So this is the kit as seen on the CCK website. http://carolinacraftsmankits.com/

I wonder what colours I should to use for the build. I am also considering changing the walls from clapboard to stucco.

What do you think?

Ron:

I like the lap siding (or Shiplap - hard to tell) and think that would have been common down east. Stucco is appealing where it might be more common and has door and window details that might be different than this model. It's your model but I'd like to hear your opinion of how well it goes together; if the instructions are clear; and any nice extras like photos of the original or finishing tips to keep it in character with the region. Not may "painted lady's" up there and limestone white was very common. 

The details and fenestration look great. I hope you will share as it progresses.

Thanks Neil, right after I posted stucco I was thinking to myself, is that old style actually stucco?
Around here we limestone white wash in our barns. I don't know for sure, but am willing to bet that is what I was thinking of. 

I found a video of when I learned how to do stucco, it was 2009 I believe with a RSM kit Carrick's Corner. Video

If I was to go a white wash I would use a similar technique to get that chalky texture.

I posted this message on another group and the designer of the kit, joined in. This is the historical photo 

Of course, chances are the box arrives, is opened. And all plans change.

Well this morning, we had a blizzard and the kit arrive. Now cabin fever is a very dangerous thing, I hear, so....

I'll read the instructions tonight and plan the build out. Something I never do, but I want to possibly change a few things. Namely the front clapboard I might flip to use the flat side to make the white wash. The sides and back would realistically be clapboard, even if the front is different. So it isn't far fetched. 

Then again, all walls could be flipped, and re-arranged to allow the doors to "fit" like the original design. I guess it all depends on the colour. Once I pick that, the rest of the picture in my minds eye will come together.

I am sure of it....

I thought I had found all of the laser kit suppliers but CCK is a new one for me and the structures look really nice.  Will follow along to see how this one turns out.

I just wanted to share that I am 90% finished the kit, alas I got a stomach bug. So I am working on a big post here, but cannot dedicate the time to it just yet.

Happy New Year!

Ok, drink in hand, my favorite podcast is running. I wonder actually, how this will go over. You'll have to let me know If I add to many photos, there are 70, I'll whittle them down to about 10, er 20... 

Before anything happens on a kit, I pick the colour palette. I like monochromatic sets, because when I get the faded colour and the bright new colour I can combine them in realistic ways. More on that later. The grey is for the shingles, the army green is the faded green.

I could have left off there, but I had still to decide on the main wall colour. Valejo ivory worked for me, as it will actually be the cool white. I say cool white because the store front has BNSF heritage green and the contrasting white on that portion will have a wash of Dr Ben's antique white weathering stain, over ivory.

This is craftsman kit foreplay. You wouldn't go out on a date with a super model and mess up by forgetting the foreplay would ya? Preparation is everything, sure I could get this kit done in one night. But you can also tell a kit is done in one night, it look like a darn show home.

With the colours I taped the windows to painters tape and painted it with a rattle can. the tape doesn't need to be stuck down. We just don't want the windows to go POOF!.

I don't like to use I&A to weather wood walls. There are simple other ways that work without soaking the wood. Specifically grey paint. Old FSM kits came with a variation of this idea, George used to use Floquil grimy black...

After giving the grey time to dry 12-24hrs, we paint the Valejo ivory on with a wet brush technique, a Brett Gallant term, where you dab of some paint, but not most paint as in dry brushing. Some say use a sponge, i say there is a cartoon about a sponge, isn't that neat.

The coverage is awful, so I attacked the wall with a wire brush... Note I only painted 3 walls, not the front portion. More care would be used on the front.

So the back walls had the windows installed, using a technique I write about in a future MRH article (hopefully...).
The storefront is made from a nice card like material with 2 sided tape, to have it stick to the other parts. Which is nice on hand (i'll talk more on this later)

I never really paint an entire part. I combine two colours to cover the area, but they are intermingled, as you can see.

I lightly added nail holes. Not with my home made tool, I lost it, which bugs me to know end. Because I have made three, and they are all lost, darn pins everywhere... I used a ponce wheel, very lightly. I try to stress to others lightly, nails are realistic in the 1800's. In the modern day, not so much. But I like the look.

Another cheap little trick from FSM is the painted on windows. I didn't have any depot buff so I mixed some brown and yellow.

Structure glued and screwed, er something like that.

Next the storefront.

Funny story, these are not the doors the kit came with. I painted those doors green on the paint booth. Funny thing is they disappeared and I forgot where they were, until grey with the shingle 6 hrs later...

I am sure somebody will see this through the windows. Totally sure...

Shingles need variation. The opportunity presented with a laser cut sheet of shingles is an easy way to add variation. I made this was with alcohol and acrylic light grey.

To hold the roof together I used glue reinforced painters tape. Before I said something about the 2-sided tape. I find it refreshing that the tap was not used on the shingles. I have found it adds to the thickness and only a portion of the tape sticks to the walls, giving a false sense of security. Weldbond glue does the trick, will NEVER fail.

Cardboard need to be braced to keep a nice shape. I should have used some of my own (smaller sized) wood to brace this part. In hindsight, I would change that.

No clue what's next...

This is the one part of the instructions I changed for real. This clock portion can't be assembled before it is attached to the roof. And the side walls got cut down on my version. The dormer thingys are very difficult to get to lie flat on the roof. However doing it this way worked awesome, IMO.

With a few steps left to do, I am very pleased with this kit. It truly is a craftsman kit, the instruction are complete and can get a beginner to the end, close to the picture on the box. The kit comes with examples of two colour palettes described and can be a challenge if that is what you are looking for. But the challenge is not necessary, as this kit is straight forward and much more then just a box of sticks.

With the REAL doors on the structure it looks much better.

I'll add the final 3 photos to this post tomorrow when I take them.

One last note, back to the super model. We are on this planet to enjoy life. If you rush through this kit because somebody said they can build it in one night. You missed the point. The more time you spend on this model, the more you'll enjoy it.
Just like the super model...

Oh, and I decided not to go the stucco route. Maybe next time.

http://carolinacraftsmankits.com/products/post-office