Tom I always let my buildings get nice and weathered. Once they weather the way i like them I add the water seal.
Hi Rick,
Very good advice. I have abandoned the idea of pre staining and Thompson’s Water seal until after wood is laminated to the acrylic.
This type of information is what I was hoping to find with starting this thread.
You all are a very informative group that is willing to help out on what are new projects for me.
Thanks!!!
Doc Tom
Shawn said:
Tom I always let my buildings get nice and weathered. Once they weather the way i like them I add the water seal. [url](http://i51.tinypic.com/mhy7v7.jpg)
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More good advice. Thanks for the help Shawn. Tom
Tom Grabenstein said:Ric Golding said:
Doc,You asked - “Does the pre treatment with the Thompson’s prevent adhesion with the glue???”
I really don’t have a clue, it just shot up a red flag for me. If you could get a piece glued up and outside during the Winter Nasty’s , you’d get a good test.
Ric,I believe you bring up a good concern. I will apply wood stained only and use the Thompson’s AFTER construction. Thanks for the caution flag.
Doc Tom
Actually Doc, I’d even avoid the stain until after they are glued together. Now for the experiment, I already see three cabins that should be under construction.
Thompson Watersealed, stained then glued
Stained then glued then Thompson Watersealed
Glued, then stained then Thompson Watersealed
Maybe 4 - Glued and left to weather naturally, no stain, no Thompson Waterseal.
When we glue oily woods like teak, we even wipe the natural wood down with acetone to remove the surface oils. We use Pledge or Pam to keep epoxies from sticking to the mixing pots and tools, waxes and oils are hard surfaces to stick to. I was reminded of that a couple of weeks ago, when a simple wood glue joint failed because of furniture wax. Experience is a very graphic teacher. Scars are simple reminders. 
I’ll derail this even more!
I like the looks of that donkey engine! Are there any good sources out there for pictures? I’m getting ready to build a donkey engine to power my trolley but have never seen one up close.
After a lively discussion and tremendous input from the wood and glue experts in the Cyber Large Scale train club, Boss Crumb thought he better get down to the shops and set the workman straight on the correct way to laminate acrylic.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04622.jpg)
It seems the best way is to glue the raw wood to the acrylic as seen in the photo above which will be the “inside” of the logger’s cabin and represents the end pieces. Prior to “edumacation” the workers were laminating stained and treated wood to the exterior as seen on the left in the photo below.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04623.jpg)
Now the boys have got the hang of it and stains and water sealing will occur AFTER the planks are glued to the acrylic as in the picture to the right. Thanks to all for the higher education on this little project…now on to a saw mill, commissary store and the rough homes that Tennesseans love so much. Doc Tom
Doug Arnold said:
I'll derail this even more!I like the looks of that donkey engine! Are there any good sources out there for pictures? I’m getting ready to build a donkey engine to power my trolley but have never seen one up close.
The Clark Kinsey Library has some incredible pictures of steam donkeys. Go to http://content.lib.washington.edu/clarkkinseyweb/index.html and select “donkeys engines” and you are in for a real treat.
Doc Tom
After the educational courses on gluing and staining the boys settled in to some good work and laid down the floor and hung the first wall of the set out cabin. Paul B. and Andrew the accountant stopped by the shops to see how the new domicile was progressing.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04624.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04627.jpg)
Boss Crumb enjoys the 1926 pin up that Timmie put on the wall.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04626.jpg)
Here are some prototypical interior shots of logging set out cabins also know as “skid shacks”, or “bunk houses.”
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/Loggingcabininterior.jpg)
]
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/interiorskidshack2.jpg)
The hard working loggers sure had a Spartan existence in their very tight quarters!! Doc Tom
Your loggers will be living the good life with that telephone!
Doug Arnold said:Yeah that old phone looks neat.
Your loggers will be living the good life with that telephone!
I have started to scour the detail part sites on the net to find the objects in the prototype to clutter up the cabin.
Guess I will now have to string a simple telephone line out on the layout to the let these guys call out .
Tom
You could always give them a couple cans with a string!
Hey Doc,
Where did you get the pictures of the inside of the logger’s shanty? Is that at Little River Lumber Co?
Ric Golding said:
Hey Doc,Where did you get the pictures of the inside of the logger’s shanty? Is that at Little River Lumber Co?
Hi Ric
I got both pictures of Google Images. I think they are of Western logger’s skid shacks.
I researched them to get an idea of what was inside these little buildings. Not much pretty sparse!
Doc Tom
Loggers sure didn’t take pictures of the cabins but they sure liked their donkey engines! I’m looking at that University of Washington site you directed me to and there are over 400 pictures of donkey engines but only 1 of a cabin!
Doug Arnold said:Hi Doug,
Loggers sure didn't take pictures of the cabins but they sure liked their donkey engines! I'm looking at that University of Washington site you directed me to and there are over 400 pictures of donkey engines but only 1 of a cabin!
I am glad you are getting some info on steam donkeys. Darius Kinsey photographs, Clark Kinsey’s brother, are also posted on that Univ. of Washington site. You will find many other “donkey shots” there as well. It is another good reference site.
Doc Tom.
Since there is a paucity of pictures of the insides of the logger’s shacks I thought for interest’s sake I would post the interior shots of the “set out cabin” sitting in the front yard of the Little River Museum in Townsend Tennessee. This is one of the original cabins and is about 85 years old. It is the same cabin as in the exterior shots above I am using to make the model. I took these pictures this past summer on a visit to the LRRR museum. The interior is rather rough with much debris on the floor. I was hesitant to go inside for fear of slithering logging creatures in the junk on the floor and hence these rather poor pictures taken through the door opening.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04361.jpg)
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/DSC04362.jpg)
In looking at these photographs I have pondered what a rough life these guys had. I understand the tremendous social outlet the camp cookhouse and the huge meals much have meant for these fellows living in these tiny “homes.” To think wives and kids were housed here as well on the Little River RR is just amazing. They all worked very hard!!! Doc Tom
At least they were weather tight
Dave Marconi said:
At least they were weather tight
Yes the double wood plank construction really helped with that. Here is the last prototype photo I was able to find on Google Images. It, again, really illustrates the tight surroundings.
(http://i542.photobucket.com/albums/gg412/DrGrab/InteriorSkidShack3.jpg)
Doc Tom
Thanks, Doc. I didn’t think all of those pictures came from Townsend. I am also amazed about the size of quarters not only for the crews, but for a family. There are many stories of the people who grew up in these humble surroundings.
Another weather-proofing technique you might try is using Boiled Linseed Oil. I douse all my scratch built switches with the stuff before I install them. Helps keep the wood from drying out too much and warping.