Anything But Trashy!

by Fred Handy

    This is my "Trash and Scrap Metal" building. I began with a picture of the Modular Learning Kit #36000, but I used the dock level wall sections of the DPM Modular system to create my building.*

    I used the HO-scale Wall System Planning Sheet to help make my design. To maintain a vertical scale consistent with my other DPM buildings, I cut the sections below the horizontal brick line, to give me a finished height of 2-1/8". The building's other dimensions: 5-3/4" wide and 3" deep.

    To create the effect of old, weathered brick, I coated the building with a baking-soda paste, allowed it to dry overnight, then rubbed the surface to remove some, but not all, of the "mortar" Then I sprayed it with Testor's Dullcote Spray Lacquer to stabilize it.

    The nearly-square 1-1/2" wood garage door was made from flat toothpicks set vertically and overlaid with thin wood strips, then stained with brown liquid shoe polish.

    The light above the door is a round-head quilting pin donated by my wife. I ground off half of the round plastic top, bent it to the desired shape and painted the "shade" green.

    The Smoke Jack is made from two lengths of Evergreen Scale Models 3/32" tubing, cut at 45 degrees and joined in an L-shape, then sanded and painted to give it an old, rusted look.

    The plate on the bricked-up window is merely a square of cardboard, distressed and embellished with four brown dots to suggest bolts, and a tiny roof-vent makes the cap.

    My electric meter was created from a square of Evergreen 060" styrene. I drilled a shallow 5/64" hole to accept only the head of a small wire brad to simulate the meter's face, attached a length of #500 music wire to make the conduit and glued it in place from the back. I applied 3 drops of super glue to the brad, drying between applications, to simulate the glass cover. When set in place, the top of the conduit will be connected with a length of black thread to a nearby power pole.

    The building was finished with a Roof & Trim Kit (#301-90) which is covered in embossed craft paper and painted rusty brown. Finishing greenery and decorations, including the trash can "rain barrel" are from Woodland Scenics.

    *Wall sections used: one (30134) Blank Wall, three (30133) Rectangular Window, one (30135) Overhead Door, and one (30136) Rectangular Entry.