Rockcrusher -and- Engine Roundhouse Projects

[desertdrover]

Bernd, those blocks look like what I did here, you will have to scroll down the page; http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/t...75&whichpage=2

How I make my blocks. I mix and pour Durham’s rock hard water putty into a mold that was made up of styrene. After the putty dries I remove them from the mold and score/cut around the strip to make the size of blocks, and then snap them off at the score lines, leaving a cut rock face look to them. At this point you can either stack and glue them into place, or make up and glue larger block wall sections if you are doing a large area. Some pictures below of the blocks in use.

[BurleyJim]

Bernd,

Do you use Mach3?

Jim

[Michael_Hohn]

As suggested by Louis, Durham’s water putty might be the answer. It gives a different surface than plaster when broken. You could make a bunch of blocks, pick out one that looks best, and use it as a master.

I think what stands out in this kind of wall is the absolute repetition of the same “stone” face. There’s a point where you could get too exacting in getting a perfect match for the individual block profile.

Seems to me the biggest challenge will be getting a wall with stones perfectly aligned

Is there some way of getting a 3D scan of an actual block and build from that?

Mike

[hon3_rr]

If I may add a possible alternative to creating the walls... Use balsa foam.

1) Roll up a small ball of foil and with medium pressure roll the foil ball around on the foam surface imparting some texture.

2) Use one corner edge of a square piece of strip wood to create the horizontal mortar lines and general brick angles.

3) Lightly brush with a toothbrush to knock down the sharp top brick surface, giving the brick surface the 'rounded' general shape.

4) Using a sharp tool, like a fine knitting needle or small finish nail in pin vice bit handle, lightly carve in the vertical and enhance the horizontal mortar lines.

5) Again, using a toothbrush, lightly brush the walls.

6) Touch up any necessary surface texture with light pressings of the foil ball if needed.

7) Apply acrylic gesso or Mode-Podge to the wall faces. This 'sets' and hardens the carved foam surfaces.

8) Color or paint the walls.

This method/medium works due to the balsa foam not having any memory. I suspect that the general carving/texturing of the walls would take about 1 hour for your project. The coloring.. dependent on method, 15min (single tone spray and brush wash of A-I mix) to a couple of hours. In addition, the gesso if used, could provide a base for the mortar color(s).

Just a sample of the possible surface texture easily produced in HO scale:



With the use of a long piece of square stripwood. you will be able to press into the foam impressions at equal distances vertically. You will be able to set a constant depth by placing wood stops on each side of the foam, roughly 1/4 inch below the foam face. Use a long piece of wood so that each horizontal line is impressed by the long strip wood meeting the stops on both sides. The angle of the bricks from face to mortar line can be controlled by using different sized strip wood or by using a soft wood like balsa and sanding the angle desired. I think that I would possibly first lightly carve in the horizontal mortal lines, then press in the square stripwood edge to produce the brick angle.

The above technique would allow the easy production of 3D stone surfaces in addition to the resolution of keeping the mortar lines straight and equal with brick face/side angles equal across multiple rows.

If you are interested in some other issues of creating texture & stone along with some coloring techniques with foam, you may want to visit http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/t...TOPIC_ID=44353.

I think you get the idea. Just one possible way to achieve the texture effect you are after.

[Bernd]

Wow, more suggestions. Thanks guys. I think I have figured out how I’m going to go with the crusher building. I’ll be using the soap stone. I’ll explain toward the end of the post.

Dave, There’s an empty chair for you amongst the rest of the crew.

Frank, had to deport the Egyptian’s. They had no work visa’s and they wanted to build a pyramid instead of a rectangular building.

@Louis, I like that technique. I’ve worked with the water putty and like how it works. I’ll be giving that a try on the roundhouse. I’ve decided to use what is called “diamond sawed” limestone blocks for the bottom of the crusher building. Checked out your posts in the “Par Four Challenge”. Nice.

Jim, No I use CamBam. Mach 3 was to expensive for what I’m doing. The program will do 3D I just haven’t had the inclination to learn how.

Michael, I’m sure you read what I told Louis. Going to give that a try on the roundhouse.

@KB, I remember reading your post on how you made those walls. Neat idea.

Ok, I think I’ve answered everybody that’s replied to me. Now, I spent the better part of the afternoon surfing through as many web sight’s that pertained to anything to do with limestone. I’ve been trying to find a standard size for building a structure. I did find on many Australian limestone sights some dimensions that seem to be standard for two sizes that would work for a building. The dimensions are 1000mm X 350mm X 350mm and 500mm X 350mm X 240MM which equates to approximately 39” X 14” X 14” and 20” X 14” X 9.5. For HO scale dimensions this works out to .448” X .160” X .160” and .230” X .160” X .109”. After looking at those dimensions I’ve come to the conclusion standard size concrete block size would work also.

So I prepared a piece soap stone .150” thick and scribed lines on it to represent the 39” X 14” X 14” size. First though I need to mill it down to that thickness. The following pictures is to show that you can work soapstone with high speed steel.

The first picture is of a limestone wall that the stone was cut with a diamond wire saw. This is the look I’m after on the crusher building.



The second picture is of stone called rough cut. This will be the look I’ll be after on the roundhouse.



I had a piece of soapstone with the side parallel already that I clamped in the vise gentley.



Here I’m taking off about .100” in one cut. It’s like cutting butter, only dusty.



Here’s the piece next to a piece of soapstone that is used to mark out metal for cutting. The piece on the left is the one I machined. The one on the right can be bought at any of the home supply stores or a welding shop.



And here’s what it looks like with the larger size stone scribed lines.



I know what you’re thinking. Why don’t you just scribe the blocks on larger pieces of soapstone and be done with it. One reason. Can anybody figure it out? Post your answer.

While I was searching on limestone building blocks I came across this picture of a nice limestone building, they called it a garage, that was built with cut limestone. I wish they would have posted a bigger picture. It’s hard to see the texture of the cut stone.



The next part will be to get some larger pieces prepared and designing some holding jigs/fixture to process the soapstone pieces. This will take a few days.

Until next time.

Bernd

[BurleyJim]

Vise on the Sherline looks like about a 1" throat, soapstone at the welding shop comes in 1" or less widths.

Did I win the record album?

Jim

[Bernd]

quote:

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Originally posted by BurleyJim

Vise on the Sherline looks like about a 1" throat, soapstone at the welding shop comes in 1" or less widths.

Did I win the record album?

Jim

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Actually that's the Grizzly Mini mill and the vise will hold up to 3".

Sorry no cigar Jim.

Bernd

[Michael_Hohn]

You’re going to have to deal with the corners so the thickness has to approximate the thickness of cut limestone blocks.

[Bill_Gill]

Bernd, another idea after looking at your photos:

Those concerete blocks are very uniform, and fairly shallow.

Start with a full length of half round styrene rod of the required height for a block. Stick the flat surface down and sand the rounded side slightly to roughen the surface and reduce the curvature to match the overall squashed curve shape of the blocks.

That way the whole length will be pretty uniform. Use it as a guide for doing the rest of the strips to the same shape. I don't think they willl need much sanding to do that.

Tinker with your super chopper, or make a jig to make the angled cuts separating the blocks in each row.

Glue each block to a flat plain sheet of styrene to build up a wall.

[Bernd]

quote:

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Originally posted by Michael Hohn

You’re going to have to deal with the corners so the thickness has to approximate the thickness of cut limestone blocks.

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That was one reason I wanted to know the thickness of the cut stone. As I mentioned earlier, the stone come in thickness two sizes, 9.5" and 14" thick. I'm going to use the 14" which equates to .160" thickness. That's what I planned (milled) that one piece of soapstone to. So the size I going to cut the soapstone into is .450" long X .160" high X .150" deep.

Bernd

[Bernd]

quote:

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Originally posted by Bill Gill

Bernd, another idea after looking at your photos:

Those concerete blocks are very uniform, and fairly shallow.

Start with a full length of half round styrene rod of the required height for a block. Stick the flat surface down and sand the rounded side slightly to roughen the surface and reduce the curvature to match the overall squashed curve shape of the blocks.

That way the whole length will be pretty uniform. Use it as a guide for doing the rest of the strips to the same shape. I don't think they willl need much sanding to do that.

Tinker with your super chopper, or make a jig to make the angled cuts separating the blocks in each row.

Glue each block to a flat plain sheet of styrene to build up a wall.

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Another great tip. Thanks Bill.

Bernd

[Carl_B]

Interested to see this idea develop Bernd. Curious to see any new "block making" methods....

[k9wrangler]

We had a clinic a few years ago in which we took pieces of foam like folks make their layouts from and hand carved lines for individual blocks, we then painted them in different colors as we were not make uniform sized blocks. Looked quite good when done.

Looking forward from my seat in the second row...to what comes next.

Re: question, I’m surmising soapstone doesn’t come in wall sized pieces...or it’s too fragile or heavy

[Frank_Palmer]

Bernd said, " Why don’t you just scribe the blocks on larger pieces of soapstone and be done with it. One reason. Can anybody figure it out? Post your answer."

Simple, because you want to make blocks.

[Bernd]

quote:

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Originally posted by Carl B

Interested to see this idea develop Bernd. Curious to see any new "block making" methods....

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I think that my method might not be something many will want to do. First is the tools I'm using, namely a CNC mill. One of the reasons I'm using soapstone is the fact it can be worked with normal tools, by normal I mean plain steel or tool steel. I got the idea many years ago when I got a wood stove that used soapstone for the sides. Also I found out that it can be sanded to take out scratches. Some research on the net and I found out that back in the 1800's sink were made out of soapstone. I found out it could be shaped with ordinary tools. I think it would be neat to use real stone for a building.

Bernd