Looking good Daktah. And the pics load quick as a flash for me using Firefox
Because I am new this just popped up on my radar. Your roof ribbing technique may have just solved a huge problem for me in an HO project I have on my bucket list.
.jpg)
I was trying to figure how to make this rib sided flanger and none of the comercially availabe ribbed material looked quite right. Now i know how to do it.
I also have a G scale project that I will keep this in mind for.
very nice build. I just love how a little cheap bird house is turning into a real masterpiece. I like the chinking of MIKs are oyu considering that?
I really like your roof idea. Other than a roofing supply house, where do you get your copper sheet?
Thanks guys.
The roof material is aluminum. It looks like copper in that one picture, but it’s a very shiny silver color. The material came from a roll that Yogi was giving away at the ECLSTS a few years back when he was doing scratch build seminars. I think it looks pretty good, but the scale of the seams isn’t quite right at about 24 inches. They should be closer to 12 inches. I was lazy and used a piece of grooved wood that I already had. It would be just as easy to create a new block with the ribs properly spaced.
Copper… That might be a great idea to paint it with metallic copper paint. The natural aluminum color won’t look real if it doesn’t naturally weather.
@Devon - Look at the aluminum foil tape from Nashua at Lowes or Home Depot and then check out Rooster’s (Dave Russell’s) Amtrak cars and some of the neat work Jerry Barnes has done with foil tape. I had to look up “chinking” as I had no idea what you meant. I don’t have any plans to add it - perhaps that might be a good fix once this has been out in the weather for a few years.
I have a whole roll of that tape. Kevin Strong uses it for the rooves of some of his locos and my CR&N #3 has it.
I could see using wire under it to give a ribbed effect I will check them out.
When painting figures, you actually can get away with leaving the eyes unpainted. Outdoors, you can’t see people’s eyes until you’re quite close. Closer than you get looking at figures in a garden.
My windows arrived today and I immediately got to work mocking them up and making a decision between 4 panes and 6 panes. I went with the 6 pane because I just like the look better - seems more New Englandy and less utilitarian. Here’s the mockup. Nothing is glued in place except the acrylic, waiting for paint…
The figures are for scale comparison. The woman on the left is a LifeLike figure, probably 1:32 or thereabouts. My conductor in the middle is probably about 1:22, but I use him on my 1:20 caboose. On the right is George the engineer who is 1:20.
Here’s a little closer shot of the window. The were made by Jackson’s Miniatures who may be out of business as their web domain has expired. I really like the detail. My pictures are too overexposed to show it well. I bought them on eBay from a dollhouse vendor. They are 1:24 scale as is the Grandt Line door. Because the floor is raised it does a good job of fooling my brain into thinking the building compares well with the 1:20 figure…
Because the windows (and door) will be glued directly to the acrylic their depth had to be trimmed to the thickness of the wood siding. Here George is holding the drop that was removed from the back of a window with a razor saw…
And here is the window with 4 panes that I decided against…
And finally I wanted to show the parts of the window. They are designed to have glazing and also have an inside frame, which is a nice touch if your are building something that can be photographed from inside…
I’d like to spray paint the door white. I’ll leave the windows natural, but will spray them with gloss clear with UV inhibitor. It’s too cold to spray outside so maybe I’ll take it to work where I can paint inside. I’ll post an update when everything has been pained and glued up.
Good choice, I like the six pane window better. It is more of a cottage feel. I love this build. I would have never thought to gue in place one big sheet of glazing and then glue the doors and windows to that. smart.
Lookin’ good, Daktah! You gonna bring it to the Drag & Brag? You should!
-Kevin.
Devon Sinsley said:
Good choice, I like the six pane window better. It is more of a cottage feel. I love this build. I would have never thought to gue in place one big sheet of glazing and then glue the doors and windows to that. smart.
I cant take credit for the technique. I think I learned it from either Bruce or Bob - maybe both!
@Dude - That’s the plan. I haven’t had anything interesting to show for a couple of years.
Jon, Nice building…
That looks great Jon. The Backwoods boys would be proud of that.
Looks good John!
However these guys look like they are missing beers!
Exactly what I was thinking!
Daktah John said:
Exactly what I was thinking!
I was also thinking there is a striking resembalance relating to the Golding and Clarke family line. Kinda like an early expedition " back in the day when they were kickin’ it in the hood".
Hood Milk???
Getting close to done now. Windows and door have been painted and installed. Signs made from wood strips and cut vinyl have been installed. The only thing left is a stove pipe which has been made, just needs to be installed.
My 1:20 scale dude is holding a 7 foot board. The door height looks good so long as you ignore the step up!
A test “night” shot. Interior illumination is provided by a string of battery operated LED Xmas lights quickly attached to the underside of the roof with masking tape!
Do you still need to add the signs for Window, and Roof ? 
Perhaps I should. Guess you’ve never been to NJ 
I did work on the signs today. Covered up that thin strip of red outside the vinyl border with white paint. Looks MUCH better now. Also got the hole drilled for the stove pipe. Put in in the wrong corner, but no one would have known that but me if I didn’t just spill it! Final installation tonight.
Daktah John said:
… Also got the hole drilled for the stove pipe. Put in in the wrong corner, but no one would have known that but me if I didn’t just spill it!
Thats what you think, Jon… I’ve just updated my Facebook page. Now everyone will know… everyone… the whole world…
-Kevin.
(Okay, Actually I haven’t got a Facebook page… Even if I did, no one would read it anyway. BTW- The build looks great. See ya in York)