# In-ko-pah RR: Another brick building



## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I'm finally been able to squeeze in a little modeling recently. My brick hardware store building turned out so well that I decided to do another brick building alongside it. I won't go into as much detail on this build, since it is similar to the previous one. You can see the step-by-step on my first brick building here: http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_2.html

This one will have a worn coat of paint over the bricks. It is loosely based on this general store (and former hotel) in Eureka, NV:











I got a little bit done on it back in August. At that time I managed to cut out the shape of the front wall, and scribe the brick pattern. This was a piece of 3mm Sintra PVC foam board. I laminated it to a base of 6mm Sintra, which had a brick pattern scribed onto part of it, for the recessed area. (BTW, I was able to scribe a lot of the brick pattern in the waiting room, while Cris was undergoing a medical procedure. It's the perfect kind of project for that.):











To create the multi-level trim along the top of the wall, I started by cutting out a 1mm thick piece, two bricks high, to match the shape of the wall, and glued it in place. Then I scribed bricks onto the lower course:











Another piece only one brick high was glued on top of the first one, and then scribed:











Next I cut a strip of 3mm thick Sintra, and glued it to the top of the wall, bending it to fit. This was done in sections -- first the left side, then the right side, then the arch across the middle:










I scribed the first layer, then added another, narrower layer:










Here it is after the top layer has been scribed. I've also added an intermediate layer 1mm thick, to the inside of the recessed area:











Next I used a hobby knife to carve some cracks and to distress some of the bricks:




















Then I added the side walls and subfloor:











On the inside of each side wall, I added a small piece of 3mm Sintra, scribed with bricks. Below this I added a "shelf" of 6mm Sintra to support the roof:












The front and rear roof supports were cut from 6mm Sintra and glued in place:










One half of the roof added:










Part of the side wall will be visible, so it will have to be scribed with a brick pattern. Before doing so, I needed to smooth out the joint. I used an epoxy putty for this, called "Kwik Plastik". I only had a little left and it was getting old and lumpy, so I couldn't spread it very well:











After it sets, the putty is easily sanded smooth. I've started scribing the wall, but so far I only have the horizontal lines done:












Here's how the building looks so far. I have the roof on, and the removable rear wall. The rear wall is secured with screws for easy access to the interior. The interior details will be built into a box that can slide out the back:




















When I test-fit the building on the foundation, I discovered that one corner of the roof needed to be trimmed to fit the cliff. I also had to chisel away some of the rock:




















Another view of the building temporarily in place on the layout:






























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


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Wow that looks great. 

JJ


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, The start of another great building!!! I may have to try your techniques with Sintra. My last building, the Santa Fe station, ended up using a couple of hundred dollars worth of vacuum formed sheets of brick and tile roofing. Even though the Sintra is a bit pricey it might not be any more expensive in the long run and probably stands up to the weather better. Thanks for all your sharing.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I've had some questions about how I use the double-bladed scribing tool that I made, so I drew up a simple diagram to illustrate it. The tool is held at an angle to the surface, and pressed down. Then drag it across the surface in the direction of the arrow. For clarity, I did not draw the metal ruler I use as a straightedge:


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Love your work and as always really appreciate your posts. They are very informative. Thanks Ray.


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray is the brick scribing tool K&L metal stock? If so what size please?


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Rod, I soldered two .020" thick brass strips to a .125" square brass tube to make this tool. The square tube was slightly wider than I wanted, so I filed down the sides, near the end, before soldering on the strips.


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank you Ray. Next time I,m in town, I'll purchase the stock required to make the tool. It has to be easier (& cheaper) than brick sheets. ;-)


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

BTW, you could also just use a metal scribe and t-square or ruler, to do the lines one by one. It's just a little more tedious.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Another impressive build coming from Ray. Looking good so far.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Time for an update...

I built up the window and doors from various sizes of styrene strips. I work on a sheet of tempered glass, and use metal blocks to hold the pieces in place and keep the corners square. The large blocks are called "1-2-3 blocks". I don't remember what the 1" square angle block is called. I got these blocks from Amazon and they're really handy:




















The bottom of the window frame is a solid panel. I was originally going to make it match the doors, then I decided to model it as if it had been crudely repaired with a pair of planks and small plywood sheet. It's a bit hard to see in the photo, but I scribed wood grain into the planks and sheet, including some small cracks, to represent weathered wood:











The two doors were built up in a similar manner. My history for this building is that it originally had one door, in the center, and two windows. Then at some point the interior was divided, and the window on the right was turned into a door. The original center door was replaced as well, and is now offset in the larger frame:










I have a more detailed step-by-step on constructing the window and doors only website if anyone wants to see it: http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Mineral_Ridge_3.html

With the window and doors completed, I added the brick trim to the top of the columns:












I also finished scribing the bricks on the side of the building, and added the trim along the top of the wall. Then I carved out some areas to look like bricks had crumbled or fallen out:












I'm now very close to finishing the exterior. All that's left is to add corrugated metal to the roof. Then I can move on to painting the structure. Here's how it looks so far, with the window and doors temporarily in place:





























The lower half of the side wall is hidden, so I only needed to scribe bricks on the upper half:











That's all for now!


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## mickey (Jan 28, 2009)

Ray, I thoroughly enjoyed following along with your last brick building. As I understand it, the material you use is apparently somewhat soft so you can make the intentions. Once it's finished, how does it hold up outside? I assume its still soft so if someone, thing hits, bangs into, etc., won't it mess things up? Just how soft is it?


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

It's pretty tough stuff. It's just soft enough to allow shallow impressions to be made, but still strong enough not to be easily damaged.


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

Ray your work is amazing! cannot tell it from the real thing! I love seeing this stuff and have to give it a try one day.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Ray
I am really impressed with your modeling eye. You have such an ability to see life size issues like broken brick , rotten and broken boards, and many other life size real world
conditions and incorporate then into models. I also love your ability to use pictures and very detailed details in how to do it. Most of all that makes you an incredible modeler is you have and use tools that everybody has access to, and you share your awesome techniques and your great skills with us...
Thanks Ray
Dennis


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Here's a little update….

I covered the roof with corrugated aluminum panels. These were made for me by Dave Taylor. I used Dynaflex 230 to glue them to the roof:











The rear wall of the building is removable for access to the interior:











The interior will be built into this box structure. Like the rest of the building, this was made from Sintra. The ceiling will be added later:











I printed wallpaper and flooring onto self-adhesive vinyl and applied it to the interior structure:












The building's interior is divided into two sections. The larger section, on the left, will be a radio repair shop. The smaller section will be a barber shop:




















I sprayed the building's exterior with a coat of white primer. After that had dried, I applied concrete colored latex house paint, working it into the mortar lines and cracks:











I painted the aluminum roofing with self-etching primer, followed by Rustoleum's "Cold Galvanizing Compound" for a realistic galvanized metal look:











On my first brick building, I applied most of the brick-colored latex paint using a flat "stamp" made of scrap pieces of Sintra. This time I tried just dry-brushing it on. That seemed to work just about as well:











Then I used a fine-tipped artist's brush to touch up individual bricks as needed. I didn't spend too much time and effort trying to get it perfect, since most of the bricks will eventually be covered with white paint. Here's how it looks so far:




















That's it for now, more later.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Ray, thanks for taking the time to document those steps. You've shown in the past how sintra can be scored for brick and wood & etc, but I didn't know it could be laminated and curved and filled like that. Really neat product. In the hands of a master (and inquisitive) modeler like you, they should be sending you all the free materials you want!


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Also, thanks for the tip on "1-2-3 blocks." Just poking around on Amazon, turns out there's also "2-3-4" and "2-4-6 blocks," with and without tapped holes. Never knew about such critters. OK machinist guys, stop snickering!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

A little more progress...

I started adding the white paint that covers most of the building. I'm using white latex paint, which I tinted just slightly with a bit of black, dark brown and golden yellow, to give it a kind of dirty off-white look.

I began at the top of the walls, where most of the paint is worn off. To achieve this look, I used a small stencil brush to stipple on some small random blotches and spots. Then a minute or two later, when the paint was semi-dry, I used a damp paper towel to wipe off some of the paint. Here are some shots of the progress:

































Next I went to work on the side of the building. I was kind of experimenting here, so some of the paint was stippled with the stencil brush; some was dabbed on or dry-brushed using a regular artist's paint brush; and some was wiped off or smeared -- whatever seemed to give me the look I was after:






























I still have to do extensive touch up work before that side is finished -- adding details, chips and stains to individual bricks.


Then I started on the front wall. As on the prototype, the paint on the front will be mostly intact but with some areas of heavy wear. I did some stippling on this side, but mostly I used a regular brush to apply the paint, dry-brushing some areas and applying it full-strength in other areas:





















That's where I'm at so far. I'm almost finished applying the white paint. Then I will move on to doing the extensive touch up needed to achieve the most realistic effect.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Still more progress...

Here's a shot that shows how the top of the wall turned out after I'd finished putting on the white paint:











I wanted an old, faded sign on the front of the building dating back to its prior use as a billiard hall. So I printed the lettering onto vinyl, then cut it out to make a stencil. I've found that it's easiest to remove the letters prior to peeling the stencil off of the backing:










I stuck the stencil in place on the building. Then I used a stencil brush to stipple various shades of light gray, simulating the appearance of chipped and faded paint:












The finished sign, along with further progress on the front of the building… I touched up some mortar lines, added more white paint here and there, touched up individual bricks as needed, etc. I filled the two square holes at each end of the wall with "mortar" made from a mix of acrylic modeling paste, artist's stucco, and latex paint:











The base of one pillar will have a concrete-reinforced repair. I made this by building up layers of the same "mortar" mix described above. This photo shows the final layer. Before it hardens completely, I'll peel off the masking tape, while carefully trimming along the edge of it with an X-acto knife to ensure a sharp, clean edge. Later when the acrylic has fully dried, I'll sand it smooth:










Here's the finished front wall of the building:











While waiting for that modeling paste to dry, I started painting the window and doors. First they got a coat of white primer. Then I brushed on a coat of light gray:











Next I added a couple thin washes of black mixed with brown. I painted in a bit of extra detail on the "plywood":











I still have to add the white paint to the doors and window. In the meantime, here are a couple test shots showing how the building looks out on the layout:


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks fabulous Ray!! Terrific stuff!! My compliments!!


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## trainsbt (Jan 11, 2008)

Absolutely wonderful stuff, Ray! Thanks so much for your continued offerings and how-to's.

Barry T from TN.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Truly amazing detail!


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

B-E-A-utiful!!! You've got a great eye for what makes things look like the real deal. Got to save this thread


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks guys!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

A little more progress...

After painting the doors and window to look like old gray wood, it was time to add the white paint. The prototype photos showed that most of the paint was intact, but where it was peeled, it had come off in large sections. I figured the easiest way to replicate this look was to just paint it by hand. I think it turned out ok. Then I used very thin washes of acrylics to add stains and weathering:











At this point I still had to make the doorknobs and add the glass:




















I used a different technique for the paint on the plywood and planks below the window. I'm not happy with the way it looks, so I'll put on some signs that will hide most of it:











I made a bunch of signs, and installed some of them on the exterior. These were printed on vinyl and stuck to thin sheet brass. I weathered them with acrylics, then coated them with Krylon UV-resistant clear. The radio repair shop is named for fellow modeler Bob Santos:











Right now the doors and window are only temporarily in place. I'll glue them in later after I've done some more work on the exterior:































I also painted the foundation next to the stairs. Later I plan to paint a sign on the foundation:





















That's all for now, enjoy!


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Just AMAZING Mate'!!!!!!
..I'd take my hat off to ya!! But I'd probably blind everyone!! LOL...
Some of your pix .... look...well..so absolutely "REAL"....

.....yep... incredible work and lots of thought there Ray!

Thanks again!!
Dirk


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## Adrian v.G (Jun 1, 2012)

That looks so authentic. Well done!


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, That is looking superb! I'd like to know more about your sign printing on vinyl. Thanks, Winn


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

The vinyl I use is inkjet-printable. I don't know if there are other sources for it, but I've been getting from this seller on ebay:

http://stores.ebay.com/MAMMY-MAGNET...2298861016&_sid=9062726&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

She has a lot of different stuff (including decal paper, which I also use sometimes.) The vinyl I use is the "inkjet white adhesive vinyl".

BTW the vinyl can be applied directly to the building if the surface is smooth.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Well, I managed to squeeze in a tiny bit of modeling recently. Here's an update...

I started making some old-fashioned radios to decorate the interior of the radio repair shop. Across the top in this photo are the basic shapes for some large, tabletop radios. These were made from 6mm Sintra and some styrene. Later they will be painted and detailed.

In the lower half of the photo you can see the beginnings of some smaller radios. To make these, I found photos of old radios online, reduced them to scale, and printed them on self-adhesive vinyl. Then I stuck them onto 6mm Sintra, and cut them out. Later, they'll be painted on the sides and top:












Here are the completed tabletop radios. I printed the faces on vinyl and stuck them onto the fronts. Next I added knobs made of tiny slices of styrene rod. Then I painted the exposed surfaces, blending it into the edges of the vinyl images. I finished them off with a coat of Krylon UV-resistant gloss clear:











I cut out an opening for a door in the rear wall of the radio shop. I cut down the plug from the opening and added some styrene strips to it, to make a door. The doorframe is from Grandt Line:












Here's a close up of the doorknob. I made the knob by holding the end of a styrene rod near a flame:











Then I made a workbench out of 1mm Sintra and some styrene bits. The drawer handles are slices of 1/4" styrene channel:











I "weathered" the interior with thin washes of craft acrylics to give the walls and floor a little grime and wear:











Here's a test shot showing the placement of the workbench and counter:











I also made some shelves out of styrene. The brackets were made by slicing a thin piece from a 1/4" angle, then gluing on some .010" strips:











That's all for now. Enjoy!


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow Ray! That is interior modeling to endth degree!!! That last shot could easily be of a 1/1 room. That degree of realism is amazing to me. I am satisfied to just get the outside of the buildings looking reasonable.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, that is some crazy detail! WOW! I assume you've won some modeling competitions?

-Jim


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks, Winn and Jim! 

So far I haven't had the opportunity to enter any modeling contests. I would really love to go to one of the NG conventions someday, but unless they have one in San Diego, I don't know if I'll ever get to.


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

Excellent work! You could really make some money selling radios to the dollhouse folks. They pay top dollar for that kind of stuff. I don't want to know what my wife paid for some of that stuff in the bakery. I know she bought all the casework and shelving. Next time I will get her to hire you. Great idea for 3D items.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Here's another brief update…I've been working on some more interior details...

I found a photo online of a stack of vacuum tube boxes, so I scaled it down and printed it onto self-adhesive vinyl. Then I stuck it to a scrap of 6mm Sintra and cut it out. To give it a bit of dimensionality, I used a tiny jeweler's screwdriver to create indentations between the boxes.

Since this cut into the vinyl a bit, and I was concerned about such tiny piece potentially peeling up later, I brushed a coat of acrylic matte medium over the whole thing, working it down into the crevices:











Later I glued styrene strips around the edges to simulate wooden shelving. This will go on top of the workbench. I made some more of these, sized to fit into the shelves below the workbench.

I also made some oscilloscopes and other instruments, using the same basic technique. To these I added bits of small styrene rod for dials and knobs. I also made some parts drawers too. Here's a shot of some of these things under construction:











And here are a couple shots of the finished workbench, with some of the details added on top:




















It's hard to tell with this lighting, but I used a simple trick that made these items look less "flat" and much more realistic. I coated the "glass" scopes and dials with acrylic gloss medium. I did the same with the face of each little plastic bin in the parts drawers. When complete, this should show up better under the scale lighting.

I still have more details to add to the work bench area, and many more details to make for the rest of the shop.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Mouth left agape again by outstanding modeling, as usual Ray, =-O


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## jbwilcox (Jan 2, 2008)

Do you leave these buildings outside?

I have built some cheap Pola buildings that I leave outside.

As soon as it rains, the bottom half are covered in grit and mud from splashing rain. It is impossible to get it all cleaned off and the buildings then look really bad.

I cannot imagine that you would leave these buildings outside, but if you do, how do you cope with rain splashing on them and ruining them?


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

JB 
I am not answering for Ray, but if you notice his buildings are all located on some type of concrete, I do the same thing, I can not stand the splatter of dirt on my structures, so all my structures are located on concrete pads. Very inexpensive, very easy to do, easy to make all water to run away from the structure. Easy to mold into different rock formations and to include adding rocks to the platform.

Ray,
If you would add one of your fantastick and realistic figures, they should make you a little extra income, in that radio shop. Because that does not look like any model.
Very very exceptionaly real looking.
thanks for the inspiration
Dennis.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks, Vic, JB and Dennis! 

Dennis is right, I try to surround my buildings with cement. The town buildings are on concrete foundations, with a paved road in front made from tinted mortar. Other buildings such as the old miner's cabin, I used a mixture of mortar, dirt, small rocks and pigments to create simulated landscape all around the cabin. This also allows me to glue down artificial plants, old steel drums, and other small items.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I've been busy making lots of little interior details. Here's a quick look at a few of them...


I made a simple workbench stool out of styrene rod and a piece of 1mm Sintra. I don't have a shot of it painted yet:




















I found some photos of various old radio repair manuals online. Then I fussed with them in Photoshop to create cover art. I printed out a bunch of them on self-adhesive vinyl, cut them out, and applied them to cores made of either Sintra or styrene, depending on the thickness required:





















I also made a row of books, to be tucked away in the back. I used a shot of books on a shelf, applied it to 6mm Sintra, and cut it to shape. Then I painted the exposed Sintra to match the books:











And I just finished a radio chassis! The vacuum tubes were turned from acrylic rod, using a drill as a crude lathe:





























Still have lots more to do.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Wow Ray your mind really works in the most unusual artististic and creative way.
Your comparison penny is even old thanks for the ideas
Dennis


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks Dennis!


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

Ray,

I think you may need another another brick building cause this one will be in your house displayed at eye level! Too cool!


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray;

That is all so neat. I remember when appliance stores had a sales rack of vacuum tubes on their sales floors. A lot of folks would open the radio cover and look for a tube that was not getting any power. Pull the tube, take it to the appliance store, find a match, and give the new tube a try. Most of the time that worked!

Some hearty souls even tried it for TVs, but one could get a good shock from a TV if care were not taken.

Best,
David Meashey


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Yeah, up until the early '70s there were tube testers, sometimes even in grocery stores. We used to take TV tubes in and test/replace them all the time.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

More interior details, more modeling madness… 

Here are a pair of aerosol cans. To make them, I rounded the end of a 1/8" styrene tube, then glued in a piece of styrene rod. The can on the right has a cap, the one on the left does not. I sanded down the end of the rod to represent the spray nozzle. I didn't bother labeling them for specific products, but just used some leftover labels from when I was detailing my drugstore:











Still more details -- needle nose pliers and a pair of screwdrivers, all made from brass tubes and rod:











I wanted to have some of the radios plugged into outlets, so I came up with these simplified plugs made of brass tubes. They'll be inserted into holes drilled into the outlets:











Here are some shots of how the interior looks so far. There are more details needed but it's getting there. Note the stand for the soldering iron -- I made it from a tiny spring that I pulled out of an old camera:





























The stool was painted to look like it had been repainted several times, with layers of old paint showing through where the paint was worn and chipped:











Here you can see two of the power cords from the console radios, plugged into the simulated outlets:












Enjoy!


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

OH I just can't stand this! Wow. Amazing work Ray, just puts me back into the late 50s when I used to hang out at a radio repair shop in NYC . Thanks for sharing

Jerry


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Wow, that is great work on the small parts Ray. Hope to live up to half of your standards some day.

Keep it up,

Chris


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## hcampbell (Jan 2, 2008)

So real I can almost smell it. Thanks for the memories.

Harvey C.


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Harvey I understand exactly what you are saying about the smell. My Uncle was an ardent radio Ham, and had a radio workshop that smelled of hot flux, hot valves/tubes and warm bakerlite. The inside of Ray's store looks just like his.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Ray be sure and place a little boy on the outside with his hands around his face looking in, that will help direct the people to see what he is looking at. maybe 2 boys peeking in the window, as long as it does not prevent visitors from looking in.
A thought, Ray ,I saw an HO model where a guy took a periscope mirror set up and made an area where the people could look into a box that was a view finder through mirrors that allowed them to look across a detailed room like yours and looking out the window in the front of the store. To proove it was real, you could see your self looking in the view finder from inside the room. It really made alot of people look in the view finder, then raise up with a frown or a puzzeled look, saying did I just see myself looking in the view finder from the inside of that little room. 
And once they figured it was them, they said where is the camera, it was amazing. 
Dennis


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

Very nice Ray!!!


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Ray, that is some superb work.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks!


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## Stefan (Dec 20, 2008)

Hello Ray,

I don't like your buildings!!!
Just because:
I love them!!!!!!!!

Man, so much passion in detailing the interior and the ability
to "transform" them into 1:29 scale items is outstanding.

All the brickwork would drive me crazy.
Excellent, that's what it is.

Thank you for showing.

Stefan


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks Stefan! One small correction -- it's 1/24th scale.

For a newer building it would be possible to use commercially available brick sheet for the walls, and just scribe the trim pieces. But with an old, worn building like this, scribing all the bricks allows me to tear them up.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I wanted the radio shop to have fluorescent lights, but of course there are no working fluorescent lights in 1/24th scale. However I had an idea for a way to possibly simulate the appearance of working fluorescents...

I started by using 1/16" acrylic rods to represent the tubes. Small rounded bits of styrene strip were glued to the ends:











The base of the fixture was made from a strip of .100" x .250" styrene. Three 1/8" holes were drilled through it:











I used thin sheet brass to make the reflectors:











After painting the fixture white, I glued on the tubes. To help disperse the light and to give the tubes a somewhat frosted look, I brushed on a very thin coat of fluorescent white paint that I had leftover from a Halloween project years ago:











I marked the positions of the three holes and drilled three larger holes in the ceiling. Then the fixture was glued in place. Three 3mm LEDs were inserted into the fixture, through the holes in the ceiling. You can just barely see the rounded ends of the LEDs showing through in this photo:











When I first connected a battery to the leads I was disappointed… the beam from the LEDs made three bright spots on the acrylic rods. However, when I tried photographing it, I found that it looks perfect in photos! Here are some test shots, looking through the windows of the building:



















































At this point I think I'm done with the radio shop. Next will be the barbershop details.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Very ingenious!!


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

WOW Ray that is a great looking and a great way of making a flourecent light fixture.
Thanks for sharing the top end of modeling, You give us all inspiration, we know and only try
or only wish we can model close to your modeling abilities, thanks for sharing.
Dennis


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## Crisolite (Jan 9, 2008)

Amazing. It looks like a shop I used to work in. 
I swear I can smell the solder and the hot tubes


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## MikeMcL (Apr 25, 2013)

Ray, your attention to detail is absolutely amazing! 

Very cool!


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

Still amazed Ray! 

Love your ideas.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks!


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

_Ray.... Just a big "DITTO" to all the great comments previously...

*What great work.. *__*







*_


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

You never cease to amaze me Ray. Excellent work. Maybe you should go into business. Later RJD


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Here are some shots of the building in place on the layout. Note the worn, old sign on the foundation next to the stairs. I painted that mostly by hand, which was a pain. It wasn't very sharp either but didn't need to be. Then I roughed it up with sandpaper:











Here it is shortly after sunset...





















Imagine how great this scene will look when all the buildings have interiors and lights:






























Enjoy!


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Man..Ray..what a treat to see!!
Thanks for hanging with us, sharing your tribulations of labor!!
.....it looks more than incredibly "real", in fact absolutely "life-like"......

Dirk...we're impressed!!!! ;-)


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks, Dirk!


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

That came out amazing 
Reminds me of a Memorex slogan.

 "Is it real or is it the In-ko-pah RR?" 

Tommy
Rio Gracie


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, That is totally incredible!!! Your many hours of work have certainly paid off.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

At the risk of boring everyone, here's another shot of the town… The green stuff is moss or algae, brought on by the shady and relatively damp conditions on the layout at this time of year...


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, I never get tired of looking. That looks so real it makes my brain hurt!!! I just don't have that much patience.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray;

I don't suppose there is any citizen who is overweight in your town! Going shopping is the same amount of exercise as using a Stairmaster. Makes me glad that I just swim laps.

Best,
David Meashey


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Great as usual!
I think you need a little boy out side with his broken 'lectric train... Hopin' for a miracle!


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

For a second there I though it was a Google street view shot, until I saw your home in the window of the first shop.


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## mickey (Jan 28, 2009)

So how do you protect all this outdoors?


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

It's built to last. Of course, the most delicate parts are the interior details, and they're fully enclosed and thus protected.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I've started making the interior details for the barbershop, beginning with the chair. The base of the chair is made from a cast-resin metal lampshade I bought at the club swap meet a few years ago. I sanded down the rim of the shade, then filled the underside with epoxy putty:














The chair itself was made from various bits of Sintra PVC foam board, plus some styrene strips, and detailed with nut/bolt/washer castings from Grandt Line:

























That's it for now, more later.


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