Laser-Art Structures DuBois Store

Started by Oldguy, June 09, 2021, 10:21:38 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

GPdemayo

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

NKP768


Oldguy

So first is what my concerns are regarding the inside walls.  Here is what the walls look like once the acetate has been added.  The doors are inside an atrium, so no concern on their backside.

So, I decided that rather trying to paint the inside, I'll just use painted 1x6's.  One issue has to do with the upper horizontal mullions.  No way to either paint the acetate or add a piece of painted wood.  I thought I would cover the upper part of the windows (including the mullion) with some "stripped window paint".   I tried using blue and.white, reflective of the interior colors, but it looks horrible against the green building.  I'll try using a green and white stripe and see how that looks.
Before I got too far on the position of all the interior additional bits, I needed to add the exterior trim pieces.  No issues until I got to the front.  But of course.  The vertical trim pieces are 6 scale inches too short.  Okay. I did add a 1/8" foundation, so that accounts for some of the shortage.  No way to add trim bits.  But the prototype store did have a canopy at one time.  I did buy a bunch of roof brackets from Alexander Scale Models several years ago, and come close to what was used. So, a canopy it is.
Bob Dye
Livin large on a pond

Oldguy

I got my cash registers from B.E.S.T., got them painted and glued in.  Sad part is that they may just get lost in the interior.  Some dollops of color were applied to them, glued in place, and this building is ready to be closed in.

The atrium bits have tabs that fit into slots in both the floor and ceiling.  Well, the doors had tabs only on the bottom and they didn't fit all that well, so they got cut off.  I used the ceiling tabs to aid in getting the side walls properly located.  I should not that the ceiling openings are already cut out and that is where I'll be adding LEDs.  And here are the atriums ready for the building front.

I did add 1x material to the back sides of the doors and windows.  Hopefully, these will hide the adhesive backing and acetate edges.
Bob Dye
Livin large on a pond

Oldguy

Got the front wall on and sure enough, found several %&$%ups.  With the ceiling installed, those areas are no longer accessible.  Also, the short front trim is now very apparent.

I got some electronics bits to light up the interior.  The power distribution hub promises to light 28 different LEDS.  It will be powered by a wall wart.  The LEDS are on a break away board.  Just snap off how many is needed.  I'll enter a new phase of modeling (for me), lights.  Hopefully I won't blow too many of these.

Once I have mastered this phase, then I can go back to building, as the roofing awaits.
Bob Dye
Livin large on a pond

Mark Dalrymple

Looking great, Bob.

The interior looks fantastic!  I've just started on the lighting journey, too.

Cheers, Mark.

Oldguy

Started on fitting the roof sections.  There is a large flat roof section that is supported only on two sides.  So I added a cross piece.  The photo also shows the openings for the ceiling lights.

The first roof section slots were way off the tabs.  Not sure how this happened, but it did.  I needed to add some filler pieces from scrap material.  The lines were added for the tab shingles.

Eventually, this is how the roof cards are going to go.  I really wished that the roof was removable, but so be it.
Bob Dye
Livin large on a pond

Oldguy

I started working on the lighting.  First up was some 3 volt nanos (?).  They come supplied with resisters applicable for various supply voltage ranges,  These are warm white.  Using a pancake battery, I determined the polarity.

I then hooked them up to a power distribution board.  It is a slick little device.  It has a jack for the standard wall wart along with screw terminals for 4 to 24 volt AC or DC supplies.  There is a slide switch that will output 3volts, 12 volts or direct - i.e. supply voltage.  It also has a pot to reduce the output to dim the light, a jumper that can be removed and replaced by an on/off switch, and output to another board if one wants to supply power to another board.  Almost idiot proof.  Just what I need.

A quick test showed that the 3 volt nanos didn't have the juice to be usable in the overhead application, but it did help with my learning curve.   So up next was some 12 volt SMDs that I ordered with the distribution boards.  Just a quick change of wall warts and I should be in business.  Now I found that I needed to add some pig tails for the lights.  I managed to find some flexible ancient speaker wire and cut them into 12 inch lengths.  I found some cheapo wire strippers, picked up at some long ago convention, and was surprised how well they worked.  I have it's big brother around somewhere.  Tinned all the leads and started to solder all the extensions.  I found that the speaker wire was an in between size for my shrink tubing.  Hopefully, they will hold up.
Bob Dye
Livin large on a pond

Oldguy

Got the wiring 95% done.  The LEDs have been hot-snotted with an additional bit added off the LED for strain relief.

So, how did it work out?  Passable.

So, what did I learn?  1.  Speaker wires. at least the ones I have and probably aren't more than 40 years old, don't like solder; even when using Sal-Met.  I cut off the contaminated bits.
  2. LEDs are 3 volt units.  I must be the last person to figure this one out.  I thought the ones I used were 12 volt until I found the inline resistor on the board.  Dummy  3. Bigger doesn't mean brighter for SMD LEDs.  I found an LED - lumen chart for future reference. 
  4.  Future lighting will not use a largish hole in the ceiling.  Too much light leakage.  Here, I might see if black paint would abate most of it.  5.  I need to get on scrapping some old IBM Thinkpads to get to the power supplies.  BTW, these still have functioning Windows95 and MS Office installed.




Bob Dye
Livin large on a pond

ReadingBob

Looks great Bob!  You know I love a lit interior.   8)
Bob Butts
robertbutts1@att.net

There's a fine line between Hobby and Mental Illness.

madharry

This is a really fantastic build with you taking all the little problems in your stride.
Well done Bob.
Mike

Oldguy

Taking it a bit slow.  I decided to replace my speaker wire leads.  I have a big box of saved wire and not a foot of decent flexible hook up wire.  Used blasting cap wire, yep.  Hook up wire for LEDs, no.  Come on USPS and deliver me some wire.


I did manage to make an entry canopy using some old scribed siding.  Used weathering powder for color and 320 grit sandpaper for the roofing.  Added a 2x10 edge board and hand-punched some holes for future downspouts.  These will the standard bent brass rod.  This will then require a base, a sidewalk and some brass tubing to replicate the clay tile drains that the down spouts will be inserted.
Bob Dye
Livin large on a pond

postalkarl

Hey Bob:

Looks just great. Love the colors on the main structure.

Karl

Keep It Rusty

That interior with the lighting is just awesome.

Really nicely done!

ACL1504

"If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed."
Thomas Jefferson

Tom Langford
telsr1@aol.com

Powered by EzPortal