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
Comments
Those are weed tufts from Scenic Express. I think they're the "Late Summer Blossoms" on this page:
http://www.sceneryexpress.com/products.asp?dept=1041&pagenumber=2&sort_on=&sort_by=
I need an opinion from you guys...I started working on the sawdust conveyor and wanted to try something. I saw a picture from a sawmill and it had a pile of sawdust with two distinct shades. My thought was, they'd cut up pine one day and oak on another or maybe a bunch of heartwood was run through the planers; then a bunch of sapwood. I tried to model that by using two different types of sawdust: the dark is from masonite and the light is regular pine. As you probably can guess, I'm starting to rethink my decision. The picture quality is sh*t 'cause I'm using my phone.
Do you think viewers would make the above assumption, or would they assume that I ran out of dark sawdust and filled in with something else?
Oh well...I tried. Simple fix: I hit it with a little alcohol and diluted white glue, then topped the dark side with pine sawdust and she's good to go!
I like what you are doing on this kit Bill.
Don't read too much into what Brett wrote. Brett, Karl and I have gotten to be friends, so he's being especially blunt with me. Early on in this build, I posted some lousy work and asked for brutally honest opinions and Karl gave me what I asked for: "Everything looks good except for the roof, which is crap." They nudge me (bluntly!) when they know I can do better.
I took no offense by either comment. It sounds like it bothered you, so I wanted to explain. Brett & Karl are both exceptional modelers and extremely helpful. I'm sure the last thing they'd want is to intimidate or offend forum members and customers.
Thanks for the silflor link by the way. Ive ordered a whole bunch.
Sometimes I do not have the context.
Friends have extra latitude.
I do like your sawmill.
Rest assured that any intimidating or offensive remarks towards another member will be removed immediately.
Karl.A
I do like the looks of that conveyor also, a great looking scene in the making.
Karl.A
Really looking good. Love the conveyor. And the sawdust pile much better with the light pile. It's like Brett said it may look perfect in real life but on a model it just doesn't make it.
Jerry
I also got the pile of cants done--those are the scrap pieces of logs they'd get rid of. I cut them on a band saw from lengths of the bird perch Douglas Fir and tried to rip them as thin as possible. I got a nice "rough sawn" look and a bunch of variety depending on which part of the log I was cutting. I separated them into different sizes and textures, then added them to the diorama in a random heap.
I also made sure to save the sawdust and little scraps from the band saw. That made for great debris on the mill floor.
The walls of the new mill were installed and I also finished the saw filers' loft with the staircase leading up to it. The set of stairs is another really cool detail that gives the kit that signature SW "wow" factor. It looks terribly difficult to build, but was actually pretty simple: it consists of a landing, two sets of stairs and the railings. During the test fit, everything lined up perfectly. (The second pic makes it look really out of square due to the angle that I had to shoot from)
All the main structures are glued in place. Next, it's on to the belt system and cutoff saw, then I move up to the roof. We'll be open for business before long!
I also greatly admire your comitment in staying with such a large project. I'm sure breaking it down into smaller sections has helped but WOW, all of those smaller sections are really adding up into something "greater than the sum of its parts".
Stairway looks awesome, and the debris is a great starting point, looking forward to your next updates.
Thanks for taking the time to bring us along with you on the build.
Karl.A
It's easy to get overwhelmed, however the manual is written in a way that makes it manageable. The Christmas break did me good, too. The tough part now is resisting the urge to hurry up and get it done, know what I mean? Getting anxious=getting sloppy.
As usual nice work.
I gots to get back to my build now that Juletide season done and decorations are away.
I know exactly what you mean Bill, thats why the first 28.35% of my builds look great and the rest is ...hmmmm.
Brett says I have the attention span of a mosquitto with A.D.D.... buzzing around from one thing to the next.
Well, actually, he didnt really say that, but, I'm sure he would if he had thought of it. Ha
All I can say Bill is RESIST gosh darn it, this is coming together beautifully, keep up this excellence till the end and a regional NMRA award is well within your sights. ;~)
I'm really looking forward to the next componants of this build, keep each one as important as the others and give it as much attention and you wont go wrong.
Besides it will be terrible for the journey to end too soon as we are definately enjoying the ride!!!
Karl.A
Did I mention DONT RUSH ANYTHING !!
Karl O. has a little sign on his bench that I love: "Think first. Do nothing fast." Now, all I need to do is follow that advice.
Time for one of those Coronas, dude!
"clink"
With a little slack back in the belt, I added a drop of CA to the top of the large wheel then rotated it downward and pulled the belt taught. Next, I fed the rest of the belt up and over the trusses and clipped a small clamp to the end to keep the tension in it while the CA dried. At the same time, I CA'd the large wheel to its drive shaft and let everything dry.
Now, the wheels are both locked in position and the top half of the belt is perfectly tight. I trimmed the first end as close to the small wheel as possible:
added a drop of CA near the cut, pulled the rest of the belt material tight and over the small wheel, then across to the truss and attached the weight (clamp) to keep the tension.
After the CA dried, I trimmed the excess at about the 12 o'clock position on the top wheel and used a drop of regular white glue to hold down the edge. That's it! A nice tight belt and a nearly invisible seam!
Bill, it looks like one of your belts caught a big yellow fish in that pond.