What is on the desk, April 2015

I have been sick, and injured (a fall), and working on remodeling a bathroom, so not enough modeling getting done!  Actually have not worked on the bathroom remodel in about a month due to the illness and some injured ribs.

That said, I have a lot of projects going.  Here is what is on the desk, and, hopefully, will be done some day.

 The Arch Roof building, with clear side walls.    I plan on making this in to a machine shop with complete interior.

 A test assembly.  One of the prints failed, and I made a quick diorama from the junk, a-couple-small-dioramas-using-failed-3d

The upper walls are 3d printed in clear ABS, so the trusses, also 3d printed, can be seen when back lit.  The windows and doors are from Tichy.

 If you have followed my blog for any time, you know I like the vintage kits.  This is one one I have never seen before.

 A spun aluminum tank, something you won't see today.

 The plans...

I am missing the separate water spout, and I have not found one I like yet, so this project is getting ready to move to the back burner.

I picked this up to use as a water tank for the M of W department.  It weighs a ton!  Lettering and a lot of rust and weathering to do.

Ahhhh, the hog farm.  I have been working on this, on and off, for well over a year.  I have not put it back together since I took it to the last show, as you can see, it looks like an earth quake hit.  I am not a fan of scenery, so I have been putting off finishing this for months.  I think the only thing I have to do is the hog pen, and some final weathering.  Most of the buildings I designed and 3d printed, along with several that are Woodland Scenics metal kits.  Here is a link to a complete list of the structures/blog entries so far.  down-on-farm-post-listing

A bit of a complicated 3d printed structure, but I love gas stations.  This one is based on several drawings I have, but mostly the one below.  I keep adding details, currently working on the interior.

This is a Hot Wheels Dodge Airflow tanker based on a 1939 design.  Although most Hot Wheels are about 1/64 scale, the larger items, because they are scaled to fit the packaging, sometime come out to close to HO scale.  This actually has a wheel base slightly smaller than HO scale.  I am going to have to grit blast it to get it clean enough to paint, and I am still searching for wheels and tires that look right.  

The prototype, although I won't be doing mine in Texaco.

This is one of those "I have no idea why I am doing this" projects.  It is a steam launch, scratch built, a basic shell from the junk box, styrene strip upper frame, and some 3d printed parts...so far.

Mine is freelanced from several pictures and plans.

Another of those vintage kits.  This one a flanger kitbash from Roundhouse.  Mostly painting to do, which was put off due to the winter.  

AND now, the modeling item that has been taking the most of my time of late, the Turkey Creek NMRA division modeling challenge "kit".  This a wood structure designed, cut on a Cricut and the part assembled by some of the members.  Here are some progress shots.  

 In the end, this project will warrant it's own blog entry.

There is actually more than this, but that is enough to keep me busy.  Hopefully will get the bathroom ready for the tile man this week.  

Log cabin, 3d printed

Ever since I 3d printed the slab siding cabin, I have been trying to figure out hoe to 3d print a regular log cabin.  I am not sure this qualifies as a regular cabin, but it works.  I wish the logs had come out a little rougher, so I will have to work on that.

 Just as a test, I drew up a 16' square cabin.  Having played with printing wood shingles, and pretty will failed, I decided this would be another chance to give it a try.

 I exploded the drawing for printing.  Note the roof ridge cap to the right.  I have not figured out how to get a wood shingle ridge cap to print right, so I went with a copper cap.

 Here is the roof with the top flattened to accept the copper cap.  Note that this is printed standing on one end, and then no support material is needed.

A screen shot of the cabin sitting on the build platform in the Afinia 3d printing software.

The roof was printed in this position.  Here is the first print during assembly.  

After priming, I painted the logs a light tan color, then dry brushed them with various grays and 

browns.

The roof was painted a dark gray, then dry brushed with light grays.  The roof cap was coated with Sophisticated Finishes Copper and weather with their weathering solution.  The rusty stove pipe was done the same way, but with Sophisticated Finishes Rusty Iron.

I think, when I get time, I will add some branch knobs to some of the logs.  

I have several project going, including another gas station, and machine shop, but those are on the back burner while I work on the Turkey Creek Division challenge model for the May meeting.

Other log cabin blog entries:

log-slab-siding-cabin-update (3d Printed)

3-for-400-ho-scale-economy-buildings

Logging and Lumber related entries:

logging-camp-cabins-outhouses-and-boat

Long-Bell Lumber

http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2013/10/long-bell-lumber-atlas-lumber-shed.html

http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2013/11/long-bell-lumber-atlas-lumberyard-build.html

http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2013/12/long-bell-lumber-atlas-lumberyard-to.html

http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2013/12/fork-lifts-for-my-long-bell-lumberyard.html

HO Auto Hauler KitBash

Somebody on one of the 1/87 scale vehicle Facebook groups posted a picture of a Road Champs Auto Hauler that they had kit bashed to use in HO scale.  As I recall, they said the had to widen the trailer, but I did not find that widening was needed.  Regardless, once I saw his kitbash, I just had to have one, so I quickly got on ebay, and picked one up.

Obviously, for my era, 1949, the tractor was not going to work, and the vehicles it was hauling went straight to the junk pile.  Actually, that junk pile, along with the tractor went up on ebay, and were out of my way in no time.

I took four Classic Metal Works (CMW) vehicles and test fit them on and in the trailer.  To my surprise, and delight, they fit like the were made for it.

I decided to pair it up with a CMW White tractor, which took some filing on the metal pin on the trailer.  But a simple conversion, none the less.

The most obvious thing to me that needed done was the ladders needed opened up.  A little time consuming, but not too hard.  I drilled a small hole in each corner, then used a hobby knife to slowly cut through the plastic.

Then I took a small square file and cleaned up the holes as best I could.

The center ladder is cut out, and it makes quite a difference

The plastic solvent welds with Methylene Chloride (Tenax, Ambroid ProWeld, etc.), but it is a little more flexible (rubber-like) than styrene like a lot of toys.

A test assembly after priming.  

I felt I needed some sort of company name on the trailer, and I only know one person that ever drove such a rig..., so now he has a transportation company. 

 There were moulded in tail lites, so I painted them yellow and red, and put a dab of gloss paint on them.  The wheels and tires came out of the junk box.

I want a red tractor with two rear axles, but I do not have one.  That will go on the list of things to buy.

Loaded and ready for delivery.

About as simple a conversion as possible.  Give it a try.

Here it is with the Classic Metal works 46-49 Ford tractor.  It is much smaller than the White tractor, and does not seem to fit as well.  I am going to hold out for the White Super Power with dual rear axles.

Other blog posts involving vehicles:
http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2011/07/it-is-hot-so-i-am-staying-in-to-do.html
http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2014/12/quick-ho-vehicle-kitbashes-fire-truck.html