# Old wood as modelling material



## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

Having replaced my old rickety sideyard gate, I was left with a bunch of really nicely weathered wood that I'm using to make some old-looking cars. I ripped down the redwood fence boards and some old painted trellis to usable size:











I'm experimenting with 7/8n2 scale, so the scale of the wood grain seems about right. The edges of the cut wood get touched up with ink/alcohol wash to blend everything together. My flatcar deck is built on top of a Bachmann flat, which will be suitably weathered to match the wood. I'll post pictures when I'm done in the next day or so.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice wood! Anytime you can find old redwood you are in good shape. My son had some boards laying the backayard of the house he had bought, turned out to be old redwood. Made my covered bridge with the wood. NICE stuff! A wash of india ink/alcohol will age the cut edges.


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

I started making a coffee table out of white pine in 1968, didn't like the way it was turning out, so I took it apart and stored the wood. Kept the wood in hopes of some day of finishing the coffee table. 
It's got some miles on it with the moves I've made since then. No coffee table since I've started using it for 7/8ths car. It's nice and dry by now..


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## jnic (Jan 2, 2008)

Nothing says 'weathered wood' like 'wethered wood'.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris, looking good! I used some old cedar for tunnel portals and cribbing, no need to weather.


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## Burl (Jan 2, 2008)

Now when someone asks you how you weathered it, you can just say "I left it outside".


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## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

OK, I finished up my flat car last night. I added some flimsy bulkheads like I saw in a picture of the old Molino Timber Co flat cars in Rick Hamman's great book Central California Coast Railways - this was the look I was after. 
































Working with the old redwood has been rewarding - I really like the weather-beaten look, and have already used more of the wood to build a short truss bridge. I'm sure I'll do more cars using this technique.


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## trainbuffjr (Jan 11, 2008)

That looks great Chris! I may have to try that myself with some of my cars. Thanks for posting.

Aaron
Loyet Logging Company


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