Working on Micro again

[jmarksbery]

Yeah it's me again. :cry: Do you guys remember when I did my backdrop on my micro using paper building I did on the computer? Well I knew I was going to redo them someday when I found what I wanted to replace them. I was looking for something that would resemble old brownstone buildings and when Drew sent me a box of stuff in it was one wall that I really liked, so I decided to make a mold of it and cast a few of the wall and it was just what I wanted. Here is a picture of the original wall on the right and the cast of one I made on the left.

I now have enough to build tall buildings, long buildings or about anything I want for a urban scene. You will see the ones I am replacing first, to follow will be the Paulson Knudson Lumber Co. building and the Spitfire Supplies building, which are two different styles. (but that might change) Anywho, here are some more pictures of my flats. Any advice or input is welcome but I think they will bring it more to life than paper backdrop buildings. Let me know.

Notice the kids jumping rope? Did you tie a rope to something so only one person had to turn the rope while the others got to jump rope? This is the left end of the flat with Fatso's Fish Market and the Matthyro Box Co. and the Marinaccil Fabricators. Is it coming back to you yet? The sidewalks are busy with people as in this part of the city industry and people still share the space together.

Further up the block people are out on the front stoop as that was the gathering spot for many of the folks back then.

Further on down the block and what was once the Templar Street Farm Supply is now the meighborhood grocery and is another fine place to hang out. A couple of young boys are headed up that way hopeing to catch a truck unloading so they can help for a free Coke.

Here is a night shot looking up the block and plenty of movement is still going on.

Now here is the head on shot of this part of the block. What do you think? Look better than the paper one? Remember these are just the building front that will go against the backdrop.

Dose it bring back your memory now of the Templar Street layout? Comments welcome and remember guys this is a first time for me. Seeze u later, Jim

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Looks great Jim. :thumb:

 

[screwysquirrel]

cool stuff!

 

[Drew1125]

It looks FANTASTIC, Jim! :thumb: :thumb:


Nobody does it like "The Colonel"!

Excellent work, my friend!

 

[jcoop1]

Looks great Jim, What did you use for the mold? Did you cast this with Hydrocal? What is the original from, I love the look and would like to make a 3D version for myself.

Thanks

 

[Zman]

Looks fantastic. Is that Fatso himself in front of his store? If so, he's lost some weight.

 

[Will_annand]

Nice work Jim, such variety out of the same casting. :thumb:
Gotta love it.

 

[Matthyro]

The detailing is excellent Jim. Great work.

 

[Ralph]

Those look great! I really like the way you make those scenes come alive with people and details. Love the awning on the grocery!
Ralph

 

[tillsbury]

Great backdrop! What casting material did you use? I love the way you've made the three identical casts look like different buildings.

It looks like you've cast in the window glass, and then painted them with gloss black (or very dark green?) -- is that right? Presumably it's too hard to cast the astragals alone without them breaking.

Charles

 

[jmarksbery]

Thanks guys, I can't give a picture how-to at the moment as I am out of the rubber compound, but I'll try this way. I use a peice of pexliglass as a base for the mold, I used the wall Drew sent me as the master, I used the tried and true lego block to form the mold frame work leaving a half inch all the way around. I used molding clay to secure the lego's and the master. I use veg. cooking spray for the mold release, what I had on hand, works well. I then poured Smooth-On silicone rubber compound I purchased direct from Smooth-On Inc., Micro Mart also sell this. (It is NOT CHEAP) Just follow the directions, it's easy.
After taking the mold out, shown below,

I used the Smooth-Cast 300 white liquid plastic, it dose not take long for this to set and you can rapid fire off a few walls in a short time. I allow these to sit for a while to set up nicely, if you do need to trim it is a good time to do it right after you take them from the mold as they are still somewhat soft. That's it, do them as you would any other plastic kit and make what you need, fun, easy and you can fill that spot on your layout where you needed a custom building without cutting up a kit, which you can save for another project. It is just a matter of finding the right master you want. If you find it in a kit you have the master is not harmed in any way and can still be used in your kit. I guess I should say no animals or LPB's were harmed in any way to do this! Jim

p.s.
as for the window, if you pour carefully the window will be just fine and you can use glazing behind them, on this one and being a background flat and not needing a window inside detail I poured it thicker to close them up, the window were painted black, except for some broken ones, and then I used the clear window stuff made by Testers to make the window glass. Hope this helps. :thumb:

 

[Matthyro]

That is a good how to Jim. No use for the Matthyro Cerealboard being produced by you factory yet EH!.