# In-ko-pah RR: Brick building



## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I've started a new building for the town of Mineral Ridge, on my In-ko-pah Railroad. This is my first attempt at modeling a brick building. I'm using Sintra PVC foam board, and scribing the brick pattern. I began by cutting out the front wall from 6mm thick Sintra, and drawing the door and window openings with pencil. This must be done lightly so as not to leave indentations that will mar the brick pattern: 












To scribe the horizontal lines, I made a special tool out of brass. Two pieces of .020" thick brass strips were soldered onto opposite sides of a square brass rod:












Another simple tool was made from a strip of .020" brass, for scribing the vertical lines. (I call it scribing, but on these short lines I'm really just pressing the tool into the material.)











Here are a couple shots of the entire front wall, after the basic brick pattern has been scribed. There are some goofs that will need to be patched up with putty. Also, the top portion of the wall will be built up with layers of thinner scribed PVC for a 3D effect:




















I used 3mm board to build up the decorative upper portion of the wall:




















I still have to add more layers to create the trim at the top edge of the wall, but here's how it looks so far:











And here it is set in place on the layout, to give you an idea of how this building will look in its environment:












There will be stone arches above the door and window openings on the ground floor, and stone lintels on the second story windows. To create these, I will be casting resin stone blocks. I started by carving the masters from 3mm Sintra. Here they are laid out and ready to pour the silicone rubber mold:












While I was at it, I also carved some blocks which will be used on the next building:












That's all for now, more later. Enjoy!


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Freakin' awesome! Great technique!


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## Joe Johnson (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the tip on scribing the bricks!


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

This is going to be another fun to watch and learn, 
Always love to watch Rays Build 
Dennis


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## GaryR (Feb 6, 2010)

I kinda like the real thing.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks great so far....and this looks like another keeper article. 

On a sidenote Ray, you one told me how you made rivet heads on your scratch built bridges...was is pin drop of thick CA or some other glue?


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks guys! 

Mike, when I did my bridges, I rounded off the tip of a 2" nail and dipped it into acrylic craft paint to make the "rivets".


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks...


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Here's a brief update:

I finished the fancy trim on the top edge of the wall:











This is supposed to represent a pretty old, run-down building, so I've also started distressing some of the bricks:











Still have more distressing and aging to do, but this gives you some idea of where I'm headed.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, you called your tools scribes...the parallel one and the little one. Scribes are pulled across a surface to mark them. Is that how you make such perfect lines? Or do you press them into the Sintra?


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

To make the horizontal lines, I'm pulling the tool across the surface. The short vertical lines, I'm just pushing it into the surface. But in both cases, the surface is being indented -- unlike actual scribing, there is no material being removed from the surface.


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## GaryR (Feb 6, 2010)

Roller spline tool from Lowes might work for horizontal lines. $3.18 


Sorry bout the hijack Ray, I couldn't resist.




















GaryR


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Time for another update:

I needed a tool to press the mortar lines into the edges of the window openings, so I just took an old #11 blade and ground it flat:




















I also carved more wear into some of the bricks. The loose brick was created by gluing a thin wedge to the face of the scribed brick:




















The side walls of this building would have been made of cheaper material such as rubble stone, so I scribed stone texture into the upper portion of the walls. To see a step-by-step of this technique, check out my previous build here: 

http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_1.html

On the east wall, only a small portion of the wall will be visible above the previous building: 











My next building will probably be only a single story, so I had to texture a large portion of the west wall of this building: 













I added stone lintels to the upstairs windows. The thin ones at the bottom of the windows are resin castings. I had hoped to use existing castings for the large ones above the windows, but they were a bit too tall. So I just carved some new ones out of Sintra PVC specifically for this building:











The bottom of the front wall wall is stone, so I glued on some of the resin castings I'd made for my previous building. On the right, the castings have been cut to fit the sloping sidewalk:











I also glued some castings to the foundation. Eventually all the "stone" parts of the building will be painted the same sandstone color as the previous building:











The front and side walls were glued together and the subfloor installed. Then I discovered that the foundation is slightly non-square, preventing the building from fitting up tight against the sidewalk. No big deal, I'll just fill the gap later:











Here's how it all looks so far, with the building temporarily in position on the layout:





















That's all for now, more later. Enjoy!


.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I forgot to include this... 

Here's a small, "quick and dirty" test piece I did last year when I was first considering using Sintra to simulate brick: 










As you can see it looks a lot better after it's painted.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Fantastic Ray, what detail. I'm truly impressed with your techniques. One question though: How did you get the brick effect using the paint? By that I mean, did you paint the mortar color first then the red? If so, how did you keep the red from running into the mortar lines? I typically paint the brick color first and then paint on the mortar color and wipe it off.

Doc


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

On that test piece, I painted the mortar color, then carefully hand-painted each brick. Very tedious, and I still ended up with a lot of red in between the bricks. I touched that up with a very fine-tipped brush. 

Currently I'm experimenting with another method that should eliminate at least some of the tedium.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray,

I'm looking forward to your new technique. I'm not one who has enough patience to paint each brick. Below is an example of the technique I used to repaint a Piko building. The only problem I encountered is that I couldn't get all of the mortar color off in some places. Of course, it does give the impression of leaching over a period of time. You may also notice that I did handpaint some of the bricks to produce a little color variation.












Doc


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Another outstanding work of art Ray. 

Thank you so much for posting your work so we mere mortals can enjoy.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I've finished the roof and rear wall, using the same design as described on my previous build. The rear wall is removable for access to the interior, and is not detailed because it will be positioned against a cliff:










I also built two box-like structures to contain the interior details. These slide out of the main structure:












I had planned to use resin "stone" castings over the window and door arches. However, when I laid them out on the model, it just didn't look right to me. So I went with Plan B -- brick arches. These were made from 1mm thick Sintra PVC, scribed, cut to shape and glued into place:











I've started building the frames for the windows and door. So far only the most basic part of the frames has been done, using .080" x .125" strips of styrene. There are still more details to be added. Here they are temporarily fitted into the building:











Because this building is supposed to be rundown and weathered, I scribed some woodgrain into the styrene strips prior to cutting them to fit. The curved part was made by bending one of the strips around a small saucepan, then heating it by holding it above the electric burner on our stove:











Here's a shot of the building temporarily in position on the foundation:











I also screwed something up... My first attempt at scribing the bricks at the forward edge of the side wall was a complete disaster. The red putty used to smooth the joint crumbles when scribed, and the joints tend to cause the scribing tool to go off course. I think it would have worked better if I'd used an epoxy putty. Also, I goofed up the spacing of the mortar lines. I'll have to put some more thought into this before making another attempt.











.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I've finished the doors and windows for the ground floor. The doors were built up from strips of .020" styrene. although it's not visible in the photo, the doors and frames all have simulated wood grain. The door handles will be added after the doors are painted:




















.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, it is all looking great. Sorry about the brick, sometimes things just don't work the way we think they will. I guess that's how we learn!


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, 

Your work is top notch. Very interesting to watch your various buildings progress and really appreciate how you show the method of attaining your results. 

I do have a question. How much are these outside and what sort of weather conditions do they endure? I would think where I live in northwest Indiana that a lot of the detail would not survive and was wondering how they have held up for you. Do you do anything special to help them survive. 

Thanks for any information.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

All my buildings are outside 24/7, year-round, but I'm in San Diego where the weather is very mild. The worst we get is some occasional pea-sized hail. 

Still, these PVC buildings are really tough and could probably handle much worse weather.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Ironton,


I use the English equivalent to Sintra (I think) and my buildings stay out all winter with no ill effects if that helps - here is a photo of some of them.









They are painted with either enamels or masonry paint.

Yours Peter


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank you Ray and Peter. It just seems a lot of the finer details would rather quickly fall off or disintegrate. In my 46 years near Chicago I have seen weather as cold as -27 F and as hot as 100+ F. We quite often get flooding rains and snow loads. So the weather is definitely a consideration in this area. Luckily we are far enough from Lake Michigan to almost totally miss the lake effect rains and snows.


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## Yarda (Apr 7, 2011)

Veri nice!!! 
This way you can build objects very quickly.
I glued the building of blocks of natural sandstone. It does not have the coating and resist the harsh weather. Time does not destroy the building. Weather object naturally patinated.
Yarda


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Wow, that is stunning! How do you cut the stones to shape?


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## Yarda (Apr 7, 2011)

Sandstone is cutting of diamond disc which is cooled by water. You need to have water circulation, settling tanks and filters.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I finished building the frames for the upstairs windows. Here's one of them:












Then I decided it would be fun to have an old air conditioner hanging out one of the windows. I was inspired by this building in Tonopah, NV:













The air conditioner I modeled is meant to be older and has a simpler design. It will also function as a vent for the structure, to equalize the interior air pressure and prevent build up of humidity:













Here's how it turned out. I still have to add the glass:
































I had wanted to paint the AC a color other than white, and this yellowish-tan was the only thing I had on hand. I'm not sure it's the best choice but it'll do. Adding the bird poop, rust and grime was fun.

.


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## Budd (Mar 22, 2008)

Ray, words can not describe your modelling ability, it is beyond reproach.
Peter Bunce, what is the English equivalent called, I have been trying to track it down in Australia with no success, maybe an English brand name might help me down under.
I am visiting USA next year, perhaps I can bring a sample home with me Ray? or cut up a sheet into suitcase sized pieces LOL 

Wayne


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Wayne I am fairly sure that what Ray and Peter use is called Sintra board. You can find more about it here, http://www.sintrapvc.com/


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## Budd (Mar 22, 2008)

Posted By Rod Fearnley on 09 Oct 2013 01:49 AM 
Wayne I am fairly sure that what Ray and Peter use is called Sintra board. You can find more about it here, http://www.sintrapvc.com/ 

Got that Rod, but the Sintra board name doesn't exist in Australia (well I can't find it), nor can I find board of that description, I found some 'foam core board', which is just that, a soft foam core with thick paper backing, totally useless and incorrect. A lot of products you yanks have aren't available to us colonials for whatever reason which is a real pain in the butt. We do share a lot of products and product names with the poms, hence my request for info from Peter.
As mentioned, I am holidaying in the US of A next year and plan to visit Ray so I will check this stuff out first hand and bring home a sample, I joked about cutting up a sheet and bringing it home, the more I think about it, the more I like the idea, especially if it is light weight. Ray's place will be one of our first stops but then I spend 3 weeks travelling over to Colorado and up to Boise, Idaho so I won't want heavy weight or bulk.

Wayne


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Wayne try this one mate, they will supply world wide. http://www.alibaba.com/showroom/sintra-board.html I'm sure they must have an outlet in Oz somewhere. 
More than happy to send you a small sample piece if you want? Just drop me a a PM with your address on it, OK. 
BTW I'm in England.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Bud, 






A commercial maker of PVC solid foam board in Veka, under the name Vekaplan. It is used for sign boards in exhibitions, and such like - of you have some plastic suppliers they should point you in the right direction.Veka says it is a worlwide company. As you say it is NOT Artist's/craft Foam Board. The board is quite inert and stiff - cut it with a fretsaw/jigsaw(may be called a scroll saw - use a fine blade and go slowly) small circular saw/heavy Stanley type knife. Mark the corners for cutting with a small drill to get the same point.


Here is a link to a PDF re it www.vekaplan.de/vekaplan/files/VEKAPLAN SF_engl.pdf‎ 



You want the semi matt both sides and I use the thicknesses of 3 and 5mm; it is made in different colours from 2 to 10mm thick sheets which are 8ft x 4ft.in size though they should be able to cut it to a couple of 4ft square pieces for you. There are other makes, which can be softer, ask about those as well. Commercially is is screen printed - think of 'political signs that are not plastic corrugated sheet - that by the way is also useful.



In addition a signwriter (not a supplier) may have offcuts that he will sell (or give you!) that are that softer mix; that is I think what Ray has used. 






Yours Peter.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

More progress... I'm finally getting to the fun part: painting!

I started by coating the exterior of the building with the same concrete-colored exterior latex paint that I used on my previous building:











Then I made a couple small, flat stamps out of scraps of Sintra PVC. The larger one is about .5" x 1.75". The smaller one is about 5/8" long and less than an half inch wide:












I used a paint brush to apply a thin layer of paint to the face of the stamp. Then I press it down onto the brick surface. The paint sticks to the raised face of the bricks, defining their shape. The smaller stamp was used to get into narrow places:




















Obviously it doesn't cover everything, especially on the "decayed" bricks, and so there is a lot of touching up that has to be done using a fine brush. Still, it beats painting each brick one by one.

Here's a close up shot of the bricks after touching up:
















The upper portion of the side walls has a small section of bricks which will be visible above the adjoining buildings. As you may recall, I had used automotive spot putty to smooth the joints, which caused problems when I tried to scribe the lines using the custom tools I made. What I ended up doing was using a carbide tipped metal scribe, and going over it fairly lightly to avoid crumbling the putty. The photo below shows how it turned out. It's not great but it'll do. It'll look better after I touch up the paint in the mortar lines:












Here are a couple shots of the building in progress, setting on the foundation:





















More to come... Enjoy!


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Ray, you redefine finescale modeling. I'm at a loss for words other than the usual (and well-earned) plaudits.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Beautiful work Ray. I really like your pad painting technique for bricks. I guess I'm going to have to try on my next project.

Doc


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Made some more progress, and in interesting turn of events...

I wanted to have some very old, worn and faded signs on the building. But first, I felt that a lot of the mortar lines were too deep, especially where the signs would be. So after experimenting on a test piece, I discovered that my concrete colored latex paint could be mixed with DAP "Dynaflex 230" paintable sealant, which I then rubbed into the grooves. I had to do small sections at a time, quickly washing off the excess with a damp cloth and a paper towel. This worked extremely well, much better then when I had tried it with paint only. So I may have to reconsider my whole approach before I create my next brick building. Anyway, here's how it turned out:











I masked off the area for the signs, and painted in the background color. I dabbed the paint on using a piece of gray foam from a cheap foam paintbrush. Then I used a fine-tipped brush to hand-paint some blotches of solid color, and also to blend in some tints. In this photo you can also see where I experimented with some hand-painted chipping. It looked good so I stopped there. The chipping really needed to be done after the lettering was added:











The lettering was printed out on self-adhesive vinyl. You can find inkjet printable vinyl on ebay. I cut out the letters and positioned the mask onto the building. I tried using the foam to apply the paint but it couldn't get down near the edges of the mask, so I ended up stippling it with an old, small brush. 

After removing the mask, I used a fine brush to add some lighter shades of gray. Then I added the chipping, again painting it by hand with a fine point brush:











And here are some close ups of the smaller, vertical signs:











































The windows and doors were temporarily inserted in the structure. I still have to finish painting the door and add glass to the windows. I also need to paint the stone walls on the sides of the building, paint the roof and add smokejacks, etc. Then I'll do some weathering on the overall structure. But currently I'm deciding whether I want to add any more signs.























That's it for now, more later. Enjoy!

.


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## D-n-H - Kirkville Branch (Jan 14, 2008)

Simply amazing detail Ray, congrats


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## Budd (Mar 22, 2008)

Thanks Peter, 

That is some useful information to further my enquiries with, I 'll keep you posted on what I find.
If I can't find a supplier I may have to become an importer, that stuff looks to good to not have available. LOL

Regards,
Wayne


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## Budd (Mar 22, 2008)

Hello Ray, I have discovered a ***** in your absolutely equisite modelling, you haven't got enough detail on your hinges in the 5th and 6th pictures, they should have 3 or 4 segments in them! Now I want you to lift your game before you show us any more of your otherwise perfect modelling!!!
In all seriousness though Ray, that is superb modelling, I keep going back to those close ups to convince myself they are models, you have the aged look of the timber work around your windows absolutely spot on, and they start as styrene frames? incredible, 10/10 Ray.

Wayne


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## Budd (Mar 22, 2008)

Thanks again Peter, I believe I have found a local supplier, now I have to wait till Monday to make contact.
As a querie, do you fella's reckon this PVC board would be rigid enough for carriage construction?

Wayne


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Posted By Budd on 18 Oct 2013 05:50 PM 
Thanks again Peter, I believe I have found a local supplier, now I have to wait till Monday to make contact.
As a querie, do you fella's reckon this PVC board would be rigid enough for carriage construction?

Wayne

Hi Bud,
depends on what thickness you want for the sides; the MLS carter coaches are 3 thicknesses of of 2mm - that is OK as the material is made in that thickness, though there will be a lot of cutting! The 3 layers will be quite strong, always have an odd number by the way (the middle layer being for the windows).

I use a latex based glue (Evo-stik) for gluing layers together.

Yours Peter


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, You make the most incredible buildings for use outside!!! They really should be in a museum.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

It's been quite a while since I posted an update on this project. The building itself is on hold for a bit... I threw my hip out somehow, and for a while if I sat down for more than a few minutes, I would have difficulty walking. Fortunately I just needed to exercise it a bit, so I started doing some work outdoors on the layout and in a few days I was back to normal. But by then I'd gotten so involved with the layout that I stayed with it and haven't done much model-making! 

Anyway, I thought I'd show you what I've been up to. It's not as "glamorous" as making models but it needed to be done...


In the town of Dos Manos, the foundation for the buildings was incomplete, and I was running out of space for more buildings. So I began extending the foundation. I had to dig out a little of the slope behind the town, up to the base of the trestle. I built forms out of foam core art board and hot glue, and poured in the high-strength mortar:




















I still need to do a little more work on the end of the foundation. I also need to extend the road. I'm going to make it curve down into the canyon. It won't actually go anywhere but at least it will look like it does.


In the town of Mineral Ridge, where the brick building will be, I added foundations for a fourth and fifth building:






















Then I put in a pad and foundation for the future Mineral Ridge depot and boarding area:












Next I started building a foundation for a mill:































I still have to add a bit more to the top level of the foundation. Here's a simple drawing to give you a rough idea of how the mill building will look, and how it will fit into the scene:












Eventually there will be a mine tram on the rock wall above the town. It will cross a bridge over the sloped road, to reach the ore dump at the top level of the mill.

.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Dang...now THAT'S planning ahead. Fantastic stuff.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, do you use the high strength mortar to make all those detailed little foundations? I have used regular concrete mix to make some small stuff and it falls apart after a while. Seems like winter weather gets to anything with a small cross section.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Yes, I used high strength mortar mix for all the foundations. I used to mix in some vinyl concrete patcher mix with it, but haven't been doing that lately.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow! You threw your hip out, so you reconstructed your railroad? Lucky it wasn't anything serious or you'd be redoing the whole neighborhood.  

Seriously, Ray, you do great work and are an inspiration. Now let that hip mend.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

thank God our For Fathers were like Ray, Men with a vision. You are truly an inspiring modeler. 
Dennis


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Continually, fabulously done, Ray... Your treatment of the signs and lettering is just great...









Sorry to hear about the hip issues...


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## Finster (Feb 7, 2009)

You build really amazing models! Thanks for sharing your techniques too. After seeing this build I went looking for your other projects as well and I just want to point out that the link you gave for "Mineral Ridge" is incorrect (or at least it didn't work for me). However, I was able to find that project searching on your site. Not a big deal, but just thought I'd mention it...


Brian


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## Lake Valley #1 (Dec 31, 2012)

Wow, Ray! Fabulous work! Makes me wanna run and hide in shame, lol. If my stuff turns out even a third as good, I'll be pleased...as long as I don't return to your site and see how much better yours is than mine. All kidding aside, though, beautiful, beautiful!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

This project has been on hold for a very long time. Because it was unfinished, I hadn't even given it a UV-protective coat, so I've been putting it outside only for photos or shows, and storing it indoors the rest of the time. Now I've finally got it "finished". Not quite completely finished, because eventually I will have to put in the lights, interior details, and window signs, etc. But for now it's done...

First off, way back in October I added the sheet metal flashing over the top of the brick wall. This was made from .010" shim brass, painted with zinc paint. I also added chimneys, one on each side wall:




























Later the building was weathered, particularly the roof and window ledges.

More recently, I built the removable "drawers" for the interior. There are two, one for the ground floor, and one for the second floor. However, the second floor interior ended up being used only as a light block and to fill the space. (more on this later). 

Anyway, here are some shots of the ground floor interior structure. Since this is supposed to be an old hardware store, I went with an unfinished style ceiling. The walls and floor are photographic textures printed onto self-adhesive vinyl and "weathered" slightly with thin washes of craft acrylics. I still need to add a door to the rear wall. This is all I'm doing on the interior for now, but later it will be fully detailed and lighted :






































Already the exterior looks better with the interior installed. I also finished painting the doors, installing glass, and adding the door knobs. The key plates/door knobs are scratch built from styrene, because I wanted something a little fancier than usual:




















The second story windows are blocked, which is why I didn't do anything with the interior there. Two of the windows have old sheets loosely draped across them. These were made from thin silk cloth. For each piece, I glued the upper corners to a brass rod, then coated the material liberally with artist's acrylic matte medium and hung it up to dry. Once dry, they were painted off-white. BTW, note the bird poop on the window ledges:




















The third window was already partially blocked by the air conditioner. I covered the upper sash with "old cardboard". To create this effect, I found a photo online of a vintage cardboard box and used it to make a photographic texture. This was printed onto self-adhesive vinyl, retouched with craft acrylics, and applied to a thin brass sheet:




















Here are some shots of the completed structure:




















And a nice view up the sidewalk:











.


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Incredible detail, wonderful Ray.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Outstanding Ray. A level of detailing I'll probably never achieve but I enjoy watching someone like you do it.

Doc


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I think you sneaked in pictures of the prototype


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## catherine yronwode (Oct 9, 2013)

Exquisite work, Ray.


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## jbwilcox (Jan 2, 2008)

How do you protect your buildings from rain spatter?

I just cleaned all my buildings and after one rain storm they are coated with dirt and junk splashed on them from the rain.

I would be afraid to put out buildings as beautifully made as yours sine they would be ruined after the first rain.

John


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

As posted on another Forum.... Ray's wins!!!!!!!! 

Hands down, Ray Wins!!!!!! 

Superb.....


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

jbwilcox said:


> How do you protect your buildings from rain spatter?
> 
> I just cleaned all my buildings and after one rain storm they are coated with dirt and junk splashed on them from the rain.


Yeah that can be a problem. In my case, most of my layout is rock, and the soil is very sandy, so there's not a lot of mud. Even the sandy soil can make a mess though, as well as causing abrasion. So now I don't have any bare soil around the buildings. The Mineral Ridge buildings have rock on three sides, and a paved (concrete) road in front. 

My Dos Manos jail is surrounded by "soil" that is actually a mix of small rocks, mortar and cement pigments. Same with the old miner's cabin in the Grandt Cliff area of my layout.


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Here's what I was considering...
and thinking about Ray!!

Do you make a dry mix of ingredients...place where needed.. and just mist water over to give it that dry crumbly look...
I'm thinking it won't look the same if real wet and then placed...

Thanks again...Dirk


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

I second Dirk's question Ray, we were just talking offline about how you do your mountains and "ground cover". Do you have a main thread for that? Or GR article? 

Cliff


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I don't think I've ever done a step-by-step on that, either online or in a magazine. But it's pretty simple. 

What I do is mix the mortar with water, in a small plastic bowl. Then I add a little bit of concrete pigments -- usually some black ("charcoal") and some buff. It takes very little color, especially when mixing such small quantities of mortar, and you can always go back later and stain it if it's not right.

Then I mix in some dirt, grit, and small rocks. If necessary I add a little more water to get a good consistency. 

I spoon the mix into place, maybe spread it around a little bit, then hit it with a very light spray of water. You want to erode the surface a bit to bring out the rocks and grit and create a realistic surface. Also concentrate some of the spray where needed to wash away excess mortar from the boulders, retaining walls or other structures.

Lastly, spray water downhill from where you're working, to wash away the residue of mortar.

Hope this helps!


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Thanks Ray, I get the picture. But do you really mean "dirt" though, as in common soil? I'd think that would wash away, leaving voids. Or is that the intent?

I really like the idea of mixing in small rocks and spraying to expose them. 

That does help!
Cliff


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

The dirt I use is pretty sandy and gritty, so it doesn't really dissolve. I suppose if you have something like a clay-based soil in your area it might be better to leave out the dirt and just mix in the small rock.


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

A gent at the Tampa convention, Paul Wagner, gave a very nice talk on hypertufa, bonding ballast and other such techniques. He addressed the splatter issue by bonding the soil around his buildings, etc by using hypertufa which is a simple concrete mix formula and smearing it around the buildings. . Worth a try. 

Jerry


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