Jacq's Logging Project Discussion

[jacq01]

As the layout is progressing fast, I have to live with the lighting till the H0 layout will be on it's way to Lappland the first week of September.
With the amount of final idea's in my mind and some material to proceed, I often forget or do not give myself the time, to prepare for making correct  photo's.  and just shoot freehand 

to show the progress, here some quick and dirty shots of the wooding up area and the new watertank.






A loading area has been built for the wood fire engines, after some photo's of the Pino Grande.
This area first was reserved for a small engine shed and it turned out a lot more interesting showing the rows of cordwood instead of another timber structure.  This area definitely offers some nice possibilities to capture typical logging scenes.






A new smaller watertank has been built to replace the large one seen in the earlier photo's. The large tank was built around the size of the backwoods tank by Rusty Stumps. The new one is a lot smaller and is not as dominating as the larger one was.



A first glimp of the workshop with full interior..... more to follow.....
Still no landscaping material, so the trees, shrubs and grass cannot be finished.

If there is interest, I'll show details of the various DCC control - and lighting systems.

Jacq

[chester]

I'll have to agree that the area is ripe for development. Nice landing. The donkey looks right at home. Always interested in seeing interior stuff too Jacq. And of course your very fussy hands and eyes are evident.  Thanks for the update photos.

[jacq01]

A bit more work done:





The other side of the diorama is taken up by the repairshop. This shop will be with full interior und cut open along the module's edge to give a possibility to look inside.
Outside there will be a couple of donkeys being prepared for the woods or under repair.





This is a large Willamette loader DE1000 by CHB. The 52' sled is under construction. This is exquisite !!
Pity the casting of the hoodhinge was not complete. I will add a dummy made from polysterene.

Work is progressing again at full speed. The last month I was for the first time in my life affected by hayfever.
According to the doctor I am allergic for wood..... Can you imagine... while building a sawmill 

Jacq

[finescalerr]

Maybe you are actually allergic to sawmills .... -- ssuR

[Chuck Doan]

I like that cutaway design a lot!

Charlie's donkeys are unmatched in quality and detail. Nice job! My hinges too broke off...I still need to figure out a fix.

Actually sawdust can be harmfull in quantity...better put the roof on that thing!

[danpickard]

Jacq,
What I really like about this developing layout (apart from the great modelling efforts), is the story points being created along the way.  The open sided buildings gives that "museum" impression, disected for educational purposes of the viewers.  With such a long layout as well, its going to work well with crowd control, spreading peoples interest along the scene.  It shouldn't be hard for the punters to learn a bit about "ol' time logging operations" with this display. 

Are you going to include a display of historic images of this type of operation?  When we did a similar thing with our Dolly Varden display, and the feedback was good.  Viewers would look at the model and comment, saying "surely it wasn't really like that", and then they could read the history, view the original images, and politely retract their original comments.  I think it also gave them a greater appreciation of not just the modelling, but living and working conditions of the era as well.

Nice...as usual.

Cheers,
Dan

[jacq01]

  Dan,

  to give the public an idea of the background of the diorama, I plan to use 3 digital photo frames, with a memory so I can use powerpoint presentations, covering historic material around the workshop,the log pond and log dump and the sawmill with it's details.
The biggest difficulty will be the copywright and written approval to use material as it will be on display in public events.

Now that the diorama is only covering the essentials around the receiving end of the logging cycle, it is easier to concentrate on an overal concept of the diorama and the finer details.

The first plan, including a condensed village based on Mumby, looked good on paper.
Building it in 1:48 turned out a complete different piece of cake with a large loss of perspective and scale effect. The needed condensing factor turned out ridiculous.  With a distance from the dam to the repairshop of only 100m it becomes clear that including the village according to the plan will create a caricature, a disneyland effect, which will  only show building skills together with a lack of understanding scale relations.
There were 2 options.
No repairshop with associated machines, tools etc and trying to squeeze a believable village in an area of 50'0" (15,00m) x 320'0" ( 100,00m)
or create a coherent set up of the area around the logpond 
I choose for the presentation the second option, showing area around the pond with the mill and supporting buildings, on one side and the repairshop on the other side with the track into the woods.  This set up tells a story............

Jacq

[danpickard]

Great reasoning for limiting the modelling field.  Save the village for the next one...

Maybe Marc has a few images deep within his file that are suitable for public exhibition, and used with his permission (you might have to dish out a few more complimants on his modelling though) 

Dan

[jacq01]

  A little update.

  Basic landscaping on all modules is finished. Now the fun starts. with grass, bushes, undergrowth, bark between the timbers of the rolway, detailing along the waterside, logs, floating saw, sinker catamaran and trees when necessary.
 
 

  The log dump. Different set ups were tested ( visual  and functional ) based on Madera Sugarpine Lumber Co., Westside Lumber Co / Brooking Lumber co, Pino Grande. The MSPL set up offered the most attractive arrangement.
 
 

 

 

   As the right dump works ( reliable ) like a real one,  I am considering making the second unloader functional too.
Control is via the DCC controler like a switch so adding a second one will be no problem.
When the unloading wire is activated, a little well camouflaged hatch opens, so the log dissappears in a tray, ready to be loaded again in the back.



Winch platform with roof.  Winch is made from scrap parts.  Steam cilinder is fed by the mill's steam system. the supply pipe will be installed at the same time as the scenery.

Jacq





 

[lab-dad]

Looking better each time!
I cant wait to see how the automated system comes out.

Question: Have you come across any interesting methods of unloading the disconnects on to the log deck?
My mill has no pond.

-Marty

[jacq01]

  marty,

 

Have you come across any interesting methods of unloading the disconnects on to the log deck

  yes, when I have some more time I'll publish some sketches. The principle I worked out is usable for disconnects and skeletons.
  It is a bit too hectic at the moment, working with a deadline AND preparing the large layout for transport to northern Sweden.

  Jacq

 

[finescalerr]

Satisfactory. So far. -- Russ

[Ray Dunakin]

I like your idea of using digital photo frames as part of the presentation.

I think I might try something like that with my layout. I could put some up on the patio during open house days. I could use one to show photos of old mines and mining camps that inspired my structures, and maybe some pics of the Carrizo Gorge, which inspired the scenery. Then have another that shows some of the night shots of the buildings, close up pics of details, etc.

I wonder if any of those things can handle short video clips? If so, I could display some onboard video of the layout, too.

[danpickard]

Ray,
Most half decent digital frames can playback video mpeg files.  The frames are really only limited buy the size of the memory card or flash drive that you load into the side of it.  I intend on using a couple of them on my next exhibition layout; one to run still images on a loop, and the other to play archive footage on.  Usually cheaper than a DVD setup, and less expensive/easier to mount than a laptop.  I managed to pick up a reasonable 12" frame for about $130Au.

Dan

[marc_reusser]

Jacq,

the dump loks good. The rollway timbers do look abit new...as if they had just been replaced, so instead of weathering them  (which is a bit tough at this point) how about adding som light rail piecses to the top of each one. this was not uncommon. it made the rollways hold up better and longer....it would also ad another layer/piece of detail to the scene.

M