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The "Loco and Service Shops" Scratchbuilt in O Scale. Karl.A

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Comments

  • I could be wrong on my description but in the photos showing how you stage your benches with all the detail there is a barrel in front of the bench with what appears to be a Penzoil logo on it , also it is shown in the phot showing some of the details by themselves. The top of the item in question has what appears to be 2 rings around the top as if it is the type that would have a locking lid . This would not be the first time I could be wrong .
  • One of my earlier responses to Karl's build here that begs for a repeat...

    "Karl, That first pic is the money shot! That one image paints a very clear picture of the entire thing...oozzzing top notch, quality and well thought out fine scale modeling, simply brilliant!....Ken"
  • edited July 2017
    Thanks for the kind words Ken, esp coming from you.

    I spotted a hand oil pump in the background of a proto photo while I was researching and I wanted one in my shop, different and unusual, rarely seen and a great fine detail.

    Parts turned from brass rod.

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    The hand pump installed on the blue and white barrel, Also notice the sawhorses all have nail holes where they should be.. (as do the pallets)

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    And that finished off the basic (not so basic) detailing of the second wall 'til I returned to it later in the build.

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    Karl.A
  • Karl,

    Are you taking this to the Expo next month? This hands down is the winner. Your detail work is so realistic that I can imagine myself walking around in this old service facility viewing all the stuff.

    Steve
  • Well deserved Karl. I only repeated my comment as I'm not sure how better to describe the overall work you've done here! The hand crank is wonderfully designed and crafted. I love the subtile details as you know like...the peg on the timber with nothing hanging from it, the scuff mark or "dornik" on the post beam behind the barrel with the hand crank, roughed up and uneven facia board of the work bench rather than just a flat even look, which most of us would have done. And the list goes on...well played...Ken
  • edited February 2016
    Thanks for the confidence vote Steve but unfortunately I'm pretty sure I wont make it to the expo this year. I really cant afford it (car rental/hotel/etc) and the 25+ hour drive alone would be a real bitch to do. Wish I could be there, but at this point very doubtful.

    Thanks Ken, always great to read your insightful comments, the mark on the post behind the oil pump is actually where I removed a sign I didn't like and it hadn't been replaced yet in this photo, nothing as thoughtful as a scuff mark or dornik, still progress pics remember.. the damage on the work bench is copied from Dave Revelia's, mine was slightly over done though for 'in-person' contest room viewing to make it more visible and not close up photography realism. Nicely satisfying that you noticed it.

    Thanks for the comments.
    Karl.A
  • A true master. Karl your right up there with the best of them. Coloring, detail its all there.

    I sent you an email I need to know how you did something on a metal roof long time ago??

    Check your box here.

    Jerry
  • Thanks for the very kind words Jerry.
    I sent you a reply with what I think is the right info you asked for.

    Karl.A
  • Got it that's the one. A great tutorial and a way clever way of doing seams. Thanks for your help.

    Jerry
  • edited February 2021
    Anytime Jerry,

    The back side of the car shop wall, and, looking into the main shop and welding scene.

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    Karl.A
  • edited March 2016
    Bill asked earlier in the thread what I would change, or didn't like, well, basically from here on out nothing is really finished in my mind, so....

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    1: needs something on the post, prob a coil of wire/tubing to tie in with the other wall.
    2: some boxes/cans/spare parts to fill up the void.
    3: a sign or two on the post
    4: some minor items left scattered, just a couple to show, 'busy'.
    5: a crate or something with a leaning hammer, or..'something'.

    If you compare the two pictures, even the red lines and numbers make it look better and more balanced.

    And in general the crate on the track needs something in it and the trash cans need trash..

    Karl.A
  • Ok...now youre just being picky.
  • The split barrel quench tank is a nice touch.
  • Thanks Bryan, well spotted !!
    You'll also notice the work bench has a steel top sheet on it, which is dented from the hammering of hot parts, before they were quenched.

    (progress shot)

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    Karl.A
  • Looks great Karl and some nice additions even if your being picky. About he quenched part a cold beer would do that a lot quicker!!

    Jerry

    Ps I sent you another email.
  • Hi Karl

    I hope you well my friend. Just returned after a bit of a modeling hiatus due to no enthusiasm. Your last few updates have really kicked my butt back into gear and bought back all my enthusiasm for this hobby. Your work is simply beautiful and so very realistic.

    Im full of energy now and cant wait to get the O scale o neills. Thanks for the inspiration buddy.
  • Thanks Karl I got it.

    Jerry
  • edited March 2016
    Karl, outstanding! love how you're going through each phase of the interior breaking it down into sections then formulating a "punch list" of what needs done. This is a mere portion of what makes modeling at this level so satisfying to follow along with, such a great learning tool for us. So many things that could be commented on. Pipe rack...love it, anvil on block of wood...love it, particularly the treatment and weathering to the end of the wood block...love it, warm patina of the floor...love it...well you get the idea...Ken
  • Good to read Wes, thanks, I look forward to seeing some of your work, now I just need to get motivated myself....

    Thanks Ken, always great to have your input, glad you're enjoying the pics.

    Moving onto the machine shop next, here's a few taster photos I recently posted in B/W..
    I'm working on resizing the 'in-progress' pics to post, hopefully later tonight.

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    More later,
    Karl.A
  • Karl, you are always an inspiration on how to think through the project. If you remember, I was drawn to this forum after doing a google search for weathering craftsman kits and finding your weathering tutorial. The rest is history ... Phil
  • edited March 2016
    Thanks Phil, great to hear from you.
    I'm so glad I was in some way able to help you find SW and the forum.

    Talking of 'thinking through a project' I was well out of my comfort zone when it came to the machine shop.
    Not knowing anything about this area, planning the line shafts was daunting to me and placing the machinery logically and relevantly, not only for the work performed in the shop, but also in relation to each other.
    Many, many hours, days, weeks were spent, choosing the machines, trying to fit in as many as plausibly possible, working on the arrangement, with considerations such as..... use, the way the belts would have to go, where the workers could stand/move, safety.... and of course most importantly.... how good it looked, through the doorways, through the windows, from every angle, from the front or the back, or down through the big double doors.

    Thankfully I had Brett's machine shop manual which clarified and explained the line shaft arrangement , configuration, and what all that stuff actually was, once I started it was an encyclopedia of information which made the process painless, and very educational.
    Secondly, I had the machinery which Brett had built to play around with, the full set of machinery complete with the engine and boiler !! Trying out all the options was made so much easier, (nerve wracking with the original pieces), but, such an amazing opportunity that I will always be incredibly thankful for.
    Most importantly and helpfully I had Brett watching over my shoulder to advise, explain and bounce ideas back and forth with.

    Many variations..... originally on the desk, and then in the 'mocked up' structure. From the beginning we agreed the HO 'office' should be the engine room, just had to figure out how....

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    Not happy with any of this a new plan was formulated...

    Karl.A
  • Karl, these are truely an amazing display of art. I would spend most of a day seeing new things in it.

    What did you do, shrink to yourself to O scale and do the work in 1:1 world?
  • edited March 2016
    Thanks Marty, high compliments indeed... if only it were that simple.

    After a LONG time and many re-arrangements, none of which worked 100% I realized that one major problem was that I didn't have enough 'walls'. I was upscaling an HO design and adding more to it, although the layout is perfect in the HO kit, in O scale I needed just a little more to accommodate the extra machinery.
    The best way I came up with to do this was to mirror the carshop wall, thus giving me some additional wall space, and also keeping the visual balance of the interior space, I also moved the office wall back slightly to give me some extra space and a visually interesting corner to work with.

    So, the finished wall was taken apart, rebuilt, and the extra section added.

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    With the additional wall the machinery came into place much better... as you can see I was still trying to shoehorn in the large drill press, but alas, it just was too overpowering, too big, and wouldn't fit into such a small 'light repair' work shop such as this.

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    So this was basically the final arrangement... although the grinder and small drill were swapped later, placement based on lineshaft/pullys alignment and orientation , work flow (ie where the stock would be, such as, long bar being cut on hacksaw, space for rod on 'threader', space around miller... etc) ... and how it looked.

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    Once the basic layout made sense for all the previous reasons, more photos were taken from many angles, through windows, through doorways, etc, to make sure the machines didn't block or obscure views and that they balanced with the scene behind them... from every angle.

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    So, now that the layout was finally set, it was time to fill in the spaces and set the scene...
    oh, and build the line shaft to make it all 'work'.

    Karl.A
  • Karl you didn't use all the machines? Just some of them? This has been my problem with the machines (there all done) is placing them to look realistic in a setting.

    Jerry
  • Beautiful work both in concept and execution. I love how you take us through your thought process when working up the floor plan. The overhead shot of the machinery staged in position is terrific and the warm patina of the floor just makes it. Ken
  • As much as I wanted to use all the machines Jerry, (and trust me, I tried to squeeze them all in, in every possible configuration), this is still only a small maintenance shop, not a full on machine shop, so, space and reason had to prevail, at some point in the future I'll get to build and use them all.

    Thanks Ken, its great that you are enjoying the process, we all love to look at finished models, at how things look in their final place.... I hoped that some people would like to see that it doesn't all fall into place the first time. Generally its 90% thinking, planning, researching and only 10% modeling.

    Karl.A
  • Just when I thought I was doing well with my own stuff, I come across this.... you sir, are amazing at this stuff. I know some of it is just experience, but you just "get it". I will continue forward with the hopes that I can accomplish something like this. I am almost done with my off topic stuff and look forward to your constructive criticism!
  • edited July 2017
    Thank you for the kind words Ed and Mike, they are very appreciated.
    I realize that this is now an old build and an old thread, but, as the subject has been resurrected, and, if there are no objections I would like to continue with the narrative from where it left off... ?

    Karl.A
  • Definitely continue forward, I for one would really like to see how this has ended up.
  • Karl, please continue. I always like your commentary. Phil
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