M Graff Posted May 27, 2018 Author Share Posted May 27, 2018 I have started the benchwork. It's 1/2" construction Plywood that I had the lumber yard rip for me in 5" widths. I have glued and nailed the modules together. The longest sections will be 8' and no one wider than 2'. That will make it easier to move if needed. This is the first two sections: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted May 31, 2018 Author Share Posted May 31, 2018 Finally some creature comforts. [] Carpet laid and trim installed. It made the room much more comfortable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 Progress! The first benchwork is up. The plywood construction makes it both light and strong. And here is about a third of the benchwork up: I selected to use 2x2 standing legs because if I'd used wall mounted brackets, it would have been difficult to match the wall studs. In any case it's very sturdy. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted June 14, 2018 Author Share Posted June 14, 2018 Some more progress on the layout. Almost 80% of the benchwork is ready. The ones left to do are the curve sections. I've also added the first 5/8" plywood roadbed. I will use plywood roadbed on the stations and yards. The inclines and upper tracks will be spline roadbed. Spline raw material made from1/4" MDF that I sawed into 1" strips. Tracks and turnouts. I laid out some Peco turnouts to make sure the roadbed will fit the plan. Laser cut sweep sticks for HOn3. These are invaluable! I got these made by a friend in the US. It might be possible to lay the first tracks this weekend. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 Some more progress today. I've glued the cork. It's standard HO cork that I cut off a 6 mm (1/4") wide strip to make it fit HOn3 (16.5mm - 10.5mm = 6mm). Now I have to order more cork .... I need about 40-50 yards. I've begun on the Spline roadbed. I'm gluing it with "No more nails" from Pattex on cartridge (I guess it's like liquid nails?). The splines are 6 mm (1/4") MDF, which is cut in 25 mm (1") wide strips. There is a need for huge amount of clamps though. Have to find some more, I know I have some... Time to make all the curved and Y-turnouts as well. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 More progress. I've finished about 2/3s of the subroadbeds. I had to check my inclines to keep them under 2%. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatlander Posted June 22, 2018 Share Posted June 22, 2018 That is coming along nicely! I cant wait to see how you like the spline roadbed. I am planning my new layout and want to try my had at that too. Thanks for posting Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted June 24, 2018 Author Share Posted June 24, 2018 The Spline is turning out really good. I've started the work on the landscape painting on the backdrop. To make a representation of the Colorado rockies isn't as easy as it sounds.... You want them to be tall and imposing, and have the color variations of the real thing. On top of that I have to find a level of detail that I'm satisfied with. I use regular artist acrylics for it. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted June 25, 2018 Author Share Posted June 25, 2018 I built a switch to fit my layout, a three-way stub switch in HOn3. It is a #6 with 26" radius. I will probably use a Tam Valley servo controller for it. It's really fun to build these. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold McRuss Posted June 25, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 25, 2018 Hello, what is the minimum radius for your spline roadbed? Markus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted June 25, 2018 Author Share Posted June 25, 2018 Hello, what is the minimum radius for your spline roadbed? Markus Hi, I use 60 cm as my minimum radius on the spline.There's no problems at all to make it smaller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold McRuss Posted June 26, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 26, 2018 Thank you for your answer. Markus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted June 26, 2018 Author Share Posted June 26, 2018 Made a bit more on my three-way stub turnout in HOn3. One drawbar is made, now it's two more to hold the track gauge to make as well. It's a little tricky to make them because the rails must be able to move individually. I soldered micro track spikes to hold the rails in place. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted June 27, 2018 Author Share Posted June 27, 2018 I built a curved turnout today. HOn3 with Code 70 rails. 28" and 22" radiuses. What's left to do is to make the cuts for the live frog and to clean the flangeways from solder.I build my turnouts to the narrow specs that Railway engineering promotes. I use their roller gauges and to check with the NMRA gauge, you use the flange end instead of the track end. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted July 2, 2018 Author Share Posted July 2, 2018 Built a # 6 left-hand turnout in HOn3 with 26" radius. They are starting to go together easy now. This one took not more than an hour to make. I use a drawn template to get the radius right. Otherwise it's just a matter of using the NMRA gauge and Railway Engineering roller gauges. The frog area has a narrower gauge to make the rolling stock roll better through the frog. I use the flangeway gauge to get it right. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted July 8, 2018 Author Share Posted July 8, 2018 Latest project to be started. Bret's Brewery from Campbell. This will be a nice addition to the layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted July 10, 2018 Author Share Posted July 10, 2018 There has been some progress on the brewery. Content of the kit. Some of the tools I use. I started by measuring the parts and identifying them with the numbers from the manual. I add woodgrain with a wire brush. I cut out the windows with a xacto chisel blade, then I stained the areas which were to be glued together. I add nail holes with a Trumpeter rivet wheel. As you see, the wall lines up on the right side and the left is offset. After staining the walls with india ink and alcohol, I paint the peeled off paint. I use turps on a brush and while the surface is wet, I apply the acrylic paint which then pearls up in places to look like peeled off paint when dry. I used a light grey green paint. Painted walls. The trim was painted green. I glued the walls together. The floor is glued in place. I added a hole for the stairwell. Support beams under the floor. This is as far as I have gotten now. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted July 19, 2018 Author Share Posted July 19, 2018 Some more construction pics of the brewery. The door frames cut out from cardboard: The painted doors: Primed windows: Painted windows with green acrylics: Real glass cut to size with a diamond scribe: The buildings foundation: Loading docks: The water tank: The boiler house with the PVC stone sheet that is glued with contact cement: I used Tamiya putty on the corners: Painted: Roof with cardboard frames to make it removable: Corrugated sheet cut to size: Mortar made with pulverized clay mixed with PVA and water and then wiped away from the top of the stones: Getting there: 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share Posted April 21, 2020 Progress. It looks a lot better with some scenery. The section I've been working on. The brewery and coal dock. The brewery from the other side. The track to the brewery and supply store. The bordello. The band! Some trees around the engine house. The town. It'll be fun to start detailing. 5 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted April 22, 2020 Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 More scenery in place. Now I only have to finish up the rails and ground around the turntable and some ballasting before I can continue building eastward! 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted April 24, 2020 Author Share Posted April 24, 2020 Hi all! I felt a bit creative today, so I decided to paint some more on the backdrop. The backdrop at this section is almost 2' behind the scenery. I think that'll give a good 3D effect. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted April 26, 2020 Author Share Posted April 26, 2020 (edited) Tested my scratchbuilt turntable. https://youtu.be/SHpQah58BqE Edited April 26, 2020 by M Graff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Graff Posted April 28, 2020 Author Share Posted April 28, 2020 (edited) Edited April 28, 2020 by M Graff 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted April 28, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 28, 2020 Very nice update video! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Lovely update, Michael. That brewery looks lovely in position on the layout. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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