February project

[Chris Vernell]

OK. It's February 1st. This project has been sitting around for years . I am going to try to get it done this month , a bit every day . Pray for me .



Jackson Miniatures country station, for the curious.

 

[Chris Vernell]

"Ceiling beams". Leftover 3/8" poplar square dowel. Partly to prevent the walls from bowing, and possibly to hold ceiling lights (solar LEDs). I have no plans to install an interior, but lighted windows would be nice on a summer's eve.



24 hours for the glue to cure.
Never said I was a fast worker

 

[Paul M]

Nice looking building, what is it made from?

 

[PhilP]

I say! Those clamps are rather dinky!

Are they a commercial product, or home-made?

 

[G-force1]

Nice looking building, what is it made from?

MDF. Supposedly the waterproof kind. However that doesn't stop it sucking up water like a sponge and swelling, but it does shrink back if it dries out. The best tip I have is to at least double coat the whole thing in 50/50 PVA before finishing.

I also found that the ABS detail sheeting for roofs and walls does't like UK weather and cracks up after about 18 months if left out permanently. Otherwise these buildung do look great and can easily be modified.

 

[trammayo]

"Ceiling beams". Leftover 3/8" poplar square dowel. Partly to prevent the walls from bowing, and possibly to hold ceiling lights (solar LEDs). I have no plans to install an interior, but lighted windows would be nice on a summer's eve.

View attachment 232676

24 hours for the glue to cure.
Never said I was a fast worker

So you got some Round Tu-its from Fred then? I could do with some

 

[Richard Clarke]

When I did a station building year before last it was made of waterproof plywood and then rendered with tile adhesive before all being painted. This has appeared to work reasonable well as the building has been out in the garden all summer and autumn. Only being removed in October to the shelter of the greenhouse for the winter.

 

[owlpool]

looking good, Chris

 

[mike]

Looks good

 

[Chris Vernell]

So you got some Round Tu-its from Fred then? I could do with some

Shhhh. He doesn't know I liberated them

 

[Chris Vernell]

I also found that the ABS detail sheeting for roofs and walls does't like UK weather and cracks up after about 18 months if left out permanently. Otherwise these buildung do look great and can easily be modified.

I believe the sheeting is principally intended for dollhouses, i.e. indoors. I shall not be leaving this building out in wet weather, or indeed too long in the sun.

 

[Chris Vernell]

I say! Those clamps are rather dinky!
Are they a commercial product, or home-made?

I bought these "miniature brass bar clamps" from my favourite woodworking hardware pusher years ago. Great for projects where full-size clamps would be overkill.

 

[Chris Vernell]

While doing laundry this morning, I dug out a quart of latex housepaint and put another coat on the interior of the station building.

The base of the building is ABS angle epoxied to the MDF walls. I hope it will lessen any wicking of moisture.
I haven't quite kept to my daily progress hopes . Other things keep getting in the way: "I really need you to do this," "You ought to do that," etc.
However, I should start applying the plastic "stone" cladding to the outside walls tomorrow. God willing, Herself permitting.

 

[Chris Vernell]

First section of "stone" cladding applied to front wall.



I plan to cut out the window and door openings from the inside once all the sheets are in place.

 

[GAP]

So you got some Round Tu-its from Fred then? I could do with some

Here's one you can have, results of using it due by tomorrow evening. No pressure.

 

[Chris Vernell]

The Round Tuit rolls on, wobbly but determined.



Front wall clad, a couple of openings cut out. Have to make up proper lintels.



And, just for the fun of it, with the work light on.

For the good of my health (Herself flings a mean cast iron pan , and her tongue can scrape the hide off a croc), Scarlett O'Preiser and her like will not be making an appearance

 

[Chris Vernell]

Checking out the window frames. The windows that came with the kit are intended to be inserted from the outside, but I don't think (and I've looked at many photos) that superimposed framing is correct for a stone building, so maybe I should put them (and the door frames) in from the back to make them look inset.



Obviously, I'll have to do something about filling in the edges of the stone sheet -- maybe epoxy, since I'll be using that to fix the window frames in place.
Oops , back up a step, have to do something about lintels .
And oh, that joint line between the cladding sheets -- actually, it doesn't look so bad "in real life" . Ten foot rule? Maybe epoxy to keep the rain out.

 

[PhilP]

How about cutting the holes out a little more, so you can set the windows into the walls from the front?

This would give you a more substantial looking surround..

Perhaps mock one up, with some scrap stone cladding, to see if you like the idea first??

 

[Chris Vernell]

First lintel cutouts.



Now I have to find suitable styrene sheet to make the lintels. I know I have it somewhere

 

[Chris Vernell]

Cut out the remainder of the lintel spaces this morning and scraped off most of the adhesive, then went looking for suitable styrene sheet ...

... and didn't find it . (Oops, see February 19 post below)
This means I shall have to make a trip across town to the hobby store ... er, I mean "Gosh darn, I'm sorry, dear, how can I make it up to you?"