5.18. Spano's Service Station

Because it looked so intriguing, Miller Engineering's Gulf station was the first etched brass kit I tackled, and it wasn't a beginner's kit by any means. I'd actually set it aside for a while and worked on a few simpler structures before finishing it.

 

  

The first thing I did was switch from gluing to soldering. The process was easier to control, and the results were cleaner and much stronger. My first brass kit soldering lesson didn't look all that great, but the ugliness would be hidden inside the building.

The kit was completed almost two years after it was started. By then I'd become quite adept at soldering brass kits.

The completed assembly got a vinegar bath before being primed and painted. Because the building would be illuminated, I filled in the open GULF letters with orange transparent paint.

Miller's HO Scale Gulf station had an optional illumination kit, but the N Scale one didn't, so I made my own using Miller's DIY electroluminescent panels.

An illumination test revealed many light leaks, which I sealed up with black artist's tape.

Decals and weathering were applied, followed by interior detailing, which included a sales counter, product shelves with products, chairs, waiting customers, and a vehicle in the open bay. The station nearly sat on the edge of the layout, so all of the detailing could easily be seen.

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