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"J.W. Wencich Manufactory"
Built 1993 by Richard E. Bendever
This diorama began its life as
a Pola plastic kit (Galvanizing Works). Frankly, I got sick and tired of people
telling me that they couldn't build craftsman kits like I could. I kept
explaining to them that they didn't need to build craftsman kits to have really
good models. So, in order to prove a point, I built Wenrich's Manufactory.
J.W. Wenrich's
was awarded 3rd Place at the NMRA National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia in the
Summer of 1995. The only reason Wenrich's took Third is because it had to
compete with my Hooker's Point Lighthouse diorama. In my haste to get to the
Convention, I forgot to cover the track so that this diorama would compete in
the Off-Line category instead of On-Line. Wenrich's was awarded 116
points, seven points higher than the winner of the Off-Line diorama. Either way,
it was extremely fun proving my point!
Photo
Description #1: Would it be hard to believe
that all of the details (except for the figures) are "cast in
Hot Glue"? Look closely at the right photo. The barrels, drums, bumpers, chimneys, junk piles & clutter. machinery, ventilators,
(and trucks in the rear of the building); they're all hot glue. Yep, and I even wrote an article
about it in the 1996 NG&SL "Gazette" magazine."... Still, it
was fun to learn some new modeling techniques. I suppose that I got lucky with
this model since Dean Frytag brought several of the Contest Judges over to our
table at the show and told them what I had shared with him about this being a
plastic kit. I doubt I'll be able to slip something like this by the Judges
again; or maybe...
Photo Description #2: In the
image at left, yes, even
the car in the front of the image is a Hot Glue casting, as are all the rest of
the roof details. It's a lot of fun taking off the cover of this case and
wiggling the chimney's with my finger as the people stare in amazement!.....
Photo Description #3: The
photo at right shows how I "Americanized" the European style tile roof to a
material that we see here in the United States. In addition to the red brick
color (originally this model was molded in a mustard yellow color) and the
addition of trees made of flower wire and sisal rope fibers, we have a perfectly
believable North Eastern industry!
Photo Description #4:
Don't attempt to adjust you
monitor! The photo at left illustrates the risk of activating the patina process
on real copper material and the possible variation of colors and changes the
copper will change in to. The fluctuating colors of the patina process is all
about how temperature and humidity or the lack thereof humidity in the air
around the copper. More humidity and cooler temperatures and the patina turns a
bright teal green. Not so much humidity and the patina goes to a faded pale
white-ish green color. It's all about chemistry...
Photo Description #5:
The image at right is a good view of the left rear of the structure and its
multiple corners that even though fit well for a plastic kit, did not fit well
enough to be considered a contest model and thusly falling to the scrutiny of
the NMRA judging process. Quite a bit of time and effort was spent coaxing the
corner joints with a variety of tools, heat gun and lacquer thinner to soften
and fit the corners to judging perfection.
Photo Description #6: The
photo at left shows .
Photo Description #7:
Photo at right
