Odd Manufacturing

Started by Random, April 05, 2019, 04:21:49 PM

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Random

This structure has taken a back seat to another project but I finally got the window glazing and shades installed.  I want to add signage before I assemble the structure.   



The glazing is plastic, scavenged from old Magnuson kits and the shades are pastel paper.  The bits of colored paper are a little touch I noticed in some of George's structures.  It adds a little life to them.

Cheers

Roger Hines

Is 5 layouts too many?  Yes, it is.   

Focussing on the 1941 Boston-ish layout and pondering a mid-70s D&H switching layout.  There are still a lot of airplanes and spaceships in the closet and who knows what else might pop up.

MAP

Mark

Dennis Bourey

Beautiful job!!!!!!!!!  Dennis
Dennis Bourey
dpbourey@comcast.net

Lake's Region RR
(Happy Modeling)

postalkarl

Hey Roger:

Beautiful job on the wall. Can't wait to see what sign you use as I am A sign freak.

Karl

Random

Odd manufacturing made it to the top of the queue this week. 

I rechecked the fit for the oddly shaped lot next to the curving tracks to finalize the shape, got out the gel superglue, and went to work assembling the structure.  This side will face the tracks.




From above you can see the general shape.   I added a stripwood lip inside the walls to support the roof.




The roof is cut from chipboard and reinforced with fairly heavy stripwood.




I added a temporary handle to the roof to make it easier to remove while working.




I finally settled on a name.  The name is the combination of three old typewriter manufacturers, two English and one from the New England area.  So now we know what old ODD manufacturers.  I cut a stencil and painted the sign in black.




After allowing the black to dry I positioned the stencil slightly up and right from the original location and stenciled in white.




And that gives a nice drop shadow to the letters.  Those Os still need a little touch up.




And here is the finished wall.   The other large wall has the same sign.




Somewhere in the process I went back and painted the trim bricks green.




The building needed a foundation to raise the freight doors up to loading dock height.  I found an old foam retaining wall casting in my supplies, cut it into strips, and then arranged it to fit the building.




The wall facing the green building was from a different kit and came up a bit short.  I filled the gap at the base with a bit of balsa.  Once painted and hidden by scenery the patch will be invisible.




The foundation wall fits the look pretty well.




Here is the assembled building with foundation.  This is the side that faces away from the tracks.




For the roof access structure I wanted to simulate glass block.  After several experiments I settled on these windows cut with my Cricut cutting machine.  I used the machine to score the pattern.  This material is brittle and easily snapped along the score lines to make individual windows.




I also used the Cricut to cut the main walls for the roof structure from chipboard.  I primed the core and then added additional details from stripwood and card.




At the moment I am working on several augments for the building.  The roof structure is drying so that it can be painted and the windows installed.  I also started working on an appropriately oddly shaped loading dock.




I also cut and stained parts for the loading dock legs and a second dock.




At the moment the workbench is covered in drying products.  I am considering another augment to dress up the narrow wall with the freight and personal door.  Perhaps something that looks more like an office entrance.  We'll see.  Also, as a last step this structure will get a heavy vine treatment to cover up the corner seams that didn't meet cleanly.

Cheers.




Roger Hines

Is 5 layouts too many?  Yes, it is.   

Focussing on the 1941 Boston-ish layout and pondering a mid-70s D&H switching layout.  There are still a lot of airplanes and spaceships in the closet and who knows what else might pop up.

hairball

#20
That's a pretty serious amount of windows to dress up, but looks really good.

Question on the sign , how did you make the sign STENCIL .

its not something I have ever done and do not think I ever saw anybody make one.  I always purchased lettra-set stick on letters in various fonts. Either applied directly to a structure or on paper bag painted background.

One problem you have to sort is the bricks meeting together in the corners.  Going back to our roots take notice of what George would do to brick structures or tall plastic ones.   The joints he would use thin cardstock in whats called COINING  or Quoining  ? and lap it over the joints and paint to look like staggered stone. ???  Just a thought

thanks mike.............HAIRBALL

Mark Dalrymple

Looking good Rodger - in an odd sort of way! ;D

Cheers, Mark.

Random

I designed the sign in Affinity Designer and then saved that as a vector file.  I then took file over to Cricut design space and cut it with my Cricut Maker. 

I planked the loading docks and let them dry over night.  This is the larger dock.




With the odd shape the deck planking overhangs the framing.




I trimmed the planks by flipping the deck over and using a single edged razor blade.  I collected and saved the trimmings so that I can toss a few around the base of the dock. 




Here is a quick test fit showing how the large deck will attach to the building.  The planking will sit on the foundation wall.




I laid out the spacing for the outer legs on some graph paper.   Then I covered it with waxed paper and glued the legs down with a drop of glue at each end.  I'll let these dry over night and then add angled bracing.




Cheers.
Roger Hines

Is 5 layouts too many?  Yes, it is.   

Focussing on the 1941 Boston-ish layout and pondering a mid-70s D&H switching layout.  There are still a lot of airplanes and spaceships in the closet and who knows what else might pop up.

hairball

thanks for the answer on the sign making .

But you forgot to say unless your a graphic designer and using this programming that's not inexpensive as the CRICUT MAKER lists north of $400 at wallmart when I googled what it was and that was one of the places selling it.  This is specialized programming and tool most 98% of us would not own. ??????????

Think will stick to stick on letters .

mike lynch........HAIRBALL

Random

Mike

I'm not a graphic designer.   The software I use was about $40 on sale.  Its been a bit of a learning curve but it gives me access to more fonts and features.  You could design a basic sign in the software that comes with the cutting machines.  You'd just have access to fewer fonts.  Although that may not be true with all of the models.  There are several makers. 

As to the machine, I chose the Cricut Maker because of the Knife Blade option.  Its essentially a computer driven #11 X-acto blade that will cut chipboard up to 2mm thick and also 1/16 inch basswood.  You don't use this blade to cut stencils.  The less expensive machines can do the job with the standard cutting blade.  That being said, if you don't make enough signs the investment isn't worth it. 

I use my machine to cut stencils for painted signs, cut lettering from card for 3-D signs, and cut walls for structures.   I suspect I'll find other jobs for it in the future.

I still swing an x-acto knife and a single edged razor blade when appropriate.  For instance, I added diagonal bracing to the platform supports this morning.






Cheers.
Roger Hines

Is 5 layouts too many?  Yes, it is.   

Focussing on the 1941 Boston-ish layout and pondering a mid-70s D&H switching layout.  There are still a lot of airplanes and spaceships in the closet and who knows what else might pop up.

Random

I made a little progress on the loading docks.   This is all a bit tedious but I don't know a faster way.  I wouldn't be surprised if there is one though.




On the subject of the cutting machines, my first was a Brother Scan N Cut that I got for free when a relative bought a new machine.  It can handle lighter card and stencil film with no problem.  In fact, the stencils for the Leroy's Grill build were cut on that machine.  The scan N cut is interesting because you can feed it a printed image and it will translate that into a cutting design so you don't have to design in software.  It can be a bit fiddly though. The image needs to have very smooth edges or it will pick up "jitter". 

All of these machines have some kind of design software, usually online, that will let you make designs.  In my experience they have a limited font selection but for basic signs they can do a nice job.

If you're interested in one ask around your friends and family.  Someone may be getting a new machine this holiday season and have an old one they would give away or sell cheep.  Or heck, just borrow cutting time on theirs. 


Cheers!

PS.  Thanks Mark.  Didn't mean to ignore you.
Roger Hines

Is 5 layouts too many?  Yes, it is.   

Focussing on the 1941 Boston-ish layout and pondering a mid-70s D&H switching layout.  There are still a lot of airplanes and spaceships in the closet and who knows what else might pop up.

Mark Dalrymple

#26
Roger - typically decks have decking on joists on bearers on posts.  Each of the first three also typically runs at right angles to the one above, meaning the decking and bearers are parallel.  The bearers bear the weight of the joists and so you can span much further between the posts.  For example on your square deck above I would expect to see 9 posts.  A general formula for span is 1 foot for every inch of thickness - so if you used 8x2's for joists and 10x2's for bearers the bearers could be 8 feet apart and the posts 10 feet.  I'm sure this would save a bit of time.  Not saying you should change anything - but I'm sure you'll be building more decks in the future.

Cheers, Mark.

Random

Mark

You know, I know better.   I'm not sure what I was thinking when I started the legs.  Designing shouldn't be done when you're tired I guess.

Thanks

Roger Hines

Is 5 layouts too many?  Yes, it is.   

Focussing on the 1941 Boston-ish layout and pondering a mid-70s D&H switching layout.  There are still a lot of airplanes and spaceships in the closet and who knows what else might pop up.

postalkarl

Hey Mark:

the platforms are coming together and look great so far.

Karl

Random

I finished attaching the odd legs on the odd platforms.    I also finished assembling the roof access structure.  Its is made from card and the custom windows.




I also designed and cut a new stencil and painted a sign on the station end of the building.  This kind of sign looks so much nicer painted directly on the wall.




I'm still debating an addition on that left angled section that looks more like an office entrance and would cover the two doors.   

Cheers.

Roger Hines

Is 5 layouts too many?  Yes, it is.   

Focussing on the 1941 Boston-ish layout and pondering a mid-70s D&H switching layout.  There are still a lot of airplanes and spaceships in the closet and who knows what else might pop up.

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