Large Scale Central

The Schmatterhorn

Indoor and Micro
#1

The Schmatterhorn…or, you can’t keep a good lunatic down.

Underway …basic foam work finally done. This is a 2’x2’ ish micro using Gargraves flextrack this time as an experiment. 2" thick pink foam from Home Despot, sunlight gives it a wierd silver sheen. This one also splits into two sections, upper and lower. Got a ways to go, but as the Costa Mesa show looms, I was getting a little desperate that I only have one layout, Heckawe Junction, readily accessible. This layout has been in the works since I sold the Angry Beaver but I haven’t been able to do it any justice until now.

2104c_762c

So far so good, I’ll be taking this to Costa Mesa, warts and all, if just to show how it’s done.

#2

Love it.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)

#3

Yes, Vic, that qualifies as lunacy. And I love it. Never would have thought of that!

#4

So cool to watch another layout come together!

#5

Thanks, my biggest problem is pacing myself. I’ve added some texture via hot knife and wire brush but pieces keep moving. I really need to let it set for 24-36 hrs so the adhesive can dry. I’m hoping to get the base coats of paint down and dry before Friday.

#6

awesome

#7

I really like that Vic,

It’s inspiration for the circle of 45mm track I’ve had for years. Which adhesive do you use for the foam?

Have fun,

Tom

#8

Found a way to help keep everything fixed, unfolded a wire coat hanger, straighten and cut in half, form a small hook one end, use an icepick to start a hole then jamb it down with a pliers until it’s pushed all the way into the foam. Need to make a couple more to tie alot of parts together. I use long drywall screws for some parts but they just aren’t long enough for the big pieces. During summer this isn’t an issue but in winter the cold weather hampers the adhesive curing.

#9

Tom Bowdler said:

I really like that Vic,

It’s inspiration for the circle of 45mm track I’ve had for years. Which adhesive do you use for the foam?

Have fun,

Tom

Tom I’m using Loctite Power Grab construction adhesive caulking.

#10

Hey Vic,

I know I have asked this before but I don’t feel like looking for the answer. How wide is your tunnel portal? What do you allow for clearances on the sides? My snow shed is a 15"radius and I am making it 5" wide. Seems like it is wide enough when I put my micro logger in it.

#11

Vic Smith said:

Found a way to help keep everything fixed, unfolded a wire coat hanger, straighten and cut in half, form a small hook one end, use an icepick to start a hole then jamb it down with a pliers until it’s pushed all the way into the foam. Need to make a couple more to tie alot of parts together. I use long drywall screws for some parts but they just aren’t long enough for the big pieces. During summer this isn’t an issue but in winter the cold weather hampers the adhesive curing.

don’t waste hangers! (and save yourself the work of straightening them)

i use toothpicks and/or shashlick (brochette) sticks, depending on the thickness of the foam layers.

pushing two sticks in at slightly opposed angles, and the instant fixation is done.

#12

You could use the long bamboo skewers used for shish-ka-bob. They are about a foot long.

#13

In canada they have they their own version of dollar store and they had some skews for marshmallows 3’ long (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#14

Devon Sinsley said:

Hey Vic,

I know I have asked this before but I don’t feel like looking for the answer. How wide is your tunnel portal? What do you allow for clearances on the sides? My snow shed is a 15"radius and I am making it 5" wide. Seems like it is wide enough when I put my micro logger in it.

I have a basic way of creating my clearances, I take the largest car/engine I plan to run on it, and then as I’m laying out foam run it back and forth until I’m reasonably sure it will clear, however sometimes that doesn’t work and outcome the razor knifes and hot tools to adjust the passageway, as long as I have a few mm of clearance I’m good.

#15

Keep arms inside of car at all times!

#16

OK then. Lol basically how I figured I would do it.

#17

Vic…how’s this coming along? I haven’t seen any updates lately? Have I missed something?

#18

Dbl post

#19

John Passaro said:

Vic…how’s this coming along? I haven’t seen any updates lately? Have I missed something?

Stalled, I am moving my workbench from the small room it’s in to our back bedroom which means boxing everything to be stored in the garage and the garage is already badly impacted with too much stuff. So work on the layout is on hold until we sort out the house. On the plus side last show I picked up a box full of large scale trees for cheap.

#20

Well I have to admit when I’ve screwed up, and I have screwed it up. I have to cry uncle and admit I made the curves on this way too tight, almost nothing will run on it without eventually derailing. On my previous pizzas the diameter of the circles was 21" at the centerline. This one is more like less than 19" maybe closer to 18", it make a massive difference on which cars/engines and how they move around it. So this one the track is going to have to be pulled up and try again, if I can get more track. I dont mind this Gargraves stuff but second time around if I use it, I’m going to remove 2/3s of the ties just for appearances. I’m also going to have to rework the foam so I can get 22" diameter onto it, 23" would be even better. Oh well, so it goes.