I'm just building my first ever Metcalfe kit - the low relief shops in stone.

They really are quite good kits with easy to follow instructions and well cut parts.

The first is here (my partner Liz, loves the "chippie" although Jeff beat me to it !!):



Eventually, there will be a row of 8 shops with adjoining houses - all in stone.

You'll see that, on the left hand shop, I got the upstairs windows the wrong way round so the top sash is open. :oops:  :oops:

I will need to weather them slightly to tone them down.  The setting is a Pennine mill town - not sure yet if it's going to be animal feed or wool/cotton but whatever, they'll need at least slight weathering if not the black soot type.

Advice/critical appraisal would be greatly appreciated (and I DO mean that - I want to learn from others !!)

Also, advice on weathering would be great.

Petermac

Looks very good :!:  A long row should look pretty impressive. I hope we get to see it when it's done   :)  A pity about the window, but if you hadn't mentioned it I wouldn't have noticed.
 Be careful if you weather them with paint. It'll need to be very dry. Chalks work well though. Maybe a bit of faint grey-brown down low, splashed up from the paving, and perhaps some green on an end wall where it's less sunny…?
 
 Mike

They look ok and as for the window, as i recall my aunt had sach windows and hers opened top or bottom, so it is ok.
Phill

phill said

They look ok and as for the window, as i recall my aunt had sach windows and hers opened top or bottom, so it is ok.
Phill

You're right Phill - we had them in UK and both sashes opened - I just wanted to have someone leaning out - maybe a giant !!  I had to put it upside down because the fancy moulding on the bottom of the sash is correct - it's just that I got the wrong side facing outwards !!

Petermac

MikeC said

Looks very good :!:  A long row should look pretty impressive. I hope we get to see it when it's done   :)  A pity about the window, but if you hadn't mentioned it I wouldn't have noticed.
 Be careful if you weather them with paint. It'll need to be very dry. Chalks work well though. Maybe a bit of faint grey-brown down low, splashed up from the paving, and perhaps some green on an end wall where it's less sunny…?
 
 Mike

Thanks for that Mike.  I was worried that paint might delaminate or stain the card.  When you say "chalks", you obviously mean artists pastels but do you mean just ground chalk put on with a brush ?  How does it stay put ?  Would I not need to coat it afterwards to make it stick ?

Petermac

Well unless someone looks close and real close it wont notice and if they do and critsise say sod off its my build i am happy if you aint then get lost  :D  :D
Phill

Petermac  yes I did mean artists pastels. Make sure you get the chalky ones, not the oil-based ones. You'll find they cling onto card very well. I've never bothered fixing mine with anything. Just powder them with a sharp blade and gently rub them on with your finger, using tiny amounts each time.

 Mike

I got the windows the wrong way round on mine aswell  :)

Thanks for that Mike - I'll give it a whirl.  Afterall, if I bu##er the whole thing up, it's not a £100 loco !!

I realised I'd got the windows the wrong way up Diesel when I fitted them.  I fitted them with the moulding correctly at the bottom of the sash, but then realised the top sash was open.  I checked the other windows on the acetate carefully and found I'd put those two in shiny side out !!  The other half block will have the bottom sash open - at least it'll be different !!!  :?  :?

Petermac

Not that I want to make sure you don't miss this post.  :oops:  :oops:  :oops:

Very senior moment I'm afraid computer siezed and I kept clicking "submit" - please someone - how do I delete the duplicates ?

Petermac

I've done that for you Petermac. No problem. It happens to all of us at one time or another.

petermac

The section moderator normally but as there is no official moderator for this section the honour falls on Bob


cheers Brian.W

Thanks guys - something I've yet to learn how to do !! :oops:  :oops:

Petermac

Top right of each post there are four little icons for Quote, Edit, Delete and IP. The Delete is just a little X.

Petermac, if you look at my windows, you'll find that the top sash is open on some of mine.
They are in the right way round (painted sash to the outside) and I've cut out the top window for it to be "open".
This is the correct way, as the top part of the window was the one left open most often (although both parts would open as Phill says).

How do I know, you ask  :?:  
Well, as a valley boy, we had sash winows on our house. I used to open the bottom part and hang out, but my mother would always shout at me and say it was dangerous.
"Open the top, you can't fall out from that" she would say.

Thanks Jeff - as you say, both open but, like most people, we usually left the top sash open.  I'll have another look - you might just be right about it being the right way round.  I know it should be painted side out but had assumed I'd got it wrong !!!

Petermac

Robert said

Top right of each post there are four little icons for Quote, Edit, Delete and IP. The Delete is just a little X.

I'd clicked on that button Bob thinking it was either/or.  I didn't notice the button was split so was obviously clicking the "edit" bit.  All together now "Come on Petermac !!  Wake up !!" :oops:  :oops:  :oops:

Petermac