Scratch built engine shed

[tossedman]

Looking around on the interwebs I've seen some interesting structures that I'd like to have. With access to a laser cutter and having a bit of scrap mdf and Polybak lying around I thought I'd give an engine shed a go. I played around with SketchUp to imagine what it would look like in 3D and then Adobe Illustrator to draw up the files for the laser. Here's what I came up with.  

 

Here are the SketchUp drawings.
 

 

 

And here is the file I drew up in Illustrator. The red lines will be cut by the laser and the black lines will be engraved.

 

 

And here are the laser cut prototypes. This is the third iteration. I had to make the frames and posts thicker as it was a bit too delicate as drawn in SketchUp. I always have a pile of cast offs when going through a process like this. I may still make these a bit thinner though.

 

 

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

 

 

Edited April 14, 2023 by tossedman
Tried adding tags

[tossedman]

I was playing around with basswood instead of MDF for the timber frames. I can still make them a little narrower but I need to watch the direction of the wood grain. I cut the side framing with the grain going to wrong way and they just snap apart as they're so fragile. Rotating these 90° should do the trick.

 

I love these little projects as they fit into these little Calzone boxes. Our school cafeteria used to be run by a pizza joint but they quit and left. They left lots of little boxes around which I managed to snag. Perfect project boxes. Making myself a kit.

 

 

 

As I got this on my bench I had a thought. I had measured the height of the EMU I wanted to park in the shed but couldn't remember if I'd factored in the height of the track as well. Thought I might have to rework some of this but no, it's OK.

 

 

 

More to come.

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

[cteno4]

I use the various sized sushi plastic containers as project boxes. Love the parallel to calzone boxes!

 

jeff

[tossedman]

Well, a bit more progress. I think I'm on the ninth iteration of this thing. Having lots of fun figuring it all out. I've thinned everything out and gone to five sets of posts and trusses instead of the four seen above (or the six I tried in-between). Here I'm gluing on the sides which are cut from Polybak (laser board for those who want to pay highly inflated prices for it). Good thing I have lots of clamps! I'm waiting for some scale(ish) clapboard siding to try and see how that looks. Had to order it online so it'll be a bit before it gets here.

 

 

 

 

And here's a little razor plane I picked up a couple of years ago. It's lovely. Been using it a bit on some beams.

 

 

By the way, here are a couple of pictures of what's inspiring all of this.

 

https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=872x10000:format=jpg/path/s173fc386ecb63d39/image/i2929722916f64537/version/1451897112/image.jpg

 

https://thumbnail.image.shashinkan.rakuten.co.jp/shashinkan-core/thumbnail/?title=宮下洋一展　木造複線車庫.JPG&pkey=dfe09d72c5f27fa627c9e0926ab0aebe8c43b5b4.35.2.2.2a1.jpg&atlTitle=宮下洋一作品展（於さかつうギャラリー）&atlUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fplaza.rakuten.co.jp%2Fef6647%2Fdiary%2F201604050000%2F%3Fscid%3Dwi_blg_shashinkan_thumb001

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

[tossedman]

And here it is sans clamps. Lots of little details to add still like engraving where the beams meet each other on the outside pieces. Not sure about this wood stain either. Might have to explore more options. I am sure though, that there'll be at least one one more prototype after this one, maybe more. The roofing is going to be correlated metal. I've ordered so of that as well and am waiting for its arrival. Stay tuned. More to come.

 

 

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

[Cat]

Anything worth clamping is worth overclamping! ❤️
 
It's best not to take any chances.

Edited March 4, 2023 by Cat

[tossedman]

More clamping! Found some basswood clapboard siding at the LHS this morning and cut out the sides and some window frames. The Polybak is gone! It's great stuff but it's not siding. Glued on the clapboard and I'm liking the look already. Next step is to figure out the actual window mullions and some plastic for the glass. The mullions will be Polybak.

 

 

 

 

More to come.

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

Edited March 12, 2023 by tossedman

[tossedman]

No roof to speak of as yet but I had a few pieces of black paper that are almost the right size to try to get a feel of what this thing might look like. Broke one window frame so will have to recut that. It's been a fun little project so far. A lot of planning and trying different ideas. Good for one's brain. 

 

Here's where we're at at the moment.

 

 

 

 

 

More to come,

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

[tossedman]

Well, had a chance to spend a bit more time working on the shed. The corrugated roofing arrived, now on to research how to weather it. Looks a bit too shiny and gold the way it is now.

 

 

I also was busy on Illustrator and the laser cutter. Cut out some window frames from 1/32" basswood and mullions from Polybak. Window kits! The mullions are 0.5 mm wide. Need to find some clear window material next. Gotta be some clear plastic kicking around here somewhere. These will be stacked in the cutouts of the clapboard siding. Might have to change the outer window frame to some thicker Polybak. The basswood might be a bit too thick.

 

 

Lastly, I'm try to figure out where this thing's going to go on my shelf layout. It's only a foot deep but I want it to look busy, busy at this end. The shed and station are the only two things that will stay for sure. Everything else is up in the air. I have a big pile of Sankei paper buildings to build so need to make more of those before I decide what else needs to be added.

 

 

 

 

More to come.

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

Edited March 12, 2023 by tossedman

[tossedman]

Well, I cannot leave well enough alone and after looking at the inside of the shed I decided it looked a little bland. So, out came the computer, and while watching a couple games of the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship, I whipped up some interior details for the walls. They aren't really to scale and don't meet any building codes but really won't be seen much either. A half an hour on the laser cutter and I had the parts for the latest iteration.

 

The good thing is that after so many prototypes I'm getting pretty good at putting these together. Found out that a fellow that I know from RC crawling who works at a local hobby shop is also into N scale trains so I'll pass a prototype or two on his way.

 

Started with the posts and beams.

 

And then added a bit of wood in-between.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still needs a couple of more details to be added, so stay tuned. More to come.

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

Edited March 20, 2023 by tossedman

[tossedman]

I've recut the sides and the interior framing as I didn't quite line up the windows properly. D'oh. So glad I didn't have to recut them by hand. I've used up all of the clapboard siding that I had and I've cleaned out the local hobby shop of their one package of the correct size so I've gone to vertical siding. I like the look. Now I'm added a bit of colour to the shed. I have some boxcar brown stain, some mahogany acrylic paint and some Tamiya weathering powders. I'm mixing and matching and playing around because as usual I have no idea as to what I am doing or am supposed to do.

 

 

 

 

Here's what the windows will look like glazed. First shot is the mullions and the second one includes the frame which will be stained. Next step after the windows is a rusty, corrugated steel roof.

 

 

 

This continues to be a fun learning experience. Stay tuned, more to come.

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

 

[cteno4]

Nice project to get started with on the lasercutter for a structure! Lots of bits and bobs to test out. Very nice job todd!

 

jeff

[tossedman]

Thanks Jeff. Yeah, I’ve learned a lot. I’d cut a piece, fit it on and then think, oh, what if I did this, or that, or I’d see something online and think I should’ve done that instead. It’s been a fun learning experience. 
 

Todd

[cteno4]

Best way to learn stuff like that! Even with Dohs, it’s satisfying.

 

jeff

[tossedman]

Almost ready to call this done and dusted. Working on the rust on the roofing. Also, I either lost or didn't cut one window mullion so will have to cut another. That's about a three second cut job. Takes longer to set up the laser cutter than to do the job.

 

 

 

 

 

And this is where it's going to go on my narrow point to point shelf layout. Need to fill in all that empty space.

 

\

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

[cteno4]

Excellent dude! Kudos!

 

jeff

[bill937ca]

It resembles the engine shed on the Fukui Railway.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by bill937ca

[tossedman]

Thanks Bill, I'd not seen that video yet. It was roughly based on some other models I'd seen. Here's a bunch of links to some of them.

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

[bill937ca]

Your model looks great. I just find it amazing a building like this survives in the real world today.

[brill27mcb]

How is that the European tram is there?

 

Rich K.

[tossedman]

Bill, I know eh. I find that they’re some of the most interesting buildings though. My source of inspiration is other models made by Japanese modelers though, so this whole thing is a second or third hand vision of what may have been. I can see myself making more in the future. I love the look of wood instead of molded plastic. When I retire I’m going to have to find myself a laser cutter. 

 

I've added some fascia and trimmed the roof over the side shed a bit. Added that missing window and I also added a ridge cap on the roof but tore the very end of it. I left it as it was to add to the old building feel (or maybe I'm just too lazy to remake it today 😉).

 

Here are some more pics.

 

 

 

 

Cheers eh,

 

Todd

 

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by tossedman

[bill937ca]

13 minutes ago, brill27mcb said:

How is that the European tram is there?

 

Rich K.

The Fukui Railway used to run second hand trams on the street track in Fukui City during weekends and holidays.   That is actually parts of two trams from Stuttgart grafted into a double end tram.

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/シュトゥットガルト路面電車GT4形電車#土佐電気鉄道735形電車

 

Kochi also has European trams for holiday operation.

 

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/土佐電気鉄道#車両

 

[brill27mcb]

Thanks, Bill. Now back to the intended topic...

 

Rich K.

[cteno4]

Wow Todd, nice finish! 
 

jeff

[Cat]

Sweet beans — great weathering!