R.L.W. McCabe Lumber Co. Slatyfork Sawmill Interior, Manual

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chalk. Practice on scraps prior to dusting the model. The
proper effect will dust the model slightly and will enhance
the details of the model.
Castings
The castings in our kits are made most often of metal.
However, they may also be injection-molded styrene or cold-
cast urethane. These latter two types of parts must be washed
with warm soapy water instead of lacquer thinner. It is also
very important to thoroughly rinse them after washing them.
Urethane parts may be sanded and filed easily, but the dust
should not be inhaled! Paint all styrene parts with Barrier
before painting them with other Floquil paints. Urethane
parts may be directly painted with Floquil paints. Several
alloys are used to produce metal parts for our kits. All the
metal parts should be handled with care as denting and
breakage may occur if they are dropped.
WARNING: The metal castings in this kit may contain
very minute levels of lead. Most of the castings in this kit
are now 99.5% or more lead free. But to be on the safe side,
keep all parts away from pets and small children, don’t lick
your fingers while building this kit, and always wash your
hands after handling the castings!.
Cleaning the metal castings is quite easy. Several
jewelers’ files and a sharp hobby knife work well for this
procedure. After you have completed the initial cleanup of
parting lines, sprues and flash, wash all the castings in
lacquer thinner, or denatured alcohol, and allow them to
dry. Handle these after washing by wearing gloves to avoid
getting them contaminated with the oils from your hands.
Sometimes the metal castings in the scene were treated
with Blacken-It according to the product instructions. The
chemical reaction between the Blacken-It and the metal
creates a very realistic weathered-metal finish. Additionally,
all metal castings can be treated in this manner to provide
greater paint adhesion.
Painting the castings is quite easy and can be
accomplished with a brush or airbrush. A good base coat
will be created by airbrushing your castings with Floquil
Earth or light gray paint. Krylon gray primer in a spray can
works well as an alternative to an airbrush. Choose relatively
dull colors for your castings. Models tend to look more
realistic using shades such as Mud, Grimy Black, etc. by
Floquil, or similar dull shades. Rarely should you consider
using bright colors in model scenes. The Woodland Scenics
water-base colors work well for this.
Tools Required for Assembly
Tools required for this kit: Hobby knife and sharp blades
(we buy surgical blades from the pharmacy - very sharp
and extremely thin), sanding block/emery boards, metal
straight edge/hobby scale, glues (ACC, Titebond wood
cement, Elmers White Glue, JB Weld Epoxy), paints/stains,
assorted twist drills and pin vise.
Sanding
It has been said that sanding is not necessary on a laser-cut
kit. This is not true! Proper sanding makes the difference
between a kit simply assembled and one that shows the touch
of a true master craftsman. While the laser can cut precisely,
the amount and types of glue used in assembly can alter the
fit. Dressing the edges with a quick pass of the sandpaper
will greatly improve the appearance of the finished model.
Always keep an assortment of sand papers and emery boards
in your tool box. Grits ranging from 200 to 600 will be
helpful. Just about all exposed joints need to be dressed
with fine sandpaper like 600-grit. This will greatly improve
the appearance of the model.
Photos
In some of the assembly photos, the parts have not been
painted. This was intentional to help show off the different
pieces easier. In most cases, the photos show the O scale
model that has slightly different details from the HO scale
version. This will not affect the assembly of the kit. And
some photos may show parts assembled slightly out of the
recommended order.
Gluing
Titebond, a brand name of strong wood glue, is used to
assemble the large components in this kit. The residue from
this glue will have a yellow tint, so be sure to clean up any
excess. White glue is used to attach the smaller parts as this
glue will dry clear. When applying glue to the smaller parts,
it is best to use a toothpick to apply a thin layer of glue to
the back of the parts and then press them in place on the
structure. Any excess glue can be wiped off with a damp
cotton swab.
Extra Parts
With some small parts, extras are included just in case.
Strange Terms and Acronyms
N-B-W is a Nut-Bolt-Washer Casting. They are usually
made of plastic.
ACC is alphacyanoacrylate glue, i.e., superglue.
Sprue - The passage through which molten material is
introduced into a mold. During casting or molding, the
material in the sprue will solidify and needs to be removed
from the finished part.