Large Scale Central

Restoring old buildings

Modeling
#21

Here are a few more pix of the Bijou/Crest rebuild. This is only the front. The rest of the building needs little repair beyond regluing the walls and a quick coat of paint.

The first two are overviews of the front of the theater, and the rear which shows the electrical layout. On the right of center is the circuit that takes up to 25 volts ac or dc and converts it to dc to power the LEDs. On the left of center is the terminal board for the various circuits on the front. The black box in the center is the “projection room.” It contains a flashing LED. On the front, you can see the HO window I used for the projection room.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/dick44/rebuilding_old_buildings/smBCR_9.jpg)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/dick44/rebuilding_old_buildings/smBCR_8.jpg)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/dick44/rebuilding_old_buildings/smBCR_10.jpg)

This is another view of the front. Note the two large windows. They are the “coming attractions” windows, one has a movie poster in it. The other has new glass too, but it’s nearly invisible.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/dick44/rebuilding_old_buildings/smBCR_11.jpg)

This last one shows the theater tower and bolts close up. Those are NOT bolt and washer castings, they are actual 1.6 mm machine screws that hold the marquee to the building!

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/dick44/rebuilding_old_buildings/smBCR_12.jpg)

The front got the most redo. I’ve added LED lighting to the facade, and rebuilt the tower. The tower has up lights and a fancy paper texture. The marquee is bolted to the building so it can be removed easier!

#22

I am so-o-o glad I bolted the marquee to the building! In assembling this all, late at night when I was pretty sleepy, I managed to dislodge one of the LEDs in the marquee near the tower.

Now I’ve got to dismantle the marquee from the building, reset the LED (and this time, glue it into the hole).

Nobody said I was a quick learner!

#23

Dick, the light set up is really clever. When everything is in place, would like to see the building lighted in a dark environment to see the effect. Now I gotta find some of those lights for my theater rebuild. Hope it’s not too complicated, I’m electrically challenged!

#24

Undoing the build is driving me sane! And the screws are very small and easy to lose. It’ll be no easy task to find them on the floor! But I’ve got a deadline – gotta have it done by Friday, as our club is showing our modules at the Roseville RailFare this weekend.

New problem is what kind of glue will stick LEDs to German plastic. Thin styrene cement is the wrong answer.

Let me know what you want to know. I’ll help out by remote control!

#25

Those are impressive make-overs.I love what you are doing with the theater.

On the glue question, we use Automotive Goop on our art car. The pieces glued on the car are made of many kinds of plastic (acrylic, polyester, cold-cast resin, styrene, you name it – everything except styrofoam), and there are also pieces that are made of painted wood, varnished wood, painted metal, raw metal, glass, ceramics, and rubber. They all bond well and stay stuck together with this stuff. It remains flexible for several years and then slowly begins to harden and age. It remains clearish (not yellowing) for many years, and, in fact, yellowing is a sure sign a bond is about to fail.

We went through half a dozen adhesives before settling on Automotive Goop, and we have learned over the years that the majority of art car users prefer it as well. Marine Goop is about as good. DO not use Household Goop – it is NOT the same. (I speak from experience.) Also, be prepared to use it “fresh” – it is like rubber cement in that once it starts to get stiff in the tube, you will not be able to make a good bond with it. Just throw the tube out and start over with fresh and juicy one.

We have pieces on the car that have been in place since 2004. The bonds are flexing all the time while we are driving on country roads and on freeways in wind, rain, heat, and cold, and most are still holding fast. However depending on the materials and the amount of contact surface (mostly the latter) some bonds do begin to fail after three or four years – and we just pop them off, clean them, and reglue them again. The worst bonds are on humanoid character figures standing on two tiny feet – there is very little surface for the bond, and lots of wind resistance that bends the bonded areas. Four-legged creatures fare better. As for the flat-bottomed pieces, you can’t pry them loose at all. They are on tight.

I have no idea whether you have tried Automotive Goop or not, but if not, you might like it.

#26

for things like LEDs, that might have to be changed in the future, i use silicone sealer to fix them in place.

#27

Thanks Catherine and Korm. I don’t have the goops, but I do have some silicone sealer. I’ll give it a try.

#28

To get the first and second floors to stay stuck together, I drilled holes between the two pieces, inserted 1/16 inch aluminum rod and bent it over. Then I glued the two sections together. Didn’t hold.

Finally, I took some 1/8th inch styrene and glued reinforcing pieces across the joint. Seems to have worked, but I’m reluctant to move it around much.

Not only did I not take it to RailFair in Roseville earlier this month, I didn’t take it to the California State Railroad Museum Thanksgiving weekend modular set up.

Oh well. It’ll make the next modular set up.