I really enjoy assembling these Downtown Deco kits. They are time consuming but last weekend I set a new record.
6 hours to paint, assemble, and open up for business! Once I got started, I could not stop!
The only sanity testing skill was assembling the "Fast Loans" billboard. The time to carefully cut out the letters tested my patience.
Though the lights are out.... we're open! This kit is begging for some interior details and lights.
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Nice!
very nice!
J Daddy posted:I really enjoy assembling these Downtown Deco kits. They are time consuming but last weekend I set a new record.
6 hours to paint, assemble, and open up for business! Once I got started, I could not stop!
The only sanity testing skill was assembling the "Fast Loans" billboard. The time to carefully cut out the letters tested my patience.
Though the lights are out.... we're open! This kit is begging for some interior details and lights.
THX for sharing Jdaddy! These buildings look very realistic.
Looks great John !!
Clem
Well done!
Peter
Looks great and only took a day! Can't beat that.
-Greg
Very nice work!!
John, what is the interest rate on their loans? With the price of trains today I may need one..............
Nice work! Aren't the downtown deco kits made out of plaster or hydrocal or am I thinking about another kit mfr?
Great job on the building you gave me the inspiration to do mine that I have had sitting around for years......Paul
Coach Joe: http://www.downtowndeco.com/
coach joe posted:Nice work! Aren't the downtown deco kits made out of plaster or hydrocal or am I thinking about another kit mfr?
Yes, that is them. I found a trackside tavern under the layout... it will be the next one.
J DADDY, I will have to look for them. I bought a number of the buildings a while back. Once I find them I let you know which ones I have to put together....................Paul
Great work
Brent
That looks great. Came out really well and 6 hours is pretty quick too, for the entire process. I also enjoy painting and assembling kits. All I have done is Ameri-Towne kits, I like them. I will have to also try some of the brands of kits, I think I am due for a couple more here pretty soon.
Very nice!
Jdady, fast loans has really come to life with your efforts. Came out great!
I never saw the angel's flight hotel kit. That is really awesome too!
I have a a few of these kits built by others and some boxed DD kits awaiting future assembly. Thanks for the motivation.
J DADDY, I found some of the kits I have bought over the years and never put together. I found the pawn shop, card room, tattoo/blue angel, Monarch distributing and Labor Temple so far.............Paul
John,
You did a real nice job on those. It is a lot of fun to get in the building groove.
Alan Graziano
paul 2 posted:J DADDY, I found some of the kits I have bought over the years and never put together. I found the pawn shop, card room, tattoo/blue angel, Monarch distributing and Labor Temple so far.............Paul
Paul - which one are you (we) going to tackle first? 
Well J DADDY since posting those I found three more and I still have more to come across. Once I find all of them I'll make up little pieces of paper with the buildings names and whatever one I pull out will be the first one. No turning back then..................Paul
paul 2 posted:Well J DADDY since posting those I found three more and I still have more to come across. Once I find all of them I'll make up little pieces of paper with the buildings names and whatever one I pull out will be the first one. No turning back then..................Paul
Paul if you only lived closer... could set you up in the line-up over here!
Hey bar keep! I'll have a pint of Bass Ale.
Great job J Daddy!!!
trumptrain posted:Hey bar keep! I'll have a pint of Bass Ale.
Great job J Daddy!!!
I think at that place you get a Pabst or Blatz boilermaker and like it. 
Maybe even Strogh's ... depending on the era. ( it could still be too soon for serving a Stroghs in Detroit again, even on a layout; abandonment issues, lol)
J DADDY, they are all good locations. Once you decide and open the door they will come. Nice job on the building...........Paul
Jdaddy you really are on a roll turning out great looking models. i like the bar under the elevated tracks.
Thanks Joe,
I have the Atlantic Hotel painted and glued... will post some pics here soon
J DADDY, with you finishing your last kit and me just starting what are your preferences to glue and paints to color walls. I have yet to buy those things. I have woodland scenic colors from doing my scenery left over would those diluted work on the kits. Any help is appreciated. Thanks............Paul
Hi Paul,
First start with the castings and lay them all out. Do not glue them, even if they are broken. The most important thing is color and any glue will seal the plaster and not let the paint soak in.
I started with a mix of 20 percent yellow orche and 60 percent raw sienna then a spot of transparent oxide red and raw umber... experiment with these if you want more brown red then use more transparent oxide red OR
Burnt umber or even burnt sienna.
Transparent oxide red:
Burnt Umber
Raw umber:
Yellow Orchre
Raw Sienna:
I use Artist acrylics. Start with light colors and lots of water, you can always go darker but not lighter!
So go slow and keep staining the plaster as you see fit. Let the color coat dry.
Then wash it with diluted mars black. Go easy with the black... again it gets dark really quick.
Let this dry for a couple of hours. Than you can powder it with white plaster or dry brush it with Titanium white
Now glue your sides together and use a square! The only building that drove me nuts was the Trackside Tavern... not one square wall in the bunch.
You will notice that you will need sand the walls square. You can do this Before or After paint. Just make sure you are sanding the ends that DO NOT have patterns on them and sand them by laying the sand paper face up on a flat board or floor.
I use Elmers wood glue with masking tape for the corners ( small buildings), or basswood for taller the buildings. The masking tape helps tack weld the corners until the glue can dry. Once you have all four walls up and things look good I use rubber bands around the walls to close the gaps. If you have a hole patch it and use some touch up paint.
The signs I put on next and that takes some practice....
To achieve the melted into the brick painted on sign I cut out the sign and use sand paper to sand the back of the sign. Until you can almost see the color come through from the front... then I dip it in water, apply some white elmers glue and apply it to the building. VERY gently with you finger nail nestle the sign into the brick or stone detail. Make sure its straight.
Let dry for an hour then use the same paint mix for the brick and gently paint a bit over it. This will make it look the sign is faded.
Next I paint the windows and apply the acetate in the windows and finish the kit per the instructions.
I finished the Atlantic Hotel. This is a BIG heavy building. So it took some extra time to glue in some bass wood structure. The first try I had it drying with rubber band clamps, after and hour I tried to move it and it folded up like a cheap suite!
I will focus on floors and an interior, but for now I was happy I found a good spot for it on the layout. I still need to cut a base for the sidewalks.
Has anyone seen a Palace Hotel?
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