# The End of Miracle Chair Company



## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

It started eight and a half years ago as part of a building contest here.

It looked great to start with:

























The years took their toll. But, I still thought it would have a chance in the new location.









Today, I brought it in to start some repairs. 

Originally built on a plywood frame, I had covered the sides with Precision Products clapboard siding. The siding held up well.

But, when I turned the building over, I found that the siding was about the only thing keeping the wood together.








In fact, the lower part of the wood had disappeared. I thought it would be safe on a platform, but I was obviously wrong.









My styrene loading dock survived OK, as did the Grandt Line windows and doors. The windows I had scratch built survived as well.

But, looking at the damage, I knew it was time to just salvage what I could. 









The windows were popped out; the loading dock removed from the building. Everything that I could use again, I saved. 









All that's left of a once fine building:









When originally built, I had not yet settled on 1:20. I was still in the 1:22 or 1:24 stage. Even so, it was a very tiny building. 

I do need a building for that siding, but I don't think I'll rebuild the Miracle Chair factory. I do know I'll never use plywood again!


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Bruce, 

That is a pity - it is a good looking design! Could I suggest your acrylic sheeting or Sintra board for its replacement? 

After all all those lovely windows have to be incorporated into something! 

Its a good advert for the strength of your Precision board however.


----------



## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Yuck !







Thanks for posting the pictures before the demolition of such a fine structure. Hopefully that will save my self and other new LS hobbyists from the same mistake.


----------



## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

That's to bad to see that building go Bruce. But what passes away will breed new life with the recycled parts. And we know with your talent, that will be one great new structure. 

Chris


----------



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Snif









I thought is was such a pretty building


----------



## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

What makes me sick is that I can so easily recall the original posting and thread when it was buiilt. Bruce says it has been 8.5 years!!!! I would have guessed 3-4 tops!! 

Jonathan/EMW


----------



## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Actually, the gutted remnants would probably do well for the 'spooky abandoned house' in the neighborhood...


----------



## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Goodness! I remember you building it.

Perhaps that's scale "Time?"

I agree, would serve as a great abandoned building in some forgotten corner.


----------



## dmikee (Dec 27, 2007)

When building a building substructure from plywood, be sure to paint and seal the plywood before adding siding or planking. Leave it room to breathe by opening up some windows, too.


----------



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Bruce 

You need to look into building the substructure out of plexigalss. 

Stop in the chatroom at nite and look up Garry. He's building a saw mill with the substructure made of plexiglass. 

Garry will be glad to show you picks of his mill 

Randy


----------



## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Randy, 
That was my 2nd scratch-built structure, built in 2003. All the others since then have been built using acrylic or some other form of plastic.


----------



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Great 

So you will take pictures and keep us informed as you rebuild the Miracle Chair Company with acrylic or some other form of plastic for the substructure? 

It much to nice a building to not rebuild. 

Randy


----------



## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

You couldn't possibly replant it, take down all these pics a the top, and just not tell, could you?? 
After all, it's only had 449 views as I type this, and I know some of those are mine, and I won't tell. 

I am sorry to see it go. 
I enjoyed watching you build it, and the final product.


----------



## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

It's a pity indeed . It was a fine looking building. 
You should sue the landlord for neglected / deferred maintenance!!! ;-)


----------



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Bruce, I am still amazed that, as you stated on one of your other posts, you leave your structures outdoors. My stuff is so precious that it's stashed away all over the house, much to DW's chagrin. Of course, there's still no garden railway, so I have an excuse.


----------



## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

I am like Joe, after spending 6 months or longer building a structure, I am not going to leave it outside. I know that it will weather with time, but it also deteriorates and that what I will not leave them outside to do. 
Ron


----------



## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

I just don't have the room inside - so they have to live outside. That's why I make them out of stuff that lasts. Well, NOW I do.



















I'd need a LOT of room inside. This is Jackson, on my layout. The closest building is 24" x 42"; it's my largest, by far, but the others are not tiny. 

Buchanan Tool & Die is the most distant building; it sits where Miracle Chair used to be. It's 18" x 24".


----------



## ohioriverrailway (Jan 2, 2008)

'Twas a fine structure, sorry so see its demise. I don't suppose you could put the hulk back on the railroad, and have it suffer at the hands of an arsonist?


----------



## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

The interesting thing, being from Colorado, is that just about every remaining town in the State has brick buildings. When they were built, everyone used wood, everything was hastily built, and then the inevitable fire would level the town. Those that were worth rebuilding were always rebuilt with brick. Some of the towns that were more "spread out" avoided the demise of their wooden buildings, Alma for example, but most of them, Central City/Blackhawk for example, are almost all brick or adobe structures. 

Robert


----------



## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Hi Bruce, sad to see. I found my wood warehouse, despite staining the cedar wood, had a similar fate, though not so dramatic. I'm probably in future going to build stuff from cement, masonry, rock and perhaps plexi or other such


----------



## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

I highly recommend acrylic. Matheson Textiles in the shot above has been outside almost 4 years - no sign of any deterioration.


----------



## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

another comment. It seems my ties and bridge structures (both made of wood) last a lot longer than some wood structures. Perhaps it is because mold develops where air doesn't circulate inside the building. Just a hunch. 

Dave


----------



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

woow that long ago??? that is why I changed to plastics. Most of my wood ones have done the same


----------

