Making some progress, got the hole in the floor repaired just minutes before the building inspector showed up. He'll never know. He was not concerned about the pit in the rear floor when we told him we were digging a well.

Working on the front porch details, got to even out the wood floor color a bit, but at least it's painted. The sign above is suppose to read, "GeneraL", but the 3D printer didn't quite make all the letters, looks like the lettering is in Klingon. I needed to grind it off anyway so I can use it to inset a new sign. That worked out OK.

I took a photo of the brush that I'm using for detailing the small stuff,  It's marked 5/0 and I'm not sure, but that "5" might be the number of bristles left on it.  I have another one marked 10/0 which should be even smaller, but it isn't. I think this one is just worn down, but it works for what I'm doing. Still tricky getting past those posts on the porch. They're next to be painted after the doors.

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Is there an upstairs apartment in that building or is it just storage?
Charlie

(07-13-2021, 10:16 AM)Charlie B Wrote: [ -> ]Is there an upstairs apartment in that building or is it just storage?
Charlie

As you can see from the interior of the store, there is no storage. The upstairs is split, a small efficiency apartment for the owner that she uses when she's not at her villa outside of town, and the rest is storage.

You do realize that this structure is not up to code. No emergency fire exit and just a ladder to access the second floor. But fortunately, it's grandfathered in since it dates back to the Victorian era.

Don, I sit here in awe  , you really do great work in N scale, no idea how you do it, I've done N and had to quit   , your work really blows me away  .

Thank you Deano,  just that I look at things a lot different and I think everyone else here does a lot better than anything I do. Maybe because I spent all that time looking at what I've accomplished and see all the flaws. If there's any secrets behind my getting anything done in N scale it's that I do about 80% of it under a magnifier lamp, I have some really small brushes, I spent a career working with very small electronic parts and I guess I have a bit more patience than some folks. After all that, I still don't think my work compares with a lot that I see here on Big Blue.

Just an update, there are a couple of things that I notice about this model. For one, I would have thought the exterior would be made in one piece, but it's not. At first, I thought the doors were movable, but they're not. It looks like the porch and all the details on it, including the doors are separate and joined to the body with a series of mortise and tenons, (or holes and tabs). They are joined permanently at the roof line. I wish they were removable, but it's way too late to even try.

Another thing is that the interior is loose fitting to the exterior by about a good 1/8". That, and the interior floor sits above the porch floor by a 1/16". The building inspector called that a "trip hazard", for which I will compensate by sinking the interior a bit when I put it in place. I will try to secure the exterior in such a way that it is removable, maybe use some Velcro or clips of some sort.

Wonderful work Don! I have a Blair Line general store that your building was probably based on. I just glued photos to the inside of the windows but no one can really see them unless they really go out of their way to lean over and reallyyy squint!!!! Maybe if I had left the porch roof off?

Thanks Mike, I keep trying, but always doubting.  

Just in case I'm giving the wrong impression, I'm not complaining about this model, just giving my observations. It is remarkably detailed that could not be achieved if it was in kit form. There is nothing about it that can't be dealt with. if someone had it and left it untouched, that would make it a collector's item, but since it's going on my layout, it needs to look finished. I am pleased to have it.

Did a little more painting. Since this is Victorian, I thought a copper roof would keep the style of that era. I have aged copper paint, just debating whether to oxidize it a bit. It doesn't look like new copper, but it's a bit too clean and homogeneous looking for something that's been around as long as this building has.

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Great work Don. Hard to believe it is N scale.

You might try brushing some green pastel chalk on the copper roof Don. If you don't like the results you spray it with dullcote and the chalk should disappear.

I think Mike has a good idea with the green chalk, but I have seen many copper roofs that are now completely green so you have quite an option there. 
Charlie

Thanks guys, I appreciate to positive comments. I've already did a bit of spotting with some green and black paint. Too much and I can just overpaint it. I checked Google for Victorian copper roofs and yeah, some are 100% green, but still streaked with a bit of white and black. Got lots of choices and the time to play around. I'll try the chalk thing too, just to see if I can get it more realistic looking.

(07-15-2021, 07:37 AM)ezdays Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks guys, I appreciate to positive comments. I've already did a bit of spotting with some green and black paint. Too much and I can just overpaint it. I checked Google for Victorian copper roofs and yeah, some are 100% green, but still streaked with a bit of white and black. Got lots of choices and the time to play around. I'll try the chalk thing too, just to see if I can get it more realistic looking.

Don, I think you are modeling modern day so you could paint the roof to a color of modern day steel roofing. One color is penny brite copper. There is also a green and blue. Different styles and manufactures offer all different colors so you could get away with anything.  You could even place a little sign in the yard advertising the metal roofing company so they would give you a hefty discount. 
Charlie

(07-15-2021, 08:40 AM)Charlie B Wrote: [ -> ]

(07-15-2021, 07:37 AM)ezdays Wrote: [ -> ]Thanks guys, I appreciate to positive comments. I've already did a bit of spotting with some green and black paint. Too much and I can just overpaint it. I checked Google for Victorian copper roofs and yeah, some are 100% green, but still streaked with a bit of white and black. Got lots of choices and the time to play around. I'll try the chalk thing too, just to see if I can get it more realistic looking.

Don, I think you are modeling modern day so you could paint the roof to a color of modern day steel roofing. One color is penny brite copper. There is also a green and blue. Different styles and manufactures offer all different colors so you could get away with anything.  You could even place a little sign in the yard advertising the metal roofing company so they would give you a hefty discount. 
Charlie

There is a Historic District on my layout cared for by the "Society for the Preservation of Old Things", (ie: SPOT), and they're insisting that I maintain the Victorian era look before they'll let me place this building anywhere near that area. As it is, they've graciously agreed to extend the Historic District to the empty lot across the street, so I'd better listen to these folks... Antique copper is the material of choice and still getting a discount from the roofing company.

Long time ago, my wife was looking out over Toronto and marvelling that so many rooves were done the same green colour.