Wiley's Bench Time - Model Railroading Podcast

Bench Time #84: Jake & Dave from Crescent Creek Models

This week we were pumped to have Dave Meek & Jake Johnson from Crescent Creek Models to tell us all about the new Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn O Scale kit that they've just released. 

As you both know from their previous appearances on our show, both Jake & Dave have impressive modeling backgrounds and have built a career around their art and craftsmanship. So it is only fitting that they've turned to manufacturing some kits for the model railroading and craftsman model building communities.

In this episode we have Dave and Jake give us a little historical background on the Carolwood Barn from Disney, how it became such an iconic Disney structure, and they give us some interesting stories on why it was built and how it was even moved at one point. 

They also cover the fun and interesting details on the processes they had to go through to make this into a kit. Very entertaining and we all got a couple good stories and some laughs out of it. 

This kit for now is only available in "O" scale, but don't rule out anything in the future with these two... We suspect they've got a lot more up their sleeves.

You can order your own Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn O Scale Kit Here, and also stay up-to-date with Crescent Creek Models on their website and facebook page.

CONTEST INFORMATION: LAST WEEK'S WINNER - Brian Thomson

This Week's Contest - Submit a photo either to our email at podcast@hoscalecustoms.com or as a photo comment to the pinned post for this week's show to our facebook page of your biggest building that you've built. This won't be judged on the biggest overall building, we just want to see some super-sized structures (in any scale). Photos must be in by Thursday, July 25th at 11:59:59 pm EST. One winner will be chosen and will receive a free craftsman kit from RailroadKits.com and an HO Scale Customs drink koozie!

Make sure to visit our site any time for more great craftsman model railroading content: https://hoscalecustoms.com 

Model Building Toolbox Talk #6: Using Old Newspaper Archives

I was looking around for a free resource to uncover old ads and print samples of the time period in which my dad and I model, and I discovered the world of archived newspapers in Google! 

If you head over to books.google.com, you'll not only be able to find some really current books to read, but you'll be able to search through the archives of old newspapers and magazines that they've worked to archive for your research purposes! 

We think this is such a cool way to be able to see the different types of products available at the time, things that were happening politically during the time period you're modeling and to get some inspiration if you're looking to create some custom artwork for your building signs, advertisements in your city and for printed posters you might see around your city. 

Many of these old papers are PACKED full of old artwork that let's you see the old fonts, styles, and messages on advertisements that existed during your time period. 

We hope you enjoyed this quick toolbox talk! Consider supporting us on Patreon if you love our content!

Make sure to visit our site any time for more great craftsman model railroading content: https://hoscalecustoms.com 

Bench Time #83: Doug Foscale of FOS Scale Models - Rust Rock Falls Limited Release Kit

Are you excited? Because this episode we get to talk to Doug Foscale of FOS Scale models about his annual release of his limited run kit. And this year's limited run is pretty spectacular!

Rust Rock Falls is the 2019 limited release HO Scale kit from FOS Scale models and its only available for a short time, because once he sells 200 of them, they'll be "sold out" and your only chance of getting one will be on eBay for like double the price.

Enough of trying to excite you about it, because Doug's description of the kit and the details that he goes into on this week's episode are enough to make you want to build it TODAY.

This is such an interesting and again, very unique set of models and it really captures the importance of industry through mid century in the United State. How many towns would be centered around an industry building and small commerce and entertainment would pop up around and thrive nearby. Many small towns in America would have industry like this that provided most of the jobs in the community.

Here's the description from FOSScaleModels.com:

"The Arkwright & Porter Textile Mill has loomed over the falls for over a century. As the business flourished, the mill grew, stretching the limits of its geography; out and over the craggy, uncertain terrain. Within a narrow flat peninsula it eventually gives into nature as the river drops in multiple water falls. The mill takes advantage of the rushing river’s power, harnessing it to power the machines. An exposed freight elevator bangs its way up and down with product and equipment. Over time, the dyes used found their way over the north falls, staining the rocks below a luminous rust. The Mill’s presence is a testament to the booming industrial revolution, filled with the clanging, churning and ticking of the cotton spinners, the daily boxcars and the voices of the American worker. 

Rust Rock Falls includes the main mill structure, the M.D. Garage gas station, Wally's Lunch and the Linden Dance Hall.  Also included is the wrought iron foot bridge that provides access to the back of the mill and a sluice gate. 

We included the two road bridges FREE. After adding them as the not included scnery component, we thought they really helped the scene so they are included.

Optional at a great value, is the Porter Company Store for $59.95 additional ($89 value).

Arkwright & Porter Textile Mill: The main structure of our scene, starts off on a simple road; it's exterior elevator, all parts exposed, scurries from the street to the top floor with goods and workers. A loading dock straddles the local rail siding, that make sits way to a steel catwalk that springs up a set of stairs to the pattern floor, than as time went on, an additional stair down provided a safe emergency exit from the cliff bound end of the property. Several additions reach out over the almost impossible to build on granite ledge. Towards the rear, the powerful current of the North River is drawn into the sluice gate, into the heart of the mill where it powers the cotton spinners. FOOTPRINT – 4” x 17”

M.D. Garage: This small but detail driven gas station will fit in any town or city. Its concrete block construction exposed in places where the stucco finish has crumbled. FOOTPRINT - 3” x 4”

Wally's Lunch: A charming lunch shack serves the small section of the town, no doubt serving up some greasy belly busters. FOOTPRINT - 1.25” x 1.125”

Linden Dance Hall: The best place in town to unwind after a long week of hard work in the mill, with live music and dancing every Saturday night. FOOTPRINT- 3.25” x 6.5”

Porter Company Store:  Serving the town and the mill for decades, just about anything from groceries to hardware can be found at the Store. FOOTPRINT - 3.25” x 7.5”

Kit Contents and Materials:

Kit includes lasercut clapboard, scribed, board and batten walls, lasercut and etched concrete block gas station walls, lasercut roof cards and details. Metal cast detail parts as well as plastic details, windows and doors. Kit includes assembly template and diagrams and weathering and assembly instructions. Also included, laser cut shingles, rolled roofing, corrugated metal panels, lasercut sidewalk sections, sluice gate, wrought iron bridge, two road bridges, exterior freight elevator, color signs and posters, double roadside billboard and more.
_________________________________________

NOT INCLUDED: Figures, retaining walls, foundation, scenery or vehicles.

Don’t forget the kit ships SEPTEMBER 30^th, 2019. You will receive an email when it ships."

Here's how you can get it: 
US Orders
Canadian Orders
International Orders

CONTEST INFORMATION:

Last week's winner - Ron Piskel

This week's contest: Submit a photo of your favorite rooftop detail whether it's on a model or in real life by commenting on this week's pinned post on our Facebook page or by emailing the photo entry to podcast@hoscalecustoms.com by 11:59:59 PM EST on Thursday, July 18th. One winner who will be announced on next week's show will receive a HO Scale Customs koozie and a small craftsman model kit from railroadkits.com.

Make sure to visit our site any time for more great craftsman model railroading content: https://hoscalecustoms.com 

Model Building Toolbox Talk #5: Doug Foscale Gives us a Taskboard Tip

We were fortunate enough to have Doug Foscale of FOS Scale Models on this week's mid-week model building toolbox talk to tell us about how we can all use taskboard to create streets, sidewalks, walkways, docks and more.

We've already know about the use of taskboard and actually have started to use it within out city for sidewalks and such, but Doug took the idea and added to it on this episode by giving us some ideas on how we can add more detail by adding simple real-life wear and tear to the taskboard sidewalks and streets.

He covers some really quick and easy methods to create lifted concrete, potholes, and more defects. But not only does he explain a cool way to make them, he also gives us some more golden tips on how to weather them from filling the potholes in with dirt, mod podge and paint to create puddles, static grass tips and more!

Taskboard is such a fun medium to work with on our dioramas and layouts and when you get a sheet or two, it can go a long way when working in our scale or similar sized model railroad scales.

Friday's Episode: Rust Rock Falls Limited Run Kit with Doug Foscale of FOS Scale Models

While you wait for Friday's full-length episode, check out and get your hands on the Rust Rock Falls Limited Run Kit from FOS Scale Models.

 

Thanks for the modeling tip Doug! 

Have you tried using taskboard? Let's hear/see your success stories with it!

Bench Time #82: Lance Mindheim of LanceMindheim.com & ShelfLayouts.com

This week we were very excited to bring Lance Mindheim onto the show! We have had many listeners request us to get Lance on and we finally were able to schedule some time to get together with him and chat modeling with him. Lance provides a lot of great information on his blog at LanceMindheim.com  and from his books over at his bookstore (links are on his site for all books). 

He also has another great site for his business site over at ShelfLayouts.com, so go over there too and check out more of what Lance has been working on and what he has to offer the model railroading community. On this site you can also sign up for his Newsletter and stay up-to-date on everything he's working on. 

We're going to try to get him on again and have a deep dive into a specific topic or two again. We have so much more we want to cover with him and everything we didn't get to ask him yet.

After our time with Lance on this week's episode, we went over all of our usual things like what we're working on, some new thoughts and ideas as well as our What's on Your Bench and Tools of the Week segments.

LAST WEEK'S CONTEST WINNER: LARRY STARK

THIS WEEK'S CONTEST: Submit a photo of a building you've taken or saved from services like Shorpy that you want to build or use as inspiration for a future build. You can submit it to our pinned Facebook Post or email it to podcast@hoscalecustoms.com for a chance to win a small craftsman model railroad kit from RailroadKits.com! Entries due by 11:59:59 EST on Thursday, July 11th.

Model Building Toolbox Talk #4 - Adding the American Flag & More to your Layout

This week for our mid-week episode we talk about the use of the American Flag (and other international flags) in your models and model railroads. There is also an importance to make sure you're using the right American Flag for the era that you're modeling! For more on the different versions of the flag that our nation has used you can check out this site on the American Flag historical timeline. There's some really wildly different versions from the 50 star version we're used to today!

For us we're going to have to use a 48 star version that was used in the early 1940's. 

We also go into a wider topic from this original one of using the appropriate cultural artwork for the time period and region that you're modeling! Wouldn't it be cool if you were modeling the 1980's and you threw some old 80's hair band concert posters into your city? 

Let's see how you're incorporating the culture of the time of your layout! Tag us in some pics on instagram, twitter, or post those pics to our Facebook!

Have a safe & happy Independence Day!

Bench Time #81: Fan Unboxing & Franklin & South Manchester Visit Recap

Last weekend was a VERY special weekend for us and a lot of other great modelers that we met. We got to tour George Sellios' Franklin & South Manchester layout and meet & talk with George!

On-top of that, we also got the chance to visit Doug Foscale and hang out with him for a while on Friday afternoon. Doug showed us his shop where all the work behind the FOS Scale Models kits are created and it was a really cool stop that just added even more to the whole experience we had all weekend. Thanks again Doug!

We also had a ton of fun opening an awesome care package from Dan Pugatch (if you haven't already, you should go like his facebook page here: Breakwater Branch). We can't thank you enough Dan and my dad and I will be sure to enjoy some of the beverages this Friday evening as we work on the layout!

FREE KIT CONTEST WINNER: Dazzy Jay

THIS WEEK'S CONTEST: For you chance to win a kit from RailroadKits.com and some other goodies, post a pic or email it to podcast@hoscalecustoms.com of your favorite railroad line, real or one that you model! It can be current, historical, international, made-up, whatever! Also if you can or want, explain what makes that your favorite railroad line! Enter by email or comment on the pinned post on our facebook page. Entries must be in by Thursday, July 4th at 11:59:59 EST. 

Model Building Toolbox Talk #3: The Use of Mirrors in Tunnels and underpasses

Our recent visit to see George Sellios' Franklin & South Manchester brought a TON and I mean a TON of ideas into my sights that I want to attempt on our own layout. 

Now, I am realistic and I know that it will never look like what we saw this weekend and any attempt to do so will either end up looking like a blatant copy OR will never be what his layout is. But what I can do is take his techniques and apply them to our own layout in our own way to make our personal layout better.

So my first takeaway is going to be the use of mirrors in a couple tunnels within our city. I got a couple cheap makeup mirrors from the local dollar store and will pop them out to use for the tunnels/underpass scenes. 

I want to challenge our listeners to try to do the same thing! Get some cheap mirrors like I did (because there's no sense paying more than a dollar or two for them) and giving this a shot! OR if you have done this already, send us some pics!

Note: The cover photo and photo in the show description were taken by Brett Wiley (myself) and are the original work of George Sellios on his Franklin & South Manchester Layout.

Bench Time #80: The Franklin & South Manchester Road Trip & Yard Saling / Antiquing

We're VERY excited to finally see the Franklin & South Manchester layout and we discuss how much it means to us to be able to get to see this layout for the first time. This is such an iconic layout and myself and Todd have drawn so much inspiration from it, and to be able to finally see it, it's going to be AWESOME!

We're also very excited to meet up with some of our listeners up in Massachusetts and look forward to the stories and company we'll share this weekend.

Also we get into a little bit of a rant about how Todd feels about people's junk and things for sale at yard sales and antique shops.

This week's contest winner: Steven Haworth

This week's photo contest is to submit your favorite street corner scene. It can be from your own layout OR any famous published layout, please give credit if you share a famous layout. Winner's will receive a kit from RailroadKits.com! Good luck!

Model Building Toolbox Talk #2: Junk in the Trunk, using leftover parts from kits

Mid-week we're talking about how we save parts from other kits we build and how the parts we save are better off when they're organized in a way that we can easily find them later, when we actually need them.

It's so easy to save things that we'll "use for later" but the hard part is actually remembering you have them for that later time when you intended to use them.

We're sure this is a problem that many of us have run into into as modelers and part-time hoarders, so this week's mid-week episode we talk about how we keep our extra building supplies and detail parts that we didn't use in kits organized to make sure we remember to use them later!

Do you have a bin or collection of things that you've been saving from old builds that you intended to use later? Hopw do you organize it? We want to hear the way you recycle the leftovers from your kits!