Added sawdust grass to the hill and building a shale-based tree using freshly processed reindeer lichen from Cheverie Mountain, NS. Trunks of the trees we're carefully painted.
Next item to work on is my scratchbuilt N-scale trestle based on an abandoned bridge near my home. The trestle is made from HO gauge brass rail.
Adjustments needed to fit the base.
BOK reassembled on my display table. Materials used to make the BOK Sub will have a small sign asking viewers to try and identify them on the mini layout. I am sure this will lead to enjoyable discussions.
There are three operating HO trains behind the BOK Sub - two are DCC. Some of the HO ore cars have the same loads as the N gauge hoppers so folks will see the particle size differences. In addition, there is a large O gauge hopper full of ore processed to O scale - again fun to see the size differences between the three scales.
The annual conference in Truro runs for three days with the public show on Saturday, 2 June. After the show, the BOK Sub will be modified with two switches leading to several other N-scale layouts, each being individually portable to take to shows, schools as educational tools, children's hospitals, libraries, and other venues. Love working with this scale.
Recap on what is in the hill: shale base, ceramic magnet, chopped beach grass, pieces of gypsum, dyed sawdust, sandstone topsoil, and glue.
The hill can be placed anywhere on the BOK Sub but if it is attached to a hidden magnet, it won't easily fall off if the kindling block is removed to show and tell.
Just picked up 25 free doors for my three-scale basement layouts.
Reindeer lichen tree cluster ready for the BOK Sub.
Working on more vegetation With processed reindeer lichen.
An unusual layout using an unusual benchwork, but who says we can´t go different ways to pursue our hobby?
It´s fun to watch it evolving! Keep them coming - those pictures!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Thanks Ulrich. I thrive on unusual.
Building a N-scale rustic farm shed is easy. First I draw the pieces on graph paper.
Coffee stir stick wood cut and glued in place on the graph paper.
Weight applied while the fast drying wood glue cures. This will keep all surfaces flat.
Cut timber lines with my striking knife. Roof doesn't need them.
I process sandstone from Cape Blomidon, NS into four particle-size grades for various applications in three scales. I use the finest powder with fast drying wood glue to make a paste that I apply to the structure's outside surfaces.
Sanded the walls, don't need to sand the roof.
Walls are cut to size.
Before painting the interior walls, most of the graph paper has to be sanded off.
Interior walls painted.
Glued walls together and the whole thing glued to paper for alignment and to hold the pieces upright. Made a bit more paste for the four outside edges.
I didn't put any glue along the centre edges of the roof so that it would snap open like this, with only the paper holding the two halves together.
I can still sand most of the paper off the roof to paint the inside without the two halves falling apart.
Paper was sanded off the bottom of the walls and urethane applied to their exteriors.
Once the roof has firmly bonded to the walls, I'll finish it with another layer of sandstone paste.
Once the roof dries I'll add some details.
All of my doors will be suspended from the rafters. Two turnbuckles are used for perfect levelling. 200 lb nylon rope (operating), metal rings and metal woodscrew eyelets. The door knob hole will be used for electrical cables and I have full storage space underneath (no wooden legs necessary).
The BOK Sub is now airborne and operational.