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An O Scale Sand House. Part One.
A follow-along, step-by-step scratch building project.
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Part Deux / Part Three / Part Four /Part Five./ /Home.
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First I would like to say that this is going to be an interesting project but that I don't
rightly know where it's going or what will happen. Fact is I'll be building it as I go with
no set plans.
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This is a freelanced structure loosely based on several I have seen in the past, so feel
free to change dimensions, details and whatever. Look at the sketch below and it
should show you what I have in mind; a funky little sanding facility with character.
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I'll keep referring to it as we
go, I have no set dimensions
but the footprint will be
roughly 2 x 4 inches for the
sand bin and 2 x 3 inches for
the building. The height of the
tower is around 6 or 7 inches.
The bin will be about 5 scale
feet high and the building 12'
at the apex.
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The Sand Bunker
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Let's start at the beginning. I am severely limited when it comes to hobby shops, the
nearest one requiring a 90 mile round trip; they have a good selection of North Eastern
bass wood strips and siding, abbreviated NOE by the store, to me it means
Not-Overly-Exact, but it'll do for our project. For this construction I am going to use
what I have on hand, use whatever you wish. I guess we could call this
scratch-bashing?
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Materials:
For posts I am going to use scale 6 x 6s (NOE 231) and the boards are 2 x 12s
(NOE 130). We are going to need three lengths of each 2 x 12s, or about 6 feet,
and one of the 6 x 6.
Eight nuts, bolts and washers, whatever turns you on. I have some Grandt Line #
5113, HO 2 1/2" nut with rectangular washers and/or McLeod Western #N-25, 4"
web washers.
14" of .032 brass rods or similar. I've been known to straighten out paper clips.
Your favorite weathering wash, I mostly use very diluted Pactra weathered black
but I also have diluted Floquil, "weather-it" solution from A-West and I've used
alcohol and shoe polish. Also from A-West, their "blacken-it" solution, one of the
best things to have around, next to a good woman of course.
Some sort of foam, balsa or foam core board to build up and shape the sand inside
the bunker.
Your favorite fine sand, no fair raiding the kid's sand box but "Playsand" is good.
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Take all your wood and using your favorite method weather all on all sides, if you are
not familiar with the method experiment first on a small piece. You'll find the color
changes as it dries but the effect looks good. You can vary the amount of weathering but
don't go overboard or you'll get a "zebra" look later.
Let dry thoroughly. We will probably use less than 6 feet but you can always use a
length of weathered wood on your layout.
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Next time, cutting and assembly.
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Click on the Lion to go ahead
to Part Deux. >>>>>>
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Part Deux / Part Three / Part Four /Part Five./ /Home.
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Tools:
Glue: for wood I use "Tacky Glue" or Elmer's, also thick ACC like Zap-a-Gap.
Cutting tools: single edge razor blades, #11 X-Acto blades, NWSL "Chopper 2".
Saw blades: a couple of X-Acto or Zona saw blades with different numbers of
teeth.
Also: a steel ruler and/or square, pencil, a fine scouring pad or steel wool, #72
drill bit and pin vise, a set of cutting reamers*, if you don't have reamers you'll
need a #66 drill, paint brushes like an old 1/4 inch flat and a detail brush, you'll
figure it out.
Anything you use to keep the things you glue together square.
A bottle of good Modeler's Lubricant.
* A word about drills and reamers: Tired of changing drill bits and chucks that
live inside the handle of your pin vise? I have three of them on my workbench, a
#75 for .020 holes, a #72 which is a good all-around size and a 1/32". That's it. I
only need to change them when they get dull or break. For smaller holes I have
the bits handy and for larger or intermediate sizes I use my reamers. They save
time, make it easy to eye-ball for squareness and don't get dull easily.
OK. Let's start this project by distressing the wood.
The 2 x 12s are laid side by side and a vertical line lightly drawn with a sharp pencil
every 4 inches. Take one 2 foot length at a time and lay it flat on your workbench, if
you're like me your work area is about 6 x 7 inches, don't do this on your antique dining
room table.
Hold the wood firmly down and put a fingernail on the first 4" line, this will act as a stop
for the saw blade, (it's the length of the sand bunker). With a good amount of pressure,
draw the saw blade along the grain towards your finger. See how it creates a grain?
7/18/'05
Move your finger down another 4 inches. Now draw the
saw down but this time in a slightly wavy motion. Down
four inches again, place the saw so that it touches the
wood near the handle and as you draw it down move it so
you are at the tip of it by the time it touches your
fingernail, see the difference in grain? Goes left to right
doesn't it? Now draw the saw from tip to handle, see how
it goes right to left? You now have enough variation in
your grain to make each board different. Switch blades
for a different look.
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Do all three lengths, one on both sides, we'll use that one for the top boards where the
grain will be visible, others will be hidden by sand.
Do the 6 x 6s in a similar fashion but on all four sides ( you can get away with three).
Now we need to de-fuzz the wood by using the scouring pad or steel wool. This is an
important step, you don't want a model with hairy boards. Or maybe you do
