Alpine Division Scale Model

These are structure kits based on those by Ed Suydam, in the 1960's.  I had never built any, but was vaguely aware of them, especially when I research citrus industry models.

Last fall, I saw an MRH marketplace ad by Alpine Division Scale Models (It was the guy in a tux, holding a structure model) that reminded me of these kits, so some selections were added to the family Christmas list.  Lo and behold, guess what I got for Christmas.

The Alpine DIv kits are laser-cut mat board, basswood shapes, and various plastic and/or metal castings.  Like this station kit:

You can just see the roof pieces at the right in the first photo.  They are cardstock to which you either apply a pre-printed shingle sheet (seen at the right edge of the photo), or you can add shingle strips, or roll roofing.

I spray paint the back sides of the matboard to maintain stability in the presence of moisture, then use Pliobond or ACC for adhesive.  The brown pieces are floors.  The insides of walls (not shown) are painted coach green.  And yes, the station kit comes with prepainted people.

This last photo is the Citrus Exchange, which is close to finished.  The windows are acetate with mullions printed on the back.

Scale Structures Super

I purchased a Scale Structures Super Kit

Like most of their kits they are resin which requires some patience, but they can produce some amazing results. The kit itself has around 4 pages of written instructions and diagrams. The most time consuming part of this style of kit is preparing the pieces for assembly, since they are cast they have flash and imperfections that need to be corrected before assembly. The kit includes many cast metal detail parts, all of which require cleaning and painting. These are not shake the box kits and in some cases investing in some speciality tools will really ease the process of assembly. 

Since I do not follow instructions well and do not like to have kits that are easily identified I made some modifications to mine. Here is what it looks like so far.

Here's a Sierra West kit

Almost all Sierra West kits include: bags of stripwood in various sizes, metal and resin castings, construction templates, cardstock (for assembling roofs and walls) and a spiral-bound instruction manual.  Most require board-on-board construction, but if you follow the instructions carefully, you end up with a highly detailed model.  Here's what the contents of the Logging and Tractor Repair Shed looks like:

I haven't started that one yet, but I finished the Essentials kit a little over a year ago.  It's a series of 5 structures but includes the same materials.  Stain all the stripwood:

 

Cut and attach the individual boards to the cardstock for the walls:

Trim the walls from the cardstock:

Assemble the windows:

Install the windows and doors in each wall:

Assemble the walls:

Construct and shingle the roof and you're done!

Repeat the steps for the remaining structures, then get to the fun stuff: SCENERY!  The manual has incredible instructions on how to construct and detail the final scene.  Here's the above bunkhouse on my diorama:

Nothing difficult about building them...just a time investment.

Bill