly seen on the MTS build (you have done a far better job of splicing the walls together John) and the wall section with three windows is supposed to go underneth. If you were to swap them around then there would be a difference in the number of weatherboards between each floor.
As it is the back of the hotel a door isn't really necessary, but I think a foundation is - the windows are just too close to the ground. Model Tech Studios have dealt with this problem by hidding the ground level with shrubbery etc - certainly an easy option.
I can remember watching two previous MTS build threads - and both seemed to encounter numerous problems. On the positive side you get to do a little kit modification - scratchbuilding will be a sinch after a couple more of these!
Have fun - mistakes (even if they are by the manufacture) produce more interesting and unique models.
Cheers, Mark. |
|
|
|
jaynjay
Fireman
USA
4334 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2012 : 08:14:48 AM
|
| As you can see by my second photo the 2 pieces of the back wall are notched so they can only go together one way. There is some strip wood to be used as a foundation; but as you can see by the link Mark posted, it does sit awfully close to the ground |
John |
|
|
|
mabloodhound
Fireman
USA
4613 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2012 : 08:54:03 AM
|
You know John, if it were me, I would cut that top cornice piece off and put it on the bottom, under the windows.
Then you could add a plain piece to the top if you wanted to, although I think it wouldn't be necessary.
At least that would get the first floor windows out of the dirt. And it is an easy modification.
|
Dave Mason
D&G RR (Dunstead & Granford) in On30
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”~Benjamin Franklin
The 2nd Amendment, America’s 1st Homeland Security
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Model Tech Studio - The Hotel
