# Starting River Leaf Scuttlebutts Kit



## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

With all the shelves done and the workshop cleaned up, it is time to move on. I like to mix up hobby projects, so I've decided to do a building kit next, a contrast from carpentry I've been doing.

Downtown San Bettadaise needs a good Gentlemen's Club, and so I'll be doing Scuttlebutts - the River Leaf Strip Club Kit which has a really nice sign and window. I will be posting each step, etc. 

Today's step, I opened the box and took out the parts, measured and began planning. 








The strip club will go here, on this patch of land, near the railroad tracks (seems fitting), at the junction of lower and upper Main Street. 








I may modified the kit slightly into a more triangular building (seems like it would be easy) in order to fit this site better. No sure yet.








I ordered this small Digital recorder that has a "repeat one song" mode. It will be installed inside/underneath/somewhere nearby, faintly playing Bob Segar's song, _Main Street._ 
("There was this long-legged dancer in a little club downtown. I loved to watch her do her stuff. . . . . Down on Main Street."


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Poor Lee, ran out of possible shelf locations and got bored! 

The back of the building will face you, so you may have to adjust for that.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

The era of shelves is over, GRJ. I have more than sufficient for now. 

STEP 2: This morning. 
I set up my JLC Big Boy and carefully marked its overhang coming around the curve behind Scuttlebutts. I wouldn't want that loco's stick out to bump any of the girls at this fine. If the big boy can make it around this her without hitting any of the girls in the derriere, any of my locos can 








I then studied the parcel and surrounding area and decided this footprint is both the right shape and positioned where I want the building. So I will modify the kit just a bit to make the building this shape.








This is where the front will go. I will add a bit of width to its right. There will be a side door I add, on the long side facing the layout's edge, with the door open so you can lean down and see inside, where there will be a pile dancer doing her thing. I'm thinking of animating her so she twirls - that would be sort of cool, if I can get a quiet enough drive unit . . .


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## J. S. Bach (Sep 20, 2015)

That sounds quite ambitious, I look forward to the results.


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

Great project.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Lee, such a deal I have for you. 

Email me your address and I'll send you this little servo. It's very quiet and spins at just the right speed for the task. It runs one a couple volts of DC. the whole thing is about 1" or so long, and you'd just mount it below the floor and have her on the top. Looks made for the job. I bought these some time back on eBay because they looked perfect for animating something like this.


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## sp2207 (Oct 7, 2015)

I'll be watching also. I have a bunch of buildings that need to be made.


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## Guest (Oct 18, 2015)

I think that it is only fitting that this project is on the *"other side of the tracks"*.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The other side of the tracks is a good place for it, no doubt about that!


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## josef (Jun 20, 2015)

Lee is over 21, right?


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Thanks GRJ, I will send you my address. It sounds perfect. 

And I am definitely over 21, guys -- more than three times over.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Lee, I looked it up from the past, and it's already in a padded envelope ready to go tomorrow. I look forward to the video of the pole dancer.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

I look forward to seeing how this comes together.


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## AG216 (Sep 28, 2011)

Very ambitious project, but based in the other project it will be a home run!

Andre.


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## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

Nice project Lee. I'm anxious to watch your progress.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

*Things Go Fast at this Stage*


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## Bob Phillips (Nov 25, 2014)

Look great Lee. You must have 36 hour days in NC.


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## J. S. Bach (Sep 20, 2015)

I take it that she will be "dancing" inside of the tall window opening? Won't that distract the motorman on the inside trolley loop?   :sly:


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## AG216 (Sep 28, 2011)

Pretty good modification.
I hope nobody will pole dancing during the big boy freight train passing through.
AG.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

J. S. Bach said:


> I take it that she will be "dancing" inside of the tall window opening? Won't that distract the motorman on the inside trolley loop?   :sly:


No, that tall window is for the incredibly cool frosted glass window with a pole dancer that comes with the kit. That will be backlit: that is half the appeal of the kit, frankly.

Note the wide double doorway on the side of the building facing the edge of the layout. The doors will be open as if someone is leaving, and you will be able to peek inside the building at a bar/pole/dancer.


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## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

Great project. The pole dancer and open doors will add lots of interest.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Remember to allow about 1/2" under the floor for the automation of the pole dancer.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Remember to allow about 1/2" under the floor for the automation of the pole dancer.


I'm going to allow as much room as possible. Will drill/dig a hole later today. 

I really appreciate your sending the servo motor. I will forego making the pole dancer until it arrives: I must admit I am looking forward to working with a "porno doll" even if it is a very small one!

The recorder arrived yesterday and works just as advertised: I recorded Bob Seger's Main Street from the album I have in my car, and the thing plays it over and over again, for at least two hours (it got a bit repetitive at that point and I shut it down). It will go inside the strip club (the roof with remove) and the sound will come out the open door(s). One slight issue is that I planned to leave it in there, plugged in and on, with just a "button" concealed from the roof to activate or turn it off, but it will not play when the charger is connected. Gotta think of a good work around.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Your dance motor is on it's way, should be there soon. 

Tracking Number: 9400109699938868277814
Expected Delivery Day:	Thursday, October 22, 2015 

For sound, I use the BY8001-16P module.


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## josef (Jun 20, 2015)

Can't wait for opening night. 
Lee, have the City Father's issued a license for this type of Business? What with the expansion of the trailer park, town already had an Adult Bookstore, and now a Strip Joint. Next will there be a Nudist Colony at the lake?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

We can only hope for that josef!


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

*Made good progress today*

I like the way it is turning out. It will use spackle in a few minutes to 'stucco" the sides and have it in primer by tomorrow afternoon.
































The "sound machine" rests on a shelf here, LED lighting will be attached to the underside of the roof. The small boxlike things at the right will, when painted, etc., give the illusion of interior rooms through the windows on that side.


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## Bob Phillips (Nov 25, 2014)

Wonderful looking building. I'll have to check out Andre at York.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Coming along very nicely Lee. Can't wait to see the finished product.


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## AG216 (Sep 28, 2011)

wow!
you did a nice job! 
:appl::appl:
I can't wait to see the light and music!
Andre.


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## sp2207 (Oct 7, 2015)

Lee Nice job! Thanks for sharing.


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## Fabforrest (Aug 31, 2015)

How does that chip work, John? 

My song selection would be shake that by eminem, well until the lyrics start.


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## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

Looking good Lee. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## Bill Webb (Sep 14, 2015)

We this is a great project.

Have you considered renaming it for a local landmark? Capital Cabaret perhaps. I bet that Andre would be glad to do the name.

The club owner can buy a trailer in the newly furnished park for "his" girls. Also a neat place for a pair of your detectives to be investigating the inevitable shooting that will occur. And Veronica can be riding by checking it all out.

The possibilities are almost endless. Your layout is really neat with all the characters.


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## Bob Phillips (Nov 25, 2014)

Lee you need to make us all a motion picture of all the stories on your layout. My stuff is so boring just running trains. Your modeling is so entertaining to me and can't wait to see whats next.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Fabforrest said:


> How does that chip work, John?
> 
> My song selection would be shake that by eminem, well until the lyrics start.


The module I posted is an MP3 player. You write your song selections onto the micro-SD card using a standard computer, and there are five button inputs that will trigger the sounds. It has a lot more capability, but that's something that most folks can use for a layout sound source. Add a speaker and a source of 5VDC and you're set with sounds. A 2 gig micro-SD will provide hours of sound. This is the sound module I'm using as part of my upcoming remote controlled sound, lighting, and animation board, soon to be turned loose on the world.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Last night I put masking tape over portions of the walls that would not be " stucco" include the sections of the River Leaf provided wall panels where the "brick" was exposed by peeling stucco/whatever. To get the profile right, and apply masking tape over it, then used a pencil rubbed across it to reveal the patter underneath: I could tell where to cut the masking tape with a #11 X-Acto blade. 








I then covered all the outer walls with a thin layer of spackling paste,removing the masking tape afterwards, before it dried. I let it dry overnight.








This morning the spackling was dry, and I sanded it lightly 'til almost smooth, then hit it with a very heavy coat of Rustoleum gray primer. Six hours later, I covered it with a thin layer of Rustoleum super-flat white primer: when I sand the white, it will darken to gray where I make the primer thin, which is what I want for a weathering look. I am letting the white harden overnight . . .


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Nice attention to detail Lee. :thumbsup:


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## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

Looking good. This is a very nice kit and I like your modifications.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Work today was exclusively on studying the lighting, as it is critical to the right look.

I first used contact cement and glued pieces of aluminum foil here and there to create relfectors.








This included on the underside of the roof.








I installed a three-light LED strip.








I spent most of the afternoon experimenting with stuff like this. In the photo below you are looking down into the strip club. I have placed a reflector over the lights to shine more of their light down and out, and "baffles" or shades made of thin scrap cardboard near the front because too much light was getting to the front windows. 








This is almost exactly the look I want. A little fine-tuning, a few figures positioned the other side of the fronted glass, so you see their shadow through the windows, etc., will do the trick, I think.








Importantly, lots of light pours out of the inside through this opening, which will have two side doors open so you can see inside, and be part of a vignette in the parking lot outside the club. 








I still have to work on the illumination inside: it is clearly not evenly distributed enough. I've draw a pole dancer about where I plan for her to be. There will be a bar with patrons behind her, tables, etc. and more fans around her. She will be up dancing on a table, BTW - a round table with the pole sticking out of the middle of it to the ceiling, etc., twirling around. I"ts been a while, but you don't forget this type of thing: seem to remember that's how the tables are and the girls dance - with their little scuttlebutts twirling right around . . . .


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## Fabforrest (Aug 31, 2015)

Lee, if really want to get the right feel, do what I did and have some pulsating lights.


Are you and I the only ones not at York?


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Wow I thought my workbench was a mess.

Looking Good!:appl:


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## Marklx200 (Jun 14, 2015)

This project has me excited, sorta


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## josef (Jun 20, 2015)

Fabforrest said:


> Lee, if really want to get the right feel, do what I did and have some pulsating lights.
> 
> 
> Are you and I the only ones not at York?


I also thought pulsating lights of different colors would look good. I remember when I was in the service going to one, different color lights were in the room and could be seen pulsating into the street and alley.
I'm home, but leaving for Gainesville, Ga in morning.


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## sp2207 (Oct 7, 2015)

Lee I like what you have done so far.


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## Brother_Love (Dec 23, 2014)

Great kit and I like what you are doing with it. I will be watching. 

I wondered where all you guys were ;>).

Malcolm


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Looks like nice progress today Lee, let's get her dancing.


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## Guest (Oct 23, 2015)

Welcome to MTF, Malcolm!


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## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

I agree lighting is an important part of a structure lik this. I like the illumination so far.


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## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

Brother_Love said:


> Great kit and I like what you are doing with it. I will be watching.
> 
> I wondered where all you guys were ;>).
> 
> Malcolm


It's good to see you here Malcolm!


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## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

Welcome Malcolm.


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## AG216 (Sep 28, 2011)

The light look pretty inviting!

AG.


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## Rich883 (Jul 15, 2015)

Lee, nice work, I like how you made a unique shape of the building to fit in your space.


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## rboatertoo (Aug 5, 2015)

Is it finished?? I would like to see the dancer on the pole, I have been saving dollar bills.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I've been saving my dollar bills as well, bring it on!


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## josef (Jun 20, 2015)

Uprising of the wives, and church members have placed themselves around the building site. Protesting now that they have seen what the new business will be, have kept the contractors and their equipment from entering the site, and stopped further construction. I'm sure Lee had all the proper licenses, and approval from city council members.


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