R e n o v a t i o n  J o u r n a l

 Weinkellerei & Burgmühle

 Faller 130611 & 130586

40.1 ~ The Idea 

While browsing the Faller catalog online, I discovered this Winery, or in German: Weinkellerei.

Not so much because of the beautiful vineyards of the Cochemer Bahn, but because of the disturbing background

- which shows two houses that do not match the CB in terms of perspective and size -

I decided to make an extra extension. Thus they are hidden from view. And... it's a new challenge as well. 

40.2 ~ Unboxing

(25 June 2023) 

Initially I was particularly charmed by these windows.

However, the plastic adhered hardly or not at all to the Faller glue.

Each window came loose at least four times. Unfortunately, this resulted in multiple glue marks.

Deutsch, English, Nederlands, Français...

Always that tingling feeling of 'virginity' when you see the inside of a box like this... 

40.3 ~ Priming

(26-27 June 2023)

Until now I have always painted the stone structure in a beige base coat.

Following what Faller suggests, I opted for a dark red brick this time for a change.
However, when mixing the paint, amaranth was quite dominant.

It remains to be seen what influence the lasur coating will have on the color scheme. 

I couldn't ignore the fact that the side building was given a slate color as a base.

Especially the cracks and fissures in the lime layer - typical Faller! - were also decisive.

This door has already been provided with a patina by Faller at the factory. I was in doubt for a while whether I should use it.

However, the beautiful and very refined black hinges were the deciding factor.

Later, however, I provided the door with a strong lasur coating.

Amaranth for the roof.

And yes, these roofs match indeed those from the Cathedral!

40.4 ~ Patinierung

(28 June 2023) 

40.5 ~ Dry white

(28 June 2023)

Dry whitening is one of the most challenging phases in the painting process.

You can't use the brush for more than 10 minutes or it will harden itself due to paint residue.

In addition, both the right amount of paint that remains in your brush, as well as the pressure of your brush on the object,

whether you mess something up right away or whether you apply the right amount.

And you always need a bit of luck. But it remains a precision work, always!

The side wing is placed against this wall part, so less patination.

40.6 ~ Starting construction

(29 June 2023)

Not the fun part, as said before. Windows just wouldn't attatch. Even when carefully applying the mask, another window popped open...

(For the moment finished at 1.7.2023)

40.7 ~ However...

(2-3 July 2023)

While I was working on the side wing, I discovered a part that although I had painted it, I wouldn't use it.

On closer inspection it turned out to be a 'fusion' of two corner edges into one connecting piece. I usually want to use whatever is worth it.

After some research it turned out that Faller also releases a castle mill (Burgmühle) under ref. #130586, which is largely identical to the side wing of this Weinkellerei.

Moreover, both buildings are derived from the Bebenhausen Kloster (Faller 130816)!

So a little 'Bebenhausen' comes to the Cochemer Bahn anyway.

Faller 130816 

Which is to say, even more than 'a little Bebenhausen'comes to the CB, since the Faller News 2024 announced another 'half Bebehausen' to be released this year. 

Faller 130827 - Alte Abtei mit Kreuzgang

But that's a story for another chapter. Back to the Weinkellerei...

After some consideration, I decided to temporarily stop constructing, while having submitted the proposal to the Faller Company to include this new addition with the next shipment.

This way I can make a wide center wing, where the whole completely covers the houses on the background poster. I expect this shipment within a few weeks. 

~~~

40.8 ~ Burgmühle | Unboxing and Painting

(18 August 2023)

The Burgmühle arrived on August 18th. After the holiday's I started painting, adjusting and constructing.

A totally new buidling is originated! 

22.8.2023

On August 22th I started unboxing and painting.

Contrary to what I am used to doing, after a few weeks I had to find the same color scheme as that of the Weinkellerei, as described above.

A challenge...

~~~

40.9 ~ Burgmühle | Construction

(3 September 2023) 

To me one of the most satisfying steps in the building process

Retaining wall in the middle, everything fits just fine. All credits to Faller's engineers. 

The short side wall is the one prepared for the Weinkellerei. As you can see, the color scheme is lighter, as for the wholeWeinkellerei... 

... as you can see in the rear. Both wall parts belong to the Weinkellerei.

Because Faller planned the half-timbered house on this spot of the window, the deko has no windows here, but is black.

That's why I made something myself...

Time to glue both parts together. We won't see any of this anymore. 

The main building, still reddish brown.

I opted to place the small half-timbered house - originally intended at the front of the Burgmühle - precisely on this side of the Weinkellerei, so that the view of the wide facade was not obstructed.

In this way I get the style of the Bebenhausen Monastery back a bit on the Cochemer Bahn.

What a wonderful asset this section would have been for Stift Cochem in stead of the Vollmer Monastery...

40.10 ~ Burgmühle | Alterations and Adaptations

(5-6 September 2023) 

The more I looked at the stucco of the side wing, the more I became disturbed by the red-brown color of the main building.

Despite the fact that the main building was already glued to the side wings, I decided to change the color in slate. 

Not specified in the manual, however, I used some redundant wall sections to reinforce the roof at the seams.

For a German farm or Weinkellerei, this is exactly the atmosphere I'm looking for.

~~~

Another adaptation that I took from the building description of Faller's Bebenhausen Kloster is the high chimney.
With eight parts from both building sets together (Weinkellerei+Burgmühle), I was able to make exactly the same chimney as intended for the monastery.

However, I opted for a different position (not on the side wing, otherwise I would have to cut away an unnecessary amount of the roof),

whereby the remarkable roof transition between the main building and the half-timbered house disappeared. 

I did have to adjust a few things to the half-timbered house. But that's the real scratch building... isn't it? 

Hatches fixed... (a bit Anton Pieck pur sang, I know)

~~~

Let's close the day with some pictures of the total overview...

6.9.2023

40.11 ~ Burgmühle | Finishing up

(7 September 2023)

7.9.2023

Only wine barrels and other attributes are left to be added. And some hatches!

I thought those shiny windows unfitting for this beautifull building.

16.1.2024  

~~~ 

Post Scriptum

On September 5, 2023 I bought a new base plate.

On the advice of Markus Böhm I decided not to place the Weinkellerei directly behind Stift Cochem.

It gets too crowded there and the perspective with the background changes drastically, not for the better.
There will be a completely new part on the east side, behind the forest near Cochemer Burg, with the theme 'Agrikultur Pur'.

This Weinkellerei, the Hallenhaus and the Schwartzwaldset Vogtsbauernhof will take up that space.

~~~ 

Frits Osterthun © 5.7.2023

Last update: 9.2.2024