Large Scale Central

A Grist Mill-Part 2

Modeling
#21

I don’t know it well, but I’ve been into Dunedin quite a few times to pick up frozen orange juice, and have been into the Farmer’s Market in Tampa a whole lot of times. Not a whole lot of Florida I’m not familiar with, from Panama City to Homestead. Hauled just about everything that Florida grows, at one time or another. Met a lot of nice people down there and some not so nice. I guess another good thing living where you do, you get to see the Phillies in Spring Training. …:wink: (That is if your still a Phillies fan)

The rock is real rock that Lowe’s sells in their tile department. It comes in a foot square sheet called “Narural Stone Mosaic”, and most of the time it’s easy to work with.

Hobby shops in general are getting scarce around here too. Nicholas Smith Trains is still in Broomal, but it’s a haul getting there, so most of what I use I order online anymore.

Well, welcome to LargeScaleCentral…hope you learn a few things. I’m amazed at some of the talent that hangs around on here.

#22

“Met a lot of nice people down there and some not so nice. I guess another good thing living where you do, you get to see the Phillies in Spring Training. …(http://www.largescalecentral.com/application/modules/Chat/externals/images/wink.png) (That is ifyour still a Phillies fan)”

Unfortunately that can be said no matter where a person is from, good and bad both move here… Found the same to be true in Phillie… No we are NOT sports fans of any kind, but, we are very close to the field, in fact smack dab in the middle of Clearwater and Tarpon Springs, . Too many other things to dabble in, like trains, and selling on Ebay etc… Elaine

#23

I’m a Philly snowbird (Montgomery Co.) who transplanted my garden railroad to Florida. I’m enjoying following your construction, looking real nice! I have not dabbled in scratch building structures, except for scenery items, tunnel portals and mountains. I’m interested in trying to build a mill for a water feature I’m planning.

In PA I had good soil and plenty of available rock. Down here, I had to resort to other methods of creating different levels. And I had sticker shock at the price of screenings for ballest! About 4 X more than PA!

I used to frequent Nicholas Smith, and as a kid, remember when they were located in Philly. GO PHILLIES!

#24

Now that I ain’t drivin any more, all kinds of people coming out of the wood work from Florida. (not that I’d have been able to stop, but ya never know…)

Been past your neck of the woods a few times, too. Heading from Daytona over to Ocala on 40.

I was getting sticker shock from the price of some of the buildings, plus they didn’t have what I wanted. And with the wide range of material that’s available now, it wasn’t too hard to get started in it.

#25

Hi Mike,
Aren’t you on the East Coast of FL? Where were you in Montgomery County, that’s only a stone’s throw out of Roxboro (Phillie). Yes, rocks are at a premium here in FL, but we do have “stone yards” (not the big box stores) and they are much more reasonable… Hey, we have LOTS of sand tho!!.. I’ll bet the real rock tile from the Home Depot isn’t cheap either, is it Ken?
I used to buy a bucket of polished river rock pebbles from the above for about $5.00. It is still going strong after purchasing maybe 15 years ago… The hard part was finding the right mortar and mastic to keep them on the sides of the buildings… (Did a PA Dutch-looking barn from scratch with the stone base, because I couldn’t afford the kits or couldn’t find the right shape. ) Otherwise we have only built a couple of scratch built buildings (a "Manayunk Freight Station, and several yard office and outhouse varieties) , mostly because the wood is not cheap here either, and IF it isn’t cedar or redwood, couldn’t trust the outdoor existance… So mostly I find the used G-scale buildings by the name brand companies, and then alter or personalize them to suit myself, before putting them back up for sale… Just my bag… Elaine

#26

I wish my Lowe’s carried the stone tile. The 12 year old in that department had no clue what I was even asking about. Once he figured it out I was told I had to place a minimum order of like 12 boxes.

The mill looks great. thanks for sharing.

Terry

#27

Further progress…

#28

Sharp! That’s going to be a good color combination.

#29

Wonderful progress, Ken… Looks great…

#30

That’s looking good Ken.

#31

I didn’t spell your name wrong Jon, that’s how your grandfather’s grand-uncle’s cousin spelled it, back in the day…:wink:

#32

Looking fantastic Ken, you are making great progress. Appears everyone is keeping an eye on it too.
Elaine

#33

P.S. May as well as this question too, how are you creating the signage? Elaine

#34

Thank you!

Kinda feel like an interloper with all the builds that are posted in the “Challenge”…:wink:

#35

I think there’s no competition, just room for everyone… Is anyone else going to do a “blow by blow” description afterward? Sorry I was Asking above how you do the signage… Precision makes some great 3-dimensional signage, too, but then it has to concur with what you are building… Elaine

#36

I use Paintshop Pro to create the signs then print them out on adhesive backed vinyl. I have found that colored signs fade but just plain black seems to last.

I found some stick on 3 dimensional lettering at a craft shop in Delaware that I used on a building.

Haven’t found a reason to use it again, though.

#37

Funny I taught a class on “making signs” at a Large Scale convention in Perry GA when Aristo-Crafts sponsored the show…(That was the last one in 2008-SELSTS). I guess there are as many ways to do it as a person can dream up. Never heard of the vinyl adhesive-backed stuff tho… Where can you find that, and I wonder IF some printers balk at using it? Anything I print usually has to be run thru a laminator to hold up to the elements… I guess my favorite is the pre-printed vinyl letters sold by the local office supply stores… They make great ones for scrapbooking, but again they are generally not strong enough… Finally I loved the 3-dimensional ones created by Precision, but limited in occupations… Sorry to be pestering you with questions… Inquiring minds like to know!! Elaine

#38

Hey, your not pestering me, I’m glad to help out…:wink:

Bruce Chandler was using it on his buildings and posted a link. It’s made by Papillo

http://www.papilio.com/inkjet%20waterproof%20adhesive%20film%20media.html

I usually buy the 11"x17" sheets and cut them in half when I use them. Since the signs aren’t that big, it lasts awhile.

I print the sign, stick it to a piece of styrene, then trim the edges of the sign on my tablesaw. I give it a couple of coats of clear gloss, then a couple more of the flat. The laminate may help it, too. The stuffs pretty thin, and I’ve never had a problem with the printer when using it.

There’s also a guy on here that sells custom vinyl lettering. It holds up better then the printed signs,

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/DelTapparo/

I’ve checked out the printed vinyl letters in the crafts store, but most are too fancy for what I use them for.

#39

Looking great Ken. The Stone really makes it. You doing anything to the Stone? Just doing a blackwash and then dry brushing some green in spots to represent moss.

#40

Um. Being dyslexic, I find myself wondering, "How do you make sure it’s an integral number of courses to the tops and bottoms of the windows and doors?