Orange Peel Pulpwood Grapple

I recall from youth seeing something that might be called an excavator with orange peel grapple moving pulpwood from the woodpile to the conveyor.  When I passed by a display of construction equipment at Tractor Supply, I thought I saw something similar AND it was 1/87 scale!  The similar items at HO scale supply shops seemed to be a lot more expensive, so I picked up the Tractor Supply excavator.

OK, so maybe a little too "new" but it says "Cat" and most of the others I saw were some other make.

A friend had pointed out to me that Model Tech Studios had what looked like a grapple, so I went online and ordered one.  A bit of Dremel tool work to cut off the bucket and grind down the arm, a few logs glued in the grapple, and the grapple was installed!

Model Tech had an N/HO grapple and an HO/S grapple.  I might should have gone with the HO/S, but at least it's "representative"!!

Besides, by the time I had paid for the Tractor Supply excavator, the Model Tech grapple, and shipping for the latter, I had gone well over the price of a ready made grapple crane.  BUT, I would have missed the fun of adapting the excavator AND it would not have had the CAT nameplate.

I'm satisfied. 

More Goop

 Always good to have help from grandkids when they visit.  With a severe thunderstorm predicted in the afternoon, Grandson and I decided to work inside and add some more ground goop, a la Lou Sassi, to the layout.  

We used the usual, standard formula:

• 1 cup Vermiculite
• 1 cup Celluclay
• 1 cup latex paint (preferably earth tone; we were a little dark for Panama City, FL, but it was what we had!)
• 1/2 cup white glue

Mixing was accomplished:

Then the goop was spread:

Grandson took the narrow strip between the "outside" rail and the edge -- we'll add some sand for a roadway for pulpwood trucks.  Just a little bit too narrow, but we'll get the point made.

Granddad took the other side.  Together we made some progress.  Grass and weeds, along with the sandy road, to come:

Imagine That Laser Art Pulp Mill Building

 A modeler featured in Model Railroading had used some ITLA (Imagine That Laser Art) products for his Southern pulp and paper mill, so I thought I would take a look at it.  The York Industries kit came close to what I was looking for in the way of a pulp digester building.  Many mills seem to have their digestors (or digester, if continuous) somewhat out in the weather:

This is the arrangement for the four digestors at Allied Paper Company in the late 1960's.

But, the International Paper Company mill in Panama City, in the mid-1950's seemed to have the digestors in a building "behind" the paper machine.  The building was a bit taller and might have been constructed of different brick in a different architectural style than the paper mill building:

Maybe the building just to the left behind the longer paper machine building, not far from the right smokestack.

Besides, a laser cut kit was not something that I had really tried before -- the company store was close. . . .  Just after I ordered the York Construction kit, Trump started messing with tariffs and ITLA is a Canadian company.  So, the order was held up several days at the border!!

The ITLA kits tend to yield OLD, worn buildings with a good bit of "character" -- not what I was looking for but by placing the panels carefully, most of what is in view looks fairly nice.

Started with painting some of the concrete, windows, and cider blocks; then installing windows; followed by test-fitting the four sides:

Looking OK.  Added pilasters then glued cornice pieces on.  It wasn't obvious until cornice pieces were cut that there needed to be some allowance for thickness in cutting the length!  The Wife had already asked how the water was going to get off of the roof so that was enough of an excuse to fabricate a couple of downspouts to fill the gaps in the cornices.

Not the final edition, yet, since ITLA included a number of details like vents, and HVAC unit, and ladders, and trash cans, and rooftop access, etc.  Waiting until piping is installed for pulp and chemicals to put on the details.  A couple of views on the layout. Mocked up chip chute -- oops, someone blocked the chip entrance with a window!?!?

Again, missed a little planning ahead; don't know why you'd need doors on the same corner of the building?!

Bottom line, the building meets the expectations with some other equipment to be customized and installed.

Tanks for the TwoFer

Needing some tankage for the paper mill, I purchased the Tichy Trains Steel Tank kit.  I'm still fighting with the three pulpwood rack cars and tank car I purchased from Tichy.  I don't find their kits very easy to assemble.  But, since the Steel Tank kit provide a domed top AND a flat top, and there were enough sections for the body of the tank to make TWO medium sized tanks instead of one (that might have been too big for the layout), I came away with two structures instead of one.

The "spiral staircase" was difficult enough to attach that I'm glad I didn't have to go the full six sections for one tank.  But I think the two will work well somewhere near the paper mill -- water, slush pulp, or something. . . 

So far, pretty easy.  45 degree angle for spiral stairs is marked and steps are cut.  Used one access from the kit and one from the Walthers piping kit; will wait until final positioning on layout to make the top entrance.

Four Tichy kits (two tanks for the price of one!) along with two small tanks and a pay phone on a post from the 3D printing mentioned in prior post.  Water tank has upper ladder attached.  Ended up purchasing new pen vise and set of drill bits to drill holes on frame to put 0.012 inch wire rungs.  Used same bit to drill out holes for grab irons on pulpwood rack (only one, so far, fit with grab irons).

Shorter tank has (almost) vertical ladder which was a little easier than spiral staircase, but still difficult with safety cage installation.

Chalk dust weathering has been attempted for both tanks.  Don't want to spray with dull coat so hope the dust sticks OK as is.  (Picture not available; maybe when placed on track.)

3D Printing!

3D printing looks like fun, but not for me, yet.  However, an ebay offer was so enticing that I had to have some 3D printed exterior details.  The offer was for 270 for about $30.  I got, instead, about 400 pieces:

The HVAC ducting/systems were of most interest, but several other items like trash cans, pay phones, crates, and small tanks will undoubtedly find a place on the layout.

Paper Mill, No Clamps!

Still needing the details, but tried the paper mill on the layout without clamps.  Gee, seems it takes up a lot of space.  Some readjustments for woodyard to digesters will be needed, but like the look in general!

Paper Mill Roof Repair

Nope, Plastruck glue did not work.  Two parts of roof with long edges did not stay glued.  So, pulled out the old fashioned tube of model glue and tried again.  Even added a couple of clamps to keep things together.  Hope this works. . . .