[Completed] Newport R.I. Post Office | Carolina Craftsman Kits

Ron Pare's picture

What is a Craftsman Kit? This is.

To answer the question, what is a craftsman kit. You don't need to spend a fortune, you don't need the skill to conquer the kit. You just need to honestly share an experience, you have had with one of these kits. How did it mentor you towards an accomplishment?

Craftsman kits are not all created equal. Some are craftsman kits, seemingly because the designer is a craftsman, yet the ability for a newer modeler to accomplish the kit, is just not there. Why? To me the answer is simple. Instructions. Instructions are hard, how much does the modeler know already?

Now I am a funny character, I don't have this kit yet. I do not know what I will find in the box. The kit is in the post, on it's way to me right now. The thing I know for fact, is the structure is pretty nice looking, and the build will not be a huge challenge for me. But what I want to find out is, will a new modeler be able to build this kit, in a way that will look like the kit on the box.

I am looking forward to this build as I think CCK is a middle of the road kit in terms of cost. The company is from North Carolina, a place I have grown very fond of over the years. And also the kit just has that small town feel I love to model.

In our next post we will look at some photos to pick some colours.

Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukah

Nicely done

Ron:

I really like the colors. If you are like me the front door showed up once everything was complete! 

Did you add some fascia to that dormer? Looking forward to seeing the building in it's final resting place. 

Often I'll buy kits just to copy and enlarge the plans to 1/4" scale. You would think manufactures would offer these if the kit has a limited market for the "fringe" scale. Sigh.

 

Neil Erickson, Hawai’i

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Ron Pare's picture

Haa, I forgot to finish that

Haa, I forgot to finish that thought, it happens. Yes I found it after I painted it grey and replaced the accents I used for the doors. The piece were the same really, the doors are just bigger. I fixed that in the post Thanks.

If I was kit builder, I would size it up for you. I am about $5k short for that kind of thing though.

Ron Pare
A guy on Youtube, who blogs here, and is a creator of some reviews
Waterfront 3x5 TOMA module, Join the Group

Ron Pare's picture

I haven't decided on the

I haven't decided on the concrete colour for the stairs yet. But here is the completed kit.

Ron Pare
A guy on Youtube, who blogs here, and is a creator of some reviews
Waterfront 3x5 TOMA module, Join the Group

rickwade's picture

Very nice, Ron

You did a great job on the structure!

Rick

The Richlawn Railroad Website - Featuring the L&N in HO  / MRH Blog  / MRM #123

Mt. 22: 37- 40

HObbyguy's picture

Hey that turned out nice

Hey that turned out nice.  I really like the colors that you selected.  Have to say you are a very fast builder.  Any downsides/upsides compared to other kit suppliers?

_________________________________________________________________________________

Huntington Junction - freelance based on the C&O and B&O in coal country before the merger

- Walt

For pics of my railroad and more:  http://www.wkhobbies.com/model-railroad/

Ron Pare's picture

Thank you Rick,. Walt, the

Thank you Rick,. Walt, the one big challenge of a "craftsman kit" is judging the skill level of the modeler in the target market. CCK has targeted a beginner modeler with the ability of the kit to be made great.

I say it is targeted at the beginner because of the instructions.The do-not pretentiously forget the basics, which is often the case. CCK starts at the basics and encourages you to find more advanced techniques to use. I my opinion, that is a huge quality of a Craftsman kit. And distinguishes itself from plastic versions with exploded diagrams.

Not saying this to toot my own horn. But a photo says 1000 words and with the edition of these photos to the web atmosphere, the next few people who build this kit will get a few more idea's on how to build it.
And I encourage them to ask me questions.

IMHO

Ron Pare
A guy on Youtube, who blogs here, and is a creator of some reviews
Waterfront 3x5 TOMA module, Join the Group

Ron Pare's picture

I shared the photo of the

I shared the photo of the final photo with CCK and offered to send it to them to display at shows. So that's happening. But before I send it out I placed it on my tidewater dio and it popped. I actually couldn't place it, in a way that did not look good. I think it is the play between the colours and the skylight through the window.

Oh and I added an old wood chair to the porch...

Ron Pare
A guy on Youtube, who blogs here, and is a creator of some reviews
Waterfront 3x5 TOMA module, Join the Group


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