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Dos Manos - Building #4

Started by Ray Dunakin, January 09, 2010, 07:49:36 PM

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Ray Dunakin

I still haven't decided how to detail the interior of my last building, so for now I'm starting on the next building. Here's the CGI mockup I created when I designed the third and fourth buildings:



This new building will be the fourth for the town of Dos Manos. Photos of the build (so far) begin here:

http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#30

As with the previous building, the first story will be quite small, with additional rooms merely suggested by the presence of a door. The second story will be longer and extend past the rear of the first story, to rest on a shelf of rock on the cliff behind the town.

The building will be made of real stone. Walls that will be hidden from view will only not actually have stone, just reinforced mortar.

So far I've finished the basic structure of the first story. It's a simple box shape, tapered slightly at the rear to fit into the angled space on the town site. The front has a single, large rectangular opening where doors and windows will be added later to create a typical storefront.

As with my other stone buildings, I began by building a box-shaped form out of foam core art board. A large piece of 1/2" thick foam core was used as a plug to create the opening at the front of the structure.

On my last trip to Nevada, I picked up a lot of thin, flat slabs of sandstone. I broke some of these up and shaped them into rough, tiny blocks using tile nippers, then carefully placed them into the form. I also added a narrow accent tile from the hardware store, to simulate a decorative cast iron beam.

Next I added reinforcements -- brass rods and 1/4" hardware cloth -- and then poured in a mix of high strength mortar and vinyl concrete patcher. This completed the front wall of the structure. After the mortar hardened, I turned the form over so I could work on the next side of the structure, adding hardware cloth and mortar. This was repeated for each of the two remaining sides.

When the last side had fully set, I carefully cut and pulled apart the form, revealing the completed structure. Here's how it looks setting next to the existing buildings:



That's as far as I've gotten. Next I'll start building the form for the second story.



Visit my website to see pics of the rugged and rocky In-ko-pah Railroad!

Ray Dunakin's World

jacq01


  You're off on another nice adventure. Each creation is showing something different, adjusted to the geographic circumstances.
  Glad I have the oportunity to follow this from the other side of the world.. 8)

  Jacq
put brain in gear before putting mouth in action.
never underestimate the stupidity of idiots
I am what I remember.

Ray Dunakin

I just finished the basic structure of this building's second story. Here's a shot of how the building looks on the town site...



Shaping the stones for the window arches was a pain. I started with rectangular marble stones, from a tile sheet I bought at Home Depot.

The walls were made using sandstone slabs I got in Nevada.


Photos of the build (so far) begin here:

http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#39

Next I have to make the doors and windows; the sidewalks, balcony and roof; and then the interiors.




Visit my website to see pics of the rugged and rocky In-ko-pah Railroad!

Ray Dunakin's World

Ray Dunakin

I finally got some more work done on the new building. I built the whole "storefront" assembly -- the support structure, door and windows -- out of styrene. It's all painted and weathered. I haven't glazed the windows yet, I'll do that later. Here's a shot of the lower half of the building with the storefront assembly temporarily in place:





I haven't glued the storefront in place yet -- I'll do that after I get the interior built, which is the next step of the project.

If you want to see how the storefront assembly was made, I have a few photos beginning here:

http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#72

After I put in the interior walls and ceiling, I'll start building the "wood" sidewalk.
Visit my website to see pics of the rugged and rocky In-ko-pah Railroad!

Ray Dunakin's World

Chuck Doan

Looking good, Ray. It's interesting how you deal with the the outdoor element in your construction.
"They're most important to me. Most important. All the little details." -Joseph Cotten, Shadow of a Doubt





http://public.fotki.com/ChuckDoan/model_projects/

TRAINS1941

Ray,
Very nice indeed.  I'm with Chuck interesting how you deal with the outside elements in your construction.

Jerry
Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
George Carlin

finescalerr

Will you be adding "mortar" and, if so, what weatherproof material would you use? -- Russ

Ray Dunakin

Quote from: finescalerr on February 08, 2010, 12:18:38 PM
Will you be adding "mortar" and, if so, what weatherproof material would you use? -- Russ

That's a good question -- I'm still debating my options.

The walls were built by placing stones in a mold and pouring mortar over them from the "inside" (along with some "rebar"). I was hoping that the mortar would seep between the stones enough to fill any small gaps between the stones, but that didn't happen. Where the stones fit closely together it doesn't matter, but there are too many places with gaps, and those just don't look right on a structure of this type. So I do want to fill them somehow.

The simplest solution is to just mix up some mortar, smear it into the gaps, and rinse off the excess. I've done this before on other stone walls. The downside is that no matter how well you rinse it, there's always a thin residue of mortar that dulls the appearance of the stone.

Another option might be to use grout. I've never worked with grout before, so I don't know whether it would also have the same problem of dulling residue.


Visit my website to see pics of the rugged and rocky In-ko-pah Railroad!

Ray Dunakin's World

finescalerr

Dulling the stones probably wouldn't hurt anything. It would just seem like dust and might even help the appearance. Especially if it's the gray stuff they used on our bathroom floors. I assume it will hold up to the elements since it seems to resists breaking down in water. -- Russ

Ray Dunakin

A small update... I built and installed the interior walls for this section of the building, complete with authentic 1910 wallpaper!

New pics begin here:

http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/IRR_Dos_Manos.html#80

Visit my website to see pics of the rugged and rocky In-ko-pah Railroad!

Ray Dunakin's World

jacq01

put brain in gear before putting mouth in action.
never underestimate the stupidity of idiots
I am what I remember.

Ken Hamilton

It sure does, Jacq.
Nice job, Ray.
Ken Hamilton
www.wildharemodels.com
http://public.fotki.com/khamilton/models/

TRAINS1941

Ray

Well the next time I need to wall paper I know who to call.  Very impressive.  Is that Crown Molding or just ceiling support??

Jerry
Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?
George Carlin

marklayton

If using grout putdoors, might be inclined to use one of the grout sealers available in the same aisle at the home center.  The clear liquid sealer doesn't change the color or make anything shiny, but it does seem to make it resist stains, mold, and damage for a long time.

Mark
He who dies with the most tools wins.

Ray Dunakin

Quote from: TRAINS1941 on February 15, 2010, 06:54:42 AM
Is that Crown Molding or just ceiling support??

Both. I made the "molding" by gluing a styrene quarter-round rod into a styrene angle.

Visit my website to see pics of the rugged and rocky In-ko-pah Railroad!

Ray Dunakin's World