A Tar roof Out of Masking Tape and Paint

Work continues, and this time it is on an often neglected area of the structure everyone sees, the roof! The latest development is the addition of some roofing detail, like the tar roof, concrete facade painting,  and some vents from the Walthers Rooftop Details kit. 

To make the tar roof I used off-white masking tape, cutting it into small rectangles. I overlapped the tape tiles some and painted with craft store acrylic paint. The different colors are the result of different mixes of black and white. Then I used a black fine point sharpie to draw the black lines around each of the tiles edges. The roof turned out very nice in my humble opinion. The tape really gave it good texture. I decided to make it look like each roof section was replaced/laid at a different time, hence the three different shades of black. 

Under the tape is styrene that I painted on both sides with a rattle can. The inside is gray and the top black. Painting the top wasn't really necessary since I planned on adding the tape roof anyway. But there being no harm in extra black paint, I gave it a good coat of black. It further blocks any light coming thru, also it hides any areas I may have missed when laying down the tape. 

The only little thing I don't like is that the sharpie lines give off a red tint. It is more obvious the darker the tape was painted. Im planning to weather the roof further, and add dull coat which will hopefully solve the issue. 

As far as this project has come….it still has a long way to go just to be considered as "base layer complete". Meaning everything done with the exception of adding details, decals and the like.

For example I still need to finish the base coat in the loading dock interior. Then paint the I-beams and columns (my guess is a red color or something? Still uncertain).  Not to mention I still need to install interior and exterior lighting.

Structural Integrity and Paint.

 It has been a little bit of time since I have last updated all of you. But yes, I have been working everyday for a few hours on this structure.

The window frames are in! Mostly. There are a few openings at the bottom that I still need to decide, as the kit allows for a few options. I can make them a solid brick, or a window section with brick like the rest of the structure, or even a loading dock! Im doubting that I will put in a loading dock in all four openings, only in the right side that is next to the loading dock area.

The left side of the building, also has window frames and painted brick with aged concrete. It is still a little awkward looking. The windows are not even one each half. But each half is a mirror of each other.

In the back, on top and bottom is styrene to reinforce and strengthen it.

 For the roof section on the right side of the second story. I devised a tab locking section to hold the roof straight with the wall. There is a gap between two styrene strips that are used to reinforce the wall. I glued some square beams to on the underside of the roof to fit right into the grooves. I still need to construct/frame the back to it will stay up.

 Here is an inside view of the loading dock. The styrene was painted with Model Master Concrete colored acrylic paint. Under the entire structure is a .010" thick. styrene that holds everything in place; Glued to that is the loading dock and .040 styrene. I made cuts to allow the track to fit in, then on top is the painted styrene which is also .040 thick. The white I-Beam is glued onto the wall/window sections, the roof just rests on top of it. Still am deciding how I should paint the ceiling and what color. 

From the top with the loading dock area roof off. There are styrene rectangle beams used for a few reasons on top the back end that buts against the second story. I offset them so the roof sections now fit in a certain way. I know the roof will probably be black, but here again, I am currently not sure if the beams will blend in with the roof or with the aged concrete. 

For the far side where the truck docks are located I scratch built this corner-piece to hold up the roof section. Since the story is that the peterson tool specialty is an add on my story for this little piece is for some "seismic retrofitting" on the older section. I may or may not put in some angled crossbeams to really simulate structural reinforcement. 

  

The section will also remain as a separate piece front the structure (okay at least for now). I can't glue it to the ground because of how I remove the second story that is over the loading lock area, that part slides out. The little piece is held into place by the concrete ground styrene, it drops into a channel. 

Speaking of the wall section sliding, here is picture proof of how its rigged. An I-beam installed for reinforcement extends past the end of the wall; on the connecting wall is a perfectly sized hole for the beam to slide in. I may add second one just to be fool-proof. But for now this is working swell. 

It might be a little hard to see, but the American Tool Supplier wall actually drops and locks into place. I cut a small notch here and there so it drops in perfectly and is held at a 90 degree angle (more or less) on all sides. Off on the right side you can see the left side wall section sitting on the loading dock with the I-Beam protruding past the side. 

Last for this post is some of the back structuring I have scratch-built primarily to hold up the roof on the Left wall section. Unlike the rest of the roof sections on the right side, the left side roof was constructed using the roof that came with the Walthers kit instead of plain white styrene. Although It will likely never be seen, I plan to detail the brick on top facing the wall just as I am the rest of the building, even touching up some areas. 

Windows, concrete, and roof.

Back Home for a Test Fitting!

Went home for the fourth of July weekend decided it would be a good time to test fit the structure to see if I have actually been working off of the right measurements. Overall I say everything fits just about prefect. As a bonus I cut some styrene to size for the concrete floor the tracks run in

The overall length of the structure is about 5' 2" from all to wall. It will be made up of three sections, like I said earlier. I will be more description in another post.

One item that may be a tad more complicated is the base for the wall section that isn't the loading dock area.

 As a bonus I cut a patch in the styrene base for the tracks to run in on an used .010 styrene under that to hold everything together. Then I added some styrene on the tops of the ties for the concrete floor. Making it appear that the tracks are cemented in.

Already I think this view from inside the main door is fairly nifty. It will of course look much better with all of the concrete painted.

Running Video: July 4th HO Trains

Loading Area Progress.

Work continues! Painting assembling and glueing. 

Got the bottom brick painted; Looks better then I expected. My co-worker actually suggested it and I decided to give it a try. Next I will want to paint the concrete facade on the second story. Followed by adding of the window frames. 

Another addition this week is the loading dock platform. I used 1/2" Plastruct I-Beams and .040 sheet styrene. It will attach to the back brick wall - which has also been painted - and will be a seperate "section" along with the second story. The other sections planned are the front Peterson Tool Specialties and the non scratch build section of the American Tools building. Again the idea is to have the entire building be made of about three sections that fit together.