feedback on scratch built small mine

C

Chad

New Member
Dec 19, 2006
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Cumming, GA, USA
I had some spare time this weekend and built a shack and a winch tower. I think it looks "okay" but the shack is missing a chimney. It's supposed to be 16x16 scale feet, it just looks too big to me. :rolleyes:

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Chad It's supposed to be 16x16 scale feet said:
I think you are running into the same problem I've recently come to realize - the wood is not scaled correctly. This past weekend I was at Hobby Town to get some scaled wood for a N Scale fence I want to build. I want the fence boards to be about {scale} 6" wide (and 3/4" thick). The smallest basswood strips I could find were scaled to be 4" by 4"...and they are tiny tiny tiny. I'll end up using them but it is the same as building a fence in your backyard and using 4"x4" post as the fence boards themselves. I think part of what is making it look too big is that the roof boards are too thick. Its hard to tell by the photo but I'd guess the scale to be about 12". That would be like having a shed with roof boards 1 foot thick. Get an N scale ruler and check it out if you can (http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/ctt/ctt9160.htm) and see what it scales out to be.

Randy
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Yeah all the beams are about 2mm thick, so that's about a foot, ok for the beams but not the roof. Maybe I should use posterboard or cerial box cardboard?

How do people simulate a tin roof?
 
well, I'm kinda new to this scratchbuilding stuff so I've been doing a lot of lurking here and other places so take what I say with that knowledge...I've seen cereal box used. You could cut it to the correct size. The downside is that the box, itself, does not look like wood so using it by itself may not result in a completed wood-like look.

I've seen roofs made by using paper bag or aluminium foil - both with very nice results.

Randy
 
Chad said:
I had some spare time this weekend and built a shack and a winch tower. I think it looks "okay" but the shack is missing a chimney.
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Looks good and it seems that you've done the best of your spare time.
It's always fun to make something from scratch :)
As said in previous answers, I also believe the size of the timber is a little bit to wide.
 
Chad said:
How do people simulate a tin roof?
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You can buy corrugated tin sheets in HO, don't know about N scale. I've also seen folks use ribbon cable from scrapped computers to model corrugated tin.

As for cardboard, check out this site. I've used his technique to age plastic, don't know why it wouldn't work on cardboard if you sealed it first.
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/weathered_plastic
Doc
 
Chad;
I would try using thinner material such as carboard for the roofs, then for a tar paper look, buy a sheet of wet/dry sandpaper (black) in a fine grade (1200 to 2000 grit from auto parts store) cut to size and glue it to cardboard, then weather it.
For a corrogated material wrap tin foil around the threads of a bolt, carefully flatten out and cut to look like panels, glue to card board and weather. You can tear a corner, bend a corner, punch a hole in it to look rustic. You can also soak tin foil in vinegar for a few days to seriously etch it and eat away at the edges. After weathering either of these give it a shoot of Testor's Dull Cote to take any shine off.
George
 
RC BOAT said:
For a corrogated material wrap tin foil around the threads of a bolt, carefully flatten out and cut to look like panels, glue to card board and weather. You can tear a corner, bend a corner, punch a hole in it to look rustic. You can also soak tin foil in vinegar for a few days to seriously etch it and eat away at the edges.
George
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Question - I been soaking some foil (reynolds aluminum foil) in vinegar for several days now and all I have is wet foil. What could I be doing different (wrong) from your comment above?

Thanks,
Randy
 
RC BOAT said:
Randy;
It worked for me, try setting it in the sun to warm it up, just don't let it dry out. The acid in the vinegar should react with it.
George
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Thanks George. I'll try the sun. I've already put a lid on the container because the wife and kids were complaining about the smell in the kitchen.

Randy
 
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