# CC&R Repair Shed



## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Here is a sneak peek at a new project for my narrow gauge Choctaw Coal & Railroad Company outdoor layout. These are the partially completed major wall assemblies for a repair shed. The building is a simple timber-framed structure with board and batten siding. It will contain a single-stall repair bay, a machine shop, and a forge area. The roof will be shake shingles over the repair bay and corrugated metal over the machine shop and forge.










The walls assemblies were built-up from 8” x 8” posts and sills, 4” x 8” studs and horizontal braces, 1” x 12” vertical sheathing boards, and 1” x 2” battens. Large 8” x 14” beams provide support along the center length and above the repair bay doors.












I plan on adding a full interior, including shop machinery, overhead line shafts with belts and pulleys, and an exterior boiler and vertical steam engine supplying power to the line shafts. The photo shows some of the detail parts I am preparing while I build the structure. I will be installing full interior lighting including hanging light fixtures and flickering fires in the blacksmith forge and shop heater. I will also be installing full sound effects with hidden speakers in the forge and machine shop areas. Work is progressing smoothly; the machinery and shop equipment for the interior are almost finished; and I am ready to start building the roof trusses, the interior floor, and the large repair bay doors.





















In the final two photos, the wall assemblies have been temporarily erected at the workbench to show how the major pieces go together. Although it represents a small prototype, the 1:20.3 scale model is fairly large (about 32 inches by 24 inches.) The model is designed to be weather resistant and is being constructed with waterproof adhesives and UV resistant finishes. Critical timber joints are strengthened with 23 gauge steel pins driven with a pneumatic pin nailer. I want the model to be durable and transportable so that I can keep it indoors for storage, yet easily move it to the layout for operating sessions. 


My goal is to have the model completed this fall. I will post additional photos as the work progresses. I will also be posting a complete “how-to” article on my web site after completion with plenty of photos taken during construction.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Beautiful structure Bob. I can certainly appreciate the level of effort to produce such a realistic building. I admire your skills and attention to details especially the interior. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Doc


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## Alan in Adirondacks (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob, 

Beautiful! 

Best regards, 

Alan


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Bob.....Beautiful build!!!


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Bob WOW this is going to be a great looking model , keep us posted with pictures 
Dennis


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Been a while since I posted an update on the Repair Shed model. It's coming along - although not as fast as I would like. Too many other outside projects going on while the weather is still nice. That and of course the ever expanding "honey-do" list that most of us have to deal with. I did get the main A-frame roof trusses completed. These are the ones that will support the roof over the engine repair bay. They took a while, primarily cutting all the various angles and making all of the tie plates that hold the timber joints together. Here is a photo of one of the completed trusses.










Here is a close-up shot that shows the tie plate detail with all the NBW castings.










It's getting there ... more to come later.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

That's just so impressive, Bob. Are you making your own tie plates?


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Yes. The tie plates are home-made. I start by drawing the tie plates using a computer drawing program (Microsoft Visio). I print multiple copies of the plates on a laser printer. One 11" x 17" sheet held enough tie plates for this project, with a few extras. I spray both sides of the sheet with Krylon acrylic clear matte finish multiple times, letting the spray paint soak the paper thoroughly. This infuses the paper fibers with the acrylic medium. When the sheet is dry, I cut out the plates with scissors. I dust the plates with gray and rust colored powdered pigments and spray them one final time with the clear matte finish to lock-in the colors and seal the cut edges. I glue the tie plates to the timbers and drill holes for the NBW castings with a #61 drill bit. The NBW castings are Ozark Miniatures that have been chemically darkened with Blacken-It.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Thanks for the explanation Bob. I'm amazed at the beautiful miniature woodworking.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

This is going to be a fantastic building. The detail is mind boggling!!! I would be afraid to leave it outside for very long.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob, did you make or buy the board and batten siding? If you bought I was wondering where? I need some for a building I'm planning. If you made them, I'll be waiting on your how to


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Board and batten siding is simply 1" x 12" boards glued to the framing, trimmed flush at the top and bottom, then individual 1" x 2" battens glued over each joint between the 1" x 12" boards. The boards and battens were painted prior to installation.


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Here's a bit more detail on how I do the board and batten siding. I start with raw cedar 1" x 12" boards and lightly scrub each surface along the grain with a steel wire brush to add a bit of grain texture.










I stain both front and back with a black stain made from 10 drops of black India ink in 1 ounce of 91% alcohol.










I paint one side of the boards with desired finish color using acrylic paint. When the paint is dry, I rub the painted surface with a brass wire brush along the grain.










I glue the boards onto the frame and weight them in place. I don't worry about the top or bottom edges; I trim these even with the frame later. When all of the boards are in place and trimmed, I apply another wash of the black India ink/alcohol mixture to the painted surface. I rub the boards along the grain with the brass wire brush again to burnish and further thin the paint layer. I stop when bare wood starts to show through the paint in places.










I stain and paint the battens like I did the boards. I apply the ink wash to them and burnish them with the brass brush. I cut the battens to random lengths (6' to 10') before gluing them onto the boards. I weight them in place just like I did with the boards.










I know it sounds tedious, but it actually goes pretty quickly.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Great work, really interesting project! So the tie plates are just paper, drenched in acrylic? 

That's an impressive array of detail parts for the interior.


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

It’s amazing how much work goes into the unseen portion of a model. I’m talking about the base that the model sits on. The base provides a rigid foundation for the model while it is being moved, isolates it from ground moisture and dirt while it is on the layout, and serves a convenient hiding place for the electronics needed to bring the model to life. The requirements were fairly simple: the base needed to be strong, light weight, and waterproof. I decided to go with plastic. Here is a shot taken while I was assembling it.









I built the frame for the base from PVC 1” x 2” trim boards. I first assembled the frame pieces with PVC pipe cement and then added 2” deck screws to insure that the joints stayed together. 


I drilled holes through the interior frame pieces at various point to provide paths for routing the wiring to the electronics. I also drilled holes in the perimeter frame pieces for mounting the motion sensors, master ON/OFF switch, sound mode ON/OFF/AUTO switch, lighting ON/OFF switch, smoke ON/OFF/AUTO switch, and battery charging jack. Here is the PVC frame before I attached the bottom.












I cut a piece of .093 thick acrylic sheet to fit the bottom of the frame. I used silicone adhesive to permanently attach the acrylic sheet to the frame except under the electronics area. I left the bottom off in the electronics area for now. The bottom cover for it will be removable. This will provide maintenance access to the major electronics components. Here is the PVC frame with the acrylic bottom attached. I know it's messy, but no one will ever see it except you guys.











The major electronic components will include:
[*]a 14.8 volt 4400 maH lithium ion battery pack, [*]a home-made circuit board (detail provided below), [*]a commercial sound board for the blacksmith forge area speaker, and [*]a commercial sound board for the machine shop area speaker. [/list] 
The home-made circuit board provides:
[*]constant voltages and/or currents for the various electrical circuits as needed, [*]motion detection logic, [*]flickering fire effect generation, [*]sensitivity and range adjustments for the motion sensors, [*]playback control logic for the commercial sound boards, and [*]smoke generator control for the forge chimney. [/list] 




Four passive infrared (PIR) motion sensors will be mounted on the perimeter of the frame. These sensors will detect an approaching observer from any direction. Detection range and sensitivity are adjustable. 


When motion is detected, the logic activates the sound boards when the sound mode switch is in the AUTO position. The duration of the playback is adjustable. Playback is continuous when the sound mode switch is in the ON position. 


Similarly, when motion is detected, the logic activates the smoke generator when the smoke switch is in the AUTO position. The duration of the smoke generation is adjustable. Smoke generation is continuous when the smoke mode switch is in the ON position. 


I have the home-made circuit board in the breadboard stage now for fine-tuning and adjustment before I build the final board. I will provide more detail on the electronics as the various components are installed. For now, I'm going to start putting in the floor. More to come later.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Cool!


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

I got to thinking about the white PVC frame of the base this past weekend. I realized that it would be visible and detract from the model. I came up with a quick and dirty solution. I took a sheet of Plastruct 1:24 scale field stone and cut it into strips the same height as the PVC 1" x 2" frame pieces. It is a ABS plastic material embossed to look like stone. I attached it to the PVC frame with bathroom adhesive.











I rubbed a thin coat a Liquitex Modeling Paste into the joints between the stones to simulate mortar and wiped it down with a damp cloth. I applied a coat of light gray acrylic paint and then went back and hit the stone surfaces with a coat of thinned burnt umber acrylic paint. I wiped the surface again with a damp cloth and here is how it turned out.










I think I'll hit it again with a bit of thinned yellow ochre and maybe some mars red to add a bit more variety, then apply a wash of 10% black India ink and alcohol to bring out the details before sealing it with a coat of Krylon clear matte UV protective spray. Sure is a lot easier than my old method of carving individual stones.


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Took advantage of the Black Friday holiday to get a bit more work done on the repair shed. I put in the floor joists this morning in the machine shop and repair bay areas.










I also framed and sheathed the large doors for the repair bay. Still need to add the trim boards and the hinges. Here they are positioned in the wall framing. I have to mount the hinges before I can add the board and batten siding to the wall.










Here are the floor boards installed in the machine shop area. The spool of wire is 26 gauge twisted pair for the speakers in this area.










I started laying out the track position down the center of the repair bay. Here is the view before the rail was spiked to the floor joists.










Hope to finish-up the floor this weekend. Still need to cut and age some more floor boards. Couldn't resist placing the camera on the floor in the machine shop to see the view out the windows.










Making progress -- slow but sure. More to come later.


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

I finished installing the floor boards this evening. It took a while to fit the boards between the rails and to make sure I was leaving adequate flange clearance. I ran the three-truck shay in and out a few times just to make sure. The thing sticking up out of the floor near the center is the four-pin connector where the shop heater plugs in. The heater has three orange LEDs that simulate the fire. The black and white twisted pairs are for speakers and lighting.










After the glue dried, I liberally dusted the floor with ashes and burnished it in with a stiff-bristled brush. This does a couple of things. First, it "dirties-up the floor and gives it a used appearance. Secondly, the ashes serve as a micro abrasive and smooth the rough texture lines of the boards. Finally, (and this is just a guess on my part) the ashes have a high pH value and tend to cancel out some of the acidic qualities of the cedar wood I use for construction. In any case, I like the effect it gives. Any ashes will work -- cigarette, cigar, or fireplace -- doesn't seem to make much difference.










I apply a thin wash of brown India ink to the floor with a soft-bristled brush. I use 10 drops of ink to 1 ounce of 91% isopropyl alcohol. Here is the wash being applied to the boards between the rails.










I'll let it dry overnight, and come back tomorrow to add the nail holes. More to come later ...


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## inganeer (Nov 30, 2012)

I left HOn3 for G scale because of failing eyes. I G scale if figure if it can't be seen at 10 feet, it ain't there. And now I see you adding nail holes to the floor of the shed! Appreciate the tip about the ashes; it does add a nice patina. I've started thinning all water based paints, the only type I use, with water; denatured alcohol all the way. Dries quicker, and helps matte the finish. Nice work, and thanks for sharing it with us; look forward to seeing more.


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## inganeer (Nov 30, 2012)

I certainly agree with a previous comment about the outstanding woodwork in this building. If you wouldn't mind, could you address the wood - do you cut your own lumber? If so, what specific tools and machines do you use? I have real problems resizing and getting uniform thickness on scale "1 bys." I have a Proxxon table saw and a Micro planer (sander.) Do you use a band saw? Thanks. John Easterwood, Chief Engineer, Ding Dong to Flat Railway (Incidentally, those are real town names here in Central Texas.)


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

John,

The nail holes are just something I learned many years ago in the smaller scales and never gave up. You are right about the ten-foot rule. No one knows they are there but me. It is actually extremely quick and easy to make nail holes in large scale. Here are all the tools you need: a large sewing needle, a pin vice, and a piece of phenolic breadboard (the kind used by electronics types to build experimental circuits ... available at Radio Shack and many electronics parts stores.) The hole is this breadboard are spaced 0.1 inches on centers. That is about 2" in 1:20.3 scale.










I lay the breadboard on the boards and start punching away. Here it is in action.










It only took about an hour to do all the holes in the repair shed floor. I gave the entire floor a super-thin wash of black ink (5 drops per 1 ounce of 91% isopropyl alcohol) to make them show up better. Here is how it came out. I just took this photo a few minutes ago and the alcohol hasn't yet completely evaporated, but you get the idea.










As for you question about the wood. The answer is kind of complicated but here goes. For some of the larger pieces I cut my own. I start with 5/8" thick cedar fence boards from Lowes or Home Depot. Usually 4" wide by 6' long. I cut these into 24" long pieces. I run the pieces through a power planer to smooth both sides. Then I rip the pieces into strips on a 4" Dremel Table Saw using an 80-tooth carbide blade. I've had the saw for about 30 years. It has an Accurizer fence that is adjustable in .005" increments. I use this method for cutting ties, trestle timbers, and things like the posts, beams, and floor joists in this structure.

For smaller timbers, about 4" x 8" size, like the wall studs and roof truss members and such, I prefer to buy pre-cut cedar lumber from Ozark Miniatures. link to OM website

For 1" and 2" thick boards, I have found the best quality material is from Smith Pond Junction. link to SPJ website


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Ah-hah!!! I always wondered what to use for nail spacing. Great idea,thanks Bob. 

Repair shed is coming along very nicely. Keep it up 

Chris


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

It's looking great!  

I really like the way large scale affords building techniques and materials faithful to the prototype, and detail that's actually visible. Those nails are exquisite.


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## inganeer (Nov 30, 2012)

Thank you for the info re: lumber. I live so far from any commercial sources that the shipping and handling makes anything other than a real large order too expensive. I am impatient, so when I need a certain size piece of lumber, I really appreciate being able to knock it out on my Proxxon table saw. I cultivated a friendship with a fencing contractor who lets me clean up the scrap red cedar. Look forward to following your progress on the shed and I know we all appreciate your tips and techniques. John.


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Hi John, 

I make small lumber using a Sears table saw (the second down from their top model.) I usually use a 60 or 80 tooth carbide blade, and I have a zero-clearance insert, which I consider essential. I have a set of flexible fingers which attach in the T slots or can be clamped to the fence, and these are also helpful in getting consistent model lumber. 

What works best for me, is to take a larger piece of dimensional lumber (usually bought at Lowe's), and cut the small strips out of the inside corner, gradually consuming the board; periodically I cut a fresh face in the board. I find this gives more consistency, though I do lose a lot of the material (more loss than yield, on pieces anything from 1/4" x 1/4" or smaller.)


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow!


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## jimhoot (Mar 21, 2015)

rhyman
Any updates on this build?


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## rhyman (Apr 19, 2009)

Jim,
I have not posted any updates about the Repair Shed project on this site, but I did post more info on one of the other large scale sites. Here are the links to those updates:

http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/20506/cc-amp-r-repair-shed-log-is-moving-to-lsc

http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/20715/repair-shop-update

http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/21151/repair-shop-update-line-shafts-installed

http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/21205/repair-shop-update-a-forge-hood-for-the-blacksmith


One of the above posts also has an embedded link to a short you tube video that shows the interior of the structure. Eventually, I plan to consolidate all of the info about this structure onto my web site, but I haven't had a chance to update it lately.


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