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Home   Forums   Events Calendar   Sponsors   Support the RRLine   Guestbook   FAQ     Register Active Topics | Active Polls | Resources | Members | Online Users | Live Chat | Avatar Legend | Search | Statistics Photo Album | File Lister | File Library [ Active Members: 3 | Anonymous Members: 0 | Guests: 201 ]  [ Total: 204 ]  [ Newest Member: mm0047 ]  All Forums  Model Railroad Forums  Mike Chambers' Craftsman's Corner  "Choices" Challenge: B&O Tower Kit Next Page  New Topic |    New Poll |   Reply to Topic |  Author Topic Page: 1 2 3 4 of 4 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 01/01/2021 :  12:19:24 PM       A friend asked if I were willing to built an old kit he bought off the Internet. It's an old Alexander kit of a B&O tower that sat in Indiana. Here is the box: The instructions: The contents: This will be a challenge to build, as I will explain in future posts. Mike _________________________________________________ Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin Edited by - Michael Hohn on 01/02/2021 09:07:04 AM Country: USA | Posts: 7455 deemery Fireman Premium Member Posted - 01/01/2021 :  12:28:24 PM     The Alexander kits were great designs, but often their implementation was a bit behind the conception :-) dave Modeling 1890s (because the voices in my head told me to) Country: USA | Posts: 8964 robert goslin Fireman Premium Member Posted - 01/02/2021 :  02:45:30 AM     looks like a good kit Mike. Is the kit for you or are you returning it finished to your friend ? Regards Rob My current build. http://railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=53468 Country: Australia | Posts: 2939 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 01/02/2021 :  09:11:30 AM       Dave, these are old kits and I'm realizing how much Campbell raised the bar when they started releasing their kits. Rob, thank you. I'll be returning it to the owner. He didn't know what he was getting into when he bought it. Honestly, I didn't know either, but it's certainly fitting for a challenge. Mike _________________________________________________ Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin Country: USA | Posts: 7455 deemery Fireman Premium Member Posted - 01/02/2021 :  09:26:26 AM     Does anyone know which kitmaker originated die-cut wood pieces, like in this kit and the Campbell kits? dave Modeling 1890s (because the voices in my head told me to) Country: USA | Posts: 8964 bitlerisvj Fireman Posted - 01/02/2021 :  09:48:22 AM     Hi Michael, this is a great kit and builds up to a very nicely detailed prototypical structure. Take your time and review the instructions really well. There is one place I would watch out for and that is the placement of the stairway and deck. If built as instructions and drawing shows, one of the supports wants to be in a position where the window is. You may want to modify this area so you can properly support the deck. Good luck and regards, Vic B. Country: USA | Posts: 1452 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 01/05/2021 :  11:23:11 AM       quote: Originally posted by bitlerisvj Hi Michael, this is a great kit and builds up to a very nicely detailed prototypical structure. Take your time and review the instructions really well. There is one place I would watch out for and that is the placement of the stairway and deck. If built as instructions and drawing shows, one of the supports wants to be in a position where the window is. You may want to modify this area so you can properly support the deck. Good luck and regards, Vic B. Vic, Thank you for the heads-up and encouragement. Mike _________________________________________________ Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin Country: USA | Posts: 7455 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 01/05/2021 :  11:29:00 AM       quote: Originally posted by deemery Does anyone know which kitmaker originated die-cut wood pieces, like in this kit and the Campbell kits? dave Dave, I don't know when Campbell started, but I believe it was in the 60's, so Alexander preceded them. But whether Alexander was first I wouldn't bet on. If you count die-cut ("punched") card, Suydam was around in the fifties also. More below. Mike _________________________________________________ Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin Country: USA | Posts: 7455 Ensign Engineer Posted - 01/05/2021 :  11:49:42 AM     Mike, this old kit looks like a lot of fun! Made even better by offering your talent & skills for your friend, by building it for him. Best of luck with it! Greg Shinnie Country: Canada | Posts: 9155 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 01/05/2021 :  11:58:20 AM       A Little History This kit was first advertised in the December 1958 Model railroader. It appears to be available to this day, although I assume with improvements in quality. The April 1959 Model Railroader ran a generally favorable review, although they pointed out a couple of easily fixed problems. A couple of openings are not stamped out correctly. Wondering how old the kit I'm working on might be, I did a little trace of Alexander Scale Models in magazines during the late 50's and into the early sixties. I discovered that Alexander changed address every half decade or so in its early years. The address on the instructions and box match the address in the magazine ads from the late fifties to early sixties. So, the kit on my workbench might have been produced as much as seventy years ago. Of course, it's possible that when the business moved, the new address was advertised in MR but already-printed instructions and box art were used for a period of time. Back to Work The die-cut walls are pretty rough along the edges, so I cleaned them up. Removing every irregularity would alter basic dimensions and I had to leave well enough alone. The castings needed to be cleaned up, some more than others, and one window casting is not quite right: I've cleaned up the castings and started assembling the walls. The vertical siding was very poorly made, inconsistent both in width and thickness. Plus, it had to be pieced together for the longer sides. Butting them up against the main siding reveals all the edge irregularities in both vertical and horizontal siding. Fortunately the irregularities will be covered by a trim piece. Not complaining, just observing. Mike _________________________________________________ Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced. James Baldwin Edited by - Michael Hohn on 01/05/2021 12:02:24 PM Country: USA | Posts: 7455 Guff Fireman Premium Member Posted - 01/05/2021 :  3:18:32 PM       Mike, Seems like you have a challenge on your hands. Good choice to choose this kit for the forum challenge. Have fun! David Guffey Country: USA | Posts: 2136 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 01/05/2021 :  5:25:43 PM       David, Thank you! It is indeed somewhat a challenge, but so far I’m winning (I think), so I’m having fun. Mike Country: USA | Posts: 7455 Michael Hohn Fireman Posted - 01/05/2021 :  6:39:31 PM       quote: Originally posted by Ensign Mike, this old kit looks like a lot of fun! Made even better by offering your talent & skills for your friend, by building it for him. Best of luck with it! Greg Shinnie Greg, Thank you. You’re very generous in your praise. I enjoy building for other people, especially when as deserving as this particular friend. Mike Edited by - Michael Hohn on 01/05/2021 6:40:52 PM Country: USA | Posts: 7455 jbvb Fireman Premium Member Posted - 01/05/2021 :  7:04:10 PM       I'll be following along. I see what Vic was talking about - the instructions show the 2nd floor door almost directly above the 1st floor window; in the pre-cut wood the offset is larger. James Country: USA | Posts: 6899 Larryc Crew Chief Posted - 01/07/2021 :  11:11:23 AM     Michael looks like you've got your work cut out for you. If anyone can pull this off you can. Keep going. Country: USA | Posts: 877 mikethetrainman Fireman Posted - 01/07/2021 :  1:01:13 PM     Mike: looks like you have a handle on this kit. I sure that it will be great when your finished. Looking forward to following along. 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