Crossing Paths

Crossing Paths
Model Melbourne trams

Monday 31 March 2014

The iron age.... corrigated.(not quite)

The 'Victorian Cottage' has now received a good old fashioned roofing, with corrugated iron (made from aluminium foil), the creases and dings/dents add to the character that I like adding to this card model.

 
All roofed, now for the weathering 
 
 
I am also trialling the installation of fibre optic lighting on structures, mainly for external exposed light globes (the back yard light), as it is only a temporary set up for amusement a LED torch light is providing the light source at the moment, therefore the temporary set up.
 
 

fibre optic and blutac at one end...
 
 
the outside light at the back.
(a warm white LED will be used)
 
 
The front before the veranda.
It will have a porch light.
 
 
Apologies for the slow progress on this model, as I am having a lot of fun with my own 'Victorian Cottage', 1:1 scale. These houses are the high maintenance blonde of housing, they need a fair bit of effort and cash to look good, and if you do not lavish them, they can look 'trashy' very quickly.
 
 
From under the wires and in a heritage overlay.
 
Glenn
 
 
 
 
 

Monday 24 March 2014

Behold the material of the future....fibro.

The washhouse got a make over on the 'Victorian Cottage', as in true post war suburban style, it received a clad of fibro cement, it may not rot, warp or burn but it takes paint rather badly and tends to look mouldy.

All it needs now is a smashed panel courtesy
 of a stray cover drive playing backyard cricket.
 
 
 
No real secret, office paper glued directly to the model,
strips of paper for battens, given a few heavily diluted washes
 of acrylic black paint to give it that mouldy fibro look.
 
Now to add the external plumbing and the weathered corrugated iron roof.
 
from the old inner suburbs next to the wires.
 
Glenn


Saturday 22 March 2014

The housing issue

After the refit of the man cave, one long forgotten kit has been found and now is in the process of being assembled, the 'Victorian Cottage'.

Now the definition of a 'Victorian Cottage' can start a civil disturbance amongst architects and historians, this card kit more leans towards the Edwardian era (1901-WW1), in real estate speak it would be marketed as....
'Position and Potential'
"this delightful Edwardian home, with subtle Victorian influences close to public transport, features three bedrooms, separate kitchen, laundry, toilet. Period features throughout (OFP), this unpolished gem is a diamond in the rough. Primed for renovation(STCA).

The collection of lean toos.
(note the criminal friendly louvered windows)

In the real world it should read....

'Position and Potential'
Positioned close to fire station, Potential fire trap

"this unrenovated Edwardian home, with unknown influences next to noisy public transport, features two bedrooms and a cupboard, separate kitchen, laundry, toilet.(all built in dodgy lean to style) Period features throughout (OFP) (open fireplaces that has no other heating), this unpolished gem may have asbestos throughout. Primed for demolition (STCA). (subject to lengthy council approval and heritage overlay).

It might need an old couch on the porch and a few
 Tibetan prayer flags before it can pass off as a university
student rental.
 
This kit looks a little too clean, while I do like its various 'lean to' extensions at the back, the house will need weathered corrugated iron on the roof and as for the wash house (right at the rear) will need to be retro fitted with a dodgy fibro cement finish and some external plumbing. This little cottage needs to be grubby to represent an era before the tide of 'gentrification' swept through the inner suburbs of my little part Melbourne.

This has so far been a fun little build, then I will have to build another module to 'house' it.

more to come from under the wires.

regards Glenn