Full Version: Nachoman's kitbash 09 summer challenge
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I intend on making a reasonable representation of the Arizona Copper Company store in Morenci, Arizona. Neither the building or the town still exist, but luckily I have found lots of photos. A scale model of the actual building would be too large for my layout, so I am planning on building something that captures the feel of the building without duplicating it exactly. I also want this to be a relatively simple build rather than a lengthy scratchbuild, so I have elected to use a combination of walthers and DPM modular kits, with scratchbuilt elements to fill the holes.

Here is a photo of the building I am making:
[Image: 2572016070035155152SuJeUs_th.jpg]
Cool, Can't wait to see it going together.
As luck would have it, the LHS a few miles from my house had a bunch of DPM modular kits in stock at reasonable prices. Since this is a narrow-gauge only shop, this was a pleasant surprise. Normally, they do not carry the usual kits that the other hobby shops have. I bought the few I needed for the building ends (minus the blank walls which they didn't have). The side (long) walls will be made from walthers modular kits.

I want my building to be 6" wide. The wall is also continuous in front and back without any "columns" dividing it. That means, I have to cut the little mating flange from the side of the panels and butt them up against each other, and hopefully hiding the seams. I am using a brick pattern, as no stone pattern is available per the prototype.

The wall panels are 2.5" wide, and that means I have to add another inch someplace to come up with 6". For the storefront window sections, I cut the ends off of one panel and spliced it back together so that it is one inch wide. This will be my "doorway" section.
I haven't had a chance to work much on this structure in the past few weeks. Two reasons for this - 1) I was waiting fro my LHS to have the remaining parts delivered 2) the weather here has been averaging between 110-115 during the day, and 85-90 at night - and my workshop is in a separate room outside my house without a/c Curse But, my LHS did get the remaining parts in, and I have made a little progress beyond my last update. Once I get one of the side walls together, I will take some photos and post them.
As promised, here is a photo of my progress. I have the basic shapes for the two end walls assembled, and one of the side walls nearly assembled. As you recall, I am using both walthers and DPM modular kits for this building. Both manufacturers have their advantages and disadvantages, but I think they will blend together well enough. The brick patterns are similar, and once painted I doubt people will be able to see the difference unless they are specifically looking for it. These kits would work well for regularly-sized buildings in which you do not need to do any cutting and splicing. In my case, I had to cut and splice to get unique sizes, and blending the joints is going to be tricky. In hindsight, I would have been able to produce a better looking building without spending much more time if I scratchbuilt and bought window castings. Part of my goal was to experiment with these modular kits to see what I could come up with, and I think it will turn out just fine. I am trying to utilize as many parts from the kits as I possibly can, because once i start buying a bunch of details and extras, the cost starts adding up.
Look forward to more progress on the build Nachoman ... Big Grin
Part of the project is creating a space for the structure to go. Because this structure is meant to be somewhat built into the side of the hill, I need to have terrain built on the layout in order to size things correctly. Here I have test fit one of the walls where the completed building will go. I am building up layers of foam that will form the hill and the foundation.

I had meant to use the walthers cornerstone modulars column kit to form the corners of the building and the remaining pieces of columns on the walls. Walthers was sold out of that kit when I ordered them from the LHS, and their website had said they would be available again in august. Now I see they have pushed back that date until October - after the contest is over! Wallbang I tried one LHS and they did not have any on their shelf, and I could try another store in town or find some place online that has some in stock. I hate to make small orders online and pay as much for the shipping as the item itself, and I hate to order extra things just to make the shipment worthwhile.

I think I am going to proceed without the columns kit, and use more leftovers from the DPM kits to form the remaining columns and walls - in the true spirit of kitbashing :mrgreen:
Quote:I think I am going to proceed without the columns kit, and use more leftovers from the DPM kits to form the remaining columns and walls - in the true spirit of kitbashing

That's the spirit indeed!

Another, more controversial option would be to make a mold of the pillars you have and cast the ones you need. That is, of course, if you've got molding rubber and casting resin. (As to the controversy, well, long-time editorial staff at MR seem to think it's okay, so I say go for it!)

And another option would be to purchase a brick download from Scalescenes or other such paper model company. BUT then you're kinda locked into using it for the rest of the model somehow, cutting and fitting around window openings, and trying to match the color on any brick you paint, etc.

Don't let the setback slow you down. Keep going. I only have a few DPM parts and no Walther's modular parts, otherwise I'd send you some.

Galen
I have made a few pieces of cornice for along the top of the walls. I made these by gluing various shapes of strip styrene together. I also have been working on hiding the seams where i glued the brick walls together. I smeared in some bondo filler, then went back and have been re-carving out the brick pattern. It isn't perfect because the brick patterns didn't line up that well, but once painted i think it will look okay, especially if I don't have high-contrasting colors between the bricks and the mortar.[attachment=2618]

then, i glued some gussets to the inside of the walls and began cementing the walls together.
And one photo of the walls glued together:[attachment=2622]

Next up is to finish the columns at the corners, and to finish the cornice along the top. For that, I need to cut some 75 degree angles, and I will need to pick up a cheap protractor to do that.
Hi Kevin,

The structure is coming on really well Big Grin have you thought of buying a sliding bevel for the angles i have one in the toolbox for any angle required especially useful for getting structure roofs floors marked out on angled buildings.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Rosewood-Carpenter-Sliding-Bevel_W0QQitemZ180391370662QQihZ008QQcategoryZ104040QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286.m7QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D1%26ps%3D5">http://cgi.ebay.com/Rosewood-Carpenter- ... 1%26ps%3D5</a><!-- m -->

The one i have here is made for model makers 4 1/2 inches long. ......... wasnt expensive ($8.00) ....... is rosewood & brass as the one in the link.
WOW Kevin, that structure is coming along real nice! Keep up the good work Thumbsup Thumbsup
I got all the cornice molding installed, and made a roof out of a "open house" sign I found in my closet (came with the house). Here it is test-fit in its eventual location. As you can see, I will need to build a loading dock. Next is to finish up a little brick work on the corners, clean up a few joints, make a front door, and then paint.
Now how's that for a generation shift - isn't that little structure down in the lower right hand corner of the last pic an old MDC/Roundhouse 'modular' structure?

Nice work with the For Sale sign.

Galen
Yes, that came from an old MDC 3-in-1 kit. I think the rest of the kit were log cars that I decided I didn't like very much because they really were just hopper car frames. Believe it or not, that little flat-roofed building captures the feel of the little depot that was once in Morenci Arizona, so I think I will keep it as my depot.
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