Lamson bash

[deemery]

The big accomplishment this weekend was finally finishing the dust collection system:

(L to R) bandsaw, drill press, mitre saw, dust collector bag.

And I needed this to cut and shape the plug over the hidden track that will have forest canopy on top:

I have a bit of fill to do on the plug, then I'll put chicken wire over it so it's sturdy for when I start working the tree canopy.

add:  Here's the plug with the cardboard profile on the back and a pair of tree trunks that will eventually be the handles for removing it.

I have a bit more work on the front of the plug to set up another profile board, before attaching the chicken wire. 

dave

[PRR Modeler]

Your workshop is impressive Dave.

[friscomike]

Howdy Dave,

Congrats on the completion of your collection system.  That's a nice system.

Have fun,
mike

[deemery]

Your workshop is impressive Dave.

That photo is carefully staged so you can't see the REST OF THE MESS in that room!    I still need to install the anti-static discharge wire.

dave

[deemery]

After trimming the wood 'plug' over top of the hidden tracks, I glued a profile piece along the back, and then hot-glued some chicken wire over top of the entire plug, overlapping the terrain on either side.  

The paper balls are mock-ups for the tree canopy, to get a sense of how they'll fill the space.  The expectation is that I should be able to glue tree-tops onto the chicken wire, and then fill in on the terrain side with more tree-tops.  I still have to figure out how to handle the tree line on the right side.

dave

[Philip]

  Nice shop!

[nycjeff]

Hello Dave, the mill scene for your layout is really taking shape. Nice work! And thank you for a look behind the scenes with the view of your shop. Very impressive.

[deemery]

Well, I've been in a bit of a modeling drought.  Today, though, I did get some stuff done.  In the shop, I mounted 2 pieces of pegboard behind the drill press on either side.  Those will hold squares, pencils, drill bits, clamps, etc.  

More importantly, I've been reading about and ordering some supplies for tree making.  Today I balled up newspaper and spray glued fiber netting to the newspaper balls. Tomorrow I'll glue flocking to that.  I'm following this approach:  https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/nw-pocahontas-district-making-appalachian-forests-12210896    I also clipped some hydrangea blooms to see if I can make those into trees.  I need to spray prime some of the Woodland Scenic pine armatures a more appropriate bark color.  Plus I saw yet another mid-detail tree approach from MRH's Jun 2014 issue (gluing twine clippings to armatures) that I might try tomorrow.  (Sunday is out, we have another concert in Boston.) 

dave

[Rick]

Dave, the structure looks great in that spot.
Nice start on the landscape.
Impressive shop and dust collection.

[ACL1504]

I set the structures in place for a test photo:

This might not be the final locations, but it's the general arrangement.  Now imagine the hills behind with 'shrubbery'.
dave

Dave,


Lamson fits like a glove in that location. Well done for a large complex.

Tom

[Jim Donovan]

Looking like a natural fit, well done.

Jim

[deemery]

Here's a first pass with 'canopy balls':

I like the individual tree sense of each ball.  But I need to do a better job covering the newspaper.  Now the original approach has the newspaper balls installed on location, and then covered.  But I'm not quite thrilled with doing spray glue in the basement here, particularly in a hard-to-reach corner.  Also, I think this canopy is too low, it needs to come up an inch or two.  Plus I went too far overboard with the light green highlights.  I need to tone these overall darker, to match the backdrop better.

Still, it's a reasonable start, and I'm sure I'll work out my technique.

add  I'm thinking, "Could I cut the shape of that canopy from my chicken wire, glue the balls to the chicken wire, and then do the canopy that way?"

dave

[nycjeff]

Hello Dave, I'm sure that you will figure out your tree canopy issues. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished scene.

[deemery]

Well, the contest is over, but work continues.  I didn't feel like forestry today, so I worked on the warehouse.  This will be a wood clapboard structure, with door spacing for 2 boxcar spots:


This is about 75' long, 20' wide and 14.5' tall to the top of the wall (so add about 5' or so for the roof height.)

One thing to complain about in this space:  The boiler house at the far right really doesn't have enough space for coal unloading.  I'll still plan to spot hoppers there, but will apply Rule 1 about how the coal gets out of the hopper to the boiler house.  The laborers will have to shovel it out the far end of the hopper. 

add One more thing I started:.  Someone (Bill Gill?) suggested the main mill would look better with a taller foundation.  After some experiments, I agree.  (The main mill is actually sitting on a 3/16" piece of foamcore here.)  So I started work on styrene strips to raise the foundation level.  I think I can get away with just painting those the foundation grey, rather than carving stonework into them.  But I do need to match the profile of the walls, including the slight offset that the ends have.

dave

[deemery]

I was going to start on the warehouse, but I realized that the spur down to the warehouse has a slope.  It would look 'funky' if the cars weren't aligned/plumb with the warehouse doors.  So I shimmed and built up the track so it's now level with the base of the warehouse. 

Pictures tomorrow after I cut and fit the track for that spur.

add Track test-fit.

I'll put a couple boxcars in place tomorrow, I might make the warehouse longer.
dave