Large Scale Central

The Burke - Devon's 2023 Mik

The MIK - Annual Build Challenge
#161

Appreciate all the love,

Jon,

In your vote you mention the incorporation of 3D modeling with traditional scratch building. This was a fun project for just that reason. I consider myself a scratch builder. I very much enjoy the hands on fabrication of taking “stuff” and making a project. I don’t consider 3D tech as a new or different way of modeling. It’s just another tool I can use to produce my vision. It is, to me, no different than learning to cast in resin or white metal, or buying detail parts. It certainly will forever be a part of my scratch builds.

I got a little more done. Signage is done, railings are done, and the one half of the roofnis no attached.

PXL_20230216_132419385~2_cVPOoj8i2V
PXL_20230216_132419385~2_cVPOoj8i2V800×800 91.9 KB

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PXL_20230216_132427733~2_A7vysql67N800×800 176 KB

I have the barber pole printed as well as a couple figures my friend Mike gave me the files for.

#162

Devon, its amazing how the little details like the signage and railing really make it come to life. The different colors on the doors certainly adds to the reality of the scene.

BTW: you might want to consider setting that traffic flange on the hydrant at the proper level, else some horse and buggy is gonna come by and break it at the foot and make a huge mess :grin: :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#163

That’s just sitting there. It will be buried just off the board walk in the street

#164

I know, I’m just yanking your chain :grin: Did you design and print the hydrant? I think I read that earlier but I’m too lazy to go look :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#165

Yes. I learned something new. I really had no idea they had hydrants at the turn of the century much less in small western boom towns. But I googled hydrant designs from that era and not a lot has changed. So I tried to capture a period design but it looks like a modern one for the most part

#166

Its a very realistic hydrant. We took some out recently that were so old that manufacturing for that specific hydrant CEASED in 1920. I have one here in my home office that we removed back in the 90’s that is dated 1899.

Trivia question: Do you know why fire hydrants are refenced by many as fire plugs?

#167

Nope. I don’t.

The oldest hydrant I have encountered in my district is sitting in my yard and it’s a 1920s 2 port. Given your neck of the woods is much older than my neck of the woods it’s so cool that you have seen and dealt with stuff as old as I am modeling. Any chance you can get pictures?

#168

I’ll get you a photo of the hydrant. When we removed it, I cleaned it up, repainted and made a piggy bank out of it. Been putting change in it for the last 25+ years, I don’t think anyone is going to walk away with it. I hope it doesn’t fall thru the floor one day :grin:

Many of the original water distribution systems used wooden water mains and before the advent of what we know as the modern fire hydrant, towns would excavate holes around the wooden mains in strategic locations, bore a hole in the top of the main and put a PLUG in it. When fire broke out, they would pull the plug and let the hole fill up with water and then fill their buckets to fight the fire. Hence the name fire plug.

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#169

Interesting but makes sense

#170

Well I don’t have a picture because it doesn’t really look any different but I can say I have finished the Burke. Its ready for the layout.

#171

So for anyone who cares for an update, the Burke is all bent out of shape. I am just disgusted at my inability to build a detailed building that holds up. The roof on the Burke is curling up and a few other parts have issues. All the fiddly bits I can fix easy enough but the roof just is a disaster. I am hoping I can use a heat gun to soften the plastic and put it back in place and salvage the building. But it did not at all hold up to being outside. I think I either need to simply my designs or be content to set them out only for show and tell sessions and then put them away for safe keeping again.

I still want to try using a solid block of styrene foam (pink foam board) laminate styrene sheet to it with MEK and see if that will make a more solid building on which to attach the detail parts. I can say so far building ARE NOT my thing.

#172

might i suggest to try to copy reality instead of making make-believe models?

a real wooden wall consists of a beam-structure, covered on the outside by horizontal clapboards and on the inside by vertical boards. (the plywood principle)
a real roof rests on a structure of beams, stiffened by triangular structures.

try to do something similar on a model, instead of using a flimsy plastic sheet, that is a hundred times as high and two hundred times as wide as it is thick.

i found that out, when i was still cutting "model"buildings out of corrugated cardboard.
the moment i painted them, they began to bend.
some coffeestirrers or other sticks glued to the inside kept everything straight.
not sooner, but later i noticed, that my stiffeners somewhat likened to the construction framework in 1:1 scale.
since then i tried to not model, but scale-build my buildings. with better results.
(my unfinished hotel from 2011 has not warped a mm under all the dust)

#173

That’s really odd as my two styrene structures are lasting just fine and are out 24/7. I wonder if you hotter summer has an effect on buildings?

This was all 1/8" styrene core correct?

Did you cover it with a UV coating?

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#174

Devon, (for what it is worth).
My tin roofs are real corrugated aluminum, siliconed and stapled on. They have been outside for 10 years+ year around and still going strong.

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#175

I’ve had 1/4" PVC board, even though its supported, warp to hell and back from one summer up here.

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#176

Good to know , Bob, was thinking of using that for a roof for a building, if it warped on east coast Arizona it would pretzel up inside the house without seeing sunlight!

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#177

Here in Northern NM, @ 6000 ft alt. High heat, extreme UV, and cold damp winters. I have taken to building almost everything with 1/2" birch Ply for the building core. After core assembly I coat the entire inside and outside with TiteBond III as a waterproofer. Then I add the outsides on the core, trying to not even cut out the window or door openings. Haven’t had an issue with roof or sides warping or shifting.

Peek at my Mik 23 build…

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