Yes, the mine track is Gn15.
Before I can go any further with the building, I need to create the interior details. These will determine the locations of smokejacks, etc. I’m starting with the largest and most important item, the generator. This will be a “good enough” model – something that will look good when seen through the windows – rather than a precise scale model. I’m basing it on this diesel generator I photographed at the Diamond Tunnel mine in Eureka, NV:
I began by building up the “core” shape of the engine, using layers of 6mm and 3mm Sintra:
A piece of 6mm Sintra was added at one end:
I decided that the rectangular openings on the sides were a bit too small, so I cut a little off the top and one end to make the openings larger. The rounded top of the engine was made using a section cut from a 1" styrene tube:
Then the sides were laminated with .020" styrene sheet. The styrene wrinkled slightly in a few places when the glue dried, so I filled in those spots with Squadron white putty and sanded it smooth:
Next I added the arched extension at one end of the top of the engine. I also cut and sanded the top of the engine so that one side has a flat, angled surface, as on the prototype:
The next step is adding the various shapes that protrude from the “core”. I began with the piece seen in these two photos:
And that’s where it stands for now. More later!
I am willing to bet that your “good enough” model will be better than most of us can do :-). Should be fun to watch!
Another masterpiece in the making. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)
Dammit Ray your making me very jealous again! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)May I suggest for the generator motor maybe if you can find the plastic motor from inside an old Aristo FA1, that’s what first came to my mind when I saw your photograph.
Naw, what he will build will look, does look, so much better.
Hell, David, Ray will have a start button and the thing will probably run, or at least put a smoke generator in there to make it look like its running. As Always Ray your attention to detail amazes all of us, and look forward to more work and pictures
Not only will he model the engine … he will also model all the trash and junk on the floor , along with the insulation hanging down on the walls…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Love the corrugated metal, quite psychedelic.
Devon Sinsley said:
Love the corrugated metal, quite psychedelic.
Like cool man.
Hey, let me hit that.
Put a small vibrator motor/weight in it so the whole building shakes when the generator is working … well as long as we’re tossing idears!
Sean McGillicuddy said:
Not only will he model the engine … he will also model all the trash and junk on the floor , along with the insulation hanging down on the walls…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Disappointed you missed the sleeman’s honey brown lager bottle
First off the building in Brass sheetinglooks wildy cool brass colored, but no way you would leave it that way. Reading on how you scribed the brass into coougated, is it necessarry to do both sides of the brass? Does it help it to hold its new shape better after doing both sides? And do you heat treat it after you make it corrugated to help it hold its shape bettter, or is it work hardened enough on its own? Sorry for all the late questions, and thanks Ray for showing it to us all.
Pete, the brass will definitely be painted. When I’m done with it, it’ll look like weathered, galvanized steel.
I do scribe both sides of the brass. It makes the corrugations look better. Maybe lasts longer too but I can’t say for sure. I heat the flat brass sheets prior to scribing it – this softens the brass. Brass becomes “work hardened”, so scribing it does tend to re-harden it.
BTW, when I glue them down with Dynaflex 230, I completely fill the corrugations. I figure that when the Dynaflex cures, it will provide some support to help prevent the corrugations being crushed if the structure is handled or bumped, etc.
I’ve made a little more progress on the diesel engine…
This part was made from a piece of 6mm Sintra mounted on a sheet of .020" thick styrene. The bolt heads were made from thin slices of hexagon rod:
The plastic “pupils” from a set of cheap googly-eyes was just the right size for the disks on the side of the engine block:
At this point I realized that I had made a mistake when I added the arch at the top of the engine. There is supposed to be an overhanging extension at the front of the engine block, with the arch on top of that. So I added the overhang, then extended the front of the arch, and cut some off the rear of the arch. Here’s how it all looks so far:
There are twenty small covers, plus ten large covers, on the engine, that look sort of like cookie jar lids. I’ve been trying to find an easy way to make them. Here’s my first attempt. I think I’m on the right track, but this one is pretty rough. I’m going to try making another one, and if it turns out good enough, I’ll try making a silicone mold and casting the rest of them:
That’s all for now. Enjoy!
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I’m holding off on those covers for now, and doing something more fun. I started building up the thing that sticks out the front of the engine at the top. It’s made of layers of Sintra with some styrene details:
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How does he do it ???(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
Sean McGillicuddy said:
How does he do it ???(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
Smoke & Mirrors!
Sean McGillicuddy said:
How does he do it ???(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
main point will be, that he’s not in a hurry.
Sean McGillicuddy said:
How does he do it ???(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
He has a tree full of magical elves.