Elevating times

Regarding the two-house project, after getting a roof on the second house, both structures had two-foot elevation blocks installed underneath. This will allow for using natural-looking stone pilings to be placed under the edges of the houses. Some houses from this time had no underpinning. A cooling prospect during hard Winters. When omscaler works on one project, other projects are on hold. Work on The OSR is done serially at times. More specifically, internal slope sheets are being made. Working “on the slant”, omscaler

 

Cooking right along

Continuing with last week’s post, the larger of the two houses now has a roof. The other one will have one soon as well. Omscaler was able to develop a roof color treatment appropriate for the houses. We continue to move along. As far as last week’s post regarding the laser, some additional details may be helpful. Regarding the software, the laser software can produce the needed shapes directly. CAD was investigated to get the needed specifications. Due to a lack of training or experience, CAD proved problematic. What was successful was to scan in a well drawn diagram. Clean the diagram with a drawing AAP. Then paste the same directly into the laser software. Now the new laser produced fifty-ton hopper components are being incorporated into a new hopper car. Other laser projects are in the works as well. On the cutting edge, omscaler

 

Back to the front burner

Instead of back to the future, we are doing back to the front burner. We were able to pause “lasering” long enough to work on the two house project. The walls are up and we are headed to the roof. The porches will figure into this as well. Omscaler did learn that we could get output without using CAD. This made things quicker for us. We still are learning the ins and outs of the new software and hardware. All in all, good results all around. Trimming down and gearing up, omscaler

  

Eureka! We cut it!

 Yep. We are all ‘a-dither’ here at The Omega Scale Railway. Some of the initial laser test cuts dimensionally accurate, though not on all points. Some of this variance is due to learning curve. Speaking of learning curve, omscaler is learning laser safety and operation, laser software and CAD drawing. Simultaneously but not all at the same time. Thankfully, not all at the same time. Due to all this activity, the small house project has been put on the back burner. That should be changed by the time this post is posted. Omscaler definitely needs to do this, and we will. As far as laser work, the main effort will be reworking the fifty-ton hoppers. This Fall and Winter should prove to be both interesting and busy. Refocusing the effort, omscaler

 

A new direction?

Since last post, omscaler has been successful at making a new window construction technique. Once again, we are delighted at bringing new methods to make The Omega Scale Railway more realistic. Also, two of the entry doors have an improved method as well. The other two are represented as simple plank doors. This is in keeping with the design of these small houses. Next will be wall assembly. The roofs will need special treatment to show a weathered appearance. The excitement is building.

Speaking of excitement, you, the reader may be asking, “What about the new direction mentioned above?” Well, dear reader, as this post is being typed, omscaler is sitting very close to some new equipment. This is a new laser engraver/cutter. Assembly of this cutter was just completed yesterday. The next phase is acquiring software and then learning to use the cutter. Omscaler is definitely keeping the fingers crossed. Both for performance of the new laser and being able to use it effectively. If this is successful, omscaler anticipates that better rolling stock and structures can be made. And be made more quickly as well. Working with high hopes, omscaler

 

Dare I say, still plugging away?

 Yep. Twelve of one size window and two of another. It is all about the details. As one can imagine, when one works with very small measurements, accurate measurement is critical. This is a way of life on The Very Small Railroad. It is what gives us an edge over other modelers in this scale we believe. As I write this post, I am still working on making and hanging windows. Another part is the window trim. That is coming soon. Some ideas are waiting to be tried. Hopefully, these will work. Then doors, wall assembly and roof. See you up top, omscaler

 

Merrily we inch along

 Hello again readers. Here on The Omega Scale Railway, we are in inch worm mode (once again). The reason is that a new windowpane method is being developed. These windows will be the next step up in detail. And, as many of you know, research and development take time. Hence, we inch along. The new method is already showing much promise in the test unit. Also, a different method will be tried out by the time of this post. This will give omscaler more options for structure details. Always improving, omscaler