2018 - build challenge - Downtown Deco boneyard castings

Started by Mark Dalrymple, January 05, 2018, 01:16:11 AM

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Mark Dalrymple

Hi guys.

This build is based around the main structure of DD's Burgess manufacturing.  I few years back I bought a big box of 'boneyard' castings from Randy off ebay.  Some of the walls are pretty good, some not so good.  For this reason they were cheap.

Below is what I chose to use.

Photo 1 - Front wall.

Photo 2 - Right side wall.  This wall was very warped.  I cut a small amount off the height, both top and bottom, to line the window openings up with the front.  I cut some length off too.

Photo 3 - Left side wall.  This wall was too short.  I used an off cut from the right wall with the warp filed out and turned backwards, spliced onto the bottom of the left wall.

Photo 4 - Ruler showing the warp in the right side wall.

Photo 5 - A view of the front and right wall.  I lined the top part of the wall up vertically with the front wall and will do 'a bit of a thing' with the bottom.

Photo 6 - A view of the front and left wall.  You can see the splice.  I took a photo a while back of an awesome wall in Dunedin and hope to both find that photo to post here - and do something similar on my model.

More soon, cheers, Mark.

MAP

I'll be following along.  Will be interesting to see how you treat that warped wall.
Mark

Raymo

Nice! Hydrocal is being represented in the challenge!

Dave K.

Randy's boneyard castings can be a lot of fun to play with...I used them in a town scene back when I was a club member. Enjoy!


GPdemayo

Gregory P. DeMayo
General Construction Superintendent Emeritus
St. Louis & Denver Railroad
Longwood, FL

donatode


Mark Dalrymple

Hi guys.

Thanks for all the replies!  I'll try to keep up consistent progress.  I'm presently also turning half of the barn into a modelling room - which is a BIG job!  The future home of the T&S (Tellynott and Shadowlands).

Map - I've taken on board the challenge adage - 'keep it simple' when addressing that very warped wall.  I could have tried to cut it straight down the middle and then splice it back together - which would have gotten rid of some of the warp, but I decided to just glue it in place with the top lined up nicely, and build up the bottom with Selleys permafilla. This also meant I could keep chugging along.

Raymo - yes, hydrocal often seems to be under represented - I did gather up a few of my wooden kits, but couldn't find anything simple that grabbed my attention.  It was this or Potters pub - and that looked like quite a bit of work.

Dave - I hope to have a lot of fun.  Its the first modelling I've done since we moved in here in mid August - there has just been so much to do!  I actually feel a lot better about things have started some modelling.  The new place is great and we love it, but 11 acres when you have lived your entire life in a city on a quarter acre or less, can get a bit overwhelming!

Gregory - thanks.  Hopefully I'll keep you interested.

Donato - holy Hydrocal indeed!  I'd forgotten how messy that stuff is!  Must remember to change into old clothes!

OK - so below are photos to get us up to date.  I did a lot of filing and fitting with a large course file, and quite a bit of cutting and trimming along with the one splice.

Photo 1 - A view from the back with my protractor sitting flat on the board.  I glued the spliced wall to the front wall first, using my square protractor to make sure things were square and left to set.  I then drew a square on the custom board (MDF) on which this is sitting, with the inside of the two side walls marked and used this as a guide when gluing the other side wall in place.  Araldite is a very sticky glue, but things slide - but only really when pushed.  And so you have a small window of two or three minutes when you can move things around a bit to line and square up.  I applied glue along the edges of the wall, keeping it back from the front of the casting to eliminate glue ooze.

Photo 2 - A view looking down.  I glued a piece of matt board in at the bass to keep things square and add some strength.  I used Araldite 2 part apoxy to glue everything together.  I find this works best with Hydrocal.  Although - with rock castings I have found an expandable foam gun brilliant!  I glued the bass in with a piece of baking paper on the desk.  Once dry this just peels off.  I first cut a hole in the center to give finger access as the build moves on.

Photo 3 - Here is the back wall I used.  You can see just how bad that warp is here.  I held this piece in place and marked the backside with a pencil.  I then cut this with a small tenon saw and finished off with a course file.  Again I mixed up some Araldite, but this time, instead of putting the glue down the edge of the wall, I put it on the inside of the partly assembled part of the structure keeping it just back from the edge.  In this way I could slide the wall into place without any glue ooze.

Photo 4 - Here is a photo of the side wall built up with permafilla.  I use a paint brush dipped in water to wet the plaster castings first and this helps the filler stick.  I use a small chisel blade to apply and smooth - adding water as needed.

More soon, cheers, Mark.