Neo Phyte
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Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 21:46:15 GMT -5
Hello, I am new to modelling as I have explained in forum's Introduction section. My project is for a maritime museum. They have a Port of Ballina display room and wish to include this project.
It all started when the museum acquired an old disused control panel/console which operated a lift-span bridge. They wanted it to operate a model of the bridge. So the task is to build a model bridge to fit on a 4' x 8' display table; have a boat traverse under the bridge; and create electronics to operate those two from the control panel.
I am already about halfway through the project. However I am now coming close to doing the surrounding areas of the bridge. I am hoping the members here will help me to decide what steps to take as I present my problems or questions.
To let you know how I got to where I am at, I will post about 50 photos. These photo collages were originally put together for the museum curator and president. Reason being is that the project is being built in my home, and they need to know where I am in my progress. So future photos will mostly follow this collage style.
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Neo Phyte
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Member since: March 2017
Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 21:47:53 GMT -5
The real bridge The control panel Internal wiring of the original console
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Neo Phyte
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Member since: March 2017
Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 22:00:47 GMT -5
Building the display table top. It will rest on a steel frame that is already in the museum. The tabletop has a gap for guiding the traversing boat. Control Box which will be attached under the tabletop. It houses some electronics, and motors for both bridge and boat (both run on pulleys and cables). Designed and built the power supply unit for the project.
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Neo Phyte
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Member since: March 2017
Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 22:07:29 GMT -5
Back to the bridge. Installing the footings. Adding the piers. Adding the girders. Giving it an undercoat.
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Neo Phyte
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Member since: March 2017
Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 22:21:19 GMT -5
Preparing the Fender Piers, aka Dolphins. The outer centre piers has a hole through the centre for installing small green and red LEDs for navigational lights. Using washers and soldering wire to sweat together to make pulley wheels. Cutting out connector holes to rear of console. Adding speaker brackets to old TV speakers so I can mount them onto the console. Holes cut for speakers. The console will now become an added diorama. A wiring diorama of sorts. The front steel panel will be replaced with a thick sheet of clear perspex. LED strips will be installed just behind the edge opening. So the interior has been painted a dark colour to assist in highlighting the wiring. The exterior will remain as is - 'antiquated'.
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Neo Phyte
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Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 22:43:56 GMT -5
Back to the bridge. The lift-span became my next focus. It has a fair bit of work involved. Please note that my task is simply to make a working bridge, and not an exact replica. Besides there were no plans available to me. I am working from photographs. The scale is 1/72. However I did measure the span length and width for a starting reference. I've been asked why I am doing more than expected. My answer is that the better I make it the better it will look. Yet I am not building it anywhere near as good as what I have already seen in this forum. The span will need power and electronics. I don't like loose moving wiring, they don't last long. So the span is self powered when disconnected from the bridge. It will have a rechargeable battery housed in the span hut. The battery gets recharged when it returns to its resting place. The span edges, underneath, has contact strips. Also underneath are the port and starboard navigational lights (red and green). Here, I am making trenches into the plywood to hide the wiring.
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Neo Phyte
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Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 22:57:48 GMT -5
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Post by panzerjager2 on Mar 24, 2017 22:58:31 GMT -5
ZOW-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE That's gonna be some big project............ PJ2
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Neo Phyte
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 23:07:42 GMT -5
Hi Panzerjager2. It looks that way, and it's starting to feel it too. I am happy they have not given me a deadline.
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Neo Phyte
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Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 23:11:14 GMT -5
Now for the bridge towers. To strengthen the bridge framework I added many dowels through the joints. I used bamboo skewers.
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Neo Phyte
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 23:16:28 GMT -5
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Neo Phyte
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Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 23:20:05 GMT -5
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Neo Phyte
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 23:27:45 GMT -5
Now for the tricky part, installing the towers. But first I had to make the road traffic lights, make the road and footpath, install the traffic lights, route all the wires through the bridge and tabletop, and cut out slots through the road for anchoring the towers. All this before gluing the road into place. Then the towers had to be positioned straight and level, and aligned for the cables to pass through the bridge and tabletop without touching anything. Once that got established (a bit of filing here and there) I could start gluing and doweling the towers in. I discovered before anchoring the towers that the span would not be able to be removed for any future repairs. The bumper rollers and the pulley wheel overhang restricts this. So I had to make a modification. I decided to replace two lateral bumper rollers with detachable ones. Now the span can be removed laterally (sideways).
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Neo Phyte
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Member since: March 2017
Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 24, 2017 23:38:27 GMT -5
Now to add railings to the road and footpath. The gaps you see near the traffic lights are for the swinging gates. Before painting the railings and the rest of the bridge, I decided to tidy up the loose wiring under the tabletop. The wires are terminated and routed towards the centre of span and boat travel. It is here that the control box will later be installed. Well folks, this is where I am at. I've been having a break from model making this week to get a museum newsletter out. After which I will return to painting the bridge.
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John Everett
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Jan 17, 2012 0:53:48 GMT -5
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Post by John Everett on Mar 25, 2017 0:02:40 GMT -5
That's beautiful. What scale does it work out to be?
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Neo Phyte
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 25, 2017 0:07:08 GMT -5
Thanks John. scale is 1/72
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joelsmith
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There no winners in war, only survivors.
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Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
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Post by joelsmith on Mar 25, 2017 3:15:06 GMT -5
I'm not sure why you feel the need to "poormouth" your skills! What you have posted is very nice work! And, the fact that the bridge and ship are operable is just "sugar frosting on chocolate pie"! Keep up the great work, Joel.
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Post by dierk on Mar 25, 2017 4:11:48 GMT -5
Stunning work! You may stay
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Neo Phyte
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 25, 2017 4:45:46 GMT -5
Thank you joelsmith for your encouragement, and Thanks dierk for letting me stay.
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Neo Phyte
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Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 25, 2017 5:42:29 GMT -5
I have started painting the railings, using the same grey enamel paint used on the bridge. I didn't get far after an hour. So its going to take a while.
Though I like how others paint there dioramas to look as real as possible (some looking weathered), I prefer unweathered for the bridge. But not ultra clean like those architectural models made for gaining council approval.
All my painting will be oil based.
I went and bought a small tin of enamel undercoat. It is matt white. Then I added some Humbrol matt black [33] and a touch of matt brown [62]. It looks slightly off light grey. My idea is to paint the road, footpath, girders and piers with it. Then mask off the road surface and fine splatter it with a dark grey, via a stiff brush, to make it look like concrete instead of cement. Then mask off the road surface to allow me to paint white fog and centre lines.
What do you think?
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Post by Tojo72 on Mar 25, 2017 7:13:22 GMT -5
Really an impressive project
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Post by Leon on Mar 25, 2017 7:21:46 GMT -5
WOW!!!!!! That is an awesome undertaking and your doing an excellent job.
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Post by Tobi on Mar 25, 2017 13:26:44 GMT -5
Quite some effort! I love hand-crafted museum pieces like this one. Stunning work!
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bbrowniii
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Mar 25, 2012 22:08:04 GMT -5
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Post by bbrowniii on Mar 25, 2017 16:48:55 GMT -5
Ummmmmmmm...
WOW!!
AMAZING!!
😀
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adt70hk
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Member since: November 2015
Currently attempting to build something decent!!! ;)
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Post by adt70hk on Mar 25, 2017 17:34:21 GMT -5
And you claim to be new to modelling......
I think you doth protest FAR too much....
That is outstanding work work.
Very well done indeed.
Andrew
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Neo Phyte
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 25, 2017 20:02:55 GMT -5
Wow, thank you Tojo72, Leon, Tobi, bbrowniii, and adt70hk for your kind words and support.
Thanks for awakening me to my uncalled for modesty. I've seen excellent dioramas here and felt untested in such disciplines. I will endeavour to no longer 'poomouth' or 'protest FAR too much' again.
Thanks again.
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Neo Phyte
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Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 25, 2017 20:07:05 GMT -5
From post #19 I take it that nobody sees reason to add any recommendations. In that case, I will put my apprenhension aside and proceed as planned. Thanks.
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Neo Phyte
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Posts: 188
Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 25, 2017 21:31:53 GMT -5
I have a few questions. I plan to use compressed foam sheet for shaping the landscape.
1. What is a good filler/undercoat for this foam? 2. After painting the foam for ground colour, what is an easy way to add grass to it?
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joelsmith
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There no winners in war, only survivors.
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Post by joelsmith on Mar 26, 2017 8:24:39 GMT -5
The foam you are using is a good choice. What I have dome in the past is cut the foam in irregular shapes so that it looks like a 3D topographical map, use plaster to build up the contours, and then use plaster impregnated bandages (as used in making casts) to add strength to the surface. Most, if not all of the products are available foe a company names "Woodland Scenics" it is available in most hobby shops. shops that specialize in railroads should have the products. I hope my "American Speak" is clear to you.
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Neo Phyte
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Member since: March 2017
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Mar 24, 2017 8:02:55 GMT -5
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Post by Neo Phyte on Mar 26, 2017 21:13:43 GMT -5
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