# Iron Foundry Building Build Log



## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

I am developing an iron business on the SC&M garden RR. I have an iron ore mine, and have built a spur for the location of an iron furnace and foundry. The furnace will be made from foam modeled on furnaces in rural areas of Virginia. I have been pondering the foundry for a while trying to come up with a design. They were typically buildings adjacent to the furnace with an open shed arrangement for shelter and an enclosed building for machinery. 

So there I am at Marty's event in September in Nebraska, and Mike the wood guy is there, with his typically very nicely done bundles of cedar for scratch building. But he also has some buildings for sale, and I decided to get the largest one he had, a barn with cupola topper to use for the iron foundry building. The building is solid cedar construction. Of course, I was on the road for 6 weeks with a small (12') camper, so ended up bundling the building in bubble wrap and trash bags, and putting it in the camper and under the camper for the next month. It survived 4800 miles of travel. Very sturdy work, that.

This view shows the building finally home:










I started painting the building using spray cans. The roof was first. I have had good results with multiple coats of lighter spray paints followed by progressive applications f darker colors, then very light over-spray of a contrasting color to bring out texture and avoid a "flat" look.

The roof started with a typical gray primer coat, followed by a second coat of darker gray primer (Rust-oleum 2X flat gray primer#249088). 



















I then painted the building with Rust-Olieum camouflage paint (NOTE: I quite like the limited line of camo paints from RO. Nice selection of muted colors for modeling). I used #1917 Khaki as the prime color. After two coats, I then did a very light overspray with RO Semi Gloss Protective enamel #7754, anodized bronze. This gave some texture to the walls. This photo is taken with flash to show the overspray.










I then began adding doors and windows that I also got from Mike while in Nebraska. I used small cedar strips to frame the windows, painted the windows gray and the frames a green for contrast. I did not cut any holes in the building, but used .010 polystyrene sheet sprayed flat black with a light overspray of gray as backing behind the windows. 










Next I decided I needed a vent grate in the cupola to provide escape for heat and gasses from the foundry process. I pondered what to make the grates from for a while, including discussing with my chat buddies, and suddenly realized a fan assemble I was going to discard was the answer:










I cut out some grill work and applied it to the cupola:










I then applied more windows, and some horizontal trim to break up the flatness of the walls.










So that is where I am now. More to do yet including adding lights over the doors, some moderate weathering, and of course the furnace itself has yet to be done. Oh I also used a penetrating epoxy sealer (MAS epoxy) http://www.masepoxies.com/ to seal the bottom edges of the building. I am using increasing amounts of the product to seal various wood projects on my railroad as it makes an impermeable barrier to moisture. 

Thanks again to Mike for making such nice products. I believe Reindeer Pass carries Mikes products now and then. 

More to come when I get past this bad weather and start on the furnace.

Regards

Jerry


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## pete (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry thanks for the pictures you have a great looking building. The grill work adds a lot to the appearance. Pete


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## jimhoot (Mar 21, 2015)

Very nice work.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Sharp! The vent worked out great too. Does Mike the wood guy have a website?

-Jim


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

It really looks good seen in person... Thanks for hosting me last week jerry!


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Jerry, Great looking job on the building! I'll be looking forward to the rest of the structures. Glad everything got home safely.

A side note: Torry is bringing down our coal fired K27 a week from Thursday. Wish you could be here to help initiate it.


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## DennisB (Jan 2, 2008)

Well done and thanks for posting. Regards, Dennis.


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Jim

Been a while, but yes, Mike does have a website with his multiple buildings, bridges, lumber products, etc.
It is:

http://trainbuildings.com/index.html

Regards

Jerry


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

A very nice project Jerry, I appreciate your detailed description and pictures, I know the question will get asked, How did you do your vents, they are very nicely done. 
Is this a structure he has nailed individual pieces as siding, 
Thanks 
Dennis


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Love the recycled vent grates. Very creative.


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks Dennis, Tod

Dennis, the grates were made from a small window fan grill that I cut up, painted and mounted to the building. I used a polystyrene sheet painted black as a backing to give the illusion of a vent duct so I could avoid cutting holes in the structure. The appearance of lap siding was done by Mike when he milled the cedar boards he used to make the building. See his website, above. 

Jerry


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## general1861 (Jan 22, 2010)

That looks really nice with the details you added Jerry....


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks Travis, good to hear from you.
I hope to add more work to the foundry when the snow melts....if the snow melts....

Jerry


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