THE "MONARCH MILL"
THE MONARCH MILL & MINING COMPANY
CAD designed and laser-Cut hO-Scale kit made by Michael Franz.
THE "MONARCH MILL" - hO-scale by World in Scale Models - 1st test assembling
THE MONARCH Mill & Mining Company - is the name of the fictional company of my new series of structures. The company had a real good name in the gold mining business. The company was founded in the early 1890s in the area of Silverton, Colorado, America. Several structures are included to the company which had the goal to increase their production of highest quality gold at the turnover to the 19th century.
All the gold which was mined at the "Golden Monarch Mine" which was loacated in the highlands of Silverton was transported down the hills to the "Monarch Mill" which was located in the valley of Silverton. Here the valuable mineral was cleaned, separated from other worthless material and processed.
The model of the "Golden Monarch Mine" is CAD designed and bases loosely on several real structures and other models found on the internet, combined and modifed to one huge building. The CAD drawing in laser-cut in 2mm MDF-board. The laser-cut windows are made by Rail-Scale Models in the USA. All the walls and roofs are boarded with fine stripwood and milled wooden boards. Stripwood is also used for the walkways, details, pillars and rails. The smokestack is made of plastic, details at the structure and scenery are made of resin and white metal. The huge smokestack is a resin casted one coming from Bar Mills.
TEST FITTING OF THE LASER-CUT PARTS
"THE MONARCH MILL" - Here is a first test assembling of the first laser-cut parts. I have made a few minor corrections here and there again: Wooden strips no longer have to be mounted on the inside of the corners, instead triangles are now included, which are used at the corners at the bottom and at the top to mount the walls at right angles. A reinforcement of the front wall of the main building ensures stability behind the front extension. All components have also been numbered so that assembly will be easier in the end. The roof parts are also constructed, as well as another, small extension at the rear left, which will later serve as the basis for the large funnel.
Update with the new corner triangles instead of the wooden strips in the corners - makes the fitting much easier and much more accurate. Now it's time to assemble the rest of the 2nd version of
the laser cut parts (some minor updates and corrections done, roof parts added). The fitting is good, still some smaller corrections to be done - but for the first structure it will be ok
to work with .... so let's continue with the 2nd structure which has the triangles in the corners and the small addition for the large funnel on the backside now.
COVERING THE WALLS WITH STRIP WOODS
We cover the walls: For the main structure we use 1x10 wood strips which are glued on the outside of the structure. The windows and the upper edge will the upper edges and the windows are then cut out and sanded after the glue has dried. The wood strips are soaked in a mix of alcohol, inks, Vallejo colors and water for several hours - some shorter, the others a little longer in order to obtain different shades of color. Now all the walls of the main structure will receive the same treatment. Individual strips are pieced as if several strips had been put together in the original. Wall by wall is now processed in this way.
A huge mill needs a huge smokestack! Testfitting the chimney from American manufacturer Bar Mills which looks amazing with the structure. A good choice I guess! Before final assembling it will get its coloring / weathering. But the look of the building with such a smokestack looks good I guess!
Windows - lot of windows! Started with the windows from Rail Scale Models. First painted all of them in white color with a sponge, dabbed in a mix of white and beige color and colored the window frames. The inside of the walls around the windows is painted in the same color and the window frames are glued from the backside to the cut-outs. Now all the windows of the main building are treated the same way before the clear foils is glued on from the backside. For most of the windows the clear foil was damaged, small pieces are cut out or some pieces are left aside to give it the look of damage. All the windows will get some treatment with beige pastels from the backside to show dust. In the next step the main roof parts are mounted and glued to the structure. The small basement for the chimney is finished, brick wall added, painted and weathered. The top is a base made of concrete (wood, painted and dusted with pastels).
We cover the walls: For the additional structures we also use 1x10 wood strips which are glued on the outside of the structure. I have used the same stain to color / weather the wood strips, but made it a little bit darker for contrast, mixed it with some light strips in between. It gives the whole structure an interesting look. The same treatment will get the front part of the structure in the next steps before the windows will be installed here too.
Finished the walls, starting with the roof: After having applied all the 2x10 woodstrips to all the walls I have added all the missing windows, doors / freight doors and window glasses including some damages. A wash with Alc/Inc followed to homologize the walls and add further depth and aging look to the structure. Now the laser cut roof parts are mounted and the corners covered with further wood strips. Next step - shingles, tarpaper, corrougated metal ...
Weathering of the roof: The roofs are weathered with alc&inc and several kind of chalks after having applied all the shingles to the roof, the tarpaper on the lower roof areas and on several parts of the main roof, some corrougated metal roof panels on the main roof front and back side. The smokestack is painted in brick red and weatherd with a light beige wash and chalks. Next steps will be weathering of the walls, doors and windows, adding signs and further details.
