Drew's Feb. Layout Party - HO Sawmill

[Drew1125]

Well, I hope this isn’t going to be a problem, but I did already post some of this in my layout construction thread… But it is in the narrow gauge forum, & there isn’t a whole lot of traffic over there…
My chosen project for the “Layout Party” was to construct a small HO scale sawmill…this will be a departure for me for a couple of reasons…
*I’ve never modeled a sawmill, or logging theme before…
*Although I’ve modeled in HO scale before, it’s been a few years, so I’m having to get a feel for this scale all over again…
That said, let’s get the “party” started!
I had kitbashed a lumber mill kit previously for this project, but I just wasn’t quite satisfied with using it for the sawmill…I think I’ll have a better use for it elsewhere…
For the sawmill, I decided I wanted something small & “backwoodsy” looking…
I had this IHC Transfer Pier kit, that I thought might be a good starting point for me…
(The buildings shown here on the box cover are not included in the kit…it only includes the pier itself…

I cut pieces of the pier deck to form a floor roughly 60’ long, by 25’ wide…I cut the support posts to a height of about 4’, & used the excess post material, along with some strip styrene to make some roof supports…I used scrap pieces of the deck to make a platform for a log transfer track…

I airbrushed everything with a light coat of Floquil Engine Black…After that had dried, I airbrushed some light coats of Polly Scale Mud…I was trying to get a weathered timber look…

 

[Drew1125]

The next step was to construct some type of log transfer system…I need to preface this by saying that I now very little about sawmills, & logging in general…I’ve just kind of picked up a few things by looking at photos, & doing some reading…So if anybody is expecting any kind of prototypical accuracy, they’re probably not going to find much here…



I built this log transfer carriage from scrap box pieces…ingredients include HO ladder, N scale I-beams, 2 N scale auto chassis, & a couple of other bits & pieces…

Here’s a closer view…

The next step will be to make a steam plant to power the mill…I’m still toying with that one…picture to came later…

 

[RailRon]

Drew, just a plea: Could you please use the normal letter type, because for me those tiny letters are quite difficult to read. (Or do I have such an outdated monitor? )

Your sawmill model is coming along nicely. You did some ingenious scratchbashing, and I'm looking forward to see you do the rest of the sawmill machinery. I love those sawmills, but so far I never had the heart to try to build one! (So I banned logging altogether from my layout... )

Ron

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Great start Drew,
The log transfer table is aningenios idea. Looks great.

 

[Drew1125]

Thanks for the nice comments guys!

Drew, just a plea: Could you please use the normal letter type, because for me those tiny letters are quite difficult to read. (Or do I have such an outdated monitor? )...

Ron

Ron,
My sincerest apologies!! ops:
If anyone can understand the frustation of microscopic text, it's ME!! :curse:
What I do is type some of these up off-line on a Word document, & then paste them in (that way, it appears to my boss that I'm actualy doing some work! )...I also have zoom text on my computer, because of my poor eyesight, so what looks like small text on your computer is roughly the size of a billboard on mine!
I went back & did a little editing, so hopfully, that's better...?
Thanks for pointing out the goof...I'll try & avoid doing that in the future!

 

[Drew1125]

OK...here's the begining of the steam-powered saw...

Got pieces from an N scale oil refinery kit, an N scale steam engine, bits of styrene & sprue...
I know it's kinda crude looking, but it will be inside the sawmill, & won't show that much...& besides, it was free!

 

[Chessie6459]

Looks Great Drew.

 

[Glen Haasdyk]

looks really good, the transfer carrige using the auto chassis is really ingenius!

 

[N Gauger]

That's great!!

 

[TomPM]

Wow, Amazing! Can't wait to see more, Drew!

 

[Ralph]

Drew, excellent!!!! Nice weathered look onthe wood timbers and I love the way you created that carriage! Things are shaping up nicely!
Ralph

 

[N Gauger]

Mid Party (Bump)

 

[Drew1125]

Well, I FINALY did some work on the sawmill...
I've gotten side-tracked by too many other projects...(some RR, & some not)

I've gotten the steam plant done & in place...& now I've started on the roof...it's just cardstock at this stage...I'm planning on covering it with some corrugated metal...

I don't know if I'm gonna get it done in time or not, but I'm gonna try!

 

[ezdays]

Looking good my friend. :thumb: :thumb: Now that I'm finished with my party project, I'd send over some of my LGM to help, but unfortunately, they are all N scale and wouldn't be much help to you. stooges8

 

[Drew1125]

... I'd send over some of my LGM to help, but unfortunately, they are all N scale and wouldn't be much help to you. stooges8

Thanks Don! (Hey, what's a little scale difference between friends, huh? sign1 )

I got more of a close-up picture showing some more of the interior...

 

[Clerk]

mmmm. That foilage and landscape sure looks good also:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[N Gauger]

Looking Great So Far!!

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Looks great Drew.:thumb:
You'll be cutting boards in no time.

 

[TomPM]

Super job, Drew!:thumb: :thumb:

 

[Art67]

Great job, Drew! You are really doing a great job capturing the back woods ambience of your logging operation. I can almost smell the sawdust from here. Can't wait to see more. Stuart.