The Cutting’s Scissor Co. kit is my second structure kit from Design Preservation Models. My layout does not have much more room for commercial or residential structures, but I do require a couple more industrial structures to fill some empty real estate, which this kit fits into perfectly. As always, I started by removing any edge spurs (left from manufacturing), and sanded the edges of specific wall pieces down to 90 degrees, ensuring a good fit when gluing the model together. This is required on most all DPM kits, as the structure edges are not at a perfect 90 degrees, and constructing the model without sanding will result in either a crooked structure, or large gaps in the exterior joints.After sanding the required pieces, I washed them in warm, soapy water to remove any oils that my hands may have left on them from the previous step. Once dry, I glued the walls carefully together on a level surface, ensuring the wall pieces fit together perfectly and evenly. I made sure each corner was square by using a square wood dowel on the inside of each corner joint while I was gluing them together.
Once the structure had dried for an hour, I cut 2 roof structured from a sheet of supplied styrene, and glued on the roof supports, which were also supplied in the kit via a bulk length of strip styrene. I did not glue the roof structures on at this point, as I needed the roof open to add window glazing and interior details later on. The kit also calls for awnings over the loading bays using a leftover piece of styrene from the roof structures. I opted for a textured styrene awning that I had leftover in my scrap bin, which looked a little more authentic. I also added horizontal supports for the awnings using narrow strip styrene.
After 2 coats of brick red paint had dried, I started masking the structure so I could paint the details, including trim, windows, and doors. Masking takes time, but as hard as I try to paint free hand, I can never achieve the same crisp lines and accuracy as I do when I mask. I use a small flat head jeweler’s screwdriver to press the masking tape into tight corners and on narrow edges to make sure paint doesn’t bleed underneath. Bleeding paint isn’t 100% avoidable, but is easy enough to touch up in the final steps of painting.
Once all parts of the model were painted, I weathered it lightly with pastel powder, and applied a dry transfer decal (Velikovski’s Distributors) to the exterior wall. The last paint layer was a final spray of dull-coat to seal everything in. Once everything was dry, I applied clear styrene for window glazing, then cut and applied printed paper blinds to the inside of the windows using small strips of masking tape (clickhere for printable blind templates). It was also at this point that I started to assemble the interior structure, which would serve as lighting and interior rooms.
As most previous structures I have built, the interior is completely removable from the building structure itself. By simply sliding the exterior shell off, I can easily access the lights and add interior details as needed in the future. The interior structure is built in such a way that once fully inserted into the building’s shell, the building looks as if it is full of separate rooms when looking through any of the small windows. Cardstock was used for texture and colour on the floors and walls.
Two small automotive bulbs light the structure. Since the interior walls only rise as high as the tops of the windows and don’t go right to the roof, I installed the bulbs above the interior rooms so one bulb could light multiple rooms. Aluminum foil installed on the underside of the roof structure helps reflect the light downward into the rooms and keep heat from melting the roof structure. I used narrow bare steel wire to supply power to the bulbs, but also used this type of wire to support the bulbs so they wouldn’t have to be attached directly to the styrene structure. Just be careful the bare wires don’t get crossed or you will have a nasty short on your hands.
The last step was to attach the roof structures to the model once I made sure the internal insert structure fit perfectly into the building shell. Once the styrene roof was glued to its supports and had dried, I applied a thin layer of medium cinders on top of the roof and leveled it with a folded piece of cardstock. Using a small pipette, I gently soaked the cinders with isopropyl alcohol. Once entirely moist, I used the same pipette to apply white glue thinned with water. After drying overnight, the cinders were securely fastened to the model.
