Yup, walk away before I break something, that’s what I do. People see what I build, and accuse me of having a lot of patience. No, I take a lot of breaks.
David Maynard said:
Yup, walk away before I break something, that’s what I do. People see what I build, and accuse me of having a lot of patience. No, I take a lot of breaks.
That’s just it. That’s why it takes so long to build a project. All the “breaks” required to avoid a break. I have gotten some writing done and I installed a toilet and a light fixture and some plumbing in a long overdue bathroom project. Tomorrow I will be back at the traveling crystal ball… see it in my future.
So I decided to add some pictures of the work completed before I had to step away. It is coming together much as I had envisioned it
Side view with doors closed
Side view doors open
Top View had to cut some wheel wells
Under carriage showing off the 9.00 lego bevel gearbox and a pully I stole from my son and the made of gold $2.40 O-ring.
close up of the completed wheel and frame assembly.
Well thats it for now.
This is an intriguing build. The mechanism under the car is really nice and will lead to a very good animation. Does the fortune teller get a bit dizzy as she rides the rails?
Tom
Devon this is a very interesting design,
I am wondering if the fortune teller may have a little dizzy views, and provide a spinning view
of the future.
Dennis
While in reality she will be spinning away as if she were in the spin cycle of a washing machine; there is an imaginary combine that is coupled to the crystal ball that she would ride in while being transported. Then when they arrive she takes her place in the crystal ball.
I plan to build said combine at some point for display purposes or use on the track. I think this will have a place on my layout when and if it ever gets done.
What is it with o rings? I have been using them to power projects and some are a dollar something and others are like $6 ? weird.
Anyways nice progress on your build.
The combine that Madam uses to get around should look like one of those old gypsy wagons.
That wheel looks great! I was thinking of making something along the same lines but got lazy when I found a large diameter wheel in my “junk” bin. I actually purchased an assortment of stuff from a fellow last fall to round out my collection of “junk”.
Todd,
There was an O-Ring that was just a shade too short (I already mounted the wheels before searching for the right O-Ring) that was like 80 some cents. This sucker which must be some special material because it had a funny name I can’t remember now was 2.40 but fit. figures.
Eric,
Out of everything I have accomplished which is relatively new to me, the wheels I am most proud of. I like my figures and the are #3-#5 that I have built. Each one gets better. As far as turning projects I built a candle stick in high school. That was it until I bought my shopsmith this summer and turned my steam and sand domes with it. Now the wheels was my latest try at turning. I wasn’t sure how it would true up using obscure parts well out of their intended purpose but they did very nicely. Assembling those parts and getting it true to the axle was satisfying. One wheel is about perfect the other is pretty caddy whompis but works. I also like the make shift side frames all in all the rear wheel assembly I think will be my personal crowning achievement in it all. It certainly covers rule #1… other parts not so much. My hinges have been giving me fits.
CHEATTTTTTTTTT I CRY CHEATER!!!
I am calling out Bob Cope. I ad plans to get a lot done tonight and Bob telepathically sucked me into the chat room and side tracked me in serious conversation and I got nothing accomplished. He done it deliberate, to prevent me from getting my india ink experiment accomplished.
CHEAT!!!
No gold star for his chart in the bathroom this week!
lol :-0
I figured you of all people John would give him a gold star for doing it.
Don’t wanna be one of the 15! 
John stop it
OK her is my first attempt at India Ink staining. These are the stairs that will lead you up to the car to get your fortune told. Thanks to Doc Tom I understand the idea but putting it into practice is another matter. I wanted a grey raw wood weathered look. I read online that someone achieved that effect with a white base coat as opposed to brown. Well that worked. but I learned that what you use as the base makes a big difference. I used two different acrylic paints. One was thicker than the other. The thicker one sealed the grain in spots yielding a very uneven look.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/devon_sinsley/mik2015/Stairs%20Bad%20Side.jpg)
While it isn’t the look I was after it is kinda interesting. Anyway so on the other pieces I used another acrylic that was much thinner and did not seal the grain. t produced a much more even look, I like it it has the grey look of weathered cedar in my opinion.
All in all i think it is nice looking. Here is a the Railraod Barron DJ Sinsley climbing the stairs. Blurry but gives you the idea.
Everything else is getting a coat of paint. Most of the building is done. I need to make a tool box and a podium thing. Then detailing work and more painting. I feel under the gun but should make it.
Looks like you’ve got it nailed. A very easy technique, and well worth the small effort.
The weathering with II turned out very nice. Good Job.
Doc Tom
Devon, first shot and you got the India ink thing down fine. I really like your whole concept and especially the globe-shape idea. Sweet.
The last time I was at a fortune teller’s, her accomplice came up behind me while she was hold my hands and “reading” my fortune and the accomplice pick-pocketed my wallet. Oh boy. I was fourteen and working at a summer camp in the mountains near Estes Park. Come to think of it, that was my first and last experience with fortune tellers!
Thanks guys. The India Ink worked very well compared to using watered down paint which is what I did before. It is much easier to build up an even texture. I started very light and just kept slathering it on until I reached what I was after. One thing is the above steps is western maple and as such is pretty dense. I would like to see what this does with pine or basswood.
John,
I actually thought about making a little grubby kid figure that would be lurking waiting to pick pocket. But since this build is about the car and I have spent a bit of time on peripheral items that wont count I passed on the pick pocket.
Now you need an MP3 player with the ‘Gypsy’s Tramps, and Thieves’ sound track