Tmo kitbash '24 build challenge

[tompm]

Looks great!

[TMo]

Section 2, stories 1 and 2 complete with two more stories to go on that section.  For those keeping score at home, since there are 31 days in August we have 27 days left before this year's challenge turns into a pumpkin.  My hopes and dreams for a complete layout addition are completely shot, but this kitbash build holds some promise for at least a finish.  I probably do want to add some steps for the door unit I put in on the basement floor, and this time I used a different set of doors and a truck dock addition from Plant #2.  No sign planned for this section, so the last two stories are just going to be a rinse and repeat of section 1 and shouldn't take me too long to complete.

   

[Charlie B]

Todd

     Your building is a great build.  I am looking forward to the completed structure. The coal breaker was really a great build.
Charlie

[TMo]

Thanks Charlie! That's another great thing about this hobby - starting with the germ of an idea and taking simple materials and maybe some old photos and producing something that looks and feels realistic for the timeframe and place you model. I almost like efforts like this one and the breaker more than putting a kit together via instructions. Don't get me wrong, both have their place, but having the freedom to wing it is fun.

[nachoman]

Pretty spiffy!

[TMo]

Work has continued into Phase II of the Duplan Silk Mill warehouse complex.  I still have to add the caps on the top - maybe tomorrow night.  Phase III begins soon!

       

[tompm]

Looking real good. Nice job.

[TMo]

Less than two weeks to go on the 2024 Challenge!  The hopes of the layout addition hitting the finish line have dried and withered, but work continues on this Challenge entry with the 3rd warehouse building reaching the 2nd floor.  I'll also shortly be adding a loading dock to this third building that I'm bashing in from part of the "Plant #2" kit - same kit I got the door and truck bumpers from on the ground floor of warehouse #2.  As stated before, warehouse #3 will be a 3-story affair, so I'm nearing completion on the major structure.  There are still probably some details to add, and then a unifying bit of wall structure in the back to tie all three together.  I'm considering a potential skyline and/or low relief flora to hide a bit of the brown wall and the corner of the backdrop, but I continue to mull that one.

   

[TMo]

Got the loading dock ready and installed it.  Fit nicely between the outer two pilasters on the corner of the building - I just had to notch out for the center pilaster and glue in place.  There's also an optional sheet metal roof that goes with this dock and I will probably add it, but not until I get the 3rd story and the roof built.

       

[TMo]

Finished the 3rd story including the roof and cap and just finished putting a roof (also pulled from the Plant #2 kit) over the loading dock on the 3rd portion of the warehouse.  The picture below is the non-show side of the building which will end up fairly close to the back backdrop.  As far as building bashing goes, I think I'm about done.  It's now time to join all three sections together and pull in a background, but that'll be sometime this weekend I hope.

   

[TMo]

Heading toward the finish line at a (ha...ha...) breakneck pace.

Joined all three sections of the warehouse project by glueing the backs to two pieces of cardstock.  I also added a little bit of weight to the tallest section since that one tended to tip forward.  The addition was a small chunk of wood glued to the back of the ground floor.

       

Did a little exploratory in my workshop and found a discarded piece of Homasote that was wide enough to serve as a backdrop, so I figured it was fate.  Cut it to the right width and slid it behind the finished warehouse.

   

Blue and white paint slapped on for sky, and then I penciled in an area to paint for trees and hills to get the right transition at the corner.

   

And here we are with the painted backdrop in place.  I intend to give the trees a 3-d treatment tomorrow.

   

[TMo]

A little polyfil addition to the backdrop and we're more or less complete.  I keep seeing little things to add, like some steps under the personnel doors.  Goes to show you that nothing's really ever done.

   

[tompm]

Great job! I just love old industrial buildings along the tracks.

[TMo]

Thanks Tom, these certainly qualify, and I really like the flexibility of this kit - you can make just about anything with it and scaling up or out is pretty simple, and you can adapt elements of other kits very easily.

[Amalynn]

That came out phenomenally