Modifying the Walther's Lumber Mill?


beiland

Well-Known Member
Today I was working on rearranging some items in my logging scene in order to accommodate the gallows turntable I have. One item in particular is moving my Walther's lumber mill a little closer to the logging pond
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/loggi...-mill-mainline-pickup-12213119?pid=1332621721

I decided to get that kit out to check some of my clearance more closely. I had forgotten that my rendition would be a little different than the stock kit. I wanted my covered shed/loading dock located on the other side of the main shed,..

like this..
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rather than like the stock kit,..
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One particular item that has me concerned is the relief in the roof that provides for the adjoining roof for the shed area.
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Could I possible cut the roof in half and reverse the ends??

Has anyone seen modifications to the Walther's lumber mill building??
 
from another forum
It seems that it would be easier to simply add a new roofing material over the one molded into the kit.

I may have to create a new roof, but before I do that I would likely experiment with that original supplied one.
I was looking thru 'images' to see if I saw any that folks might have modified from their original form. Has anyone seen something like this?
 
I think I am going to try and cut out that triangular section, and a corresponding section in ribbed portion, then exchange those sections.
Hopefully with a good fine, sharp saw I can get a nice clean cut.

Fortunately that side of the roof is on the 'backside' of the viewing perspective,...and it is on the somewhat high second deck, so it will not be so noticeable. If i screw up the cuts I can cover over that roofing material with something else,..as has been suggested.

I was having some fun yesterday.

I was trying to make sure I had enough room for my debarker when I moved the saw mill closer to the pond, then played with several locations for the wood chipper that I had not even planned on, etc,etc. Nothing set in stone yet.

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I got my turntable to fit in there without shorten it.

Then I decided to go ahead and start assembly of the saw mill and a few of its out buildings,...just get a 3D idea of my selected overall plan.

One item that stood out to me right away was the windows that were supplied with the original kit. did sawmills really have lots of formal glass windows,...I don't think so. So I did NOT install those. Rather I am going to look for other images that might be more representative,...perhaps no window framing at all.
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Still looking for modification images of this Walther's sawmill in particular ??

BTW, I was able to slip in another little track spur off the turntable for that little steam switcher I am very fond of.
 
I guess I was thinking that no windows would make it look more 'old-timey' or backwoodsy . On second thoughts that Walthers kit will likely not look too old timey with any grace.

I am going to make the roof stiff and removable so that eventually some interior machinery might be added.

I did notice the plastic floor was a little thin and bendy, so I mounted that to the thick, stiff pvc base, so the hold thing can be brought out to a workbench for detailing later. I'm actually trying to do that with a lot of my structures (readily removable) by providing some sort of thin/stiff base plate (galvanized sheet metal in some cases).

Maybe some significant weathering will help hide some of its 'new look'?

I'm happy with the gallows turntable,...now just need to redo the cables and perhaps some stain, and weathered ns rail rather than the current brass rail.

I'm thinking of some sort of outdoorsy loco repair shop on that one siding,...maybe a very small building next to the track, with a tent awning over the repair area?
 
Sawdust Loader
As has been pointed out I have used the incorrect loader for rail cars vs trucks, but I just like its appearance so much more.

I'd even like to get a second one, if anyone has an unused one? (trade for the truck loading one?)
 
Sorry for being so anal about this job of cutting my roof, but like what was pointed out, I could end up cracking the plastic rather than getting a good clean straight cut.

I got one of my good saws out, the widest one I had. I also clamped a steel ruler in place to use as a guide. My very first cut was misaligned just a very slight bit as shown by this arrow . That was my fault, or my crooked eyes'...ha...ha . That's all right I can file that extra little bit out.
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Here are the tools I used,..
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And here is the new piece I cut out of the other end and inserted it in the first spot I cut. ..Not to bad of a job if i say so myself

I have decided that I do not need to put the untextured blank back in the spot were I got the piece of roof. The thickness of the plastic makes it stiff enough, particularly with the kit's inner roof beam. Besides real roofs didn't have that portion in them.
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Removable Roof

One item I didn't take into account was the fact that the sheds roof MUST be attached to the main roof ,..so the removable portion is the entire roof. I wonder what I am going to do about those rather spindly 6 vertical post holding up the shed's roof.??

I think I am going to have to leave either their tops or bottoms unglued? I'm leaning towards the bottoms as they have only a single hole receptacle (each), but that sure leaves those 6 legs rather venerable with the roof off?

Any ideas?
 
This is a couple of ideas I came up with today.

At first I thought about glued a piece of music wire to one side of the plastic upright,...after all is very stiff strong wire for its size.

Then I decided to look in my misc box for something like a 'L' beam piece of metal. SURPRISE, ...look what I found a channel shaped metal piece that almost exactly fits over the plastic post. I like this idea!!

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B
 
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sorry , late to the conversation . I agree with you about the windows , that being said you might be able to change the look to more old timey by cutting a couple of them out and turning them into big doors and also "boarding " some of them off . That will also offer some weathering opportunities which will help to force the idea of age.
 
I didn't have to reinforce those upright post. I went ahead and installed them and the roof over that portion. I just did not glue the two roof lines together yet. I found I can take the roof off the main building without removing that other roof extension.

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I've decided that I don't care to make it that old timey. Rather my saw mill owner is rather new to the business and has the money to have a collection of older steam type logging locos. That's the reason he installed that turntable and a few extra tracks for his 'operating' collection of various types.
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Regretably there will not be many roads, nor vehicles on my layout. I wanted to maximize my number of industries, and I just didn't have room for roads, etc.
 



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