Mike: I have that book "Drills and Mills" too, a great book I like very much. Will keep an eye out for Mining Camps Speak, thanks. I have some old chemical engineering and mineral dressing handbooks that I've somehow come across over the years that has lots of process flow and equipment (yeah there must be something wrong with me :). The yahoo group reminds me of http://www.westernmininghistory.com which you might like.... Regards.
-E-C-MillsThe yahoo group reminds me of http://www.westernmininghistory.com which you might like....
Yes, that's the one. I'm on a moratorium for joining new groups until I get my diss done, but maybe will join after that.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
If you ever get these in the mail... Keep them. Pretty good stuff for model projects. They are some kind of coated paper board, about .030" thick. Almost like sheet styrene, but free!
Used these for the roof. Made bracing on the inside for the longer spans. Glued down with removable WS Scenic Accents Glue just in case I have to get back inside the building.
I did not model any of the rafters, just the end facia trim.
Probably somebody already figured this out but I never saw it written down anywhere. Here is how I cut the Campbell corrugated metal roofing material. I use these tools: a little hammer, a single edged razor blade, and this epoxy chem top counter top sample (a fairly tough solid surface).
I bought the 8' long Campbell Aluminum Corrugation material. Although officially (historically?), corrugated metal sheeting is about 2 feet wide, I cut them at 4 feet wide. To cut along the corrugations, slide the razor blade and rest in the corrugation at the mark. Then a tap or two on the hammer shears it off. A lot quicker and more square accurate than using an xacto knife.
To cut shorter lengths, I use a template to mark the piece square.
Then tap with the razor blade and hammer. Tape keeps the pieces from flying all over.
Complex shapes can easily be cut after test fitting with paper templates. Use the template to line up the blade. A tap or two and its cut.
The ridge cap is made from aluminum duct tape cut to a scale 12" width using the classic xacto knife and ruler. Use a straight edge to pre bend the peak. This will reveal 6" on each side of the roof peak. Its a bit tricky to install. You only get one shot because its real sticky. You also dont want to radically bend the piece or there will be a gnarly kink in it.
The corrugated metal is glued with WS Scenic Accents Glue.
-E-C-MillsIf you ever get these in the mail... Keep them.
What a nifty use of junk mail. I like free!!!!
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Hi E-C-Mills
WOW! thats brilliant you can allmost smell the chemicals used to seperate the gold from the ore.
Well it looks like a gold mine to me with those spiral thingies.
I can picture that with the gold squad paying a courtisy vist to check security or taking away some one who was dumb enough to try gold stealing.
Perhaps you should look for a second hand Jailbox car redecorated perhaps it could take the preciouse cargo to a secure vault some where??
Just my thoughts on a fantastic model
regards John
JaBear: After reading your comment I was thinking yes, free to you and me but, alas, nothing is free right? So here we have model parts courtesy of those who pay the bank! But in the end, its waste not want not :)
John: I really didnt think about how to haul the precious metal out! Probably going to need some armed guards! That might make an interesting scene to model for WPF: guys loading a strong box with guards. The Mayflour (SG) Mill in Silverton did have what they called the gold room. It was a secured area separate from the rest of the mill. It was where they used mercury to amalgamate the gold out of the concentrate, then cast the gold into bars. I also have a gold room in my model (its through the door off to the side of the deister table) but I did not detail the interior there.
Regards,
eric
And now, more scenery work. The building will be mounted to the cardboard profiles which is secured to the rest of the carboard and wood frame network using adhesive caulk. To keep things aligned and level, I carefully measured and cut the cardboard using a straight edge and utility knife. The bridging structure was necessary to access the wires to the building.
I cover the profiles with masking tape.
Since space is fairly constriced here, I did not use any rock molds on this section.
Colors and texture: I have been using old Color-Rite paint pigments my dad bought back in the 1970s. Also, slate grey and black from Woodland Scenics. Been experimenting and nothing really comes out the same! Kind of settled on the recipe recommended by WS: 1) slate grey, 2) raw sienna, 3) burnt sienna, 4) burnt umber, 5) black.
All my dirt and rip rap comes from recovered plaster which has set. I had been breaking and grinding it up using a chisel and muffin tin. But I recently bought this mortar and pestle which is much easier. You can sift out the larger chunks for boulders if desired. I color the dirt in the mortar using the same pigments. Nothing ever comes out the same twice. Which might be a good thing. I dont know.
Finally set the mine / mill complex!
Not too terribly far off in shape and design
Utah Copper Company Mill, Utah
Bi-Metallic Mill, Montana
Spiral classifier and ball mill, Mayflour (SG) mill Silverton CO.
http://www.westernmininghistory.com/special/stamp+mills/4948/
My micro version of "The Palisades"
Inspiration found here:
http://www.narrowgauge.org/ngc/graphics/tkierscey/dspp/dspp0022.jpg
Plaster rock castings placed and blended in ready for color.
A buck watches over his doe unphased by a rumbling train overhead. Colors and ground cover in. Waiting for trees to grow. Experimenting with lighting and camera settings.
Just read the whole thread beginning to end. Simply superb!! You have great modeling skills. Have fun!
Thanks Santa Fe all the way. I appreciate the kind words. Contributing to the forum helps keep me motivated!
Welded pipe railing was cut from Central Valley Fencing. I test fit and cut to size for the model. Sanded evenly.
For some reason, I seem to like photos of stuff clamped, how things are built.
I set the railings upside down, positioned, and held with my metal and trophy squares. Glued the bottom 2 rails with CA (or from top down in the photo). After the CA set, flip the rails back up and glue the top rail. Do this so you dont glue the delicate railing to the glass.
A couple of miners enjoy the view while waiting for the elevator to take them down to work. Here is the railing installed and completed ground cover on this side of the building.
Its going to be a grocery store. Here we are making the roof out of advert cardstock.
Making the road to Chrysolite Metals out of 30 year old mat board.
And filling in with "Redi-Spack-Lite" after a sealing coat of varnish.
Former D&S standard gauge 2-8-0, recently purchased by the GPM&C, pushes newly acquired flat cars and a caboose over the peak.
Eric,
Just catching up with things. The mill is coming along impressively, as are several other aspects of your stunning, yet compact layout.
Thank you kindly Mike! By the way, in that last shot, the background panaramic photo of the Wilsons range has Lizard Head peak, but its hidden behind the forground mountain. I took the photo several years ago, northwesterly of Durango Mountain Resort. I messed around trying to make it show up in the photo but it didnt look right having the background mountains so high up in the photo. Anyways, thought you of all people might appreciate that, being so familiar with the area. That spot is a beautiful view.
Regards, Eric
A shot of how the interior was made for Ralston's Grocery Store made from DPMs Roberts Dry Goods. LEDs installed. The Ralstons Grocery sign was made in word. That and the other artwork was ink jet printed on photo paper.
Ready for install. The poeple that live upstairs got a Marylin Monroe poster from the future.
The interior cardstock was a bit delicate. I'm going to make the next interior a little more stout.
This is a handy large compass with a hobby knife for making curves. The street is made from garage sale signs.
Here is the last of the street base installed. The main concrete color is Rustoleum fine textured sandstone dusted with some HomeShades grey primer and a little Valspar flat black.
Building Nina's Cafe. Here's the interior plan; a simple kitchen on the main floor, and three apartments sharing a bathroom on the second floor. Also, black and white tile flooring which was printed on photo paper.
Airbrushed the brick using a Badger Patriot airbrush which I am very pleased with. The recipe was 80% Model Master tan, 5% Model Master sand, and 15% DI water. I attempted to mask off the trim. I then airbrushed Polly Scale light blue.
The masking tape took some of the paint off which had to be retouched by hand. The rest of the trim was hand painted. Random bricks were hand painted various shades of tan lightened (with sand) and darkend (with black and red). Getting ready to paint some selected seated Model Power figures and standing Preiser figures. Putting together the Preiser tables and chairs.
Have not looked in for a while.
Wow!! you have been busy and quality stuff to.
Uhm just when do you find time to earn a living?? some of that must take ages to do.
The new cafe looks great. I always have a soft spot for buildings with the entrance at one corner.
Last of the glazing going in. I'm really liking using Testors Clear Parts Cement & Window Maker. Just lay the window material where you want it, dab the cement at the edges, and the cement wicks in. It dries clear so if you over do it, no worries. Also, here, the cafe people are primed and ready for hand painting.
Building Nina's Other Corner Cafe by Eric Miller, on Flickr
I pulled out just about every one of the good paints I have in my "collection" for painting the cook, waitress, and customers for Nina's Cafe. I Followed the articles by Sam Swanson, "Modifying and Painting Figures", Model Railroader, Dec, 2005, and particularly, David Popp, "Figure Painting 101", Model Railroader, Sep, 2009. These gave me some direction to try painting figures for the first time myself.
Nina's People by Eric Miller, on Flickr
Hello Ladies by Eric Miller, on Flickr