Large Scale Central

Sinsley 2022 MIK build log

The MIK - Annual Build Challenge
#41

Here on the East Coast, and I think in the Mid-West as well, those of us who operate together have been naming industries and buildings for those who are still very much with us. That is not to say that they can’t be named for dearly departed as well.

On my railroad I have Fred’s Tomb (not yet occupied), Golding Square Box Co., Russell Poultry, McCown Freight Forwarding, McGillicuddy Supply, and Brunt Coal. The latter being named several years ago before Ken’s passing.

So - I say, be humble, or honored or however you want to feel. I think it’s a nice gesture.

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#42

Okay so I am abandoning almost all hope of not having 3D printed parts. I had every intention of making the sand tank out of a tin can. But even the smallest can I have which is a tomato paste can. Way to big. I tried my hand at making one from a Christmas tin my wife donated. Well I suck at soldering anyway and soldering tin was not as easy as I had hoped. And because I don’t have a resistance solderer I keep loosing control of the heat and would undo what I had just done. And at the end of the day was going to look like hell. So I gave up and the sand tank is on the printer.

Not very MIK like but I have the technology to make what I want and don’t want tobe frustrated making something I won’t like.

#43

That’s all looking GREAT Devon.
Very cool light device.
What are you gluing your 3DP windows/doors in with?

#44

Super glue. It sticks pretty darn decent to the resin prints.

#45

So I made my first purchase for the MIK. I think it was Jon that shared the trick of using photographs in the windows of buildings to simulate the interior. Even though this will be up on the ceiling I still don’t want to take a chance that anyone will be able to see the lighted fibers that are running the lights of any other part of the unfinished interior. So I found a picture of the interior of the Durango Sand house and paid $0.95 to download a copy of it. It is copyrighted so I won’t share the photo outright but instead here is a link to it if anyone care to look.

sand house interior.

#46

Cool. Credit for photos in the windows really goes back to Bruce Chandler. He did it on a number of his buildings.

I’ve borrowed it for some ideas, but as of yet, none of that has ever been built.

#47

Well thank you to Bruce then. I have one flat that is a black smith shop that I have done this too. It looks great. Such a good Idea. Even if you can’t entirely tell what you are looking at it sure beats a blank nothing.

#48

Well I have been a bit obsessed with the Hecla prospective build but I have been working on my MIK, I promise. I just still don’t have a phone so this morning I was able to use the wife’s for updates.

Here is the front of the building. I have the four walls and the base in place.

building front
building front800×491 24.8 KB

And since my attempt to solder tin was an epic failure here is the printed sand tank.

Sand Tank
Sand Tank800×1050 39.9 KB

and then I showed the fiber Optic light engine. Well this is the end result and the purpose for it. Two different light shads. Now these don’t emit anywhere near what even a micro LED does. But it does show off the “bulb” and does cast a soft glow in the dark. I actually like the look of it better than a bright LED.

Light #1
Light #1800×792 22.1 KB

Light #2
Light #2800×775 24.6 KB

I run the fiber into a piece of brass tubing then bend the tubing with the fiber in place. Add the shade then slide the fiber to where it looks good. By bending it in the tubing it holds the fiber without glue. Then slide the tube into the hole. I should metion that you have to drill the hole in the building first run the fiber through the hole then through the tube, bend, adjust, and slide tube in the hole fiber and all.

In addition I have started the tower for the sand tank and I have the sand bin constructed as well.

#49

Great progress, Devon. You did an excellent job on the light. Where did you get the fiber optic lights from? Is the stone individual pieces or simply carved into a piece of foam?

#50

Are you still painting the rock wall? Or is that the final color? Nice job on the lights…

#51

I got the fiber optic cable on amazon. If you do want to attempt this there are two types of fiber. End glow which is what I am using and side glow which you would use for like neon signs or I am going to try and make fixtures that resemble fluorescent lights for a more modern look.

With the end glow I guess you can do things with the ends like melt a blob on the end and it will difuse the light more and look more like a bulb. I really am in the first stages of playing with it. This is my first successful go at it.

As for the rock, Dan it is carved into one piece of foam. I cut the lines for the seams with an exacto knife and the use a dental pick to tease out chunks of foam for the cut rock look.

I will paint them with a base of grey and the dry brush it with white.

#52

Thanks for the information, Devon.

#53

Too late now, but you might think about painting the rock before you add the shingles next time. You can be sloppier that way (a much needed thing for me)…

#54

yes this did occur to me after the fact

1 Like
#55

This scares me as I think it could be a cryptic top secret code.

#56

It absolutely is, Rooster. And only the kool kidz know it! Bwahahahahaha!

#57

Great tip, Devon, (@Devon_Sinsley)! We had been trying to use our foam engraver, but it never quite looked right. We may reconvene to decide if our coaling tower will be stone!

Eric

#58

So a little more work accomplished. First the sand bin. Nothing fancy just some cedar and a foam core carved to look like a lump of sand then I spread tightbond 3 all over it and put on a heavy layer of sandy colored sanded grout and sprayed it with water.

sand pit
sand pit800×600 17.9 KB

then I used the Bruce chandler window pictures method to give me an interior and hide the fiber optics.

left window
left window800×600 22.6 KB

right window
right window800×600 20.5 KB

I paid $1.00 to the friends of the Toltec for a download of the picture. Worth the humble donation.

I mounted the 3D printed sand tank to framework of cedar and made a ladder

sand tank 2
sand tank 2800×1067 35.4 KB

I did make an expensive purchase for this build. It won’t blow the budget as I am using very little of the stuff. But Dixie Belle makes patina paint. I am giving their “iron” a try which is real powdered iron in an acrylic medium. You paint a red primer on then the iron paint. you do two coats of the iron paint and on the second coat, while its wet, you spray on an activator solution that then rusts the metal. Its still rusting up but I like the effect.

sand tank roof
sand tank roof800×1067 18 KB

I painted the building and assembled and painted the chimney and attached it.

I am at the point of attaching the sand tank to the side of the building after I weather its wood and then I will fit the roof.

1 Like
#59

Looking good, Devon. I like the pictures in the window. Gives the interior a finished look.

#60

I really like the iron paints. I’ve used a similar product made by Modern Masters at work for several projects. I’m hoping there is some leftover in the paint cabinet that I can “borrow” to treat the roof on my project. Modern Masters also sells a sealer to stop future rusting, but I think it flattens out the texture too much and also has a slight gloss.

I was looking for pictures of the method and could only find these letters I did a few years ago. There was a flat panel I did earlier that I know I have pictures of, just can’t find them…

20180403_083745_HDR
20180403_083745_HDR1920×1080 240 KB