kgstakes

you do a fantastic job woodcarving my friend. I’ve tried it and done some chip carving but nothing even close to what you can do. Keep up the great work!!

Thank you for the kind words. I do really enjoy building models and miniatures. Since I was 8 years old, I have found joy and relaxation in building models. From my first plastic car to model railroading to now building miniature furniture and wooden models, I thoroughly enjoy the hobby. History about me: As a young man I always wanted to build buildings for architectural firms but was told I did not have the education (degree). So, then I always liked the outdoors and at that time going up in Colorado, I wanted to go into Forestry and Wildlife management. Again, was told without the education (degree) I would never be able to work in the Forestry or Wildlife Dept. During high school, I since I liked to build things I always took wood shop. So I followed what I knew and really my first love, woodworking. My career has been a mix of many things but mainly some sort of woodworking for the most part. Growing up I had horses and my grandfather was a blacksmith in Michigan. One year I went back to Michigan and learned all about blacksmithing and also how to build and restore horse drawn vehicles. So, after many years working for someone else, I decided to follow in my grandfather's footsteps. I started my own carriage business in Nevada called KG Enterprises. I built carts, wagons, buckboards, built wooden wheels, and made my own hardware for those vehicles. And now, I'm living in Kansas and am semi retired. I say "semi" only because I work three days a week and believe or not doing something completely different than I have ever done before. I work at a small very small meat processing plant where I help cut beef, ribeyes, T bones, briskets, etc. Been fun and a complete change from what I've done as a career. I do still have my woodworking tools and a nice size shop to build what ever I would like. My hobby shop is in the office area of the wood shop and I continue to expand my miniature power tools to basically match what I have in my wood shop. All this to say, all of you build great models, I hope I can some day stand among you as a good or maybe (someday) a great modeler as you all are today. Thank you for allowing me to share a little about myself and what I truly enjoy to do, building miniatures. One of my greatest joys would be to be able to sell my miniature furniture that I build. I would love to build a small business in my retirement years doing what I love to do, miniatures. You all have a great day, and thanks again for all you do for me. Keep modelling, keep sharing with others our great hobby. Kurt KG Miniatures Kansas

You all have seen the process of my build of the San Francisco Cablecar but I wanted to share a slide show I put together of the whole project. Enjoy!! It's about 2 minutes long or so. Kurt San Francisco Cablecar Slideshow.mp4

It's all done!!! Had fun building it and there was some challenges but over all a great model for anyone to build. I will power it but at the present it is not powered. I plan on building some shelving around either the room I use as a modeling area in the house or in my hobby shop out in the woodworking shop. Haven't decided yet (actually haven't gotten the ok from the boss lady). Enjoy the pictures of the finished San Francisco cable car and like I said before a great model to build but I would say to take your time on basically all of it and fill any and all of the joints and tab and slot areas before final paint and decals because even thou some areas are covered in later steps it is much easier to do the decals and the next steps with a smooth surface to work with. The roof I glued up and then before any sanding, I filled all the cracks and edges with wood filler and then sanded it all smooth with (believe or not) my vibrator sander with 150 grit and I think it came out great. Again thank you all for following and not sure what my next project will be (have our basement to finish - studs wall, plumbing and electrical are done, drywall, tape, sand, paint, you get the picture is next). I do have a couple plastic car kits to do and the never ending model railroad to add details to so who knows what the future will bring. Until then, thanks again for following along, it has been a great journey!! By the way, this is my second Occre kit and I really enjoy these kits. They make a great product in my mind. Kurt KG Miniature Workshop Kansas

Well I agree with you all about painting the posts but then I was starting to install the decorative scroll irons and discovered that none of them are square meaning they don’t fit in the corners like they should. And yes, my posts are plumb to the body and roof. So, since the posts hand railing do ma hickies are brass still, I decided to make my own arches out of brass instead of the scrolls. Yes, it’s not as fancy but at least I can make it all work the way I want them to. In the end, I think it looks pretty good. Not like the real ones but it’s a fix and I have more brass on the model and it looks like it’s suppose to be there. Besides, most people will not comment when they visit “those are not supposed to be brass they’re supposed to be painted.” Nah they’ll look at it and recognize that’s it’s a cable car. Thanks for your input but as the build went on changes had to be made.

The earliest or oldest (how ever you want to look at it) is this picture. Black and white and those posts that we have been talking about look to me not painted. Probably bare metal or brass ? You tell me. And then I found this picture as well. Interesting what you can find.

guess the real ones had painted railings. And Canute you’re right my railroad do what makes you happy. For now I like the brass, after it’s all done I can still paint them if I wish but if I paint them and don’t like the way it came out, very hard to change it. Thank you everyone appreciate your input but gut instinct I like the brass……. For now anyway.

I personally like the brass look because it draws your eye inside and not towards the railings. Any other votes before it goes to the paint shop?? i couldn’t decide so if no more votes I’ll paint them. I see what you mean and I was think too much paint already but it’ll look good either way.

Question for everyone, leave the brass posts brass or paint them? Like on the box? Your choice? Need feed back please

Progress, next is the grab handles I guess you call them. The vertical metal posts that you grab when getting on cable car.

Trucks installed platforms in place it’s coming along nicely.

Thought I’d put the trucks under it just for kicks see what it looks like. Course allot of other stuff go on too to make it look like it’s suppose to but thought I’d share.

Trim around roof complete and a few more details added. Have the trucks built ready for final paint and install. It’s getting there!!

Finished the roof and some inside details over the weekend. Next a few details and then the trucks. Nice build straight forward.

Started the roof this morning we’ll see what sticks and what adjustments may have to be made. Compound curves are always a pain. Soak the wood lots of glue and clamps and let dry. See what happens afterwards.

You can never have enough clamps when doing a glue up 😂😂

Here are the ends sanded filled and repainted. Looks better. Now I believe what’s next is the roof.

Got some work done before everyone wakes up this morning. I’ll be doing the same as the sides fill the seams and repaint the ends even though there is a sign that will cover it, I’d like to have a smooth transition between the panels and hopefully the sign will lay down better than not doing anything at all. We’ll see when that time comes. Enjoy the pictures and have a great weekend. Wife and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary today (17 years) so no more modeling today😭😂😂.

Done for today, windows in benches installed seams filled and repainted. Been a good day modeling😀😀

Working on the cable car today. The one thing I will be doing before I go any farther is fill in the areas that you can see the tab and slot connections. Will make the model look better when finished. I don’t like seeing those on the sides of the car. 🤔🤔🥺

Actually I've built full size buckboards and they are very comfortable to ride in. The ones I've built have no springs between the body (floor) and the axles, only under the seat. This is my personal buckboard. I made my own brackets (see pic) that attached the seat spring to the seat and to the floor. Made a very comfortable ride, both for the horse and driver. I used 1/2" square stock for the curved braces for the dash which was heated in my forge and then twisted and then ends hammered flat and punched holes for bolts.

From what I've read about stagecoaches, they were built to travel long distances and the throughbraces for the suspension was to help the horses (easier on the horses) than on the passengers. Yes, you did get bounced around in them, even today if you ride in a stagecoach at any speed it's a rough ride for the passengers. The throughbraces (leather suspension) was to give the horses a little "give" when they were pulling the load. Hard to explain the way it works but hopefully you understand what I'm trying to say about the suspension of the coach. The body basically "rocked" back and forth and it was easier on the horses. Kurt

Little more progress today. Been slow going but I'm also remodeling/finishing the basement at the same time so that takes priority over modeling. Pictures show test fitting everything before I start on the "cabin" area (painting, windows, doors, etc. Benches still need some touch up and finial coat of clear finish. Been a pretty straight forward build - wish the picture directions were in English but with the text directions, I can follow and go by the pictures.

Not sure whether this is the right category to ask this but do any of you done a diorama where the ship is modeled in resin or some other “water”. Have you ever modeled a ship sinking or under attack maybe like a torpedo in the water just about ready to hit the ship or has and then you’ve done other effects to mimic a direct hit? I’ve seen some one do this and didn’t know if anyone here has done anything like that. Found this on the web for an example of what I’m talking about.

For being a small scale ship I’m surprised at the detail it has. Great build and love the paint work you’ve done. i haven’t built any war ships and i always admire the people that do and can do such an excellent job at painting them. Nicely done!!