Monday, March 15, 2021

A Random Bag of Bits

Recently I came across this bag of various bits, is it random bag of bits or the start of some project? There are more than enough clues. Let us see: there are four equal lengths strip wood. I have used strip wood for bracing for paper and wood structures and I have used strip wood for foundations; if it is the later than this structure is small one. There are the four equally sized pieces of stone embossed paper. Although they seem a bit too large for this purpose could it be for a stone foundation?

Then there are the other pieces of embossed paper, one being a larger specimen. There are several pieces of primed strip wood and small wood slab. A small piece of cardboard, a strip or styrene, two sections of railing, two matching windows, a door, some shutters, a small square of styrene, a small section of plastic cooregated roofing, a windmill kit and what really confuses the hell out of me is the half painted miniature that kind of reminds me of my Uncle Jerry. How he got into mix is the real mystery.

Although I am open for to some of your ideas, the moral of this story is to always add a note to the bag and don’t let leave Uncle Jerry alone at the workbench for any length of time.

Sunday, March 14, 2021

Ponce de Leon

A sailor is brought up with a catch of fish and he posseses the journal of Ponce de León. This mysterious phenomena and the possession of the journal made the king of Spain order three ships to investigate the report of Ponce de Leon having found the fountain or youth.

In serach for the sivler chalices, Jack Sparrow finds Ponce de Leon's ship teetering upon rocky fissure.

Santa María de la Consolación

THe Fountain of Youth where Blackbeard hopes to prolong his life.

All screenshots are from Pirates of Caribbean, on Stranger Tides

Saturday, March 13, 2021

Take a Tour of Adam Savage's Cave!

Adam Savage is a special effects designer that I receive a lot of inspiration from. Take a virtual tour of his workshop. Savage takes you around his shop and shows you his extensive collection of tools and memorabilia. The 17 minute video is worth the watch.

Monday, March 8, 2021

Treasure Map

Shimmer me timbers me buckos. I had the map all along. .

Map to the location to the treasure on Treasure Island

"Fifteen men on a deadmans chest-
Yo-yo-yo and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest
Yo-yo-yo and a bottle of rum!"

Saturday, March 6, 2021

Woodland Scenics Details

Over the years I have collected quite a few of these metal detail pieces. I have made posts on a few, but there are many I have not. Most of them still remain unassembled and or unpaited. "So much to do, but so little time to do it."

Woodland Scenics

Scenic Details

part #

Description

201 20 Tombstones
202 Trackside junk
203 Crates, Barrels, and Sacks
204 15 Assorted Skids
205 Assorted Junk Piles (10 castings)
206 Assorted Mailboxes (7 castings)
207 Disc & Tractor (John Deere 1938-1946)
208 Seeder & Tractor (John Deere 1938-1946)
209 Aermotor Windmill
210 Plow, Disc, Horse and Man
211 2 John Deere Tracotor (1929 -1938)
212 3 Fuel Stands
213 Smokehouse
214 3 Outhouses and Man
215 Chicken Coop
216 Tool Shed
217 Service Truck (1914 "Diamond T")
218 Grain Truck (1914 "Diamond T")
219 Ice House
220 Daniels Outfitters
221 Pharmacy
222 Ticket Office
223 Gas Station
224 Doctors Office & Shoe Repair
225 Industrial Junk
226 Cats and Dogs
227 Bare Hunter
228 Motorcycles and Sidecar
229 Steam Engine and Hammer Mil
230 8 Vending Machines
231 Trackside junk
232 Trackside Scale
233 Diesel Fule Facility
234 Bulldozer
235 Motor Grader
236 Track-Type Loader
237 Gazebo
238 Back Hoe-Insley Model "K"
239 Rocky's Tavern
240 Flag Depot
241 Tucker Brothers-Machine Shop
242 Branch Line Water Tank
243 Tank Truck ("Diamond T")
244 Rural Sawmill
245 Flatbed & Tractor ("Diamond T")
246 Hyster Logging Cruiser & Tractor
247 Dump Truck (1.5 ton Federal)
248 Street and Traffic Lights

Friday, March 5, 2021

3 Fuel Stands from Woodland Scenics

Instruction Sheet

I prefer to call them storage tanks, but we will stick to conventions and referr to these metal castings as "fuel stands". I enjoy these small metal kits. The are easy to assemble, paint, weather, and they add a lot of character to a scene.

There is a hose that now I see can be draped about on the wood frame. In the illustration it looks like the wire was attached to the spout and at the time I could not think of an effective way to accomplish this.

Thursday, March 4, 2021

The History of Egger Bahn Model Trains

I have seen a few of these models before. If I am not mistaken, Mini trains reissued a couple of these models a few years back. The Eggaer Bahn brand was a Germn manufactured model train line modeled in HOn30. HOn30 offers thirty inches between the rails and run on n-gauge track. The brand made its deput back in the sixites and they produced a full line of locomotive, rolling stock, track, and scenry pieces.

The Eggaer Bahn story can be found here and if and when I find the page again there is a French article that I will make availalbe. This was my first introduction to the brand and it depicts many different aspects of of brand and is expressed in away that appealed to me.

Monday, March 1, 2021

Franklin & South Manchester Railroad Revisited

Where did I first hear about the Franklin & South Manchester railway. Was it Model Railroader or Railroad Model Craftsman magazine? Whereever my first exposure came from I was blown-away with George Sellios model railway. Par excellence; the Franklin & South Manchester sets the standard for all who will follow. The site offers dozens of beautiful images depicting many the railways scenes and details.

Sunday, February 28, 2021

Ratio N-Gauge Trackside Buildings and Accessories

 

I found a few part numbers for Ratio’s N- Gauge products:

Product #

Description

226

Pump House/Boiler House

227

Weighbridge/Hut

228

Oil Depot

229

Coal Depot

230

Water Tower(round)

231

Carriage Shed

232

Coal/Builders Merchants

233

Loading Gauge

234

Level Crossing (Gates)

235

Level Crossing (Barriers)

236

Midland Signal Box(interior no included)

Signal Kits

250

Remote Control

260

Home or Distant (Lower Quadrant)

262

Junction or Bracket Home or Distant

270

Home or Distant (Upper Quadrant)

271

Pratt Truss Gantry

Saturday, February 27, 2021

The Beasts of Skull Island

King Kong-King Kong Delux and Extended Edition

You have to feel for the big guy. He really gets a raw deal. Any way how many King Kong movies are there now? Three, four? It seems like they keep on finding new speicies of creatures on the island. Not that I am complaining, I love all of them.

This is my first in a new series: Skull Island. Skull Island might be an interesting boardgame, if someone would take the time create one. Anyone want to collaborate on a project?

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Virnex Industries HO and N Scale Miniatures

Back in August 2017 I made a post on a HO Gauge Trackside Shanty with Stove, by Stewart from a line of products formally by Virnex Industries. I listed a few of their other products that were listed on the packaging. I have since obtained a longer list of products that once were made by Virnex Industries and supposingly taken over by Stewart.

If anyone has any information how any of these products, please send me an email.

Virnex Industries
A Division of
GUESS Enterprices
HO Scale
Number Description
100 Diesel Service Facility - Fuel Column
101 Diesel Service Facility - Water Column
102 Diesel Service Facility - Sand Tower
103 Diesel Sand Tower, Fuel & Water Column
104 2-Brush Car Washer Kit
105 4-Brush Car Washer Kit
106 6-Brush Car Washer Kit
107 Diesel Oil Storage Tank with Pump House
108 Watchmens Shanty
201 Calmshell Bucket Kit
203 Air Cooled Transfomer Kit
204 Turbine Gear and Blocking Kit
205 Diesel Generator Kit
209 Ship Propellors (4 per kit)
210 Ship Propellors (6 per kit)
211 Yard Diesel Servie Facility
212 Portable Heavy Duty Steam Cleaner
213 Yard Service Work Pit
214 "I" Beam Crane Hoist
215 Oil Pumping Station & Shelter
216 Refinery Type Pressure Tank
217 Extra Brass Sections and Zinc Connectores
218 Diesel Oil Storage Tank
501 Track Cleaning Adapter
502 Replacment Pads fir Track Cleaning Adapter
504 HO Traction Tire Tool - Diesel
506 HO Super Traction Tires - Diesel
508 Trainwatchers's Pad
509 Model Train Inventory Rec(unledgable
510 HO Super Traction Tires (unledgable
511 HO Super Traction Tires - Steam
512 HO Super Traction Tires - Steam
513 HO Super Traction Tires - Steam Assortment
601 25 x 60' House Under Construction
602 3-Bedroom House Under Construction
603 2-Car Garage Under Construction
N Scale
1103 Diesel Sand Tower, Fuel & Water Column
1105 4-Brush Car Washer Kit
1107 Diesel Oil Storage Tank with Pump House
1200 25-Ton Diesel Electric Locomotive Crane Kit
1210 Strip Steel Coils
1212 Portable Heavy Duty Steam Cleaner
1214 "I" Beam Crane Hoist
1216 Refinery Type Pressure Tank
1218 Diesel Oil Storage Tank
1504 N Traction Tire Tool - Diesel
1505 N Traction Tires - Diesel
1513 N Traction Tires - Steam Assortment

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Whimsical Cardboard Machines and a Stop Motion Film

This page offers some of the props that were used a Stop Motion Film. All were made primarly from cardboard. The creations and film are by Daniel Agdag an Australian artist.

More about the film can be found here.

More of Agdag creations can be found here and an interview between Evan Pricco and Daniel Agdag can be found here.

I enjoy working with cardboard myself and I find Agdag's work inspiring.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Directory of Scale Lumber Suppliers

Here is a short list of scale lumber producers:

Although I typicaly model in 1/87 scale, most of these suppliers have products for all types of modelers.

Thursday, January 28, 2021

1/43 Millennium Falcon

I just came accros a large collection imgages that were taken of a scratch built Millennium Falcon. I have to see it to believe the amount of detail in this larger scale model.