Duluth Company

davej

Hi Ken
great work on those castings. I like the idea of treating each one as a model. I tend to start a bit like that and then seem to rush to get them finished.

With the shed. I would suggest deciding on what the occupants of the business would use it for. Once they have a use for it where would they put it so that it was convenient/accessible, or out of the way hiding non essentials.

cheers
Dave

KKarns

Hi Dave,
Thanks.... regarding the castings, I spend much, probably too much, time muling them over, thinkin about each one and how I am going to treat them, making notes on little mini scenes for the diorama, looking at Brett's pictures in the manual and the web-site if applicable, etc...then after they are done I take some time, probably too much time, and plan their location on the diorama, look at Brett's pictures again, photograph them, look at the photos, change/re-work some, etc....I have a problem don't I??:) Cheers, Ken

KKarns

Few more finished....

KKarns

Two additional castings for Duluth almost finished. The loading dock scales and an air compressor for the open shed. Might try and put some fine thread over the pulleys for the belt! The scale graduations...don't get too close or they start to look bad...they look great at scale on Duluth's loading dock...more later...Ken

admin

Castings look great Ken. When as HO Scale casting looks this good up close, you know it's gonna look fantastic integrated into the scene...

Karl.A

Looking great Ken, the quality of your work is superb. Try a sliver of copier paper for the compressor belt maybe?, the thin cheap stuff. colour it with a felt pen.

Great clear photo with nice colour against that white.

Karl.A

KKarns

Hey Karl, Hmm..nice idea! The thread didn't look right...round for one and not small enough. The paper will be just the ticket..thanks for the suggest.

I have attached a picture of the pointed stack mounted on the front roof of Duluth. I pounded the tips of the brass wire flat and then bent them at an angle. bent the other ends at an angle but kept them round to go in the holes on the attachment ring on the stack. Blackened and weathered the wire and used a tiny bit of epoxy the fasten them down. I then used three 2" bolt and nut castings and cut the washers off as they looked too big. I fastened them down to each flattened end of the wire on the roof. Weathered them and although may not be exactly prototypical I think looks OK. Next is the arrangement and placement of the castings attached to Duluth, lay some ties and track, then sling some dirt....more later, Ken

KKarns

Brett, Aint that the truth regarding the castings....like most of us I have started using the pictures to review my casting detail. If it holds up to close up pictures it will look great all tied to the scene. Just spent 20 minutes detailing two broom castings! I have a problem and need a casting intervention...Ken

ironmountainlumber

Hi Ken,
Castings are superb. Well done. I really like the bolt detail on the picture above. Very clever.
Jim

Karl.A

......... Just spent 20 minutes detailing two broom castings! ......Ken

Oh lawdy !!! Kevins modeling re-incarnate.

(I do hope you spent the time putting individual bristles on them like he did)
Damn he was good.

Stack and support wires look great. the nbw's are a great detail that will get noticed but not seen if you know what I mean.

Karl.A

srankin6

Ken,
stack looks great...nbw's take it up a notch.....great job can't wait to see what's next

KKarns

Karl, OK I give.....adding individual bristles to 1:87 brooms just aint happening!
I know exactly what you mean regarding the nbw's...it was fun doing...

Hey Scott, thanks, I wasn't sure how the wire would shape up but they turned out OK. Like Karl eluded to...not obvious they're there but they're there! Ken

KKarns

Duluth update..have been detailing the loading dock area. Will finish all details that will not be "sunk" into the dirt surrounding Duluth so I don't mess that stuff up as I'm working.
Working my way around to the covered loading dock. Will post as things progress. Decided not to include the storage shed but likely will retain the fence...great backdrop for more clutter!...Ken

KKarns

Wes

Nice work Ken. It all blends together perfectly without anything standing out.

KKarns

Hey Wes....thanks much for the thumbs up on the casting treatment and placement. Small build like this you can legitimately go along slow like I am! Ken

Karl.A

More great detail work Ken, the chain is a nice touch. Detailing the details......

Karl.A

captsully18

Ken, you have done one bang up job on this build. I wish that my castings come out half as good as yours. I want to apologise (sp) for not acknowloging your post on my build. It was a mistake, and I thank you for stopping by and for your comments. I feel honored to be in the midst of so many gifted modelers.

David

KKarns

No problem David...you landed in the right place with SierraWest and the forum.

Karl, yea, I like working with the chain, it weathers nice and looks cool. On with the details. Ken

KKarns

I was messin around writing ideas down on a note pad as to what I could put together for junk and clutter around Duluth's fenced "junk yard" area I have planned. I tore the piece of paper off the pad and noticed the fine serrations left at the top of the page. I thought it looked about right for HO scale teeth on a sawmill band saw. I cut a thin strip off with a metal straight edge and colored the paper with Grimy Black and then rusted them with chalk. I wrapped the thin strips TWICE around to form the loop that I have seen band saw blades take and glued the ends in a short overlap. I briefly checked sawmill band saw blade lengths and came up with around 10 feet. I converted that to ho scale and cut the strips accordingly. Not sure what's out there for this but I'm sure there is something better! The "teeth" under zoom look crude and since the paper is torn it leaves ragged edges. It looks really good with the naked eye though and add a bunch of weeds growing up and around them they should be fine.

KKarns

Front of Duluth detailing prior to dirt is about done. At the north end between the open shed wall and the concrete step casting is a small space. I decided to simulate vines growing up in this gap attached to the shed wall and snaking up and along the roof. I used hemp string and unwound the string then twisted a small group of fibers and ran glue along it between my fingers. Then some chalk and some ground foam for small leaves on the ends. Ken

admin

looking great... much dirtier and gritty. The streaking on the front of the dock looks right on but you might try toning the spotting on the roof down with chalk. Smooth it out a bit so it does not look too splotchy... nice junk blades too

Karl.A

The band saw blades are such a great idea I should have come up with it. Awesome thinking, competition winning detail.

I agree with Brett's appraisal of the roof, just needs a little more 'feathering out" and not so many harsh edges.

Details all look awesome... but...

they seem just a little too linear along the edge of the loading dock. Try placing them as if you were loading/unloading them. Space between different piles, orders going out, deliveries coming in, logical placement. Space to move around in between.

The overall look of the structure is just superb in the last picture, from the weathering on the walls to the concrete loading dock. Beautifully done, I keep going back for another look.

Karl.A

KKarns

Yup...the roof needed re-tooled a bit (see attached)..things givin me fits, thanks Brett for the suggestion and the confirmation Karl.
I tried to keep a clear "isle" going down the loading dock between the building and stuff in front, but that created the linear look you're talking about Karl. Much of the stuff is glued down already....I'll look at it some more...

KKarns

Brett & Karl, Thanks so much for the comments, means a great deal to me coming from you guys. I hope the roof is beginning to look a bit better.

djdutch

Hey Ken, just checking in, wat a great progress I always love to look at your builds always a good explanation and detail shots of what you have done.

And it is a real pleasure to the eye

DJ

KKarns

DJ, nice hearing from you and having you following along. Comments like yours makes it so enjoyable to part of this forum! Just about ready for the dirt and the rest of the landscaping. Planning a nice junk and clutter area along the fence and will have an access drive coming in across the tracks. Will also get a picture of the rear of Duluth soon as well. Planning this and thinkin about my next build......Ken

ironmountainlumber

Hi Ken, the January 18th picture roof rework looks great. The weatherning of the roof is definitely feathered out nicely. This definitely is a nice effect and more realistic. The band saw detail is a great idea and executed very well. I am not for shure about the vine. Something is bothering me about it. My eye keeps going to it rather than all the details you have done (it may be just me). Keep up the great work. I really enjoy following along. Bye the way have you seen your diorama from the craftsman show on vikas chander's web site? Check it out.
Jim

KKarns

Hey Jim, Thanks for the moral support on the roof. I know it is the "weak link" in this build but the nice thing is it can be worked on right up until it's all done. The appearance of the darn thing has much to do with the lighting. Thanks for the thumbs up on the band saw blades, they would look better in a saw mill junk pile rather than a plumbing supply company junk pile but hey.. it's my pile! Now you know Jim, the reason your eye keeps going to the vines on the side of the shed is because it's such an awesome detail you're automatically drawn to it:)!......or....it really does look like crapola! I see just what you mean from the pictures, and I know we've all heard this before, it does look much better and less "out there" in person and without zoom. I'll finish the landscaping details and we'll see how it fairs then as it can be edited anytime. On your prompt I went to Vikas's web-site and low and behold there is a picture of my Diorma of Brett's Water Tank & Storage Shed. Nice that Vikas thought enough of it to put a picture up on his site.
Thanks Jim for all your intuitive assessments as always....more later...Ken

JohnM

Beautiful work Ken . . .
John