I had a little time over the past few weeks to make a bit of progress on the hardware store.
The bicycle with spokes that I posted a photo of a while back eventually will be hung above the items in the left window. The other items in that photo will go out on the small deck that will be out front of the entry that will hide the brick foundation.
hardware facade 3a.jpeg
A closeup of the backlit screen door looks coarse but under normal lighting and a narrow view angle it will be OK.
hardware screen door 1.jpeg
Nice work on those tiny details. -- Russ
Nice! What did you use to make the screen?
Thanks, Russ. On the layout the front of the store can only be seen at a steep angle so the front windows and a narrow front deck will have detailed displays to distract and block the view of an otherwise empty store.
Thanks, Ray. The screen is a piece of the finest silkscreen mesh that a screen printer had on hand. I also looked at several kinds of fine mesh teabags (nylon?). They were too thick for this situation.
Great job on those details Bill.
Jerry
NICE ::) just keep it coming
Barney
Thank you, Jerry and Barney.
Here's an earlier in progress shot that shows the normal narrow view angle of the front of the hardware store.
hardware front view.jpg
And here's the bike in the front window.
bike .jpeg
Bill great shot of the store front. Bike looks perfect there!
Jerry
Thanks, Jerry. The view is inspired by a bike hung in the front window in two vintage hardware photos i found on line. One is even a store in vermont in the 1950s, which fits my layouts time & place perfectly.
Two more snapshots of progress on the hardware store. The front deck is glued on but the merchandise on it is just propped up until I decide if I like the arrangement and I figure out how to glue some of the things that have very little surface area for gluing and no thickness for pinning. There also will be a sign below the second story windows.
Wms hardware deck.jpeg
Wms hardware dek street view.jpeg
Looks great! The only thing that stands out to me as possibly needing correction is that large shovel standing wrong-way up. It seems like it wouldn't be very stable even with the supports.
Thanks, Ray. I agree about the large shovel.
I'm also debating about trying to replace the overly thick handles on it and the other shovels with something closer to scale like on the green handled broom. And the wooden frame for the wheelbarrow is funky and I think I ought to square off the ends of the step ladder braces... but overall the general effect of the stuff on the deck works like I'd hoped.
I agree with you, Bill. Despite a few details, and considering the usual viewing angle, the overall impression is quite good. -- Russ
Thanks, Russ.
After a little unsuccessful experimenting to give the shovels thinner handles, I instead made three new brooms and gave them slightly thicker broomsticks. I also added a second wheelbarrow to reinforce the idea that the stuff on the deck is merchandise on display.
Although my original plan was to pack the deck with as much stuff as possible, I actually wound up reducing the number of items on the right side of the deck after finding a way to pin and glue the step ladder in place.The deck looks better now, I think.
Only need to add the sign over the entry and perhaps a couple enameled signs on the sides.
Wm's Hardware brooms front .jpeg
This is the side street side of the store.
Wms Hardware brooms street copy.jpeg
Here is the all but impossible to see trackside of the store.
Wms Hardware brooms trackside. copy.jpeg