Craftsman kit advice

[Cajonpassfan]

I'm planning to begin building this craftsman kit to replace my scratch built station. 

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Any help is appreciated.  Thanks in advance for your recommendations.

What a gorgeous building and model! Smart to ask for advice here...lots of good suggestions.
Good luck, can’t wait to see it assembled and put into service.
OttO K.

[JMaurer1]

Wood craftsman kits are made from trees. In a tree the wood is to help transport water from the roots to the branches (actually to the photosynthesis factory - aka leaves). Getting one side of a wood kit wet (and water based paint has a bunch of water in it) will cause that side to absorb the water and grow causing things to warp. Best way to stop warping is to not use water based paint. Use oil base paint and you shouldn't have a problem. Extra bracing is always a good idea as some of the oil will also be absorbed, but it most likely won't warp.

[Steveruger45]

It has been a while since I have done a craftsman wood kit.
I braced the inside like others have suggested and then I Hang up all the pieces on cotton thread to a wire coat hanger or three and sprayed a light coat on both sides of acrylic flat clear.   No warping and relatively quick except the fixing of cotton thread to said coat hangers.

[peteski]

It has been a while since I have done a craftsman wood kit.
I braced the inside like others have suggested and then I Hang up all the pieces on cotton thread to a wire coat hanger or three and sprayed a light coat on both sides of acrylic flat clear.   No warping and relatively quick except the fixing of cotton thread to said coat hangers.

Just to clarify, most modelers  incorrectly call  all water-based paints "acrylics".   But acrylic is just a binder used for paints, and it is often used in "stinky" solvent-based paints too.  So was your acrylic flat clear water-based spray, or the old-school "stinky" paint?  I suspect it was the "stinky" variety, but I just want to confirm.

[Steveruger45]

Just to clarify, most modelers  incorrectly call  all water-based paints "acrylics".   But acrylic is just a binder used for paints, and it is often used in "stinky" solvent-based paints too.  So was your acrylic flat clear water-based spray, or the old-school "stinky" paint?  I suspect it was the "stinky" variety, but I just want to confirm.

Yep, the “stinky” variety.