Progress report #2

[ginzokid]

I locked the other thread. There is some good stuff in there that probably has been reposted in other threads. I'll check. In the meantime, here's another place to write. B-)

[dl85vette]

Last night I got back into modelling (finally after 2 weeks) worked on a thingamajiggy-that-does-something building for my cement plant facility. it is a multi-faceted/relief building that will have heat exchangers,stacks, ladders/gangways/walkways,piping,etc to look complex. I am building it in an odd fashion. I am building the frame with some square tubing and sheet plastic for walls and thicker plastic at base to be the 'concrete foundation/lower wall' Sort of building it twice but figured this method would aid in spraying the siding easily without masking other stuff. Why this way? the 'siding' is thinner stock like 10 thou and I am using 40 thou for the initial walls for strength. I wouldn't have been able to build the structure with just the thinner stock for walls alone, even with framing. Once I get the rough work complete and all the siding pieces fit to shape, i will take a pic as it will make greater sense.

[g-pa1]

Whaa??? Dave I feel like the Aflac duck! Those pictures will help. Gene

[dl85vette]

Correction. I built the structure shell with square tubing and the gatorboard like sheets. Basically foa sandwiched between 2 sheets of styrene. the siding will then glue onto the shell. Worked on it a bit more this afternoon. Spent a good bit of time making a vent as I didn't have any clapboard siding pattern plastic so I had to make that out of strips of plastic and frame it. Worked on some walkways by using discarded roof walks from boxcars.

[g-pa1]

I added a new album and am slowly adding pics. Thanks for posting. Gene

[dl85vette]

some pics up from my current projects. scratchbuilt cement plant processing building and kitbashing a MTL Ortner hopper.

[flaretired]

Pete. The M1B N Scale will not be out untill Jan.09.? HO was just released. Sorry for the bad news. Chuck.

[dl85vette]

Stripped paint from another MTL Ortner hopper that will be modified. Painted a cov hopper too. mixed cascade green with some wide to make that faded green look. It will be decaled for BN without the "BN" logo. I saw a grain hopper just like that in the yard the other day. Might have been the first one with out the logo that I've come across. Cleaned out my closet and moved some rubbermaid containers and boxes (all filled with plastic car model kits) to s spot under layout. I can't believe the room in the closet. I may build a tall bookcase to go in one end to hold all my model,RR, vette magazines.

[g-pa1]

Barry, Nice job with the ceement plant. Gene

[g-pa1]

Spent part of the afternoon switching two excavators (we used to call them steam shovels) one to a flatcar for the MOWHEY shop and the other from a truck to the treads of the other shovel for the quarry. Then weathered both and then set my sights on making barrels filled with fruit from red and orange bags of "fruit" (I previously picked up with the intention of creating an orchard but never did). I received the Salty Flats stuff today and used an open barrel and an open top can to glue the fruit in. Used the white glue - liquid soap watered down method and dropped it on the fruit with an eye dropper ala ballasting. That red and orange fruit sure looses its dye quickly. My hands were covered in color but the fruit looked just like it did when it was in the package. Gene -- Edited by g-pa1 at 03/04/2008 4:40 PM PST

[barrysfp45]

Gene It wasn't me who built the cement plant, Dave built it and did a fine job as well. ]:)

[dl85vette]

Thanks. Still got a lot of work to do it it yet. Got to build a roof for it, one of those safety cage ladders to go from walkway to roof (on the right) where there will be heat exchanger/conditioning like equip. (they use a kiln to heat a rotating drum that the cement passes thru. one mthod used) Still more conveyors to add to this entire facility. PLus some more buildings. I'm almost wishing I had built this facility as a showpiece as far as having more depth and warehouse for bagged cement,trucks,parking lots,office,etc. This cement plant was conceived with space left over beside the railyard. It's hard to predict your interests and all ideas on paper before laying track. (welcome to the club, i'm not the first) I'm at the point where it isn't too late to rip track up and redesign it but for time,expense and effort (will it truly flow perfectly like the layouts in MR) I'm still hoping the track arangment will look better once all structures in place and scenery. Again some of my newly acquired structures weren't bought until afterwards.

[g-pa1]

Yeah Dave sorry about that. Gene

[taz-of-boyds]

Dave, That makes it more prototypical, ripping up old stuff to build the new! Charles

[dl85vette]

Going into the 'red' for new track is where I want to deviate from the prototpe. :^O

[dl85vette]

Got primer shot on one hopper, clear coat on another, shot some clear on Super Bee hood and assembled some parts on F1 car that is still on the go (among others) Just realized last night after spraying the green base coat that I don't have any grain hopper specific decals to do up my BN hopper. So I'll check into MS as I found some FEC ortner hopper decals that I need (again just need the hopper specific decals, not the FEC markings) so maybe I will throw an order in for several sheets while I'm at it. -- Edited by dl85vette at 03/06/2008 7:28 AM PST