Found this bird feeder at a garage sale for $2.00, little paint and some props and had a small train stop with 4 businesses in it. Added chicken grit ( crushed granite ) to the base for weight and looks. It was built by Artline and is labeled as " 6280 wild west bird feeder" and the last I know of it was sold by QVC but don't think it is in production any longer. I've seen several buildings on eBay claiming to be Pola or some other brand but it's hard to hide the holes in the roof that the hanger strings go through and the trough at the bottom for the bird seed. Northern States makes a line of building bird feeders in their village collection, small but very well detailed w/colors and sometimes you can find them on sale. I call this spot Bird Feeder Junction and caught up with it when the crew from ORF company stopped for hair cuts and ammo. Good luck hunting, Bill
Excellent conversion job.
In years past I did much the same, but not nearly as good a paint job as you have done. Some of the small fixes I used:"String holes in the roof" use the spars that hold the small parts in a plastic kit and make 'small smoke stacks'. "Feed trough" use craft store stip wood to build up a wooden sidewalk.
Tom Trigg
That bird feeder building looks great. Using items like that feeder and bird houses are a good way to get buildings up quick on the RR. I like that engine in the photo, is it a kalamazoo that you detailed and weathered?
CapeCodTodd That bird feeder building looks great. Using items like that feeder and bird houses are a good way to get buildings up quick on the RR. I like that engine in the photo, is it a kalamazoo that you detailed and weathered?
No it is a LGB stainz 2020 that I changed into a wood burning Forney, about a month ago i did a piece on it in the forum about it, titled 0-4-4 Forney Kitbashed from 2020 stainz, also did one just before it on a 2-4-0 from same origins, like smaller old time engines and biggest I have is a 2-6-2 paririe that I did a bit on a week ago. Thanks for the kind comments, Bill
Thanks again for you good comment, and after your comment on the vice of the logging/work caboose I noticed that the color matched the crate too well and it was hard to see the vice so I added a little gray to it and then thought it just looks like a work caboose and nothing to do with logging so last night I made a cross buck saw for it, hope you enjoy. Down here in Florida wood doesn't do too well out in the weather. If tried all types of paints and coverings but still time takes it's toll. When I did my water tower I even ripped some Lowes PVC lumber for the stand just so I didn't have to worry about rot and mildue. But I love styrene, to plug the holes I use Testors putty kind of like car bondo for models, Bill
Bill,
More inspiring work. Thanks for all these leads on "non-traditional" sources for buildings. It has really expanded my eyes of where to look and what to look for!
Aloha,
Eric
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