Large Scale Central

Hale & Norcross

Modeling Technical Modeling
#481

David Maynard said:

Cliff Jennings said:

Yesterday and today I’ve been working on the stacks. The four big ones have bases that I 3d printed. After gluing the halves together, I painted on Smooth-On’s “XTC-3D,” which fills the valleys and lets you sand and paint better. After painting them and the stack tubes, here’s how the fitup was looking.

The glaring flaw here is that the bases sit atop the shingles, rather than the shingles butting up to them (with the bases having flashing going beneath the shingles. Also could use rivet & other details. Oh well, something for next time.

Oh no! After all of that work, all that artistry, all that engineering, you aren’t going to make this right?

Oh the horror!

Oh the humanity!

Cant you squish some putty under the edges to at least make it look right?

Dang, that sure looks nice! My solution is to use black E-6000…in my mind it looks like tar.

#482

Thanks guys!

Yeah, I thought about it David, and how to fix it… but anything like filling or grinding or shingle cutting would mess with the shingle surfaces and create more problems. I did use silicone to seal the pipes to the roofs (beneath the bases), and found that the silicone excess was easily cut and pulled away. I do have some black, and might do that (similar to what you suggest, Bruce).

We’ll see; I’m inclined to let it go…

Thanks Rooster! BTW, I think you might like how the catwalk pieces are turning out, they’re being lasered as I type…

#483

I mainly spent today cutting the catwalk parts, which including re-works of several botched pieces. Relaxing and fun work though. Here’s the stair parts, with some 120 tread pieces.

And the catwalk parts,

A detail of the catwalk planks. The small round holes are for pinning the assemblies to the roof. Since this is 1/8" material, I was able to go deeper with the graining / seaming.

Here’s the smallest assembly.

More tomorrow…

===>Cliffy

#484

Are you done yet?

Wow

#485

C’mon John, I’m a year ahead of schedule! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#486

And what a job you are doing! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

In the fine print is a list of Familiar Sayings, it is suggested I use one on the list, instead of my own…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)

Is it done yet?

#487

Boy what a let down. I figured sure you would make square nails to assemble the stairs and catwalks as visible as they are. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#488

Get a job Cliff!

Rooster: has puked all over himself and passed out !

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#489

Very nice Cliffy, the whole thing is coming together.

#490

the thing is coming together.

but i’m falling apart. all that from just a heap of blue plexi pieces and some paint…

#491

John Caughey said:

And what a job you are doing! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

In the fine print is a list of Familiar Sayings, it is suggested I use one on the list, instead of my own…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)

Is it done yet?

",/

Thanks John!

My problem is that as soon as I think I’m getting close, the “it” keeps expanding… (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

#492

David Marconi, FOGCH said:

Boy what a let down. I figured sure you would make square nails to assemble the stairs and catwalks as visible as they are. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

I tried making square nailheads but the laser rounded them out!! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

#493

Thanks Rooster! BTW, NY eve’s tonight, so I hope you’re sufficiently recovered! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Hey Chris, thanks very much. Sorry for being so scarce on the other chat, but tell Gary I said Howdy.

Haha Korm, you remembered! Thanks!

More later…

#494

Today’s been assembling, sanding, powdering and clear coating the various assemblies. Here they are, just after the final coat being sprayed.

Now I’ve gotta install them…

OK, a small historical tangent. The catwalks helped with roof & stack maintenance, putting up and taking down the shutters on the cupolas, and – very important – hoisting and lowering the flag. But, I always thought their main purpose was fire abatement. And I’ve been sort of wanting to have an excuse to put some nice fire water barrels on these.

However… of all the pics I’ve seen for this mine, there were never barrels shown parked on the catwalks. So I emailed the most knowledgeable person on the subject – Stephen Drew, V&T and also Comstock historian – and he had the answer. Since the water supply was well above the mine’s elevation, and the mine had a number of hose reels on the property, water delivery was not the problem. Managing hoses was; and the catwalks allowed firefighters to drag hoses up and shoot water down where needed. Problem solved!

Hmm, I should make a couple hose sheds…

#495

Cliff

Looking very great, I have always said that stairs always makes structures more complete. A well design being cut with a laser can create some of the most

fascinating looking stairs for model making. Stair making has always intrigued me. Thanks for sharing

Dennis

#496

Cliff Jennings said:

John Caughey said:

And what a job you are doing! (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

In the fine print is a list of Familiar Sayings, it is suggested I use one on the list, instead of my own…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)

Is it done yet?

",/

Thanks John!

My problem is that as soon as I think I’m getting close, the “it” keeps expanding… (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Yup, been there, done that.

#497

Dennis Rayon said:

Cliff

Looking very great, I have always said that stairs always makes structures more complete. A well design being cut with a laser can create some of the most

fascinating looking stairs for model making. Stair making has always intrigued me. Thanks for sharing

Dennis

Hi Dennis, thanks very much! I’m glad you like stairs, this thing has a gob of them! I’m installing them now, and hope to finish up and post pics this afternoon.

#498

Hey all,

Other than some touchup paint, the catwalks are done, woo hoo! For installation, I drilled and pinned the assemblies (using 1/16th brass rod) to the roofs, CA’d the pins above and below, and blackened them.

Quite a climb to the flagpole!

I have a fat list of final details & loose ends to deal with, such as final fitup of all the modules + finished roofs; maybe some weathering around the base; ladders, flag, weathervane, etc. So probably a couple more weekends for this phase.

Thanks for viewing,

===>Cliffy

#499

So cool. Cliff, I’m in awe. Want to come build a stamp mill for my layout? Weather is nice in California!

#500

Cliff those are some really great looking steps and stairs

Dennis