Jim Rowson said: Some mars and scars and broken bits might be good to add in somehow.
That will come when finished and placed. Especially moving it in and out as I believe he stated would happen?
The scars and mars will occur naturally.
I don’t see such defects, but do see that they needed Cliff to build it!
Cliff - I have been following along in the background. Awesome work as always! This is going to be one large and amazing model.
Even old things were once new! This is quite a project!
Korm Kormsen said:
rivet-counting-alert!
if it were my model, i would score the upper sides of the different planks. to simulate, where two planks are laid together.
some of your planks or boards look a hundred or more scale-foot long.
Jim Rowson said:
Cliff: This build keeps getting better and better. For me, the wood will add a touch of “real texture” and “warmth” that will help the entire structure. The only thing I might complain about with this entire build is just how perfect everything looks. Some mars and scars and broken bits might be good to add in somehow. But it sure looks frickin’ amazing!
Thanks Korm and Jim for the kind remarks and great advice. As soon as I read your posts, I realized I needed to do what Korm said. Jim, I can do imperfect, for sure!
Doesn’t look so hot from a foot or three away, but further back (with my eyesight anyway) I think it will add a lot.
BTW, this represents a pre-stain inking of sorts, with the fake seams. I had to add nails (Rooster), and also the between-seam wash of diluted ink (Sean). I’ll get some of that Behr stain tomorrow (Bruce), and sometime this week stain all the wood bits.
Thanks guys!
Thanks guys for all your kind comments, I sure appreciate them!
Today was mainly pre-fitting all the main bits together, with the main job being the mod’s to the building over the main ore bin. It removed its door and cut a new opening so that the trestle module’s “garage” could slide into it. I also ran the wiring from the garage to the shed (where the controls will be), and basically did a bunch of minor tweaks with the Dremel to make stuff fit.
===>Cliffy
And you are going to put this outside?
Everything I put outside gets trashed sooner or later.
Yep, outside. But tarped when no one is out there. At least until it gets trashed anyway, and then it will represent the 1930 version of the mine. 
Looking back, and thinking out loud, I think it might have been worth the cost to have made the core of the trestle out of 1/8" or 3/16" water-jetted aluminum sheet (vs. acrylic). That would make the trestle more shatter-resistant. Wouldn’t be cheap, but I might look into it the next time. For this project though, the point has been to utilize (read: justify) the $2k spent on the laser…
I see a water jet in Cliffy’s future (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif). This project gets bigger and bigger and better and better. Enjoying every episode with my popcorn.
" Rooster " said:
Inspirational as well and putting fire under my rear end however I build differently.
Just a fantastic build Cliff !!!
Thanks very much Rooster!
Dan Hilyer said:
I see a water jet in Cliffy’s future (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif). This project gets bigger and bigger and better and better. Enjoying every episode with my popcorn.
Haha! No Dan, but thanks for the thought. And I’m sure glad you’re enjoying this slow-motion build. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
slow motion???
compared with many others, me included, you are in fast forward mode.
Thanks Korm, and thanks for overlooking the fact that I started this 13 months ago, haha!
not overlooking nothing.
i’m still “working” on the hotel, i begun for the challenge 2011…
In between lots of house & family stuff, the trestle is all done, woo hoo!
Took quite a while to stain the thing, reaching a brush into all those cavities. Next time I’ll consider pre-staining the lumber. I’d expect that Titebond adheres as well to pre-stained wood, any issues there?
Next steps involve the terrain on the hill, that should be interesting.
Thanks for viewing,
===>Cliffy
It is beautious!!!
Cliffy said: “Next steps involve the terrain on the hill, that should be interesting.”
When I scenicked my floating fill, I mixed water and TBIII: 50/50 and then added ground cover, mixed and sculpted on. Enough dirt to justify ‘all that glue’ yet moist enough to stick. Find the happy medium … trowel and sculpter’s knife to apply. Scoop with trowel, hold close to hill and slide with knife into place… Easy Peasy
Ready Steady Go!
Great ideas John! I’d love to try that, for sure.
For this one, since it really needs to be waterproof, I’ve already bought 10lbs of Magic Sculp. So that will be the main surface.
Beyond that, I’ll be experimenting with stuff to make it look more rocky and streaked and colored like the VC dumps might have been in the day.