My Sawmill build so far

David_C

I've just got back into my model building after some serious health problems and this is where I'm at with my version of the sawmill. Comments/critiques are greatly accepted.
David

David_C

Ok, I screwed up with the images. I shall return.

Jerry

David they look fine to me.

Your doing a very nice job on this build.

Jerry

David_C

Thanks Jerry, they didn't show up in my draft.
David

admin

Looks great David, rollway is looking fantastic!

David_C

Thanks Brett, I really appreciate that from you. Pictures were taken with my iPad, a bit fuzzy, next ones will be from my DSLR.
David

Karl.A

Terrific progress David. Everything is really looking great, nice work. Looking forward to watching you progress.
Thanks for posting your build with us so that we can enjoy it as you build.

Karl.A

brownbr

That looks really nice. Can you get a closer shot of the overhead belts?

David_C

Yes, thanks Bryan, I'll be taking some photos with my camera but it will have to wait until next year.
David

morganhillrr

Looking terrific David...Joe CCCModOn30

JohnM

David,
It is great to see you on here. Please make it often. Progress is great. Keep the pictures and reports coming . . .
John

David_C

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words. Here are some updated photos.

Karl.A

Looking great David, everything is really coming together beautifully.
You're basically at the point where I just used to sit there and look at it and think "wow !!'... and then it just keeps getting better.
The details are coming out great, the little "tool trolly" is particularly nice. Very precise and crisp work. The set of castings that make up this detail definitely make it one of my favorite pieces.
Picture 7 looking down the dead rolls really shows your floor off well.

Karl.A

David_C

Thanks Karl. It's coming along slowly but surely. You have all been a great influence. I couldn't help but take the paint can idea on the cart and add a work project with the post and paint brush. I also took the ashtray idea and added more cigarette butts and it's hard to see that I used fine gray powder to make ashes too. I'm having a blast with this build and getting some great ideas for all the other O scale SW kits I have.

morganhillrr

Looks great David, thanks for the update....Joe

KKarns

Nice work David. Love that darn horizontal boiler, what an incredibly nice detail piece. The mill is progressing great...I assume your going to cut off the track on the sliding door of the shed or am I seeing it wrong?...Ken

David_C

Thanks Joe and Ken. The sliding door track does go out like that and will have extra support added later Ken....David

brownbr

This is a very nice build. I like the add on extras like the lumber in the vice, the mixed lumber on the storage shed and the cigarette butts in the ashtray. The color of the desk makes it look like a fine piece of varnished furniture.

Do you plan on weathering the boiler? I like the way it looks but may stand out as new against the mill.

Will you be adding sawdust to the floor? I was very pleased with the way it turned out in mine and would be happy to share how I did it if you are interested.

Karl.A

I'd be interested in seeing your sawdust technique Bryan. It was the reason I paused my build and I haven't revisited it yet.

Karl.A

David_C

Hi Bryan, and thank you for those nice comments. Yes, the boiler will be weathered as it's not attached yet, and yes again to the sawdust. I would certainly appreciate any advice Bryan. I have been very impressed with your build and will be making an attempt at painting the figures that Brett has supplied. I will also be using some prepainted commercial figures too. I've also talked to the fellow from Ngineering when he was here about getting some lights. There will be some other little "add ons" that everyone will just have to wait to see. Btw, did you notice the paint brush on top of the paint can on the cart? I'll be replacing the can as I crushed the side a little and it doesn't look good to me...David

brownbr

Thanks David and Karl I hope this gets you back in gear on yours. I'd really like to see what you do with it.

For starters-save some of the sawdust from weathering wood. If you didn't, prepare some of the roof planks and collect the dust.

I experimented with several different materials and several different adhesives before settling on this method which seems to have worked.

Color the sawdust with a pigment powder. I used AK North Africa Sand. It had to be colored to get some of the very fine dust on the machinery. The wood sawdust does not look quite right on the machinery. I started the sawdust as I was building the machinery by piling on the straight pigment and letting it settle onto the horizontal surfaces. I made a small scoop by crushing the end of an aluminum wire with a hammer to flatten it out. Once you are satisfied this can be set using mineral spirits or thinner. Just fill a brush with the liquid and touch it to the surface. It will do the rest. On the double husk I started adding the colored sawdust. If the sawdust was not colored with the pigment the colors would clash.

Right about where you are now, David is when you can start planning on adding the sawdust. Think of it as a time lapse. Put the castings in place that would have been there the longest. Trash cans, workbenches, clutter under the machines, etc. Now take some of your colored dust and start placing it around the machines with saw blades. Go out in the direction that the saw blade would have thrown the sawdust and along the rollers where the lumber would have dragged it.

When you think you have it about right take a soft, wide brush and start clearing foot paths in the sawdust. Gently sweep it towards something fixed like a machine or a post. You will start to see the accumulation around places that would naturally get that.

You can sprinkle some more of the powder or sawdust as you see fit until it's as messy as you like. Remember, this stuff would get everywhere.

Now fix it in place. The mineral spirits don't fix the sawdust very well. Diluted glue and matte medium leave a sheen on bare wood. I used a product from AK called Gravel and Sand Fixer. It's completely transparent and matte when dry. It will darken bare wood slightly so once I fixed my sawdust I put a very light coat over the entire floor. This was applied with a pipette.

I think that was all of the steps but if you have questions just ask. It really makes a difference having it there. And you really don't need a lot, just enough.

Karl.A

Thanks for the detailed explanation and the additional pictures Bryan, most appreciated.
I will mock up a small area and do some experimenting.

Karl.A

David_C

Yes, thanks Bryan, I'm going to do some experimenting too...David

JohnM

David, I really like your detailing. The different effects on the decks and building siding is really nice. Please stay at it and continue to share what you are doing.
John

James

fantastic work. everything looks spot on so far. In particular the planer looks great, as do the log rolls. Sawdust discussion really useful- a surprisingly tricky thing to get right it seems...

David_C

Thanks John and James, I appreciate the nice comments. I've switched tracks for a little while to work on the Wood Cutters Shack and Line Side Shed. I'll be posting soon on them....David

JohnM

Well, David, get them on here . . .
John

brownbr

How is the sawdust experimenting coming along?

EricMG

Wow! TOTAL wow. I disagree that your modeling is not at the highest standard. I think it is In heaven.