Rotary CY Build Log in 1:20.3

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

When I dropped the subscription on my website I lost all of the posts. I still have the pictures but not the text. I will recreate that build log here as best I can. This may take a while as it is quite a complex project.

The Leslie style rotary is based on the steam powered, wood side plows the company built in the late 1800s through the early 20th century including those owned by the DRGW. The model has some features of both OM and OY but does not represent any specific piece of equipment.

The basic components used are a 3000 series wood side Spectrum boxcar and a Big Hauler tender. A friend of mine designed and 3d printed the doors, windows, backhead and plow head.

Greenman shown for scale. The plow will be smaller than the actual rotaries. OM and OY were standard gauge equipment running on three-foot fox trucks. I had to down size so that it would fit my layout.

The four man crew should be familiar to LSC regulars.

Ben Hancock, Dave Taylor, John Caughey and Devon Sinsley

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

First I had to hack up the boxcar. Here is what needs to happen.

Openings for the doors and windows were drilled out in the corners and then cut through with an Exacto knife. The through cuts were done with a razor saw.

A 1" thick piece of styrene will replace the original frame. This will also give it more height.

Strip wood (bass) is used to construct the top frame and door openings.

The 3d printed rear wall and bakchead is also fitted in.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Scribed styrene is used for the interior walls.

The openings for the side doors is way to large so I used pieces cut from the rear section to fill in.

Curved roof ribs and supports.

Installation of the rear section of the rotor head.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Roof construction. The assembly must be removable for completion of the interior as well as access for lighting.

A piece of birch-wood is rolled over the top and roof details installed.

Finally it gets a tar-paper roof made from unembossed paper towel.Glued on with thin downed white glue. It will be primed black ready for final painting.

[Cliff_Jennings]

What an amazing project, Boomer. Love it.

Bob, is there any way to resurrect his build log with both text & photos?

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Sorry Cliff, that build was on my website hosted on WordPress. It went the way of the Dodo when I cancelled my subscription.

I have the pics which I think are pretty self explanatory but if anybody has a question just ask.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

The trucks on the OY are cast Fox steel trucks. My first thought was to make a side frame and then cast a set in resin. After looking at them I decided I could make a cover that fit over the Bachmann bighauler trucks.

Reference pics

Now time to build the scale version.

Comparison of the original trucks to the bighaulers.

New frame sides cut and sanded together for uniformity.

Center details are sanded off the frames and the new panels cut to allow them to slide on over the journals.

Top and end framing hide the ugly truth.

Progressive photos of the rivets. I used HO scale round head track spikes

All done and ready for paint.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

The debris plow is fabricated out of styrene and plastic bits. I think that curved part was from an ink pen or marker.

Fitting it all under the rotary started by setting some guidelines.

Bolsters were made from styrene and screwed and glued in place.

An ash box was made and everything gets attached.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Now the exterior. I incorporated design details from both the OM and OY.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Lots of styrene, rivets and brass rod.

Starting to look like something!

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

The rotor is mostly based on OY:

Problem one was the 3D print shifted and put the shroud off center. I had to cut it loose and reattach it with styrene.

With the shroud fixed I set in detailing all of the rivets and supports.

The ablative panels are built and attached.

Finally the deflector is finished.

The second problem is the rotor head. It did not print very well and had to be redone with details added. Styrene, brass bar and spaghetti all made up the details. The ice-breaker is a fennel from a furniture detail.

The exterior is complete and gets a primer coat.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

The interior will be lit and partially visible through the windows. The details don’t have to be intricate, just convincing. My first thought was to put a big hauler boiler inside but it was to large and cumbersome to fit.

I decided to build the boiler out of a piece of PVC pipe with modest detail.

Raised flooring and steps cover the cross-head aera just as in the real thing.

Boiler in place. The smoke stack and steam dome don’t actually protrude through the roof. They just look like they do when the roof is in place. This makes it easy to remove the roof and access the lighting.

[Dave_Taylor]

Good looking bash…!!

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Tender time.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

The tender has more influence from OM then OY.
Like the plow the tender is mounted on a piece of 1" styrene. Details are made from wood, styrene, brass rod, brass strip and floral wire. The cover is formed from foam board and covered with wood coffee stirs.

Spectrum trucks.

Rear step is pirated from the Bachmann tender.

The steps are from the junk box and I think came off of a Piko locomotive.

Logo was stripped off using airbrush paint remover.

Squadron Green Putty and some very careful sanding hide the area.

Lots of floral wire and brass work.

When the plastic grab irons were removed they left very large holes. To hide them I inserted styrene tube and mounted it almost flush. This creates a fake flange to help hold the new metal grab irons in place.

Sick of drilling holes and setting rivets but it is done now.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

It is now painting time.

The rotary will be painted oxide red with white lettering. To keep it neat and clean I backward mask the lettering. After priming the areas were painted with white acrylic paint. Black vinyl letters are applied and the red oxide sprayed on.

The interior is painted with god-awful green craft paint.

The vinyl letters are carefully peeled off and touched up from the bleed.
A black wash is applied to add some filth.

The trucks and boiler are primed black and given a rust wash to age them.

The roof is painted grey then given a two tone wash of dark grey and black.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

The last things to make and paint are the draw bar and tension rod.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

Final assembly including the crew.

[Boomer_K_MOGWAI]

…and then it was done.