# In-ko-pah RR - Mineral Ridge Mill



## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

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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## Don Gage (Jan 4, 2008)

Great start on the Mill Ray! 
I really like the different roof angles. Please keep the photos coming. 
Have fun, 

Don


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Nice work Ray, even your foam core board mockups look crisp and straight. Mine don't! 
I need to build a small iron mill/foundry, do have favorite prototype photo sites for this sort of structure? 

Thanks 

Jerry


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks guys! 

Jerry, I can usually find just about anything with Google Images, though it sometimes takes a while to figure out the search word(s) that returned the best results.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Another fine structure in the making Ray. I think it looks pretty good cut down like you have it. 

Chris


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks like another great project, Ray. And the fact that you switch gears (and projects) is heartening to someone who has a ton of works in various stages of completion.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks. Sometimes it just helps to take a break from one project for while and do something different. 

Also, for the Princess Shilo Mine, I'm still trying to find some kind of flat, 1/8" wide woven cord that could be used to represent the "flat rope" type of winding cable used on some mines. I'd really like to do that because it's something I've never seen modeled before. If I can't find a suitable material I'll have to switch to modeling the "round wire" cable instead. In the meantime, I can't make any of the hardware for the head frame of the mine until I know what kind of cable I'll be using.


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray try looking at flat shoe/boot laces for you rope. I,ve kept some flat laces for fire hose.
Just a thought.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Great modeling again Ray. You really make me wish I had the space and ability to build a layout like yours.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Beautiful!! 
I love the foundations Ray, and everything else for that matter. Lots of vertical drama, so fun! 
Are you also planning on putting in a waste track / dump?


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Paracord might work for the flat, woven rope.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

My o' my, Ray.... It's gettin' gooder and gooder....

Wonderful...


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm glad you cleared up my confusion, you are too good to omit the doors on your bin! Hidden they were unnecessary. 
Looks great as usual! 
Some elastics are flat, maybe trim one and the stretch can aid a taut line... JoAnn's Fabrics have helpful staff, also look at 'piping' woven tubes lie flat until stuffed. A variety of sizes and weaves. 
John


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

How 'bout brass tubing - flattened with a hammer and steel block, press a 'woven pattern' into the soft brass & paint and weather, hold's it place well.... 

Somethin to jog your mind....? 

Dirk, 
got a spare one - I got room here!!!!!!!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

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:




















I'm going to use 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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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Your AMAZing RAY!!! just amazing.... 

THX - D


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## catherine yronwode (Oct 9, 2013)

I love your corrugated metal. You are the detail king, Ray.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Ray Dunakin on 15 Feb 2014 01:33 PM 
Progress continues to be very slow lately, but here's a brief update:

.....After rinsing and drying, then I place it over a piece of corrugated material and use a dull pencil tip to embossed the ridges.







Would you elaborate on that..."over a piece of corrugated material..." Do you have a photo of that "material"? I take it this means you do NOT uses a Fisker crimper...


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Mike, you're right, I did not use a Fisker crimper for this build. I've never been real happy with the oversized corrugations it produces, especially on walls where it's right next to scale door and window frames. So I used a sheet of corrugated plastic I bought on ebay a long time ago. It might have originally come from Plastruct but I'm not sure.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

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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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Really enjoying this Ray, just too beautiful. And thanks for the Dynaflex 230 tip.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

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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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Neat Ray...

1st time I used the cold galvanizing was on a auto rack..was repainting the metal car sides to look more aged and natural...

Looks great...found a spot here for a mine!

Dirk


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Another nice mine Ray, like the tin siding looks very good.

Chris


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, That is really coming out nice. It will be a beautiful structure. I hope to build a mill some day so I am really interested in seeing what you do.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

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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## dms1 (May 27, 2010)

That's a great looking building you got going there. Do you keep your building outside all year? If so do you treat them with anything?

I'm also interested in that sintra board you are using, where do you buy it and what do you use to cut it?

Take care

Dave S


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks Dave! Yes, my buildings stay outdoors. Most get it a coat of Krylon UV resistant clear matte spray.

I get the Sintra PVC board here:

http://www.foamboardsource.com/sintra-pvc-foam--sintra-pvc-board.html

It comes in a variety of sizes and thicknesses, and can be cut with an X-acto knife. Really great stuff!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

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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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

Can I pick my jaw up from the floor now? I saw your layout two years ago at the West Coast Regional Meet. It was mind boggling then. This latest mill is more icing on top of an already delicious cake.

Keep up the good work, because, if I can't build it, I can certainly enjoy it.


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## TrotFox (Feb 15, 2008)

The best part, for me, is that the interior shots make it look ready for someone to walk in and start working. It's amazing what you're accomplishing here. 

Trot, the impressed, fox...


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks! 

BTW, I like your avatar -- nice fox pic.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

I agree with Trotfox. Fantastic, Ray. Your love of mines is clearly evident in the craftsmanship and detail, such as the interior framing & chute.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

So....tell me about the "wood" framing inside the last part of your mill. Earlier on....you showed a photo with just vertical Sintra framing on the inside walls. Then you showed a photo of that part with vertical and horizontal Sintra framing on the walls inside. Now you show a photo of what looks like wood vertical and horizontal framing inside.

Did you replace the Sintra framing...or did you colorize it to look like wood?...and if so, how'd ya do that?

I'm following your building style like a hawk...I love it.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Mike, the framing is styrene. I gave the styrene strips crude wood grain by scraping them with a fine-toothed razor saw prior to cutting them to fit. 

After they were glued in place, I painted them, first with a coat of light, grayish brown latex house paint. Then I applied the darker streaks, mostly by dry-brushing them. On some I also did a thin wash to get the effects I wanted. 

It's really pretty coarse work but it'll do for something that will only be occasionally glimpsed through the windows and other openings.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

What glue are you using to glue Sintra to styrene? Isn't Sintra a PVC plastic?


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Yes, Sintra is a PVC board. I use Weld-on 16 (which now seems to be sold under the "SciGrip" brand name.)


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Time for another update on this project...

I glued the corrugated metal to the sorting house, starting with the roof:




















Then I did the walls:











I painted the roof, including the interior. The interior of the roof will only be minimally visible, and in shadow, so it got a really sloppy, crude paint job -- something with just enough variegation to give the impression of old wood:











The exterior was painted, and the roof received some rusty streaks. I still need to do a bit more weathering of the roof, and haven't yet weathered the sides:



















Meanwhile, the main part of the mill has been sitting outside on the layout for a while. As a result, I found that the two sloped sections of roof were not sufficiently braced, and warped in the hot sun. Straightening them out without damaging the corrugated metal was a little tricky. I had to heat the underside with a torch to soften the PVC slightly, then lay it fly with a couple bricks on it. Once that was done I added some heavy bracing, and then painted the underside of each roof:











Then I weathered them with some subtle streaks and a few rusty spots:











I also weathered the peaked roof on the lowest level of the mill:











Now I'm working on the doors and windows, which are from Grandt Line. Since they need to look old and heavily weathered, I scribed some wood grain and a few small cracks into them. Then they were given a light coat of white primer. Next I painted them with a light, grayish brown latex house paint, thinned with water:











This was followed with a few very thin washes of medium brown and dark brown craft acrylics:





























The final step was to give them traces of old, peeled paint. This effect was achieved by coating each piece with Testor's enamel thinner. While this was still wet, I lightly brushed on some green, craft acrylic:






































Next will be the "fun" part -- cutting glass to fit all the windows.

.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

BTW, something I forgot to mention... some kind soul had an order of corrugated metal sent to me, anonymously, from Rainbow Ridge. However, by that time I'd already sheathed everything except the sorting house, so I decided to stick with the handmade stuff and save the Rainbow Ridge stuff for another structure.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

More progress...

I decided that a sign at the top of the mill would look great. Such signs, displaying the company name, were common. So I began by masking the the background. Then I stippled on a couple different shades of dark gray, to represent faded, peeled black paint:











I designed the sign on the computer and printed it out on self-adhesive vinyl. The font I used is only to give me the general dimensions. As I cut out the letters, I modified them slightly -- squaring the serifs, eliminating that pointy thing in the middle, etc:











The vinyl was then positioned on the model. Getting it off the backing intact was a bit tricky. Some small bits had to be placed separately. Also you'll notice that I've moved the A and L closer to the R in the word "mineral". I should have done that on the computer, before printing it out, but got lazy:











Using the vinyl as a stencil, I stippled the lettering with a "dirty" mix of white paint. The vinyl couldn't be pressed down into the grooves of the corrugated metal, so there is a lot of touching up that needs to be done:











The letters were touched up by hand with a small brush. I also did some work on the background, reducing the number of "peeled" spots. Then the wall was weathered with craft acrylics and even a bit of RustAll:











I installed the windows in the sorting house temporarily and shot some pics of it in place on the mill. I still haven't glazed the windows yet:






































That's it for now. Enjoy!

.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Wow Ray that looks great.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks!


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## Alan in Adirondacks (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray,
Unbelievable! Fantastic work. It looks like it could have been on Hwy 49 in the 1940s.

Alan


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I'm doing some work on the doors of the mill. There are two. This is the rear door, which will be located near the top of the street next to the ore bin. For this door I wanted to do something to make it interesting, so I decided to have a sheet of plywood nailed up over the upper panels of the door. 

The door itself a Grandt Line part, which was given some subtle wood grain prior to painting. The doorknob was made by heating one end of a thin styrene rod. This causes it to form a nice rounded knob.

I found a good photo of old plywood online, reduced it to fit and printed it on self-adhesive vinyl. This was applied to .010" styrene, which was then glued to the door. I pressed some texture into it, but only in a few spots because I was worried about damaging the print. The sign was printed separately and applied directly to the "plywood". I weathered it by hand using craft acrylics. I think I went overboard on the sign but it won't be seen very much anyway. 





















That's all for now...

.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Time to wrap this one up, at least for a while...

First off, I changed the sign on the rear door of the mill. The original sign was ok but looked older than the plywood it was mounted on. As you can see in this photo, I also weathered the corrugated metal. And I finished the ore bin, adding tie rods, nut/bolt/washer details, and final paint:











I also finished and installed the windows, and the main door. Like the rear door, this was a Grandt Line casting with added wood grain and cracks. I still have to build some steps up to the door:




















The loading dock door was scratch built from a sheet of 4mm Sintra PVC with scribed planks and wood grain. Styrene strips were used for the trim. This is supposed to represent an internal, sliding door, so I added some horizontal scraps across the face of the door. The sign was hand painted:






































Here are a couple shots of the mill with all the doors and windows installed:




















Here are some shots of the ore bin and sorting house showing the completed ore bin. It was painted with several shades of brown, starting with a golden brown, then a medium brown, followed by a darker, redder brown. Then I added some dark, almost black streaks, and finished with some light gold streaks. As mentioned above I also added tie rods and nut/bolt/washer details. Some of these are made from nails and actually help hold the bin together:




















To prevent rainwater accumulating in the upper level ore chute, I added a brass tube for drainage:











For now, I'm calling it complete. Eventually though, I will add some lights, as well as the tram tracks inside the sorting house, and the tram bridges leading to the ore bin/sorting house.

.


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## Cooke (Aug 26, 2012)

It's a masterpiece! Nicely designed and executed. It's obvious that you thoroughly researched this.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, As usual and outstanding building! I never tire of watching the progress on your buildings.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Well, I had a tiny bit of modeling time this week and was able to squeeze in a little project related to the mill -- I built and installed the 15" track extending from the mine adit (entrance) above the mill. 

I started with a length of Peco Code 100, On30 flex track. I cut off all but a few of the cross ties. The remaining ties were used to hold the rails in gauge while I added new, larger ties. I made new ties from 1/4" strips of 6mm Sintra PVC board. I scribed simulated wood grain into the ties by scraping them lengthwise with a razor saw. 

The ties were sprayed with white primer, then painted with a light, brownish-gray latex paint (Behr's "Shitake" color). When this dried, I went over the ties with a thinned mix of dark brown and black. Then I dry-brushed a little more of the base color over the center of the ties, where they would be worn by the feet of miners pushing ore cars. I finished off the ties by spraying them with Krylon UV-resistant matte clear.

I used Shinohara HO rail spikes to spike the rails to the ties. Unfortunately these are slightly longer than the thickness of the ties, and the track was going to be mounted on a concrete surface. So I had to use wire cutters to nip about 3/16" off the tip of each spike before driving it into the tie. 

Here's a shot of the entire 30" length of track, with one end curved to fit the interior of the mine:











A close up of the track in position. The ground outside the mine is made of mortar, grit and small rocks. When I made it, I used a narrow board to create a level path for the track:











I used the same mix of mortar, grit and dirt , with a bit of concrete pigment, to build up the ground around the track. Later I will use some stains to add more color to this "soil" and make it look more like typical mine tailings:




















Now I just have to build a bridge to connect the tracks to the top of the mill:











.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

A little more progress...

First, I used some chemicals to stain the concrete "soil" outside the mine, making it look more like mine tailings. Mostly I used ferric chloride, the stuff used to etch copper circuit boards. I wet the area with water, then used an eye dropper to very carefully dribble small quantities of the etchant here and there. I quickly used a paint brush and a water to thin it and spread it around. I also used some Rust-All to add some reddish tones. Then the whole area was liberally rinsed with water.




















Next, I started work on a trestle to carry the tracks from the mine to the mill. The trestle at the Nivloc Mine in Nevada was my primary source of inspiration for this. I first built a support for the mine end of the trestle that will go to the mill. It's made of styrene, scribed and painted to look like old wood. Nut/bolt/washer castings from Ozark Miniatures appear to secure it to the stone wall. In reality, I glued it with Dynaflex 360. 

The trestle stringers are also made of styrene, while the ties were cut from strips of 6mm thick Sintra PVC. The ties were glued to the stringers and then the whole assembly was primed with white primer, followed by a base coat of light, warm gray latex paint:











I finished painting the ties and stringers, using various shades of brown and black. These were thinned just enough so that they would be a bit translucent when brushed on. Once this was done, I spiked down the rails. The walkway planks and guard timbers were painted individually, then glued to the ties. 

I still have to touch up some of the paint, and also need to add a lot of nut/bolt/washer castings plus the handrails. But here's how it looks so far:






































I also need to build a bent to support the middle of the trestle.
.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Wow Ray as always very intrigued watching your modeling skills, Fabulous.
I am surprised, You continuely make one major mistake over and over on EVERY structure you build, You always install them on the wrong layout
It would be a long line to stand in waiting for the chance for your structures to be on our layout.
REALLY, you make meseum quality models, and we really love following your post.
Thanks for giving us the oppurtunity to see such quality being built.
Dennis


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

LOL! 

Thanks, Dennis!


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Yea..we are all impressed..

You can do this so incredibly well..
You have enough time to do such wonderful work...

It reminds me of "Goldfield, NV."...the yellow gold soil & tailings...the rusty purple tin buildings..

Some day ....I want one of those mines here.!!!! In old AZ....
Thanks Ray!!!!! Awesome. Just .......
...Dirk


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Ray That is so cool. You do such great work. 

What are you going to use for Ore cars? Are you going to build them yourself or use something prebuilt. ? 

JJ


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks guys!

John, I'll probably build the ore cars myself.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Another outstanding pc of work Ray. You're doing stuff only inside modelers have been known to do and you're doing it in museum quality out side. I'm in aw with every project you post.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

All my modeling came to a screeching halt a couple weeks ago when Cris ended up in the hospital for 9 days following complications from a colonoscopy. She's home and doing much better now, though she still likely needs surgery for another issue. Anyway, I've finally finished up the trestle from the mine to the top of the mill.

I installed Grandt Line nut/bolt/washers, and touched up the paint as needed. I also painted some "nails" onto the planks:











I built a bent to support the middle of the trestle. Like the stringers, the bent is made of styrene, textured and painted to look like weathered wood. The NBWs are from Ozark Miniatures:











I had planned to make cast concrete footing for the trestle bent. However, I decided instead to just cement in some additional rock under it, then build up the ground around it using tinted mortar:











Here are some shots of the finished trestle. I may still add some braces at a 45 degree angle, between the bent and the stringers:






































And just for fun, here are some pics I shot this evening:





























Enjoy!


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

What could be more enjoyable Ray!!!!

AWESUUUUUUM'e...

I'll be picking your brains soon for a refresher on your mixes of mortar and ground cover that sets hard....! 
I'm starting some rock work...and will be adding detail rocks and ground cover...basically as you have...combined with cemented rock work...
I desire this planned area to be people friendly...and not disturbable!!

Take care of Cris....most of all..

Thanks Ray..
....Dirk DMS Ry.


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## ewarhol (Mar 3, 2014)

(speechless)

Very Impressive!!!!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks!


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Ray, Sorry Chris is having problems., glad she is better. The trestle looks great! If you didn't mention that it is made from styrene I would have never guessed it. Your simulated wood is so convincing.


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