# O-On30 Bldgs, Where my summer went...



## mtj54 (Nov 5, 2015)

Among other scales, I thoroughly enjoy On30, and soon in the next year or two hoping to start a new O gauge tinplate layout. With those things in mind, thinking of planning ahead, I spent literally every spare minute this summer making some "stone hydrocal buildings". Thought I'd post some photo's, would love to hear your thoughts, both good and bad. Still need to paint several of these and add details. Up until 8 months ago, I'd never done a hydrocal building but have to say I am really enjoying it!
Here is a Miners Cabin...









And a small passenger depot


And a large passenger depot...


Figure I'll need a dynamite shed sooner or later...









More to come...


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## mtj54 (Nov 5, 2015)

My version of a freight depot...


My favorite is a small lean to hand car shed...figured I could also use it as an in town garage or small tractor bldg or many other uses...


Seemed to make sense if I had a small lean to, make a longer one!....


I didn't really need this large of a loco shed but by this time I was hooked and enjoying the projects....


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## mtj54 (Nov 5, 2015)

Then moved on to a single stall stone On30 locomotive shed....this one I already have a use for...


And a Porter Shed for the little Bachmann On30 Porter....


I actually built a couple other versions of that Porter shed because out of all of the bldgs, that was probably the most fun. Not sure this project even made sense although I have a special use intended. This is a "Drive Thru" Porter Shed/Car Shop...


I did a few other projects but I need better pictures for those...I normally don't have time for "train projects" in the summer but this year I made time and it sure was an enjoyable summer...hope you like them...
Mark


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## mtj54 (Nov 5, 2015)

One last photo for today...Here's a photo of them all together, it was a nice day and I thought it would make a neat picture...going to be painting and detailing all winter!


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## p51 (Nov 12, 2015)

Nice!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

p51 said:


> Nice!


I agree, sometimes a thread needs bumping for us to see.
This one must have escaped my reading.

Very nice, how do you make them? Out of molds?
I like the tin roof are you planning something for the other roofs? Some look too good (new) for the building? I like the old tin one.
Maybe a simulated slate roof for some? Maybe make some planks up for the roof?

I don't know if you have these out where your at but you maybe can make some to compliment your buildings?
In the New England area these still stretch throughout the woods for miles in spots. Way back when property owners used to build these to mark their property lines, a lot of rock came from clearing the fields for planting crops.
I don't know how you made the buildings but I am guessing that you would need a mold?
These are still there from the 1700's I see them in my travels stretching for miles up the mountains. I would not have want to have been the one to build these!

Some were robbed of their stone to be used at someones house.
But there are still many traces of these left today. I see a lot in New York state while riding up the thruway RT 87. I do see others scattered throughout New England.

Just a few thoughts for you.


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## mtj54 (Nov 5, 2015)

Thanks for the replies guys, I've been busy with my son who came home for the Thanksgiving break but I was starting to think these must be really terrible or something 

Big Ed...when doing the buildings, after I hand carved out each building, before putting together, I actually did pour molds for many of them. I wasn't thinking of selling any at that point though. At first my reason for the molds was because I was afraid I was going to mess them up when putting together. Plus, take the mining/logging cabin, I would like to have 5 or 6 or of them on a large layout some day so just practical to pour molds. Kind of snowballed from there! I have put them on ebay but haven't pushed them yet at all other than that....mainly to help cover some of the mold materials and honestly at some point in the future I'll most likely remove them from ebay. Much rather deal in person because for one Ebay fee's are so high anymore. That all being said I sure have met some nice guys in the hobby on the auction site. I'm actually still tweaking some of the molds and also waiting for winter to hit hard which will slow things down for me giving me plenty of time to start finishing some of these for display purposes as well as have time to pour a few more, perhaps build a website. To be perfectly honest I got to the point where I started experimenting with painting and tweaking the stonework and if this makes sense having too much fun to advertise them much yet. For the longest time I was very weary of hydrocal kits but just now finding out how much fun & realistic they can be. My favorite part is once they're glued together I just love finishing the corners to make them "seamless". I just need more hours in a day...My area here in the midwest is loaded with cool old stone buildings so the opportunities are endless! That being said, I would truly love it if anyone wants to throw any suggestions my way for cool projects. Have one more of my own on my "must do" list and that's not even a building so I'm looking for ways to fill up next summer....

The tin roofs you see were my first try at weathering the corrugated steel...I definitely need to improve that. Right now I'm trying to teach myself how to paint and weather plastic....I love the looks of the ribbed seam metal and would love to get that down. So much more to try and so little time to do it all, pretty sure you guys know what I mean!

Love those old stone walls like you pictured... Believe this or not something similar is what got me started. I was in the kids ward of the Iowa City Childrens hospital last Christmas and saw a Dept 56 display that had a lot of stone walls. I have a bunch of small sizes of river stone set aside and wanted to do something fairly similar to what you picture for my wife but somehow got distracted and started on the buildings instead...You're lucky you have such great scenery out your way! There are a few spots in Wisconsin where farmers would pull stone out of their fields and build walls like that. Doesn't get any more practical than that...clear the fields and have a fence line when done.... I'll post a photo below of some individual "wall stone" I did last July....

Here's an example of how I get distracted, I have one project yet to do before I concentrate on just catching up, but I wanted to get working on finishing one of the large depots, so that's what I've been up to lately...really makes me appreciate what so many modelers have accomplished!


Mark


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## mtj54 (Nov 5, 2015)

Big Ed...
Here is the wall pics I promised...did these last July. These are 1/2" thick, also made 1/4" thick....around me we have some huge man made stone walls. I got to thinking of the random stone walls you posted a photo of, I bet those would be very easy to scratch build using the stone of your choice, simply form the shape of your wall with foam, cover with glue and then your stone....would look very realistic using real stone...







Interesting side note, in a city near me, back in the 1800's, they actually used quarried stone for curb and gutter....much of it survives to this day...


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