Looks like progress on my
Middletown tower project is on about a once-per-month schedule - not quite as "quick & dirty" as I expected. But now that "Mockup Structures" has floated to the top of my to-do list for my next operating session, this project is back on the front burner.
Click here for the previous installment on this project - and continue reading for the progress that I made tonight.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-ugPgE_eV7UiyM3RZN9AibSSEcBd4wD3RjfY9G6yPlxYIPY_Dh_K5kDM9lGWigvxAc9bcf_UqkD1mPvGHLvL0mDVJPQR3an-pgq5F1Lap5kyQCeVryxqTHh6fIDe3H9I4ok9XXz3EFw/s1600/IMG_1296.JPG) |
After cutting the walls down to closer-to-prototype height, and removing the wall sections that had unneeded doors & windows (see this post), it was time to "backfill" with reconstructed walls of clapboard styrene. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTCgJxd4yJO6Y2_ClveRjia-PNS-G1LGLPQvgMy5NVzXJDI9ZASfZxVYwTK3cKr9JvoraERD3EKulxyNhv_74ujY0TCI0srryBL5WeZOLJQPAzDNMGPm83oHsndLS__VvN4yLwcPpWId8/s1600/IMG_1293.JPG) |
I got a total length of the clapboard needed by setting the walls side-by-side and then used a square and ruler to score and snap the pieces. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhXcFh_R-MVyukBt7OHysiGIeSwpc9_74DkSioOa5jpoy6-xEQM9QixFgBE61WpNUglb-YYXbg332ob0pT6ECk7IBnE9h_JFkphdUqwfGgLZ2z-zYyud8LLvnbpZqF8TVPs28LJWAKO0/s1600/IMG_1294.JPG) |
Cuttin' up |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgQOF48jAvP5j_chBNcFwzI9Bu-VlOggF71U8PkE_qc9stPIoXLk54mW3IFxKgpoGHKpwI0BjZBrwlOTXPs4jC5-qi2oxc0KjaA_VKBBaPuwwjHd5sQDywyh4RkzFyh-5WVkU-njLphI/s1600/IMG_1298.JPG) |
While the score & snap method is certainly fast, and using a right angle ensures the wall is square in one plane, the cut doesn't always result in a square edge. A NWSL True Sander (1st time using this Christmas present!) squares the cuts up nicely. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCGJUPDbqH5gJo8QNwOy4VfgPUDZAUZU9Kt_3vb3LviHHLrv1_KB_cx3pyNPBvefPU8Oh2N8FoOr1-1xrCColrQE_3PdGlRfXtJdpR72qQCaE8VSuoDJy7srVeNcHoW17SPAp26JU5VE4/s1600/IMG_1295.JPG) |
The clapboard sheet styrene is thinner than the thickness of the original walls, and I wanted to brace new to old, so I decided to thicken the clapboard walls with some strip styrene. To determine how thick those strips should be, I needed to measure the thickness of the original walls, including trim. While doing this, I also measured the width of the trim so I could match it on the new walls. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzAP9RGwgQ8ZmcZ9Nw-_sfcjNzFUsmFPZTdRyLnQqQNwxyCvP9wncgSaL5VJigrtU7Ttkay0zDsv3k7DvWZ7UIX51e1gl4gRbr6c_QUw9-JptCeo3zLNMGO4JJs9Mknk08Gu8lr7lW9E/s1600/IMG_1297.JPG) |
I kept track of all the measurements on a Post-It. Clapboard thickness is .035" and I'm using a scale 1x6 (.011x.066) for trim. Adding the new trim (.011) to the new clapboard (.035) results in a thickness of .046". The thickness of the original wall, including the thickness of its trim, is .069". So the thickness of the styrene strip backers need to be .023" (.069-.046). |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxl18OpEFJgT473GVaL2LdzGOJCRg_1jmjW_nGuVpblXpRRBElFIz9YWCAKCKBoyykBh2tLoR_0hdRDJ0brr8dtmdAbHXfaJTqk4nh3jgkPahLu0XodB3NYeDXbkxkN1EH-fljRGwzO0/s1600/IMG_1300.JPG) |
I used scale 2x8s for the backers/braces. At .022" thick, that's close enough to .023" for me. Using Tenax 7r liquid cement with a microbrush made this step go quickly. The braces that will strengthen the joint between the old and new walls will be glued perpendicularly to these backer/braces. |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_PZvTsr0XQJ-L0TVa4MPIeufg_LdIwlihdCZ8pEE9ADsEUEPYcaGM4YYVUlsrejE4X_s6nIhXG1fLKjnQ84SaFhVFC02Z2b76Pdf3g2773JPK4u3YaKJzM815yG3A8BEBRpny8seqZo/s1600/IMG_1299.JPG) |
Final step for the evening was to go ahead and glue two of the original walls together using a Right Clamp. While this step seems a bit out of sequence, I think having at least one corner done will help me determine where/how the new clapboard/trim corners should go together. |
Since I wanted this joint to set up fully, I decided to leave it overnight - and call it a night. I hope you're enjoying this blow-by-blow account. I'm not sure whether this project would be considered kitbashing or scratchbuilding. I "re-kitted" a tower, essentially making it scrap, and have then been building it back up using those "scrapped" parts and some new styrene. Hmmm.... maybe I'll just call this process "scrapbox building" or - better yet - "scrapbuilding." :^)
Roman and Pieter are coming over for a work session tomorrow, so I hope to have some more layout progress to post in a day or two - so stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment