Building 4Ground's Dead Man's Hand Main Street Building No.1

[Heisler]

The construction of this building is almost identical to the Side Street Building #2 that I just finished. Basic difference is just adding a floor and a stairway. I discovered that the roofs are interchangeable between the first six buildings, nice feature whether it was intended or not. Its not possible to get the equivalent of RH1 upside down on a pitched roof either! Not much commentary on this one just lost of pictures on my blog: http://wargamesandrailroads.blogspot.com/2013/08/building-4ground-dead-mans-hand-main.html

[Elbows]

Heisler, did you glue interior doors or no?  I have a stack of them sitting here, and I'm unsure of gluing them in, leaving them off...(it's too late to get fancy and try to pin them on hinges etc.).

PS: Have you gotten the hang of the hinged doors?  those things are a pain in the butt (one of the few pieces I really hate in the kits...far too thin/frail/complex...yet they work great when finished)

[Heisler]

I have glued a couple of the interior doors in, but there is just enough glue to hold them into place, I can take it out if I need/want to. The swinging doors are a neat idea, but they are way to fiddly. They do work well once you get them together. I take the back frame and glue a "hinge" to it first, that gives a bit more to work with when I clamp the two sides of the frame together. I use a rubber band wrapped around the bottom of the door when I glue the bottom sill in place. I think what irritates me is that they went to all the work to make the front and side doors work and didn't bother to do it for the inside door.

[Elbows]

Yeah, while they work fine if you get them finished, I do think a lot of the pieces are borderline "way too damn thin" for average modellers or someone without tools or experience to figure it out.  I can see some new gamers/modellers getting frustrated by snapping certain door or window frames etc.  All in all, I can't complain.  The only thing I mussed up bad was the first roof-top hatch I did.  I couldn't figure it out for the life of me and ended up shoe-horning it with some plasticard etc.

Great buildings though.  I can't wait to see your paint finish applied to them.

PS: I have two of the "new" set coming in the mail, so I'm curious if anything is done different or changed.  Do you have any of the new kits?  I'm guessing the double-story Sheriff's office is going to be a long evening chore!

[Heisler]

I decided against getting either of the jail's right now. I'm pretty sure that the two story sheriff's office is going to be the standard two story building with an attached side. I think it will be an easy evening project. The marshal's office is probably just a variant of the one story buildings. I wanted something with the jail in the back which is why I skipped them. I'm curious to see what they will release in the next wave.

[Elbows]

Yeah,

I think with this order I'm done with a few exceptions (regardless of how I source them): train station, livery, proper bank (all of which I can imagine 4Ground doing).  Beyond that, perhaps an adobe structure or two, maybe a few hills (and several sets of fences/pens).

Maybe after a while away from Old West I'll treat myself to a big saloon masterpiece from somewhere.

[greatescapegames]

The "big saloon masterpiece" from 4Ground is the one I am most excited about...

[Heisler]

That's certainly one I would like to see, although I suspect it maybe a bit out of my budget at least right now!

[Elbows]

Yeah, as much as I'd love to see one from 4Ground...judging by their kits for IHMN and the ginormous SAGA Viking hall...I'm not sure I'll be able to stomach the price.  Might end up going elsewhere for the big one.

Then again, maybe something I can trick my brother into buying me for Christmas or something