American Tool & Die Co

[garethashenden]

Unlike everyone else I don't have a prototype. However, I do have a vision and a backstory. I have a Bar Mills laser cut sign for American Tool & Die Co that showed up in a Christmas stocking a few years ago. I haven't really know what to do with it, but this will be a good use. The story is that a small tooling company was founded in the mid 19th century and saw considerable success throughout the rest of the century. They had started with a reasonably small two story brick building but when they outgrew that they built a larger brick building adjacent to the first and use the whole complex.

The original building is going to be a Bergen National Laser Warehouse, but I'm not sure about the new building. Probably Middlesex Manufacturing, but I might use the N Scale Architect's curtain wall system. although I think that may be a bit too modern. There will be rail service to the new building and road service to the old, at least that's the current plan.

[Dave Schneider]

FWIW,

I haven't been overly impressed with the NSA curtain wall system. I got the HO kits and found that it took a fair bit of time to get the "concrete" part of the curtain assembled and looking good. Lots of time spent trying to fill the butt joints. (see below). I wasn't satisfied with the brick material as I thought they were too loaf shaped for my tastes. I ended up replacing it with Monster Modelworks brick sheet. In the end I spent maybe $100 on parts and only used some of them. Just something to consider.

Best wishes,
Dave

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[garethashenden]

Been working on this a few days now. I've painted  the bricks on two sides of the building and assembled one wall. I've also painted all the windows and doors.

[garethashenden]

I'm not entirely sure how, but I managed to get two rather different colors on the two main sides of the building. I used the same paint, but it didn't look the same. I used Hunterline's cement wash for the mortar lines, that helped but it still didn't look right, so I have decided to repaint the sides. Luckily I was able to pop the window off the back and sprayed the sides with red primer. It gives a lighter color and looks much better. Once it's dry I'll take an after picture. Here's the before:


I know the challenge is just for the building, but while I'm at it I think I'll turn it into a small module. With that in mind I've handlaid a two feet of track, a turnout, and a spur that will serve the loading dock on the building. I wasn't so sure about Pliobond when I started, but I'm pleased with the results.

[garethashenden]

I'm much happier with this method of painting the brickwork. I used red primer from Napa, it's a good red oxide color and very easy to apply. For the mortar lines, I used Hunterline's Cement weather mix. This is a fairly thick wash that I spread horizontally to keep it with the brick courses. There are a few spots where it's a bit heavy, but on the whole I'm really happy with it.
Where the two building meet I'm having to modify some windows. The Middlesex Manufacturing kit comes with three pieces to blank out windows. Unfortunately the fit of them in a little funny and they definitely need some filler. They are designed to model windows that have been bricked up since the building was built. What I need is just a plan wall, because the windows just happen to line up with the roof of the older building. I'll have to carve some bricks into the plastic, but that shouldn't be too bad. The other two windows are going to be modeled half height, again fill in the bottom and keep the top half of the window. One is done, the other isn't.
I've also been realizing that these are both large building with lots of windows, and they're quite see through. At a minimum, I'm pretty sure I need floors. This leads to all sorts of other things, such as it would be nice to do interiors as well. Machines, workers, benches, lighting, this is quite a project. I've made a floor for the older second story building. Most of the old mill building I've been in have lots of large wooden posts holding up the floors above. I've lined these up with the brick pillars between the windows. It looks ok, but I think I've overdone it a bit and will probably remove every other one. I will need to add them for the second floor, and the tiny third floor. The new building needs the same treatment and I'd be interested in everyone's thoughts on further interior detailing.

Finally, I've thought up a bit more backstory for the company. In the late 19th century my great-great grandfather was an early graduate of MIT and invented a rubber manufacturing process. Unfortunately, Goodyear's process was substantially better and his business ventures never amounted to much. He died in 1923. My version of history is that after the rubber business failed his inventive nature took him into tool making, competing with LS Starrett in the next town over. Fortunately, EF Bragg & CO was quite successful in the early twentieth century. Sometime shortly after WWII they merged with another tool maker to form the American Tool & Die Company. This will allow me to model some history in the building. More modern signing for the merger, but with faded painted lettering for the original company still showing.

Here are the pictures of the current state of affairs. Both the boxcar and the trailer are at loading docks, the car is parked at the curb.

[Dave Schneider]

That is looking really nice. What a massive building.

Best wishes,
Dave

[garethashenden]

That is looking really nice. What a massive building.

Best wishes,
Dave

Thanks!
Starrett, which is really what I'm modelling it on, is also huge. https://www.google.com/maps/@42.5945888,-72.2269065,3a,75y,19.14h,107.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1smeX_6XUp1bw-2JUN1T0law!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

[coosvalley]

Lots to like here