Back At It
Given that I'll need to give my knee a break for the next four weeks (not counting the post-surgical recovery), I'll have to concentrate on workbench tasks. So, please don't expect daily updates as I've done in the past; regrettably, there will be days to come when I won't be up to doing anything—even something fun. Anyway, the three RSLaserKits structures that I'd ordered for Daphetid Flats arrived, and it seemed like a "knee safe" project.
Daphetid Flats is my nickname for a row of building fronts I decided to add next to the Assay Office, tucked away in the very corner of the layout, to give Daphetid a more town-like feel; it also helps to deal with the awkward back edge of the layout. Based on the above image of John Allen's third G&D, among others, I focused on classical Western architecture, which RSLaserKits has in abundance. I chose three kits: #4022, Zelda's B&B; #4023, Dakra's Dry Goods; and #4030, Main Street Store.
To keep the project simple and straightforward, I didn't do much in the way of modifications. The only significant change was making the porch on the B&B shallower (above); had the porch been left unmodified, it would have nearly stretched all the way across to the tracks, and I needed at least a token bit of street in front of the buildings to create a town-like effect, however compressed.
Because I was only using the store fronts, all three were completed in fairly short order. As I worked on them, though, I had to wonder how many modelers have successfully completed these kits. It would appear they were reduced from larger scales, and consequently some parts were absurdly small while others were literally lasered out of existence (above). In particular, the cornice details for the Main Street Store (below) were nearly too small to pick up! Installing a dozen of them would be far more work than it was worth for a background building—one that's partially obfuscated by trees, no less—so I substituted a slice from a leftover part, giving me one (relatively) large piece to install as opposed to a bunch of flea-sized bits.
I debated for some time over whether or not to illuminate the buildings. All together there were quite a few windows—some having interesting shapes—but I had only a fraction of an inch in depth available. The solution: an electroluminescent panel. Thanks to having done all sorts of lighting effects in the town on my James River Branch layout, I had lots of experience with—and leftover scraps of—EL material from Miller Engineering.
Illumination naturally called for making everything light-proof, since wood is notoriously translucent. This required multiple coats of black paint on the backs of the facades. The EL panel was cut as a single piece to run the full width of Daphetid Flats. Using spray adhesive, I applied an orange warming filter to tone down its garish blue-white color; this also diminished the light output considerably, which in this case was desirable for subtle lighting. To enhance the effect even further, all of the windows were glazed with frosted plastic for a diffuse glow.
Finishing followed my usual practice of a few light coats of grey primer spray, followed by chalk tints for subtle coloration. Given the intricacy of the detailing on these buildings—particularly the B&B—it was tempting to give them lavish, colorful paint jobs; I had to constantly remind myself these were background structures, and so the colors had to remain muted. Nevertheless, I did use a range of shades for the B&B woodwork, and I may go back and highlight some of the woodwork on the other buildings later; I may also add a sign or two.
When I fired up the lighting for a test, I liked the effect so much that it got me thinking about the Assay Office. But I haven't decided yet whether or not I'll illuminate it, as it would be a fairly complex task to retrofit the building with lighting given that it's sealed up and permanently bonded to a sheet of Masonite!
Original Gorre & Daphetid image courtesy of Peter T. Prunka.