First off thanks to Pete (Sumpter250) for giving me some valuable info to get this project started.

I'm avoiding other work on the layout...I dunno why...I just am.

So, I started work on a Wood Sand Tower based on the prototype used by Canadian Pacific.

The first component I have started on is the Wet Sand Bin.




Sorry, no work in progress shots. I just got going on this tonight on a whim. Tomorrow I might get moving on the building and then on to the tower as the days move on.

The steel rods are from Tortoise Machines. I use a heavier gauge piano wire to throw my turnouts, so these thinner stock ones fit the bill nicely.

That looks good Tetters. One suggestion, the shiny side of the cereal boxes, give them a lite pass with some fine sandpaper. The cement and paint will stick a lot better.

Loren

I have three things to say.
*Seeing this, makes the time and effort to get the information to you worth while!
*I can truly appreciate what you've done already, especially considering that the person who wrote that article, did most of his modeling in Strathmore board (cardboard)((I also saw Robin's work. You do the medium, quite well indeed))
*Finally, That Looks Great!!

Tetters, that looks fantastic. You show an incredible talent for scratch building.

Thanks for the compliments guys. Pete, I'll do the best I can to make the effort all the worth while for everyone. It's a good article with lots of details. If I can do it some small amount of justice, I'll be happy.

In case anyone is wondering, I have not forgotten about my Interlocking Tower. I found by checking around that CP painted all of, if not most of their track side structures like these two a simple shade of box car red, with cream trim around the windows and doors. So when I get to the stage I'll do them both at the same time.

I worked on the drying shed today.





The roof for the shed is not glued in place. I still need to add the glass for the window, however I won't do that until after I paint it. Then I'll affix it in place with some CA. I still might add some lighting to the interior and the plans call for a lamp on the tower, however that is easily accomplished with some "conduit" and some small LED's.

I am kind of amazed as to how quickly this is going. I bet I'll be singing a different tune once I start the actually tower part, but I'm looking forward to that component of the build.

I might get started on the tower tonight. Thanks for taking a look.

That looks great. How did you cut the cardboard stock so well?

Herc Driver Wrote:That looks great. How did you cut the cardboard stock so well?

Hey Herc. Thanks for the compliment.

Any one of the very talented folks here will tell you a very sharp X-Acto blade and using several light passes works better then trying to do it all in one cut. A straight edge as a guide also helps get very nice clean lines, plus some manual dexterity to hold the straight edge in place.

Lookin' mighty fine Tetters. You are carrying on a fine old Gauge tradition. Our friend Robin would have been proud. Very nice work using cereal boxes to create fine models.

Ralph

You're off to a great start Tetters. I look forward to seeing how things progress. I have also found that a sharp blade and several light cuts does the trick really well

A sharp blade? Somehow, I didn't think it was that simple, but it makes sense. I have a tendency to cut it all at once (even at my age, I haven't developed much patience). Considering there's cardboard stock just about everywhere...it's a great idea to use it for buildings. Since it is a paper product, will you paint it or use the natural color of the paper?

"A sharp blade"......paper will dull a blade fairly quickly, a small "hard Arkansas" stone can be used to keep the blade sharp. When I built my tower, I was using a scalpel for the cutting, and blades were hard to find locally (pre-internet days), so I got pretty good at honing the scalpel blades. My leather block got wet at some point, and is useless now.
Your work is progressing well. Have you figured out how you'll make the sand spout?
If I remember correctly, I used a brass rod, and tapered the end, before putting the curve in it.

Shane, you do some great scratchbuilding with cardstock!!! Man i wish i could be that good with cardboard, my family goes through like 2-3 cereal boxes a week lol

Trucklover Wrote:Shane, you do some great scratchbuilding with cardstock!!! Man i wish i could be that good with cardboard, my family goes through like 2-3 cereal boxes a week lol

Josh, just start practicing with the old cereal boxes. You will have fun building stuff and the buildings that don't come out can be thrown away and started over since the materials are free anyway!

Quote:Josh, just start practicing with the old cereal boxes. You will have fun building stuff and the buildings that don't come out can be thrown away and started over since the materials are free anyway!

They say "practice makes perfect"..........I don't know, I've yet to see a perfect doctor, and they are always practicing.
But!
Practice does develop skill. More importantly, technique, and knowledge of material, and what it will allow you to do with it. I'd give the above advice, from Russ, some serious consideration. After all, we're talking "free material".
In this photo of my first layout, the two foreground buildings, and the church in the background, were built from cardboard, and card stock, when I was 15.[attachment=1660]

man tetters,that looks great.you really would make robin proud! im following your lead and building a fishery out of card and its taking all i got to make a RICKETY looking building .you've got some talent .
sumpter,your work at 15 damn near beats mine --josh