Ok, I am lucky enough to have the dimensions and the instructions book to help me- so here goes! I am not the fastest modeler, esp. in the summer- so I am not sure how long this will take me. I am using Northeastern aged clapboard and windows that I had, also from Northeastern scale lumber. I have some freight doors from Rusty Stumps and a water wheel kit that I bought years ago from BEST, although I don't know why I got it! This is the first time using the little 90 degree punch I got from Micro-Mark... works pretty good...
I maybe the only one out there that does this: I don't mark or cut from the backside of the clapboard. I prefer to lay things out and cut openings on the face of the material. The clapboards help in keeping things straight. I have never split or marred the face of the clapboard doing this, and I think it helps me in avoiding mistakes. So... Here I go....
When you start to look at that water wheel, let me know. It took me two tries to build mine, and I can probably provide some tips.
dave
I always cut my openings out from the front also.
Uh oh Dave, you are making me nervous! Ha ha! I opened the box but just glanced at the parts. Was going to plan on building it last....
Bob,
I'll be following along as well. And, on my scratch builds, I cut from the front side also. Just seems to make more sense to me.
Tom ;D
Hi Bob:
I'll be following along also. I cut my scratch windows from tne front also.
Karl
One of the oldest scratchbuilding tips I know comes from my first Campbell kit (mid '60s...): Put masking tape on the back of the wood siding before cutting out the windows, to prevent splitting.
dave
Alright Bob! This is going to be a fun scratchbuild to follow. Hope it's as much fun for you to do. Looks like you're off to a good start.
Geo2rge aka timbob60
This is what I am doing for the walls: stained with Hunterline Black, then light brushing of this barn red stain. After drying and lifting of boards I will hit it with stain again, but don't know if I will use the black or a light gray. The windows are primed gray then sponged with the red stain. After I will hit them with either black or gray.... same with the strip wood. I am going to put together the freight doors so I can get a size for cutting the opening in the walls. My plan is to construct the main building, then work on the stone foundation/ base. I will do the water wheel last and then on to scenery....
This is such a great little structure that George Sellios designed- I see this type of building everywhere here in New England and I just love it.
Hi bob:
Wall colors look good. Can't wait to see howw it looks with windows & doors installed.
Karl
Thanks Karl! Appreciate your feedback!
I have been in my wood-shop building some furniture, which has taken me away from the train room- will be getting back to this project soon....
Quote from: rpdylan on September 09, 2016, 08:13:52 AM
Thanks Karl! Appreciate your feedback!
I have been in my wood-shop building some furniture, which has taken me away from the train room- will be getting back to this project soon....
Bob
Good to see you getting back into the train room. I'm looking forward to your next progress report.
Bob,
Never used the Micro Mark corner punch. Looked at their site & they show 2 sizes of the corner punch. Which size did you use. They also said you could hammer or put in the drill press. What do you do?
Mike Sigmon
Jacksonville
Hey Mike,
I used the 5/16 size, which I was happy with as far as size goes. I marked out the window openings and then placed the punch in the corner- then I lightly tapped it with my small hammer (not a full size hammer- this one is really small and light). I usually position my window openings to follow the vertical clapboard line.... by lining the 90 degree punch across the vertical line, the cuts come out nice. I tapped all 4 corners and then finished up with a #11 blade. I found the cutting a bit quicker using the punch.
back to the work-bench.... moving forward on the walls and started the water-wheel....
A bit more progress- water wheel is done...
Bob,
Will follow along on your project now. Was off line for several months....It's looking great !
Tommy
Thanks Tom. Working out how I am going to do the stone walls. I have some molds.....the main structure is pretty straight forward.
little by little....
Hi Bob:
Following along. Looks great so far.
Karl
Bob a nice job on this so far. I'll be looking back in.
Jerry
Thanks guys- I appreciate the feedback. The layout of the original diorama is problematic for my layout, so I am working out some variations.
I wasn't happy with the way my plaster culvert was coming out, so I tried something new: the stone sheet from Chooch. I glued a piece to a foam board and then cut out individual stones to fit in shape. Primed with gray, brushed on some browns, grays, tans, then hit it with a wash of black dye (Hunterline). Its still wet, thats why its shiny.....
Bob,
The culvert with the Chooch parts came out well.
I have the wall castings from the original kit if you want to make molds of them and send them back. Of course they are used but good for molds. You can PM me with your address.
Tom ;D
(https://modelersforum.com/gallery/24-231116082125.jpeg) (http://modelersforum.com/gallery/24-231116082125.jpeg)
Hi Bob:
Looks like you are making good progress.
Karl
I appreciate the offer Tom- I think I'm going to go with what I have been doing.....A couple of months ago I might have taken you up on the offer- now I am determined to try and build my own.... but thank-you. I appreciate the feedback Karl! The original dio that George made is pretty big- I am deciding on whether to re-design the footprint or copy the original. No bench time for me until the weekend.....
Quote from: rpdylan on November 23, 2016, 10:10:08 AM
I appreciate the offer Tom- I think I'm going to go with what I have been doing.....A couple of months ago I might have taken you up on the offer- now I am determined to try and build my own.... but thank-you. I appreciate the feedback Karl! The original dio that George made is pretty big- I am deciding on whether to re-design the footprint or copy the original. No bench time for me until the weekend.....
Bob,
No problem, I have em if ya need em. ;D ;D ;D ;D
Tom 8)
Bob
I stopped by to check on your progress. Looking real good so far. The castings are always a challenge.
Thanks for looking guys! The stone "castings" using the Chooch sheets are coming out pretty good, I've been weathering them with good effect. I am still on the fence re. the layout of the dio,,,,I am now leaning towards doing it like the original with the track and all.
Hi Bob,
This is cool, scratch building is no easy feat!
started the next culvert piece... the other walls should be a lot easier....
gluing the stone walls in place on the base:
Bob,
Your Chooch walls look wonderful. Your efforts really paid off and I love the look. Great job!
Tom ;D
Outstanding job.
goe2rge aka timbob60
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the feedback. I think that when any of us try out different techniques, others can learn from them.
Now, I got a problem: I'm thinking that the 15 foot water wheel is kinda too small for this... I'm not sure if BEST still makes the 22 foot version..... if not, then I guess I gotta use this 15 foot one that I built.....
Looking good so far. I had thought of cutting the Chooch walls to make abutments, etc. Glad to see it worked for you before I tried it. :)
Jeff
Bob
Very nicely done - the castings look great.
Progress slow but steady and excellent job with those walls.
Jerry
a few rock castings and some land-forming....
Starting some scenery to the dam side of the diorama....
The 15' waterwheel that I built is def. too small. BEST sold their kit business to Motrak so they don't have any 22' waterwheel kits, Motrak doesn't have any and an EBAY and internet search turned up nothing......
I've got 2 ideas, one of which is waiting for the Springfield show and trying to find one there.....
Bob
Have you thought about scratch building a wood waterwheel? I can provide dimensions from my Cartwright kit.
Hi John,
I'm thinking scratch building one would be a chore.....I do have an idea that may be a better option.....
Bob,
The rock work and the ground cover are fantastic.
Tom ;D
Quote from: rpdylan on November 29, 2016, 09:21:40 AM
Hi John,
I'm thinking scratch building one would be a chore.....I do have an idea that may be a better option.....
Let me know if you want to pull my yellow box off shelf and get you some dimensions. I can set the castings on the copier and scan them also if you want.
Bob,
I have a used water wheel that came with the kit. I won't be using it as I modified the structure to fit a spot on my layout without a water wheel. You are welcome to it should you decide to not scratch build one.
Tom ;D
Hi Tom,
I sent a PM to you....(let me know if it went thru)
thanks
Bob
Bob,
Sent you a return PM with the information.
Tom ;D
Got the culvert liners done- lined with the chooch wall sheets. One thing I should point out to anyone that may use this product: it comes as a peel and stick sheet, however the material does not stick very well and tends to lift off of the surface. I used transfer tape and with the combination of that and the sticky backing of the stone sheet, the material bonded well to the gator-board.
You can also see in the photo how the main structure will be positioned. Looking at both photos and a real mill that I visited, the water around the mill is really dark colored. That is why I am painting the bottom a dark gray color.
Bob,
Coming along very well, I had the same problem with the Chooch stone, that I used for a foundation. I glued mine on.
Loren...
Santa came early for me: in the form of Tom Langford, who helped me out big time on the waterwheel problem that I had.........
Wed is my next day off and my workbench awaits.....plus a glass bowl of acetone.......
I live up here in the wilderness away from other modelers,,,,, I wish I was closer to some fellow modelers to share things ,,,,thankful for the forum!
Photos soon.....
Quote from: rpdylan on December 06, 2016, 09:25:51 AM
Santa came early for me: in the form of Tom Langford, who helped me out big time on the waterwheel problem that I had.........
Wed is my next day off and my workbench awaits.....plus a glass bowl of acetone.......
I live up here in the wilderness away from other modelers,,,,, I wish I was closer to some fellow modelers to share things ,,,,thankful for the forum!
Photos soon.....
Bob,
I wasn't going to use the water wheel so I'm happy it can be used on your structure. This is a wonderful forum and I've received early Christmas gifts like this from others so I was only paying it forward.
Tom ;D
Ok,
the water wheel that Tom L. was so kind to send me got a soaking in acetone overnight to dissolve the resin that was on it. Will put new wood paddle wheels on it and paint it up....
Hi Bob:
The mill is looking just great as do the stone walls. Glad you had the transfer tape solution for the stone walls. I will remember that in case I ever use the one's I have on hand. I'll be following along.
Karl
Bob,
I'm happy to see the Acetone is removing the old Envirotex Resin.
Tom ;D
Hi Tom,
Yeah, just melted it away after an overnight soak. I just used a little file to remove the softened bits that were deep in the grooves. I just need to replace the wood paddles with scale 2x12 (looks like that is what was used when I examined one of the old ones).
Quote from: rpdylan on December 08, 2016, 08:46:16 AM
Hi Tom,
Yeah, just melted it away after an overnight soak. I just used a little file to remove the softened bits that were deep in the grooves. I just need to replace the wood paddles with scale 2x12 (looks like that is what was used when I examined one of the old ones).
Bob,
I no longer have the instructions but the 2X12 sounds about right.
Tom ;D
took me long enough... some trial and error,,,, but I got the cupola built. Needs some final weathering when all is said and done but its in position which means I can finish up the main roof.
Bob,
Outstanding job on the cupola and the rest of it, too! If memory serves, that cupola is a one piece metal casting in the kit and heavy as all get out.
Geo2rge aka timbob60
the instructions referred to the cupola casting requiring some filling/ sanding. I thought about how I was going to approach this and decided on using windows and going for something that would be shorter but "beefier".
Thanks for the compliments! Next I will get the water wheel in place.....
Quote from: rpdylan on December 16, 2016, 08:02:04 PM
the instructions referred to the cupola casting requiring some filling/ sanding. I thought about how I was going to approach this and decided on using windows and going for something that would be shorter but "beefier".
Thanks for the compliments! Next I will get the water wheel in place.....
How about this? http://www.mainlinehobby.net/product/18058/520-40010-CUPOLA-HO/
It's a nice little kit, I have one or two put away.
dave
Hi Dave,
I actually looked at that, but Cartwrights needed a much larger cupola. I wish a large cupola kit was offered by someone (the one that Bar Mills provided with the Shipyard Brewery kit was really nice)- but none exists so I make mine out of cardstock and some scribed siding.
Finished installing the metal roof panels, will continue to weather the roof as the build goes along. The small structure attached to the front sits on a concrete slab, so I set it here until the glue dries then the structure goes back to the bench to finish up the trim and roof ridges. I am going to do something different in the back of Cartwrights- the original had a canopy roof over a loading dock. I am going to build a "bump-out" to the main building with a loading dock off of that. Need to go thru my castings for some wall vents and roof chimneys/stacks.
Bob,
Coming along great....
Loren..
Got the water wheel in place, made the water diverting fence and got that installed.
Bob,
The water wheel looks great. Nice job getting it cleaned up.
Tom ;D
Bob
Very nicely done! The model is looking great.
Hi Bob:
Looking very cool. Like how the waterwheel came out.
Karl
Thank you all for the kind words and support! Yes Tom, a soaking in acetone did the trick! I used a wire coathanger and a piece of the plastic insulation of some electrical wire for the spindle/ inner piece of the wheel. Still need to detail the main structure before I can glue it down to the base.
To make the gable end detail, I used some strip wood, small plastic bead, and the tip of a round tooth-pick. Not perfect, but looks good from the standard distance. Got the last stone wall glued in place. Also got one of the trestle bents built- will weather them with some powders, need 4 more.
Sculptamold added.....
Well, got some time at the bench..... trestle bents complete and glued in place....
Hi Bob:
It coming along quite nicely. Keep the photos coming.
Karl
Bob that is sure looking nice. Keep posting those pictures.
Jerry
Thanks guys, much appreciated!
The back of my version is a bit different.... built this bump-out.....
made a road using cardstock that I primed, painted with Polly Scale aged concrete, scored some lines with a utility knife (the blade is thicker than my #11 hobby knife) , and then hit with some black weathering powder. Sprayed the back with 3M adhesive and pressed down on the plywood base. After all is complete, I will come back and do some more weathering with powders....
Bob, the red weather wood is spot on! Very real and believable! Good job.
Thanks! The structure looks better in real life than the photos, the coloring in photos always comes out a bit altered. Its called Barn Red, and its a stain rather than a paint, bought it in the craft paint section of Michaels years ago and havn't found anymore since.....
I've been weathering the roadway bit by bit with powders, used a heavy cardstock,,,,much easier than using plaster.
On the original, there is a chain link fence on the front left side, I want to use a wooden one so that I can put signs on it and have it match the rear fence.
I need to find some wooden ties when I go to Springfield. I was going to use a piece of flex track but it just looked too "cheap" ,,,,,so it will be hand laid track over the trestles.
Hi Bob:
the street cam out well. Keep the photos flowing.
Karl
not much work on this lately, did manage to do this....(scenery not complete)
(photo in sepia looked kinda cool to me....)
Hi Bob:
Looks great. Must be almost finished.
Karl
Thanks Karl! Much appreciated! So, what I have left to do is pour the resin for the water, finish the track (will be hand laid, going to look for wood ties at Springfield), finish up scenery/ place castings.....
Bob
This build is looking great.
Thanks john,
The funny thing about this build is that when I first looked at photos of the original kit, I thought it was a pretty simple structure to scratchbuild. Looks were deceiving, as this build was more difficult than I initially thought it would be. I really like the way that the cupola came out- I was going to try and copy what the original structure had on it, but after looking at old photos of barns, I decided to "beef" the cupola up by making it wider with windows instead of vents.
In keeping with the old-time feeling of the scene, I opted to use a wood fence rather than a chain-link fence that the original had (on the left side of the dio).
I am, as always, really impressed with George Sellios' designs.
couple more:
Wow, this is looking pretty sweet Bob. Nicely done!
Really nice Bob!
John
Thanks guys! I really appreciate the kind words! I picked up a bag of wood ties at the Springfield Show so now I can work on the track.....
Managed to put together the track this morning- I thought that hand laying the track would look much better than a piece of flex track over the trestles. Need to paint the bumper detail, weather the ties down a bit with some powders. Next will be to make the wooden platform between the track and the structure....
Got the platform done between the track and the loading dock. Need to rust-up the end of track bumper. Hopefully by the end of the week I can start the resin pour.
The wood ties look great, Bob, as does the whole diorama.
Jeff
Thanks!
When I laid a piece of flex-track across the trestles, it just looked too "cheap". I hunted down some wood ties at Springfield (yeah, largest train show- good luck finding wood ties!)- I stained the ties with Hunterline light gray, tie brown, creosote black, shale. then I mixed them up as I laid them out. After, I toned things down with some pastel chalks.
I encourage people to try some hand laid track on the sidings that are up-close on their layouts- I do cheat a bit by using the rail from a section of flex-track, cutting out the middle ties, leaving some at the ends to maintain alignment. I use the small spikes from Micro-Mark and utilize a wheelset to make sure that the rails are not too narrow or too wide apart.
Bob
It sure does look nice.
Bob,
Your scratch build really turned out great. Very well done.
Tom ;D
Thanks Tom and John! I really appreciate the kind words!
Great work Bob..... 8)
For the water pour I thought I would try this new product from Woodland Scenics- "Deep Pour". After looking at the water around old mills, I am going to use the "Murky" color. The instructions want me to first place the bottles in warm tap water for 5 minutes- then its a 2:1 mix of base to agitator, stir for 5 minutes, let sit for 5 minutes, then stir again for another 5 minutes. The rest period is supposed to cut down on the "filming" of the surface. You can pour up to 1/2 inch with this stuff.... I plan on doing 2 pours to get the depth that I want. The mix is fairly thin and pours easily....
After the pour, this is what it looks like. 24 hours for cure time before I can do the second pour....
Looks good so far Bob!
Bob,
The water looks great. Is the murky color part of the mix or is it an additive color to the entire mix? I doesn't appear to be leaching up the walls or trestle bent either.
Tom ;D
Okay, I see the mix is murky out of the box. Missed the first photo.
Tom ;D
Its been about 20 hours, the resin is dry. There is some creep up the walls and trestles but to be honest, its not too bad. I think that if I darken the stonework close to the water line before the next pour it will hide the creeping of the resin even more. All in all a pretty easy product to use, I really like the way the murky color looks, and it was nice to not have to try and tint the water myself. Its a great color for ponds or canals. I plan on adding a bit of wave effects to simulate a current/flow to the water.
The look of the water is impressive. Nice work
--Rich
Thanks Rich. To be honest, I didn't do much. Put some dirt down and painted some dark splotches here and there, then did the pour. I really like the product, the pre tinted coloring makes things much easier. The stuff is thin and mixes/ pours easily.
Bob, if you paint on a little green paint at the water line it will look like natural alge and cover the creep.
Yeah, thats what I need to do,,,,that "slimy" dark green on the stones is what I need. I plan on doing some before the next pour so the dark color will be seen below the waterline also......
Thanks to everyone for your input!
HI Bob:
the water looks really great. I may have to get some of this stuff.
Karl
Thanks Karl, the stuff was really easy to use. I swear the "murky water" looks like I scooped up some pond water from out in the woods, that browny colored look. The stuff poured out easy and I didn't have any bubbles. I'm distracted with another build but need to pour the second half , hopefully this week.....
I've just looked through this build from start to this point. Masterful work in every department.
Oh man, thanks! I just took things one section at a time.....At first I thought this would be a quick build, but there was more to the diorama than what I initially thought! I still have to finalize a spot for the diorama on my layout.......thanks for looking!