Kit #1 – F. Wyneken Drayage (HO, Out of Production)
F. Wyneken Drayage, HO scale, is designed as a “typical” freight house with 4 structures that can be spaced along a single spur. This is a quality craftsman kit that needs some time and skill to complete. Product details and reviews are listed below.
Click here for Kit #1 pictures or “how-to” videos.
Click here to see a video of the completed kit at our YouTube site.
NOTE: This limited production kit is sold out. Pictures and videos will remain on the website for reference.
Mark –
It’s a great kit. I’m having a lot of fun. The best part about this kit is that I’ve picked up some great weathering techniques that I’ll be able to use on my next projects. I love how the weathered wood looks. Very cool!
admin –
Thanks Mark!
Mark (verified owner) –
I started building the kit. So far I’m very happy with the quality. It’s a great kit. The only thing I’ve had trouble with is weathering the wood. I tried your technique of an application of tea, letting it sit, then the vinegar and steel wool wash. Unfortunately it’s come out just a grayish, silver color. I thinned it to 1/4 the original strength and it’s still very dark, almost like paint and doesn’t have a any brown color to it like in the photos on the website. I love how the wash looks on the website, but I just can’t seem to get it to work. Do you have any ideas?
admin –
There are numerous variables with this process: strength of the tea, amount of vinegar, size of wool pad, sanded or unsanded wood, number of washes applied, thinning the mix for variety, to name a few. I recall, when I built the kit, that I was not happy with the first wash, so I put another wash on and got the shade you see in the pics. I believe both washes were full strength.
One thought I did have was on the amount of vinegar and the size of the steel wool pad. I used an old peanut butter jar filled to the top (about a quart in size) and a full size steel wool pad. It took about 4 days to completely dissolve. The color of the liquid was a deep amber shade. Be sure and shake it up when you use it. The double coat gave the look I wanted. Some guys have done even more coats, varying the number of coats per board, to get more variety. You can also thin it for a lighter look.
For my newest kit, Pete’s freight dock (due out in about a month) I used good ol’ fashioned india ink/alcohol wash. Before I put it on the wood, I carefully sanded the surface. This seems to help the stain soak in better. I really like the color variation that comes out. Some modelers also use this wash with the vinegar/steel wool wash. Sometimes they put the ink/alcohol on first, and sometimes the vinegar/steel mix first.
As you’ve probably gathered, play around a bit on scrap boards to get the look you want.
Paul –
Over the years I have built a lot of models, mostly they have been the plastic snap or glue type. The few wood models I have, done have been very complex, and the directions were lacking. This kit on the other hand, had very clear and detailed directions, and was a very rewarding build. The directions appear to be written with the beginner in mind, but not so basic that it was insulting. On top of that, having the How-To Videos made it even easier!
As for the kit itself, I can honestly say that very few of the models I have built rival the quality of this kit. I would highly recommend this kit to an experienced model builder, or someone who is just getting started with hand built models! It could easily become a center piece of your layout!
I would also like to comment on the Customer Service! I had received my kit, and had not even started working on it, when I was contacted and informed that I had been sent an incomplete kit, and that the remaining parts/pieces were already on their way. I appreciate the fact that they caught and addressed the error before I had even noticed, and they reached out to me! Very impressive!
I do have one suggestion! Can you PLEASE do some How-To videos on the detail touches? I would love to learn how to do the painting and weathering details!
Great product, and I am looking forward to the new models.
admin –
Thanks Paul, for your suggestion. New how-to videos are planned and some will be on the website and youtube channel by year’s end. More will follow next year as well.
TC –
This was the first time to work with a wood kit, so I was a bit anxious about it. The instructions, as the first reviewer noted, were top-notch and the videos very helpful. Because the kit is laser cut, there was no clean-up to speak of. The metal castings were well done, too. The “back story” of the buildings is a clever touch and adds personality. The outbuilding for explosives indicated that the designer did some historical digging – also a nice touch. And what if you don’t model this era? Do what I did – repurpose the building. Hope to have some pictures up soon.
Arthur –
The videos are very, very helpful. That is a great aid for us modelers, thanks!!
Benjamin –
As a budding model railroader, I was blown away by how easy this kit was to build. While it is a complex and multifaceted kit and takes some time to assemble, the directions and components were laid out in such a way that anyone (from beginner to expert) could build it and not feel overwhelmed or lost. The directions, honestly, were some of the best I’ve seen. They took me step-by-step through the process, but also gave me lots of room to be creative and add my own personal touches here and there.
The many detailed metal castings that were included in the kit were top notch and the buildings had enough versatility that they could be placed anywhere on my layout. While I struggled on the weathering aspect some (probably due to my own inexperience), the videos and pictures on the webpage helped clear much of that up, giving me a visual of what to do (thanks for those!).
Overall, while I was a bit timid buying this kit at first, I am very pleased with my purchase and look forward to more of these kits. Thanks!