Installing the stiff leg derrick

I've had a bit of time out in the shed today, so I was able to finally put the Derrick crane in it's location. I have had a bit of fun finishing this one off using oingo boingo wire and some nicely laser cut pulley wheels. I had to glue the 'wire' to the pulley wheels before mounting the wheels on the crane. It would have been near impossible to get it right after mounting the pulleys onto the crane. It was fiddly but ended up ok. 

 The crane can rotate on the central post. By using the stretchy wire I'm able to attach the crane to the timber load, and it is taught. I'm also able to move the crane around to the line and can attach it to the load for a change in scene.
I've tried a new brand of paint on the rust on this model, and it is an air brush ready paint made by Vallego, called their model air paints. They come in a drip dispensing bottle, already thinned to airbrush. They have some great colours, and are great to work with. Worth a look if you can find them, I got mine from a local wargammers shop. 

 The mech was fiddly to construct, but I'm happy with it now it's all together. The original kit that I purchased is really almost non existent, the timber and a few of the white metal parts, but over half have been left behind. Interesting the company who puts out the kit were no help with better instructions, or quality white metal castings. If I was building another one I'd do it from photos and put together a kit of parts myself. Once you get a handle on just how they go together they really aren't that difficult to construct, although threading the 'wire' was my 'favourite' part!

Anyway a quick post tonight, have a good week,
Oorroo!
Geoff.

Working on my stiff leg derrick crane.

The current modelling project has been the completion of my derrick crane. I was a little stumped at just how to construct the mechanism, and as usual my solution was to put it in the 'too hard' basket. I searched the net and came up with a few helpful ideas, from a site called Shorpy historical photos. 

The instructions with this kit were horrible, and the white metal castings had enough flash on them to keep a streaker happy! So with gears from Peter Boorman ( thanks again Peter!) and a couple from Vector cut I had a go at the mech throwing away the original one. What you see below is the just painted item, ready for mounting, rusting and weathering.  Ignore the square timber under it, that was just used to hold the item while painting it. There's still a bit to go, but I'm looking forward to finishing this one off, now the procrastination is over with.

It will be mounted in the goods siding, beside the loading bank. I'll post a photo when it's in place. a quick post today, just to let you know I'm still here.
Have a great week,
Oorroo!
Geoff.

NSW Convention 30

I had an opportunity to head to the convention this year as Z and I had some time away, just the two of us. Gary and Marcus were great in helping get things sorted. The day had me set up having a chat to people about landscape techniques I'd tried on Splitters.

The sheer number of attendees was huge, and the sessions available were many and varied. I attended two on the day, Sandy Hollow and modelling backyards. I thoroughly enjoyed both. The backyard scene is something I could really relate to as I firmly believe the scene sets the 'time' of the layout. I do have a few photos found on the net that will help when I get to that stage, and it was pleasing to find others wanting to set the scene in their layouts as well.

I met several modellers that I'd known by name only before through the blogs, great to finally catch up Gary and Linton. The level of involvement of modellers is great to see with many wanting to spend time with all of us set up for demos.

A great day, think I'll have to go next year,
Geoff.

'Twas the Night before T'ba

'Twas the night before Toowoomba when all through the shed,
not a creature was stirring, not even a Ted.
The tapes on the ground all aligned with care,
In the hope that the layouts would soon be there.

The modellers were nestled all snug in their beds,
while visions of diesels and steamers chuff along in their heads,
And Ted in his PJ's and Smithy in his,
settled down for a moment, Bill off in a tizz.

When out in the Showgrounds there arose such a clatter,
It was Geoffrey reversing again, and smashed into the ....


Bugger! I got so close, see you up there fella's, looking forward to a great weekend

G1b Goods Shed

Well if there was an award for slow progress then I think they may as well inscribe my name on the trophy for a few years yet! I've been at work on the G1b goods shed, but I am pretty happy with the results. 

I decided to build the sliding  doors from two layers of strip wood to give the different sides of the doors as on the real Mcoys. I used Kappler timber, great stuff and I can get the scale size I need. They ended up only a couple of scale inches thick.  I've also messed about with the metal door hangers building them out of styrene sheet cut to shape, and paper as well just to see what looks better. As it has turned out after much procrastination (surprising really!) I think that you won't be able to see the tops of the doors anyway, will the detail police catch me out on this one I wonder?

 These two photos show the Goods Shed at Manilla, showing the inside and outside of the doors. They are a different design to the plan I have, but did help with the general arrangement of the door and the 'hanging' method used. This building has since been burnt down, glad I took heaps of photos!

The Canowindra Goods Shed, for the purpose of seeing the exterior view of the door and the colouring of the bumper rails on the building and wooden trim colour.
It is interesting to note the supports to the roof on the outside of the building. On the plan I used they are shown to be on every roof truss, however the two sheds above only have them on every second. What is it they say about a photograph?

So back to the model... here it is so far. I've wanted to model the interior as well after going to all the trouble of doing the wood framing. In this shot you can see the enamel wire I used to hook up the LED. 

Here the roof is going on, my only fear now is that something on the inside will come loose and it will become some sort of strange modellers baby rattle!

Once the roof was on it didn't take long to site the shed on the layout. Yep another light in this one, with some shed repairs in progress.

 Alright what's changed in these two shots? Yep, the stairs went on, nearly forgot. Things are starting to come together on this side of the layout.

Well just a quick update, have a great week, and we might see you in Toowoomba this weekend, That's the 1st and 2nd of June, we'll be the ones in the naughty corner! 
Oorroo,
Geoff.