Rooster, I used to think that an M-80 would make a nice blast but I heard this week you can buy M-160s! You could blow up the whole layout with that!
Lou Luczu said:
Um, I can’t help but notice the 2 wires coming out of the shed. Are they headed to a detonator? Better call Security!
Oh no! As a copier repairman, I took a part into the county courthouse to repair one of their machines. It was salvaged out of a scrap machine, so it wasn’t in a box, it was just wrapped in brown paper, with the end of the wire harness peaking out of the wrapper. The guard on duty wasn’t one I was familiar with and so… Let’s just say it became very interesting, and I learned a lesson.
Well, a tiny bit of progress on this. I am searching for some advice/ideas on adding lighting to my mine area.
First, here’s the bit added: a platform, ready for stairs down to the main mine area:
So far, I’m happy with that. Will need to add details there (some TNT boxes, one open with some showing, maybe a plunger, etc.).
I’m wanting to add more details to the rest of the mine area, including some lighting. I have a few more Locomotive Joe lights (probably not prototypical but I like them… so it goes).
My question is: what would be a natural way to add the lights? I’m thinking some kind of structure to get the lights up high, maybe 10 scale feet. Any ideas?
Here’s the area that I want to light:
(I’ll be adding planking and some other details to that upper, as well as the lower, trestle area).
The only thing I can think of is a bit of a storage shack, maybe on some stringers that connect over to the mountain/cliff area, then have some posts stretching up from that to hold the lights. It would be nice to light up the lower trestle too, though I may give up on that idea.
Thanks in advance for any ideas!
Cheers!
Jim since you have a light on the building, a couple poles that carry the wiring to the building could have a light on the poles. remember the poles should have 2 wires on them.
if in a safe area you could use the wires for actual carrier of the power for the lights.
Dennis
First I thought a string of bare bulbs stretched across the walls would be nice, but …
Gas lamps are so homey…
I’d keep it simple …
Oh yea, gas lamp or oil lanterns at the powder shack. Bad idea.
Another beautiful model, Jim! Your trestle is great, and your magazine looks very cool!
Re. lighting, if you’re modeling after electricity got to your site, I agree with the string of lights. If before, you might find a way to model a hurricane lantern over an LED, and hang one or two on the outside walls. Here’s a couple lantern housing ideas, I’m sure there are better ones though.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/202393551401
https://www.ebay.com/itm/142897061028
A detail you might consider adding is a pile of crates, used for shipping powder, glycerin, dynamite sticks, fuses, etc. Here’s a couple, you’ll see a bunch if you search on something like “explosive crate”.
Cliff
David Maynard said:
Lou Luczu said:
Um, I can’t help but notice the 2 wires coming out of the shed. Are they headed to a detonator? Better call Security!
Oh no! As a copier repairman, I took a part into the county courthouse to repair one of their machines. It was salvaged out of a scrap machine, so it wasn’t in a box, it was just wrapped in brown paper, with the end of the wire harness peaking out of the wrapper. The guard on duty wasn’t one I was familiar with and so… Let’s just say it became very interesting, and I learned a lesson.
Try taking three postwar Lionel locomotives thorough a TSA checkpoint at the airport. You want interesting… (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
David Maynard said:
Oh yea, gas lamp or oil lanterns at the powder shack. Bad idea.
Nothing gets by you does it? (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
John Caughey said:
David Maynard said:
Oh yea, gas lamp or oil lanterns at the powder shack. Bad idea.
Nothing gets by you does it? (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Bad ideas sure weren’t rare though! Before electricity, workers had to be careful, or else, haha! Unintended boom-booms happened on the Comstock at least, with people leaving candles in a bad place, etc.
Which brings Jim the opportunity to do something like this cool project by Dave Bodnar…
http://www.trainelectronics.com/Animation_explosion/index.htm
(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
CJ
Cliff: That’s a pretty fun little “animation,” creatively built by hacking a disposable camera’s flash. Cool, though I wonder how many flashes that camera is capable of doing before it immolates… Nevertheless, pretty entertaining…
Yeah, Dave does a bunch of fun stuff for sure. Here’s his (I think) more recent project of thunder & lightning, with a “mine explosion” adaptation video at the end.
http://www.trainelectronics.com/Animation-thunder-lightning/
In the Royal Navy, and I suppose, the US Navy, in the age of sail, a special “light room,” would be situated adjacent to the powder room (sometimes directly over) and separated by a window, to keep the live flame of the candle or lantern separate from the powder. The powder room is always deep in the bowels of the ship, below the waterline, where no natural light can reach it, to protect it from the odd enemy cannonball. It needed a light assist.
It is said that style points are lost if the flame comes in contact with the powder, outside of the cannon.
Is it possible that a powdershack at a mine prior to electricity might use a similar system?
It is too hot to do much outside, like planking the trestle and installing the steps I have ready. So I’m experimenting with building dynamite boxes. Since it seems like it would be necessary to show some dynamite sticks, I tried making them out of round toothpicks. Still needs top boards, painting of the sticks, and application of decals (thanks Boomer!).
The side boards are a bit thick, but I’m not sure I want them any thinner as they may not hold up outside. Plus this will be 10 feet away from eyeballs.
Kind of fun I have to admit. We’ll see how they turn out. They aren’t exactly like the photos of olde tyme powder boxes as posted by Cliff and Boomer, but at least they vaguely look like boxes…
Cheers!
I just wanna know when the accident will happen and would like video of it happening
“When” the accident happens, if my camera and fingers survive, then I’ll be sure to post it here, just for you Rooster… 
Cliff Jennings said:
John Caughey said:
David Maynard said:
Oh yea, gas lamp or oil lanterns at the powder shack. Bad idea.
Nothing gets by you does it? (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Bad ideas sure weren’t rare though! Before electricity, workers had to be careful, or else, haha! Unintended boom-booms happened on the Comstock at least, with people leaving candles in a bad place, etc.
Which brings Jim the opportunity to do something like this cool project by Dave Bodnar…
http://www.trainelectronics.com/Animation_explosion/index.htm
(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
CJ
I was looking for a torch stuck in a holder had to settle for the castle fixture. Candles and later carbide arc lamps provided light…
Jim, that’s so cool, they’re looking great!
John, I used to have some of those lamps… Carbide, so fun! I remember putting some in a paper bag, lighting the bag top on fire, and telling a friend to just dump this water on it to put it out…
(oops, shouldn’t be confessing that… nobody was hurt though…) (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)
Also Jim, for your sticks, you might consider using bits of wire with red or brown insulation. Maybe 24awg or thereabouts… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Getting a little closer to done with these boxes and dynamite, ready for decals:
