discussion "There's an old mill by the stream, Nelly Dean!"

[spanner570]

Thanks everyone for your input...

Joe, I'm not sure what you mean.....Are you referring to the wheel, or the wood in general?

All the actual wood (the wheel, windows etc.) is untouched, just paint added. The doors and barn doors are plastic card, scratched with sandpaper for the grain and then painted with acrylics.

The 'wooden' lintols over the doorways and windows are just scribed with a modelling knife into the polystyrene to simulate the wood grain....

I hope this answers your question...

Ron

 

[flyjoe180]

Yes thanks Ron, that does answer my query. I thought you may have used wooden lollipop sticks or similar, that seat for instance looks like it has been roughed up.

 

[spanner570]

I thought you may have used wooden lollipop sticks or similar, that seat for instance looks like it has been roughed up.

I use coffee stirrers, although I have a supply of lolly sticks too. Both have the same dense grain.

When paint is applied the grain swells a bit and gives the wood that roughed up look..

As an aside, I never use balsa for any wood that's seen- unless it's for 1/16 or larger. The grain is way, way too pronounced, not 'close' enough and looks far too heavy for 1/35 - 1/72, whereas the grain in coffee stirrers is nice and tight, and to me anyway, looks right.

The best way to get a nice scale smooth grain in small scale for barn doors etc. is plastic card, stroked with fine sand paper....perfect.

Cheers,

Ron

 

[papa 695]

Great tips Ron and it's coming along very nicely

 

[spanner570]

Thanks for the encouraging post everyone, it's good fun having you all along for the ride!

As it's still raining, I've just been having a go at the water.....

But first a little bit of nonsense to break up the lower pool a bit...built from stirrers.

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Here's the initial water work on the wheel and mill race. I've tried to convey movement as the wheel rotates. Gradually decreasing the drips from the paddles as the wheel rotates anti clock wise......A bit of varnish to add later.

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Here is the salmon steps with first application of silicone. Shaped with a stirrer and an old nail.

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For anyone thinking of 'making' moving water, keep in mind where fast water meets slower or still water, a phenomenum called a 'stopper' occurs. See the wave just below each step, that's them! The water flow directly below the step actually reverses and goes back towards the steps.

As an aside...I spent 15 yrs competitive rapid river slalom canoeing and these were to be avoided. The ones above are nothing, some you can actually paddle into and stay in them going across the wave, sort of surfing....But, some can be huge and litterally suck you in and you are trapped, tipped up and yes, if they are big enough can drown people. I lost a good friend to one of these things whilst we were paddling a river in N. Yorkshire in the early '70's, so stay well away any budding canoeists!

Sorry, got carried away then....

I'm glad to get this stage behind me, as when working with silicone - particularily this warm weather - it goes off in minutes and can't be worked and is virtually impossible to completely remove...So be warned! Still more to do, but the second layer should be a bit easier now the initial work is done.

That's it... next up, thinking caps on for the greenery - and a small beer!

Cheers,

Ron

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[eddiesolo]

One thing you can add to the sealant is to add some cold water and then agitate with a stiff brush, this opaques the sealant and is ideal for bubbling frothy water.

Looking amazing Ron.

Si

 

[Guest]

looking real nice,the look of movement is there

mobear

 

[spanner570]

One thing you can add to the sealant is to add some cold water and then agitate with a stiff brush, this opaques the sealant and is ideal for bubbling frothy water.Si

Oy Si, have you been reading my script? That's stage two! Good tip to pass on nonetheless.....

 

[papa 695]

Great work Ron. The water looks brill already are we having the Salmon leaping ?

 

[spanner570]

The water looks brill already are we having the Salmon leaping ?

Not a bad idea, Ian......on the scale of things it sounds a bit fishy!

My coat is on, firmly buttoned up and I'm out the door.......

 

[Guest]

Wow!!

This is coming along very nicely Ron

A master piece is genial

 

[Alan 45]

Not a bad idea, Ian......on the scale of things it sounds a bit fishy!My coat is on, firmly buttoned up and I'm out the door.......

Ron I cod'nt believe you just said that

Do you fancy sharing a taxi

Looking good mate now I know what to do for my rock face cheers

 

[Guest]

Amazing you keep improving it every time I think you can't improve on that there you go and do it again

 

[eddiesolo]

Oy Si, have you been reading my script? That's stage two! Good tip to pass on nonetheless.....

It is so well set out, that this has to be by a script, not just slapped on and hope for the best.

Si

 

[monica]

Looks amazing Ron. real lov it, as said each update is such a improvement, that water is great,

one thing i find is with using coffee stirrers., is that there so hard to cut, even with a sharp blade

great tips for the use off silicone like that idea, ta

 

[spanner570]

It is so well set out, that this has to be by a script, not just slapped on and hope for the best. Si

Honest Si, all I had was a base and I knew I wanted to do a mill wheel. The rest was, or is, totally unplanned....I just wait for ideas to come along, I can't work any other way.......!

So far it's worked......

 

[eddiesolo]

Honest Si, all I had was a base and I knew I wanted to do a mill wheel. The rest was, or is, totally unplanned....I just wait for ideas to come along, I can't work any other way.......!So far it's worked......

And worked very well it has.

Si

 

[spanner570]

Quote="monica, post: 212594, member: 24381"]one thing i find is with using coffee stirrers., is that there so hard to cut, even with a sharp blade

/quote]

Monica, I have found the best way to cut these stirrers is.....

Always use a metal rule or straight edge - never plastic, bye bye fingers!

Use two stirrers, one you are cutting, the other sits under the rule to keep it flat, and not at an angle as just one would be....I hope that makes sense.

Don't try and cut through in one go. Gently scribe a line with your knife, pressing down firmly on the rule. Keep fingers behind the blade!

Keep repeating - the knife will follow the line and gradually cut through and not wobble off.....

 

[eddiesolo]

Quote="monica, post: 212594, member: 24381"]one thing i find is with using coffee stirrers., is that there so hard to cut, even with a sharp blade /quote]

Monica, I have found the best way to cut these stirrers is.....

Always use a metal rule or straight edge - never plastic, bye bye fingers!

Use two stirrers, one you are cutting, the other sits under the rule to keep it flat, and not at an angle as just one would be....I hope that makes sense.

Don't try and cut through in one go. Gently scribe a line with your knife, pressing down firmly on the rule. Keep fingers behind the blade!

Keep repeating - the knife will follow the line and gradually cut through and not wobble off.....

Or I use the knife or a small pair of modellers snips. And yes, I am allowed to use sharp objects...my care-worker says I can.

Si

 

[monica]

ta Ron that is a good tip for cutting them and thats what puts me off using them as i like my fingers,

thats a good tip as well Si ta, i think i try to rush cutting them abit so not a good thing,