I finally sprayed the structure with a couple light coats of matte finish sealer. I still plan to put a few 'finishing touches' on the building, like a gutter/drain...how is the water supposed to drain off that roof without one?...and a few others. But that's all the work for now. I'm setting it aside until I'm ready to put on those little extras.
General thoughts on construction. Hmmm. Well, I could see this kit working just as well with wood or styrene as the base material. In fact, with sytrene you'd get a cleaner cut and an easier 'cut' using the scribe and snap method. With the cover layer, you really don't know what's beneath it...it could be anything, really.
Yes, cardstock (especially cerealboard) may be cheaper than styrene or wood...but I'm not sure this kit really utilizes cardstock to its full potential as a modeling medium. It's almost more of a modeling 'tedium', having to cut all those layers, ensure they line up properly, etc.
I think knowing the intended wall thicknesses (or having a bit more wiggle room planned into the kit) would be helpful. "When you get to this point it should fit this way, or measure to be _____" That'd be nice.
Perhaps the paper I printed on was a bit thick. If I had used a thinner paper it may have creased a bit more easily. Then again, I like the texture of the paper I used.
The actual printouts themselves are fantastic. Well weathered and colored to begin with, it really has a great brick look to it. Including graffitti options was a nice touch.
I found the roll up door to be a bit clumsy to roll up, and I could see where making the creases on some of the more delicate items like corner caps in N scale would be a real challenge. But overall the folding wasn't that difficult. I feel the burnishing tool and a good paintbrush for applying the glue were the star tools of this project.
The instructions could have been clearer on the overhang for the door track. Also there were times where reading ahead paid off...this could have been helped with a little more info up front. Having the steps laid out as they were I was able to check off my progress and get a sense of accomplishment along the way.
All in all, an enjoyable project. I have learned much about working with cardstock and I look forward to other offerings from this and other companies that will work on my layouts or in the era I'm modeling.
. But, it's like you said ... who is really going to take a little periscope (or angled dental mirror) and look at the ceiling inside this shed to find out about your little "oops"?
