Vintage Gas Station

[Scratchman]

David welcome to the forum. The disk sander is the way to go when working in a large scale. I use a 4" and a 10" and they are very handy for model work.

I delivered soda pop out there in 1969 and I think it was a gas station then. I don't think they would put up a Sinclair logo with out selling gas and it is setting right on the main highway. I can remember other gas station at that time that had much smaller building than that one in Elberta.

Gordon Birrell

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

[RoughboyModelworks]

An aside to the central topic of this thread, but related to the measuring stick issue, which by the way is an excellent tool for field work research. Several years ago, a photographer colleague of mine produced a book titled "Keep Your Eye on the Ditch." The concept was devilishly simple and highly effective. He prepared a series of identically painted measuring sticks, the largest being nine foot, the second six foot, the original being 36", the fourth 18" and the smallest 9" long. The two shorter sticks were accurately scaled down versions of the three-footer while the two larger versions were scaled up. Then he would place items that he found in roadside ditches next to an inappropriately sized measuring stick on white seamless in the photo studio. Lighting was very flat and consistent with scientific specimen photography. The only size reference was the measuring stick, so you ended up with 6' long dead squirrels, 6" diameter toilet seats, 3' long shoes, 5' diameter baseball caps, 9" diameter tires and so on and so forth. He occasionally added a photo of a true-to-scale item to help convince the viewer of the implied truth in the project. It was wonderful...

Paul

[David King]

I delivered soda pop out there in 1969 and I think it was a gas station then

Really?  So it was used as a gas station at it's current location at one time? According to an article in the NGSLG it was moved from Eureka in 1942.  I just assumed it was originally a gas station prior to 1942 and was moved to Elberta to be used as a fancy storage shed.  It does not appear to even have a foundation currently.  I don't suppose you noticed what was in the interior while it was being used as a gas station?  It would have been a stretch to use it to service cars even back in the age of the Model T.  It's deep enough for a car plus work benches, and the doors are wide enough to drive a car through but there doesn't appear to be enough room between the side of the car and the wall after driving it in. The 50's and 60's cars I'm sure would have been very difficult to work on in there.  And if you put two cars in there, there would not be much room between them.  As Craig said, the shape and size of the structure plus the odd doors seem more shed-like than gas/service station-like, so I've always been curious as to how the interior may have been used.

John S. Midgely wrote that article in the NGSLG and took the photos, is he a local?

David

[Scratchman]

David you're right. I said I thought it was a gas station. All I can remember is that I think I had a stop on that route in Elberta but I have no recall of what it was. Forty years is a long time and I only went on that route a handful of times. The bad thing is, I had forgot about that article and it was only 2 years ago. I think John is local, maybe S. L. C. I will ask Roger at the hobby shop tomorrow he may know. 

Gordon Birrell

     http://www.flickr.com/photos/77318580@N00/

[David King]

Here's the do-over on the door;



The measurements are correct now, or at least very close. Also, I put in aanother piece at the very bottom that I had missed before.  The joints are much tighter now, not perfect but about as good as I'm gonna get using the tools I have, (not to mention patience!).  I went lighter on the distressing of the wood this time, I think it's probably more in keeping with the theme.

Here's a close up of the bottom section;



Thanks for your help guys!  This version is much better.

David

[Belg]

David, you mentioned drawings on page one but I don't see them did you post them? Pat

[David King]

No, I didn't post any drawings.  The drawing isn't really anything special, just barely good enough for my use.

David

[Ray Dunakin]

Nice work, and definitely an improvement over the first one.

[mobilgas]

David,     The re-do of the door's look alot better.  Craig

[JohnP]

Door looks great David! Does in need specific weathering where feet might shove it closed etc? Maybe that's something to consider when it is installed.

John

[David King]

I've now added the vertical slats in the lower and upper sections as well as the diagonals. I made the slats from stripwood I had on hand that was close to the right size.  I glued them down to cardstock, distressed them, stained them, and painted them as I had all the other pieces, then installed them from the back as one group into a ledge I'd carved out of the mat board that the rest of the pieces are mounted to.  The diagonals were more or less a cut, trim and sand to fit deal.



A closer up view;

Does in need specific weathering where feet might shove it closed etc? Maybe that's something to consider when it is installed

I have five more doors to do, so there will be plenty of opportunities to give each one a little personality like that.

That brings up a question.  How do you guys think I should handle the hardware?  I have hinges and handles that are close to the style and size of the prototype that I bought from Micro Mark.  It looks as though on the prototype that the hinges and handles were never painted, but that seems kind of odd.  Maybe the paint wore off the hinges and handles much quicker than the wood?  That still seems a bit odd, I'd think I'd see some evidence that the hinges had been painted before.  However I guess it's possible that none of these hinges were there when the doors were last painted, maybe they've been replaced one by one as old hinges wore out.  I'm think I should probably show the hinges as having peeling paint, but the handles as just hand worn metal.  What you you think?

David

[Mr Potato Head]

My opinion would be that the inside hardware would be covered in paint ant the outside would have worn off; these are no normal doors they are carriage doors. I have some catalogs and a website for original carriage doors, I will have to look for them and shoot you the info.
Gil

[David King]

Inside hardware?

[Mr Potato Head]

There is a great article in the magizine "American Bungalow" about vintage carrige doors, only problem is there are sixty plus issues and i cant remember which one it's in, I will look, but there are a few images from the internet that I found, hope these help.
Gil

[Mr Potato Head]

Opps here's the other one, a little more helpful
Gil