Shadowlands and Tellynott

[Mark Dalrymple]

Hi guys.

A bit of progress so time to update.

Photo 1 - So I printed off six copies of my plan, three the right way around and three flipped horizontally.  I cut out one of each and taped them to a glass chopping board.  I attached strips of double sided tape to adhere the timberwork to.  I found the double sided tape left glue residue to the back of the timberwork which I had to remove with a razor blade.  I think next time I will add medium tack painters tape to the double sided tape.


Photo 2 - I then cut and placed in position all the posts.  I decided to make things easy and use 6x6's for all the posts.  I also decided that the rails should be on the inside of the ramps (as in the prototype photos I found).  This adds an extra level of difficulty to the project.


Photo 3 - Next, I used a toothpick to add tiny dots of canopy glue to the posts, using the plan as a guide.  I used a second copy of the plans as a template for cutting.  The third copy was a spare...


Photo 4 - I slowly added the 6x2 beams, 4x2 rails, 6x2 kick board, and 8x2 joists.


Photo 5 - I carefully marked and cut openings for the two double doors and vent into the side of my Graves Elevators scratchbuild.  I had used matt board for the back and side walls of this, so once through the roughcast it cut fairly easily.  I cut some 6x1's and scratchbuilt some double doors.  I glued these into the openings and added framing and a threshold.  I painted the vent white and glued this in place, framing with 6x1's


Photo 6 - Here I am test fitting the side of the stock ramp that sits against the roughcast wall.  The back wall of Graves is not perfectly plumb, as you can see (it is at a slight angle in the photo, so looks a little worse than it actually is).  I'll have to 'do a thing' here to disguise. I have elected to glue this wall to the side of Graves, and it is weighted and gluing as I write this.  It may be challenging to add bearers, flooring and rafters.  We will see...


More soon, cheers, Mark.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Hi guys.

A couple of mock-ups to give you an idea.





More soon, cheers, Mark.

[ACL1504]

Mark, Cheers,

The mock up looks great. Very unusual to see a double decker cattle ramp. 

Tom

[PRR Modeler]

Outstanding modeling Mark. Putting in the flooring could indeed be fiddly especially on the lower ramp.

[deemery]

Wow, that's coming together quickly, after seeing the design evolve...

dave

[Rick]

Mark, I missed a couple of updates. 
Glad no one got hurt installing that last piece of benchwork.
I'm in constant awe in your wood working skills.
This ramp you're working on now is another example of outstanding craftsmanship.

[Jerry]

Mark outstanding work as usual.

Jerry

[Mark Dalrymple]

Mark, Cheers,

The mock up looks great. Very unusual to see a double decker cattle ramp.

Tom

Thanks, Tom.

Yes - unusual, for sure.  I did find one example with a stock ramp going from level one to level four.  I'm all about the impact over the prototypical.  Cherry picking to the max!  We had Lance Mindheim as a guest speaker at one of our conventions.  He is all about modelling the mundane and ordinary.  I get that, but I don't want to spend my valuable modelling time building models of the ordinary.  I'd far rather bend reality a bit and model the exceptional.  I have this philosophical theory that if you cherry pick everything then nothing should look out of place...

Cheers, Mark.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Outstanding modeling Mark. Putting in the flooring could indeed be fiddly especially on the lower ramp.

Thanks, Curt.

I have a plan.  I should find time today to give it a go.

Cheers, Mark.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Wow, that's coming together quickly, after seeing the design evolve...

dave

Thanks, Dave.

I got the second wall done in one hit.  This was a good thing, as that wall needed to be flipped around 180 degrees, meaning the double sided tape residue is facing out (on the wall against the roughcast any tape residue is not visible).  Because it had only had a few hours to affix to the timber it was easier to remove.  Like I say, next time I will add painters tape, sticky side up, to the double sided tape.  I'll probably also add a couple of strips to the back side of the plan to help keep it flat against the glass chopping board.  I like this method much more than adding drops of glue.  The idea behind the double sided tape was to keep all the plan visible underneath.  I wonder if they make clear painters tape?  Or low tack double sided tape?

Cheers, Mark.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Mark, I missed a couple of updates. 
Glad no one got hurt installing that last piece of benchwork.
I'm in constant awe in your wood working skills.
This ramp you're working on now is another example of outstanding craftsmanship.

Thanks, Rick.

I have fond memories of that lifting evening.  It was extra good the way things fitted together so well.  Trevor and Richard, who do a lot of woodworking, were very impressed.

The ramp should add a real BANG to the abattoir.  I'm thinking another ramp connecting the roughcast building to the building down the hill might work well, although I'll have to mock it up first to check - it may obscure too much of the ones I am building now.  The yards might prove challenging - there really isn't enough room...  I guess that's a pretty common problem with model railroads - we do love to attempt to fit a mountain empire into the prototypical footprint of an average sized rollercoaster!

Cheers, Mark.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Mark outstanding work as usual.

Jerry

Thanks, Jerry.

Time to walk the dog, and then roll up my sleeves and get into it!  We have our next 2fatpossums modelling weekend here later this month, which I am really looking forward to.  We have brought the starting time forward to Friday lunchtime and this seems to be working well.  The extra half day of modelling time is great for those that can make it.

Cheers, Mark.

[Michael Hohn]

Mark,

Excellent modeling. 

Mike

[Mark Dalrymple]

Mark,

Excellent modeling. 

Mike

Thanks, Mike.

I got a bit more done yesterday.  I think my plan will work.  I forgot about the door at the back of level two, but noticed when test fitting.  I have cut out the opening but need to scratch another set of double doors.  These will be visible when looking across the peninsula.  There will be some trick gluing in of bearers and rafters, and a few handrails.

Cheers, Mark.

[friscomike]

Howdy Mark,

The livestock ramps look fantastic.  The Fort Worth, Texas stockyards had rams similar, and it's nice to see the ramps duplicated on a model.  Well done!

Have fun,
mike