Well, since Forrest and Jim took all the great words I was going to use, I guess I’ll just say WOW (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Great job Cliff, as always going to be an interesting follow.
Dennis
I want to see this “OUTSIDE” …(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Sean McGillicuddy said:
I want to see this “OUTSIDE” …(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
What? Are you crazy?? Don’t you know what weather does to our creations???
Oh the horrors!(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-yell.gif)
Thanks very much, my friends! You’re really being generous, and I sure appreciate your camaraderie in this build!
Yeah Sean, I know, it’s coming… If it makes you feel better, my wife is kinda getting thin on patience with this project… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Cliff Jennings said:
Thanks very much, my friends! You’re really being generous, and I sure appreciate your camaraderie in this build!
Yeah Sean, I know, it’s coming… If it makes you feel better, my wife is kinda getting thin on patience with this project… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Camaderie?!?? We’re yanking your chain half the time! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Great work. Again, please let me know if you want help to move it outside…
Thanks again for that offer Bruce, and will do!
Regarding the onsite investigation, I’m sitting here in a Sarasota FL hotel, looking through the recent aerial footage and stills I’ve received from last week’s expedition. Before I go any further, any sky shots that follow in this thread were produced by a professional drone operator, Justin Hensley, who works for Aerial Nevada.
So here is an aerial shot, showing the present condition of the little ore bin.
Those vertical beams are part of the ore bin structure, which is half submerged in the waste rock in the foreground. The shattered remains of the shed above it are strewn around, with its north wall flopped on the ground to the right. At the left is a bent of the original H&N waste trestle, ca 1870 (IMO). Another bent is clearly seen next to the V&T tracks, but is not seen here.
Here’s my model rendition, from a similar view.
I’m modeling in a time frame when this little ore bin was functional. Many of my model details though, such as the retaining wall and chute (for ore wagon loading) are guesswork, because it was all buried by subsequent decades of further waste rock. So I can only shoot for a very rough approximation in my model.
Thanks for your support!
===>Cliffy
Cliff,
I do believe that you are having too much fun!!!! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
OK, now for some true modeling confessions.
There are at least 3 massive problems in my model. I have to move on, getter done, plant it on the layout as it stands. But the issues will remain for anyone doing any rivet counting here. So, here goes.
- Making it fit #1. I began the computer models of these Comstock mines about 8 years ago, with the intent of squeezing them into my layout space. With a 1:24 scale to start with, I decided on a 75% vertical reduction and a 50% horizontal. That’s the only way I could hope to model these things in my real estate. So all the H&N models I’ve built are squished in those dimensions.
- Making it fit #2. For the shed, three factors made me not do that squeezing of 75%V and 50%H.
- The electronics needed more space
- The shed was in the foreground, permitting a forced perspective on the rest of the works
- When I modeled the shed and bin, I forgot that I squeezed the rest of the mine, 8 years ago, by 75%V and 50%H. Sheesh…1. New developments. I’m modeling at a slow schedule that will eventually allow me to photograph and present it to the annual V&T conference next October. However, the ongoing site observations will increasingly be out of sync with my model decisions made prior.
So, my true thanks to you all for your appreciation of this effort. However, I need you to understand that there is a huge gulf between what was really there, and my 1:24 model representation of it.
===>Cliffy
Bruce Chandler said:
Cliff,
I do believe that you are having too much fun!!!! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
I just peed my pants, so I guess you’re right, dang it. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Cliff Jennings said:
OK, now for some true modeling confessions.
However, I need you to understand that there is a huge gulf between what was really there, and my 1:24 model representation of it.
===>Cliffy
No matter how much you need me to understand I don’t ? The model looks fantastic to me !
Yep! down playing the ability to reduce the structure in three different formats and still complete a very believable build and an accurate representation will not sway our collective decision to admire and applaud your skills.(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Cliff Jennings said:
Bruce Chandler said:
Cliff,
I do believe that you are having too much fun!!!! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
I just peed my pants, so I guess you’re right, dang it. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
If you wear dark trousers, most folks won’t notice…
Thanks Rooster, thanks Hollywood. I knew you would understand the weird struggle I’m dealing with, in trying to appease the reality of what was there, yet need to draw the line at some point so I can model it, yet explain why my model doesn’t fit with this photo or that.
As a wizened old V&T aficionado once told me at a V&T Historical Society conference in Carson City: “When it comes to model railroading, hell, it’s your layout. Do what you want and have fun.”
===>Cliffy
Bruce Chandler said:
Cliff Jennings said:
Bruce Chandler said:
Cliff,
I do believe that you are having too much fun!!!! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
I just peed my pants, so I guess you’re right, dang it. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
If you wear dark trousers, most folks won’t notice…
Bruce…
Cliff Jennings said:
Thanks Rooster, thanks Hollywood. I knew you would understand the weird struggle I’m dealing with, in trying to appease the reality of what was there, yet need to draw the line at some point so I can model it, yet explain why my model doesn’t fit with this photo or that.
I thought I just told you I didn’t understand so what don’t you understand about that? Besides I model by eye so no need to thank me!
Cliff Jennings said:
As a wizened old V&T aficionado once told me at a V&T Historical Society conference in Carson City: “When it comes to model railroading, hell, it’s your layout. Do what you want and have fun.”
That certainly works for me…
Howdy folks,
Here’s the stairs I assembled today. Things went together fine; but it was only until the glue had set that I realized my mistake in using black for those platforms. I’d originally thought those would be dirt, then I added wood grain, and, well, whatever. So I’ll need to paint the platforms later.
[edit: That in-between platform looks hideous, so I just broke it out with pliers; it busted into over 20 pieces, more or less demonstrating the tenacity of the solvent cement. So I’ll recut that in brown and install tomorrow. The lowest black platform is too buried, too difficult to replace. Since my Give-A-Poop is flat-lining, I think I’ll just call it “creosoted.”
The upper stair and ore chute are removable, the rest is “welded” down.
Next step is to finish the laser work for the shed & bin siding, and get that installed.
Nice weather today, so I need to go out and do some weeding on the layout now.
More tomorrow, and thanks for viewing.
===>Cliffy
Today has been a nice day of recovery from the weed pulling and stick picking yesterday. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
I’ve been having fun lasering the last bits for the shed and other structures, including that in-between platform (which is now brown).
Throughout this project, I’ve been trying to keep painting to a minimum, and rely on the solid color of the acrylic where possible. But, some things still need painting, like the acrylic rod stack on the shed above. Here’s the rest of the parts to be painted, and they’re all trim pieces to be an antique white.
More painting will be needed for ore chute parts and whatever small bits; but I’m encouraged to see the painting operation substantially reduced from what it was on the main mine model.
In regards to ink-powdering, I’ll do something different for this building. For the main mine structure, I had powdered and sealed each sheathing piece before installation. But here, I’m cementing everything together first. Shingles will come next, and trim. After all that gluement, I’ll ink-powder and clear-coat seal the whole thing together. I’m thinking this will have just as good a result, save gobs of time, improve the cement bonding between parts.
That might all happen next weekend, who knows… But I’m hurrying all this building part through, to get to the big challenges I’m facing after that:
- Wooden trestle (my first)
- Terrain on the mountain
- Electronics / animation
Thanks for viewing,
===>Cliffy
Y’know… For some reason I thought Cliff was in VA…but he’s up in that dreaded MD state. Oh well, yeah, but. OK. No real excuse cause the guy is sincere. or sort of… Oh,maybe not SO much. but, DANG, the guy is good, isn’t he? eh? I just hope he has some beer or something to justify the trip?