Author Topic: Textile Mill Diorama  (Read 112166 times)

Offline Ye-Ole Steam Dude

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #765 on: October 29, 2018, 12:37:55 PM »
Hello JL,

Photo 5232 is just "over the top", that could have been taken in almost any plant / factory in the 1800's to early 1900's anywhere in America. You need to take the exact same photo except at night with the lights on. I am really enjoying your work.

Have a great day,
Thomas
Thomas

Offline J.L.

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Flooring
« Reply #766 on: October 29, 2018, 07:30:19 PM »
Thanks Thomas.

I'll be taking a night shot for sure. I had to test that everything worked before I put down the subfloor and I must say, the lighting is looking very nice. The night watchman will be pleased.

Random board widths of Southern Pine come in 11" x 17" sheets with the boards bonded to a thin sheet of paper. But with a run of over 24 ', a sheet can not be used as is. Each strip has to be cut out of the sheet and fitted together at random lengths to stagger the joints.

Each piece of stripping takes 24 minutes to dry under weights. I'm using white glue instead of the yellow carpenter's glue.
« Last Edit: October 29, 2018, 07:52:21 PM by J.L. »

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #767 on: October 29, 2018, 08:41:32 PM »
Slow process, but will look great when done. At least you can do other things while it's drying 😊

Bill

Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #768 on: October 31, 2018, 03:14:14 PM »
Yes Bill, I've actually been online during the 'drying cycles' looking for another engine to work up in a diorama. I think I may have found it. ;)

Getting close...

Offline crueby

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #769 on: October 31, 2018, 03:35:03 PM »
Now here would be a huge diorama to do, the water pumping station in Buffalo - can get you plans! Only five engines, roomful of boilers....



Offline derekwarner

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #770 on: November 01, 2018, 09:48:02 AM »
JL...just something for consideration down the track

Irrespective of the country of origin, I am sure steam plants of similar size & period would have been maintained within or to a written set of protocols ...or in this case start up procedures :happyreader:

Many Plants worked a 14 hour single shift day........so if the Plant was to be bought online at 6:00 AM, the Boiler attendant may have started at 4:00 AM.....and a part of his duties could have been to ensure that engine Steam oil was at or above a required level

So you could consider adding some type of max/min oil level markings for the displacement lubricator

Derek
Derek L Warner - Honorary Secretary [Retired]
Illawarra Live Steamers Co-op - Australia
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Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #771 on: November 01, 2018, 01:47:22 PM »
As you say Derek, perhaps something down the road.

The planking on the second floor of the mill is complete. It looks as though one beam is going to require a second coat of white.  ::)

I experimented a bit with lighting in the boiler room as well....



Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #772 on: November 01, 2018, 01:49:26 PM »
Hi Chris,

Now that would be a bit over the top for me. Notice how pump houses always had rounded windows at the top. Often the sills were sloped down as well. I bet you the goal was to admit as much light into the building as possible.

John

Offline crueby

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #773 on: November 01, 2018, 02:06:01 PM »
Hi Chris,

Now that would be a bit over the top for me. Notice how pump houses always had rounded windows at the top. Often the sills were sloped down as well. I bet you the goal was to admit as much light into the building as possible.

John
Yes, the day I was there the place was brightly lit from the windows and skylights, there were only a few electric lights.

Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #774 on: November 03, 2018, 06:01:04 PM »
I mentioned attempting to make a floor mounted line shaft some time ago to operate smaller machinery on tables.

The second floor of the textile mill is rather plain at this point, so I decided to bring a belt through the floor to operate such machinery.

There will be no overhead beamwork on the second floor to carry any upper line shaft hangers. However, I wanted something to be happening on the second floor of the mill.

 I decided to make my own from floor mounted bearings from existing PMR cast line shaft hangers. I thought they woudl look rather silly sitting on the floor upright, so they were cut down to look more like bearings meant to be bolted to the floor.

My attempt...





Offline Ye-Ole Steam Dude

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #775 on: November 03, 2018, 06:10:14 PM »
Hello JL,

Really neat they will add to the 2nd floor.

Have a great day,
Thomas
Thomas

Offline JC54

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #776 on: November 03, 2018, 06:41:22 PM »
Hi Chris,

Now that would be a bit over the top for me. Notice how pump houses always had rounded windows at the top. Often the sills were sloped down as well. I bet you the goal was to admit as much light into the building as possible.
 
Could the window sills also be sloped to make them easier to clean and stop people blocking the windows with stuff on the sills?

            John :DrinkPint: :old:
When the Fun Stops,, Stop!

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #777 on: November 03, 2018, 08:48:18 PM »
Good looking bearings, John! Will you make a 'cut-off' wall around the second floor, maybe a few feet high, with short studs and partial siding? Maybe keep the gals from falling out?  :shrug:

 :popcorn: :ThumbsUp: :popcorn:

Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #778 on: November 04, 2018, 02:35:21 PM »
Good point JC.

Hi Pete,

Perfect timing with your question Pete. Tom and I have been discussiong how to dress up the second floor a bit. Right now, it looks rather plain. I thought of a pile of photos (4" x 6") sitting on the floor showing activities in the cotton mills of the time. But Tom suggested mounting them on easels as a display.

Then I got thinking about a backwall where they could be mounted. As you suggest, it would come up a bit but not all the way past the windows to the beams. Windows would not have to be modelled at the back, so the back wall would be the mounting surface for the photos.

Great minds think alike.  ;)

I placed the floor mounted bearing block (I don't know why they are sometimes called pillow blocks) on the second floor but it looked rather bland.
But I remember seeing a cut in the Strelinger catalog (photo 1) where base plates were often used. Now that would add some interest.

It's all in the details...


« Last Edit: November 04, 2018, 02:40:33 PM by J.L. »

Offline J.L.

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Smaller Wide Pulleys
« Reply #779 on: November 04, 2018, 10:24:05 PM »
PMR make very nice die cast spoked pulleys for line shafts. They are a full 1/2" wide which is necesssary if you want a 1/4" belt to slide from a loose to a fixed pulley below to turn a machine on or off.

But they dropped the ball when they did not make smaller ones of the same thickness to accomplish the same purpose with a different speed ratio.

The only answer is to cement two thin pulleys of smaller diameter together if you want the 'spoked' look. I have turned smaller, wider pulleys from round bar stock on this project, but the spoked pulleys add nice detail.


 

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