Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Categories
- 955 All Categories
- 3 Picture Posting and Resizing
- 56 New Member Introductions
- 115 Off-Topic Forum
- 4 Photography
- 2 Resources
- 16 New Product Information
- 167 The SierraWest Forum
- 9 Brett's Blog
- 119 General News & Ramblings
- 3 Re-Release Information
- 6 Q & A about SierraWest
- 9 What Would You Like to See?
- 384 Builds
- 140 HO Scale Builds
- 165 O Scale Builds
- 60 Finished SW Build Pics
- 14 Miscellaneous Builds
- 190 Techniques
- 19 Working with Wood
- 20 Painting Castings
- 5 Masonry
- 23 Scenery
- 37 Tools and Supplies
- 21 Layout Planning & Building
- 40 Miscellaneous
- 24 Prototype Information
- 22 Reference and Research
HO Twin Mills
I wanted absorb the latest Sierra West techniques in the O'Neills build before I started the no frills Twin Mills Sawmill build. I purchased the kit and the wood a year ago and I am now ready to start cutting and organizing the wood needed to build this complex. One of the most important elements of the model is the staining of the wood. Previous builds have utilized staining in a paint solution for 24 hours, wiping with homemade stains made with diluted paints and India ink stains. Now the preferred method is using pastel and alcohol. My question to the readers of this forum, especially those who have built this kit before is how should I proceed? There is a tremendous volume of wood to distress and finish. It seems like the easiest way to finish the wood would be with an India ink stain, because its quick, initially and then enhance them with pastel and alcohol, as needed, for stronger effects. Bill had answered this question once before for me and recommended the pastel and alcohol method. Before I start is that the consensus?
Comments
Just my thoughts...
Jerry
Id love to get my hands on it 1 day. At the moment your elections are playing havoc with our currency and the exchange rate makes it nothing more than a pipe dream for now. But ill be following along for sure.
I can't even imagine staining that much stripwood using the alcohol- pastel chalk method. I remember tweaking the formula somewhat as I prefer my weathered untreated lumber to be more gray and less brown. Also, I have used several peeling paint methods over the years, and the first and maybe still the beast of all is the one Brett recommends in Twin Mills for the Old Mill.
Looking forward to seeing your build- it is bringing back a lot of great memories.
I added one teaspoon each of Higgens waterproof black, PH Martins Sepia and PH Martins Van Dyke Brown to 15 ounces of alcohol. Here are the results.
For comparison sake, the natural wood in the center is just that. The large stick on the right is a weathered grey color. The wood on the left was dunked in the ink stain for a few minutes then wiped off. When dry it was weathered with a steel brush. The wood on the right of the natural wood was dunked in the same stain but when the wood was pulled out of the stain it was just set down on a newspaper and left to dry without wiping. It was also weathered with a wire brush.
I think I have all the ingredients for a soak experiment which I may do tomorrow.
I went by the instructions and my personal opinion is that is the way to go.
Carl
The stain colors call for a mix of Floquil roof brown, Floquil grime and diosol. I just happen to have a bottle each of brown and grime ( the brown is unopened and cost $2.39!) but no diosol. I would not think the two bottles would stretch far enough for all the wood that needs to be finished. So I must get creative and experiment.
Mitch
Carl
Mitch
The alcohol strips are on the left and the soak parts on the right. The strips have received the wire brush treatment. A natural strip is between for comparison. I am satisfied with the alcohol results which is much easier to execute.
I will quit dithering and get to work.
Mitch
I think this is a shot of the 2 X 10 strips flashing off the alcohol after they are stained. There are 17 groups of wood that need to be finished and these strips are the contents of one bag.
The start of the first wall.
-Steve
If I could offer one tip at this stage…be careful of your board spacing. It's a little tough to tell, but in the last picture it looks like there are gaps in between all the boards. If you decide to add lights to the structure, it'll look funny if there's a gap next to each board. (A lesson I learned the hard way on a different model!)
It's okay to butt a board right up next to its neighbor--especially if the 2 are of distinct colors. On a model, too many gaps will establish an unnatural pattern. When interior lighting is added, the gaps will become more obvious and odd looking. It'll look sort of like a corn crib (farm sheds built to let air in so corn could dry):
I'm not intending to be overly critical, just wanted to bring it to your attention. Anyone who takes on The Twin Mills ends up with a jewel in their modeling crown, so we're all rooting for you! Keep yup the good work!
I took Bill's comment about board spacing to heart and replaced many of the 2 X 10 boards with 2 X 12 boards. How does he just whip up those pictures to make a good point?
The windows have been installed in the right wall, the mating left wall is complete and it's on to the trusses.
Mitch
Mitch
I emailed Discount Trains. We will see what the response is. Thanks for the tip.
Mitch
Here are a few update pictures. I have the previously built wall repaired with 2 X 12 boards.
Here is the new mill floor or at least part of it.
Mitch
I think that a few would look good not all of them but we all do what we like so have fun.
Carl