Large Scale Central

Bill’s first Mik entry 2024

I guess I better get on to partially dismantling my printer and finishing off my enclsure to do ABS and ASA.

Spent the weekend looking for local polystyrene and PVC BOARD for the challenge. The PVC board I found a the local Bunnings Hardware looked nothing like PVC pipe, was floppy, 3mm, and the smooth glossy texture of a kitchen cutting board. I’m thinking that unless I find a sign guy who does HIPS, it will be a Melbourne side trip on our way to ride trains in Tassie.

After receiving sage advice, changed plans started working on some salvaged cedar floorboards from dismantled school. This of course would have gone much faster with a band saw and a pin nailer…


Cut to length
Varnish removed
Sliced to thickness
Taped together and run through the thickness sander
Re-taped to place on the disc sander
Glued together and excess glue removed.
No biscuit joiner harmed in this process

It’s still amazing how aromatic cedar is after 50-80 years. Shingles this time with tightbond III. NEXT TIME it will be E-6000 (Does anybody know if it the same as shoe goo or B-6000?)

Bill,

I have to say its been entertaining watching your build. So many things we take for granted here in the states are proving to be a mythical unicorn for you. PVC lumber. In less than 45 minutes I can be at no less than 10 stores that sell various widths of 3/4 +/- PVC lumber with a smooth side and a wood grain texture side. No road trip necessary.

I am beginning to think its easier to scratch build in G scale on Mars than it is in Australia

All that aside and with the hemisphere challenges noted its looking great.

Looking good so far Bill.

Foamed PVC Board in 3mm is very floppy and none of it is rigid like PVC pipe. That’s probably the same stuff you would find being used in a sign shop. The thicker it is the more rigid it becomes. A 25mm 4x8 sheet will not flex much at all.

Polystyrene is more like the PVC pipe, but not exactly. Usually bright white and rigid. Thin sheets are very flexible.

I had been discussing silicones with David in an earlier post which led me to review my shingled roofing for extra waterproofing requirements. After scrutinising my buildings I decided to change my method from my last two roofing attempts where I used silicon out of an aerosol can (the closest thing to the iconic American cheese-in-a-can dispenser). It’s not because I am unhappy about the results.

While the process theoretically provides precise gluing, in reality because I wanted to ensure adherence, I applied a little more glue in the overlapping gap between shingles. This resulted in fair bit of ooze when pressing down on the shingles. On the other hand both sides of each shingle got covered, as well as both sides of my hands. Both the roof and I were quite waterproof in the end. The down side is the roof is shiny.

So in the spirit of the Titebond 3 post that can be found here, I am going full titebond on this roof. (until it really pisses me off)

The first thing I’ve noticed is that titebond is wet and wetness on one side of the shingles has led to a propensity to warp the shingles, so I am clamping each row, until dry.

(@Cliff_Jennings I just want to assure you that I did not go “FULL SINSLEY” on the roof. That is not dried blood above the row of shingles. Titebond 3 appears to turn black when exposed to my ruler.)




I use Titebond 1 and 3 as my standard wood glues depending on what I am gluing and whether it needs to be water proof. I have used gallons of each. I can honestly say I have never seen it turn black. Thats odd.

I am impressed you put on a starter strip. Good job. I never have and on my current vampire shingle project it shows.

It helps that I have a tiny table saw and thickness planer.

My tank and sanding facility was accidentally glued with titebond2.

That is odd that the TB3 is turning black?
Nothing beats a cedar shake roof for looks but it sure can be tedious putting it on.

I have never used TB2. Never really saw the point of a water resistant glue. It either is going to come in contact with water or it isn’t. If it isn’t then 1 is great and far less expensive than 3. If it is going to come in contact with water, whether it be occasionally or be submerged, why not just use 3. I buy 1 by the gallon and 3 by the pint (16 fluid oz or 473.176 ml for those down under).

On a side note TB1 tastes better than TB3. Don’t ask me how I know. When I was in Kindergarten my mom was sent a note asking her to talk with me about eating paste. She still has the note. And not I don’t sit down at the bar with a pint glass of TB3. Its from a bad habit of pulling the dried glue off the end with my teeth. I use my teeth for everything and I am amazed I am not dead yet.

Bill, you may have broken an unwritten rule of LSC: “All cedar shingles must be hand split”. At least that’s how my cedar shingle mentor explained it to me :rofl:

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Whew! For a second there I thought I might not get invited back for Mik-mas Dan!

I used my table saw and thicknesser to only pare down the paddle-pop sticks to prop up my first row of shingles. This is how I’m salvaging wood for this build.

IMG_7755

In this case, I was thinking inside the box. Food for thought… This might get me expelled for Devon’s gourmet page.

Wait! YOU HAVE A SHINGLES MENTOR?!

Shure he hash to have a shingle mentor!
what shence hash it, if one hash multiple mentorsh?

I’m thinking he means a shingle bully. . . Not me though. I think he is referring to Rick. I have NEVER hand split shingles. . . :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Yesterday I discovered Titebond 3 needs 30minutes of clamping time to set to prevent warping of the shingles. So it’s been 10 minutes of shingling and at least 30 minutes of clamping.

I thought “tiny roof, I’ll be done by lunch”.

Alexa tell me when 30 minutes is up so I can work on the next row…
Bill, your 30 minute timer has been ringing in the garage for 33 minutes!
236.5 shingles down and I’m calling it a night.
Bill, do you want me to set a wake-up alarm, so that you can finish the Mik on time?

…Bill?




Those look good. Like the variation in color.

the more i see, the more i think, that Bill though new to the forum seemingly is no newbee to modeling. :thinking:

i think, we can’t grant you any beginner’s bonus. :mag_right: :microscope: :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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Yep, it is looking really good with that roof.

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Thanks both. I think obsessive compulsive disorder is more likely my diagnosis.

I wasn’t going to post any Mik Progress report but I did get bothered by a building inspector.

Don’t mind me

What you doing?

Thats soooooo boring

Ha! Gotcha!

Catzilla?

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