Quote from: Erieman on September 04, 2026, 01:41:58 PMGreeting from Sunny and HOT Arizona. Trying to stay inside during these dog days of summer.

Several years ago I constructed Yakima Apples I and II. I built two models of each. One set is on my layout and the other is on Tom Langford's layout. During the design and build timeframe, I also made a white model of Yakima Apples III which has been sitting on a shelf in the train room for many years. Well, I finally got around to the build of Yakima Apples number three. I'm a bit rusty on using the forum, so I need a bit of time to post photos of the model. Another problem I am facing is finding a location for the structure. It is big. 60 x 100 scale feet by 50 feet tall. The first floor is stacked stone that I buy from B.E.S.T. The original builder of the stone molds was a dentist from New England. He made beautiful molds, but left the hobby. Fortunately, he had the wisdom to sell them to a hobby business ( B.E.S.T.) so that others can continue to use his wonderful plaster molds.
More to follow tomorrow.

Frank aka ERIEMAN 

That's Russ Greene, NE Brownstone.  He isn't a dentist, but rather a dental technician.  Russ showed up in a photo a couple days ago over on the Geezer thread.

dave

Speaking of Russ Greene:  He was at the Springfield show, and had a nice display/diorama of his bridge segments.  I went over to BESTTrains, bought some cast metal alligators, and stuck one under the bridge on Russ' diorama. "There, I cajunized this for you."  He and his wife loved it!

Russ did some custom work for my previous layout.  He's one of the Really Nice People I've met in the model railroad world.  

Russ' stone viaduct after installation, but before the rest of this scene was completed.


dave

Raymo, that place deserves to be in the "needs to be modeled" category!  I wonder what the original use was.  

The cleaners are here right now, so I'm sitting with the dogs so they don't bark and bother them.  (There will be barking when they run the vacuum cleaner.)  Once the cleaners are done, I'll find something to do in the train room.  

No Scotch Club tomorrow, but instead there's the annual Dover Greek Festival.  We go for the food (and the desserts.)  My barber shop closes for the day, the barbers all work in the kitchen at the Greek Center.  

In the meantime, I think I'll read about the new laser, maybe see if there's an assembly video.  Normally, I'm no fan of videos, but assembly videos have a good "signal to noise ratio" so they keep my attention.

dave

Good to wake up with an update from Tom (and of course another great photo from Rick.)  Well, I packed up and returned my Creality laser cutter to Amazon, and ordered an XTool replacement.  That should arrive Tuesday, so I'll leave the laser assembly & test set-up in the garage. 

After the cleaners leave, I hope to get to the train room to make some progress somewhere.  Probably should clean up after my messy tree assembly attempt.

dave

That looks like the Hogwarts Wizarding Hat on top of the styrofoam.  

dave

How did you do the corners of the plaster walls?

dave

Well, this could be our first modeler in this scale    


But probably not...

dave

TomO, that's a huge help, thank you Very Much!  


In other news from here.  I bought a laser, set it up yesterday, and today tried to cut something.  It did not go well.  I have some questions into the tech support forums (Reddit and Creality's own forums.)  One bizarre thing:  The device has a USB-C connection to the computer, and they provide a USB-C to USB-A cable.  They say if you have a Mac, you have to use the USB-A to USB-C adapter (included.)  Beats Me why that is!  I'd expect a USB-C to USB-C cable to work.  The only thing I can think of right off the bat is they have some dependence on the old USB-A protocol (and that's just Dumb Engineering.)  The other significant problem is that the evacuation fan isn't working, so I don't know if that's a configuration issue, a bad fan, or something else.

dave

TomO:  Do you have any rules-of-thumb about tree trunks/number of wires to start with?  I would think that a taller tree would need a thicker trunk (DUH!), but my question is how thick?  

dave

It's cloudy with rain in the forecast in SE NH.  Looks like heavy clouds, but light rain, for most of the day.  My new laser cutter arrived about 7:30 last night, so today's task will be to unpack, assemble and test it.  

dave

"Karl's down in the basement, getting plastered...."  

dave

Back from German class, which restarted after a summer break.  One of our participants celebrates his 70th anniversary tomorrow, we couldn't find what was the appropriate gift.  The list apparently stops at 60...  

The new laser cutter is on the truck, due this afternoon.  The plan is to unpack it in the garage, set it up outside, and run it there for the first time.  Then I'll take it downstairs to the location I have set up for it.

dave

That's a long last step.  Suggest adding some sort of just-in-case end of track block.  

dave

Quote from: labdad on August 30, 2026, 06:10:32 PMA picture is worth a thousand (curse) words 🤓🤪😛🤣
Mj

Ah, a representation of my modeling progress!!!

dave

I'm really enjoying Rick's photos from the Front Range.  

Curt, hope the rescues work out, and if the guy keeps one, he takes good care of it.  

Yesterday's Scotch Club was very well attended, 16 (including 7 women), and 3 big dogs.  It was a blast watching the dogs run around and play.  Theme was Isle of Skye, Talisker vs Torabahaig.  

I'm still putzing with 'mid-ground' tree techniques.  The one approach I tried made a big mess, I went back and watched a couple more videos.  "You're doing it wrong."  

dave