# Coal Mining Camp Houses



## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

I will be making 10 houses for my coal mining area. I normally work with wood mostly but I had a lot of styrene clapboard siding sheets so I will be using this. These houses were built just for the miners & their families. They were built close together & very cheap. Sometimes a family would out grow the house & they would add a room next to the porch, normally another bedroom. I start out making templates from cardboard...Little Debbie Cake boxes work well for this 
On the end wall panel the double lines near the roof are 3/12 & 4/12 pitch lines. These houses will have rolled roofing & I figured a 4/12 would look better & would shed water better. :laugh:










49 pieces later


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## BK R (Dec 8, 2012)

OK, you got my attention.:laugh:


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

Got all the front sections done. I cut three at a time worked well but not five. Cutting five got the cutter too hot & melted a few pieces as it cut then when cooled left a molten blob. For those that haven't used one of these cutters don't confuse it with a drill bit. It looks similar but it has cutting flutes on the side. 





































Be back soon!


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## csxmandave (Dec 24, 2012)

When you come back, bring a picture of your coal mine. I'm trying to make a coal mine an could use all the help (ideas) I can get. Looks like your off to a good start on your houses.


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

csxmandave said:


> When you come back, bring a picture of your coal mine. I'm trying to make a coal mine an could use all the help (ideas) I can get. Looks like your off to a good start on your houses.


Dave I will post some in a separate thread over the weekend so I won't clutter this one up. Thanks for your interest!


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

I got them put together & set them close to where their going. These will need better floors than what I want to put in them because of being on posts. 




























Thanks again for looking!


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## BK R (Dec 8, 2012)

Looking good 'dust, where's the "dunnys" ??:laugh:


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

These may have indoor plumbing because I can't see myself making 9-10 of them. I could put one in between each house & make them share.:laugh: Tonight I got some roofs done & cut the porch floors. I'm glad I found this sheet of plank styrene so I won't have to do lot of board scribing.


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

Hello everyone I'm back in the saddle again. I took up another hobby of restoring old garden tractors & have been busy with that. I also had my left shoulder joint replaced a few months ago & doing well but a little rusty. I have a lot to show so sit back & hope you enjoy.

Here I painted to simulate old porch boards & will give it a A/I wash.


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

I posted the previous pic too soon.
Porch floors installed.


I started cutting the porch rails & posts.




Yes some are crooked & missing a few balusters but that's the way it is in the real world of old structures.


These are stuck on masking tape upside down. They kind of look like my work socks hanging on a clothes line. 


I'm using windows & doors from Tichy Trains.


I forgot to order some windows opened so I improvised & made my own.






Painted all the trim. This was not fun.


I use plastic corner trim for my corners. I like this because it gives me both sides with one application.


A lot of these camp houses were sitting on hillsides so I have to make the posts next. Hope you enjoyed & thanks again for looking.


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## kingred58 (Apr 8, 2011)

wow! great to see this continued - looks likes enough barracks for a coal army.

what did you use for flooring? how thick and how far inset below bottom of walls? - they look great!

can you get us a shot of the interior bracing, too? i always seem to go light there, and i'm curious how you do it with styrene...

keep up the great work,
~Kingred


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Very impressed by your accurate and clean cutting on that styrene.

I have been using hobby knife on it with great difficulty.

A Dremel is so fast it melts plastic.

What is that cutter you picture back in your February posting? 

Don


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## spoil9 (Dec 24, 2008)

Looks like lots of tedious work but you make it look good. Can't wait to see more progress pics.

DonR, some Dremels have an adjustable speed switch. Mine goes from 0-10, very low rpm to full speed. Perhaps this would be better for cutting and trimming styrene?


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Spoil

My Dremel goes back to the stone age. It does have the
speed settings, but the slowest is extremely high and
not suitable for plastic work.

I found a foot pedal 110 volt voltage control. I suspect
it uses the solid state 'sampling' system. It does not
work with the Dremel motor tho it works correctly
on non motorized applications. I'm told that only
a foot control made by Dremel will slow it down.

Anyone know anything different? I'm open for
suggestions.

Don


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

kingred58 said:


> wow! great to see this continued - looks likes enough barracks for a coal army.
> 
> what did you use for flooring? how thick and how far inset below bottom of walls? - they look great!
> 
> ...


Thanks for your comments. The flooring I used pieces of scrap poster board. I wanted something thick to hold the posts that I install later since they will be wood. I didn't drop the floor area below the walls because these were cheaply built & had not much in the way of a foundation. The floor was framed on posts made mostly of old RR ties or telegraph poles. I haven't done any bracing yet because I need to get my big hands in there later for setting the posts. I will use pieces of poster board ran across wall to wall or if you have some styrene scrap is good too & even better. Since I have so many of these I'm using the scrap pieces of poster board. Thanks


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

DonR said:


> Very impressed by your accurate and clean cutting on that styrene.
> 
> I have been using hobby knife on it with great difficulty.
> 
> ...


Thanks for you comment as well. I use the Roto Zip bits I use for my job. The better bits called X-Bits are better & don't heat up as fast because they cut quicker compared to the standard bit & even more so than the Dremel bits. Any bit will melt the plastic & load up if your cutting too fast. I tried to cut multiple pieces layered but it cut too slow & melted. I think I could only cut two or three at a time. Thanks


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

DonR said:


> Spoil
> 
> My Dremel goes back to the stone age. It does have the
> speed settings, but the slowest is extremely high and
> ...


Speed controls work best with single speed tools. By the time you buy something to use you might be better to up grade your Dremel tool. Mine is about two years old & I can remember my old one I had growing up one speed....wide open


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