Jacq's Logging Project Discussion

[lab-dad]

Oh man, I dont envy you right now!
My thoughts & prayers are with you!
-Mj

[RoughboyModelworks]

Very impressive Jacq... I'd be scared stiff at this point, but I'm sure, given all your abilities, prep work and tests, you'll succeed with the pour. Looking forward to seeing how it comes out...

Paul

[jacq01]

  The tests with the cement didn't give satisfactory results. It looks very good, but is too vulnarable to chipping.
  Modeling plaster worked out ok.
  Discussing it with a good friend who is an orthodontist, he suggested dental plaster and dropped in a box with some 4 lbs this morning.
  I just finished some small test pieces to find out the best mix plaster/distilled water.
  This stuff can be mixed by hand( stirring for 45 sec.) runs like thin youghurt, pours very easily and when dry will be rock hard.
  Demoulding is approx 30 min. but my fiend suggests to let it cure for a couple of days. So it will be one of the first surprises of 2010.

  Jacq

[TRAINS1941]

Oh man, I dont envy you right now!
My thoughts & prayers are with you!
-Mj

Jacq

I'm with MJ on this one all the way.  But knowing you I'm sure you will suceed in this part of the build.
Really looking forward to see this come about soon.

Jerry

[jacq01]

  I am not dissapointed with the results. There are a number of area's that need rework / repair but in general it came out satisfactory.
  A quick wash with dirty nafta showed good detailing. Further colouring will be done when all is completely dry. One of the biggest problems was the setting time of the dental plaster, as several pours were needed and the water/plaster mix was difficult to control. In total 3.5 lbs of plaster dissappeared in the gap.







Edge of top parapet needs rework and will have a chamfer of 6"x 45 on top and bottom.



This is the only part where the casting turned out bad. it will be sanded and a new part will be cast in place.



 

details of visible wall on the down river side.

As the moisture ist still too high, it might take some days to dry completely, it is not possible to start colouring.  I can't wait....

Jacq

[RoughboyModelworks]

Jacq:

Yes, I would say it is very satisfactory. It looks great and I expect will look even better once you finish your coloring and touch ups. Well done, we are all breathing a sigh of relief now... 

Paul

[mobilgas]

Jacq,      looks good....waiting to see how you will do the weathering.      Craig

[David King]

Wow, that's impressive.  My attempts at plaster casting have usually failed and I've never attempting anything nearly as complex as this.  This whole thread is full of amazing modeling.

David, (the wide-eyed new guy)

[Ray Dunakin]

Looks great so far!

[finescalerr]

Not bad, Jacq. -- Russ

[marc_reusser]

I think it came out pretty damn good.

Though not thrilled too with the brown colored wash...but will withhold being judgemental untill you have finished all your coloring.

You are a brave soul....that small arced piece near the front edge just gives me the heebie-jeebies....looks like a chip area waiting to happen during transport or display. 


MR

[jacq01]

 

Though not thrilled too with the brown colored wash

Nor am I ....

  The wash I applied was just dirty nafta having the faintest color as in my impatience I wanted to see some details..  
  Comparing some other castings and test pieces, it turned out that the brownish color is from the red cedar planks I used for the mould.
  This surprised me as I applied a ( not qualifying for quality) coat of enamel paint over the planks to make demoulding easy.
  I discovered it is possible to rectify it with extra color washes.

 

 

  right test part  out of a red cedar lined mould. Notice colored residue/bleeding from the timber.
  left  test part colored with a wash of nafta and no1 humbrol primer.

As soon as the plaster of the dam is fully dry, coloring can start seriously.

Presently checking the granite underground around the dam and mill on photo's, to get some references in my search for some representable pieces of rock in a local garden centre. From these I make the basic latex moulds for the initial casting.  I'll try to keep a record of following steps for an SBS,  when there is interest.

Jacq

 

 

[jacq01]

  The plaster of the dam, including repaired sections are now fully dry and landscape form of the mill module is all in place. Rocky outcrops and boulders will go in tonight. When these are done I'll start coloring the concrete and rest of landscape castings.
Roadbed for the railway is ready for track laying. I have decided to put in ME On30 track instead of spiking my own. The track looks very good with scale size spikes at every tie and when painted and covered by the ballasting material, it will be hardly visible, looking at reference photo's.

Nearly forgot to take photo's in this stage   

As I am planning already the 2nd and 3rd modules, I am pondering about the logdump track along the waterside.
At Sugarpine the 2 tracks are both on a bankement cut out in the slope of the valley side.
at Hume lake the dumping track is on a tresle and the other track on the shore.

Both of them are attractive arrangements.
As the diorama is based on the Mumby photo, I plan to add a short line so a little more traffic can be shown during exhibitions.
The dumping track will have a gauntlet track as the loco's have to clear the brow at the logdump. The bunks of the logging cars ride over the brow to prevent tipping when the logs are unloaded.

I recieved from Marc already several photo's showing lopdumps. It makes it only more difficult.  Suggestions are welcome.

Jacq

[jacq01]

  Scrutinizing unloading systems, there are a couple that appeal to me.

  1 like the Madera Sugarpine.                        structure with ginpole principle cable set up and steam winch on hill side
  2 like the Pino Grande                                 single gin pole with donkey with winch on the hill side
  3 like the Westside Lumber  and Brooking       the line on a rolley between 2 posts and the winch on an island/boat i the pond
  4 like Hume-Bennett                                   A frame with rigged as gin pole and donkey with winch on tresle.

  I have worked out a remote controlled operating gin pole type rigging system and am wondering what would the most interesting set up.

  2 and 4 will work without any problems as the base is rigid and cables in rest will clear the railprofile
  3 is depending on the stretch of the steel cable I have when hauling in the gin line.
  1 will be difficult due to the low top pullies over the brow.

  This is most probably closely linked to the decision to go for a tresle or not..... There is no clear line in this as there appear as many unloading systems as there are logponds...

A second question is abourt switch stands. Were clearly visible switch stands ( with/without light) used often on short lines?

  Jacq

 
 

[jacq01]

  quick update of dam.

 

  inside dam with test piece of landscape.  This is a quick rocky plaster casting made to suit with loose dirt and some green flocking material.
  Aim was to see how landscape and dam color fit together. Definite green material will go in place when landscape base is finished.

 
 
   small dam piece a module edge is a new cast part after removing the bad part.

   

    another view without the bridge and logjack test parts.

    More photo's will follow when camera batteries are charged     I hope with daylight to give a better view of the colors.

    The upstream side still needs to be finished.  Template to saw polycarb or acryl sheet and painted pruissina blue/ van dijck brown on the underside in place.  Coloring of dam showed blotchy spots due to uneven stirred casting mass. This amount together with the large cavity should have been prepared in one shot and stirred with a proffesional vacuum mixing machine.

   Jacq