In-ko-pah RR: The Mineral Ridge Mill

[Ray Dunakin]

I've stopped work on the Princess Shilo Mine for a while, so I could get going on the Mineral Ridge Mill. The space available for this mill is very limited and challenging, and will only permit a very small mill. My goal is to create a freelance structure that is at least plausible and follows prototype practices as much as possible.

I had previously built the foundations for the mill, and the large wooden ore bin. The next step was to design the mill building. It's a fairly complex shape, with an irregular footprint, that goes up the slope in steps. The easiest way to design the building was to build a mockup out of foam core art board.

I started with the grizzly and sorting house on top of the ore bin. Because there will be mine tracks leading to the sorting house from two different levels, I originally planned to make the sorting house a two-story structure. Here's the first mockup, sans roof:




After seeing this in place, I didn't like the looks of it. It was too tall and would block the view of structures that will later be added behind it. I cut it shorter, changed the shape of the roof, and added an opening in the roof where ore can be dumped from the higher of the two mine tracks.




Next I went to work on the main mill structure, starting at the level just below the ore bin. As with the sorting house, I started out making it a taller structure, then decided to cut it shorter. (When determining what will look best, it's easier to cut off excess material than to try putting it back on.)






Anyway, here's what I ended up with. I haven't added roofs yet, and may not as they aren't critical to the mockup. The next step will be working out the size and location of the doors, windows and certain other exterior details.






The actual model will be constructed using Sintra PVC board, with corrugated metal applied to the exterior. I don't intend to model the interior, though it will have lights. I may install just enough timbers and other bits to give the impression that the structure isn't completely hollow.

That's all for now. Enjoy!

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[Leon]

Ray,nice mockup on the mill.Keep up the good work.

[`Boots`]

This is fantastic..............lovely work Ray

[deafpanzer]

It is great that you are posting your work... I have been following your build since the first day.

Looking great... just amazing!

[John Everett]

This really is extraordinary. I don't know if this has been asked in the threads of your other builds, but is the layout running on powered track with DCC or, will the locos each have their own power sources in the tenders and be RC controlled?

That's a lot of track to keep clean, even at a constant 14V with DCC.

Wait!!! Live steam!! You need live steam!

[Ray Dunakin]

Thanks! Originally I was running it on straight track power with R/C control. Then in late 2012 I scratch-built the little rail bus. Due to the short wheelbase and light weight, it had to be battery powered. Well, that worked out so well, it convinced me to start converting my locos to battery. The 4-6-0 steam loco runs for hours on a lithium battery pack -- I don't even know how long it will go before running down the battery because that hasn't happened yet! After I get some of these structures finished, I'll convert my diesel to battery power too.

[Ray Dunakin]

Progress continues to be very slow lately, but here's a brief update:

I've cut out the openings for the doors and windows, and built the roofs. Each roof is removable for access to the interior:






Except for the large freight door, I'll be using Grandt Line doors and windows for this structure, as they are almost identical to the styles typically seen on mill and mine structures. However, since this is supposed to be a fairly old and weathered building, I've added more prominent wood grain and a few cracks:




The exterior of the mill will be clad with corrugated metal. I originally wanted to use the very nice, galvanized stuff sold by Rainbow Ridge. However, this structure will require about 10 square feet of material, and I can't really afford that much right now. Also, if I make my own I can make it thinner and more pliable. So I'm making it out of .001" thick shim brass from McMaster-Carr.

I cut it into pieces a little over four inches long, then heat each piece with a torch to anneal it. Next it is sprayed with oven cleaner. I let it soak in the oven cleaner for a while as that seems to slightly etch the surface. After rinsing and drying, then I place it over a piece of corrugated material and use a dull pencil tip to embossed the ridges. Then I cut them into strips a little over 1 inch wide. A very laborious process, but I have more time than money.





So that's where things stand. I still have a lot more corrugated metal to make, and then apply it to the structure. Also need to paint the doors and windows, and cut glass to fit. And I haven't built the sorting house yet, that goes on top of the ore bin.

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[`Boots`]

Tremendous work Ray.......that corrugated looks very nice indeed and i like the oven cleaner trick!!

[Ray Dunakin]

Time for another progress report... Mostly I've been making corrugated metal sheets and gluing them to the structure.

At first I used Loctite Pro Line Premium construction adhesive, a thick, gooey, polyurethane glue. This would have provided a very strong and durable bond, however there were some issues.

One, despite being thick and gooey, it didn't grip enough to hold the corrugated panels flat prior to curing. This meant only a few panels could be applied at a time, which then had to be pressed down with weight until the glue cured -- and if it wasn't very level, the panels and weights would slide off. (I found this out the hard way.) The other issue was that excess glue was difficult to clean off and tended to stick to everything, including the weights.

So I switched to using DAP Dynaflex 230, a paintable, weatherproof sealant. I've never used it to attach brass to plastic before, but I have used it for several other applications outdoors and haven't had any trouble with it. So I think it will hold just fine, and is definitely not going to decay or deteriorate due sun or weather. It's gummy enough hold the panels flat without weights, and excess material cleans off easily with a damp rag.

On February 22 we hosted our club's monthly meeting/open house, so the mill was on display despite being far from completion:




Since then I have gotten a lot more of the corrugated metal panels installed. The rear of the structure is mostly hidden by the cliff, so I only put the metal panels on where they would be most likely to show:




Currently the walls of the main structure are finished, with only two sections of roof left to cover:






Here are a couple closer shots:





One small issue with this adhesive is that it air dries, and since the brass and the PVC substructure are both non-porous, the stuff in the middle of each panel remains soft for several days. Until it becomes firm, the structure must be handled carefully to avoid crushing the corrugated ridges.

The window frames have only been put into place to give an idea of how it'll look. They aren't painted or glazed yet and won't be permanently installed until after the structure has been painted.

That's all for now, enjoy!

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[vlpbruce]

Great work Ray!!

[Ray Dunakin]

After applying all the corrugated metal and giving it at least a couple days or more for the adhesive to dry, I washed it off to remove oily fingerprints, etc. As before, I sprayed it with oven cleaner, then rinsed it.

When it was dry I primed it with Rustoleum's "self-etching" primer. Then I gave it two coats of Rustoleum's "Cold Galvanizing Compound". Here's how it looks so far:








Still to come: Weathering the structure, adding exterior details, painting and installing the windows, etc. I also haven't built the sorting house yet, which goes on top of the ore bin.

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[Leon]

Awesome work on the corrugated panels and great tip on the oven cleaner Ray.

[wbill76]

Very nice, corrugated panels look spot on.

[Ray Dunakin]

Time for another update...

I've started putting together the sorting house on top of the ore bin. This small structure is the most complex part of the entire mill.

It will have Gn15" tracks entering it on two different levels, from two different directions, as well as one track exiting the building to a trestle for dumping waste rock. Part of the internal structure -- the upper tram dump and ore chute -- will extend above the peak of the roof. And the large tram openings, together with a pair of windows, make the interior fairly visible, so I have to model a lot of the interior details.

I wanted to apply the corrugated siding to a PVC substrate, as on the larger part of the mill. But I wanted to make it look like a wood-framed building. So I built the walls out of thinner, 3mm PVC and then added an interior framework made of styrene strips. When finished, the interior walls will be painted the same color as the corrugated metal siding, with "aged wood" color on the frame.

This shot shows the beginning of the construction. The four walls are assembled and a few of the interior frame pieces have been installed. You can see where the lower level tram enters the building on the right, and exits on the left. The small, triangular platform at the peak is where the upper level tram will come to dump its ore:




The next three shots show the current stage of construction. The upper level ore dump and chute have been built and temporarily installed, along with the necessary support timbers. Most of the frame has been applied to the interior of the walls, however there are some pieces still missing:








And just for fun, here are some pics I shot recently while running a train:








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[Leon]

Great update Ray,this is coming together very nicely :)Nice pics of the train running.Sorta miss my railroad days.

[Ray Dunakin]

Thanks! BTW, the scenery is all my own creation as well. When I started it was just a dirt slope covered with ice plant (a type of succulent). I hauled in all the rocks, dug out the hill, made tunnels, built mountains, etc.

[Ray Dunakin]

Time for another progress report...

I finished installing the framing on the interior walls. (The diagonal braces will be added later, after it's painted.) The ore chute is removable to facilitate painting:




Then I painted the interior. The timbers and framework are painted to look like aged "indoor" wood. The interior wall was painted a zinc-like gray, to simulate the appearance of the galvanized metal that will be applied to the exterior. The ore chute was painted separately, then glued in place:








I also started building the roof, which is fairly complex. This is due to the ore chute for the upper level tram:




The interior of the roof is braced with 6mm thick sheets of Sintra PVC glued flat to the underside, to prevent sagging or warping in the sun. There are also crude rafters made of the same material. More bracing will be added later:






Here are a couple shots of the interior. I've added some planking to create a "floor" and painted it to match the timbers and wall frames. I still have to install the tracks for the lower level tram, which will run through the building. The roof has not yet been finished nor painted:






That's all for now, more later.

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[deafpanzer]

WOW! Just amazing... always am in awe when I see your updates.

[pantherf..-Email Not Valid]

HOLY MOLLY!!!!!!  This is the first time seeing this... I think. 

Just goes to show that there is more going on here than what one person can keep track of.



And this is fantastic work!  What is this for, a contest or planned project?





Jeff

[Ray Dunakin]

Thanks guys!

Jeff, this mill is just the latest addition to my 1/24th scale outdoor railroad.

BTW, I have another structure in the works, a small concrete jailhouse. I'm experimenting with some new materials and techniques for this, that I think will be quite exciting. But I'm not ready to show it yet.

[Ray Dunakin]

Apr 6, 2014 14:08:19 GMT -5 @dickyf said:

More great work here ray - stunnin' interior shots there, superb modelling....what this 1/24 dio needs is a British Army ARRV trundling down the high street!!!

Thanks, and LOL!