Sierra West Scale Models Sawmill
In the past I scratchbuilt a machine shop in O-scale for my good friend Doug Matheson after constructing the various machines from Sierra West Scale Models. The machine shop begged to be in a nice setting so we created a massive four segment diorama depicting the machine shop in a small eastern Ontario town circa 1910 with a train station, general store and a coal dealer.
To visit the blog entry dealing with the machine shop build itself (with a multitude of Sierra West machines) but not the dioramas, visit the blog entry from April 2021 in the blog archive in the right hand column.
The link below will take you to a "Modeler's Minute" where my friend Doug and I share the larger diorama with some NMRA friends. Doug was the inspiration for the build and I did all of the modeling.
Copy and past the link into your computer's browser:
https://sld-nmra.ca/wp-content/uploads/Bytown-Express/Modeller%E2%80%99s%20Minute%20-%20Mike%20Hamer%20Doug%20Matheson%20-%20Tyrone.pdf
To see the four part diorama, machine shop, coal dealership, general store and train depot, there are four blog entries from March 2023 in the righthand column.
With that project having been completed a couple of years ago, Doug approached me to see if I was interested in building the Sierra West Scale Models Sawmill and place it on a diorama...once again, we'd be doing the modeling in O scale.
"Sure!" I said to Doug.
So, Doug ordered the kit from Brett at Sierra West. But before we go ahead with the build, we decided to build a few vehicles from that early time period circa 1910 which I will share a few pictures of with you before the sawmill build proceeds.
Just a quick note from Brett in his instructions.
He writes, "While I use a high strength tooling resin that is very flexible and strong, the parts in these kits contain incredibly fine detail that must be handled carefully to prevent damage.
Instructions relevant to his kits can be viewed and downloaded at his website:
Copy and paste the link below into your computer's browser:
sierrawestscalemodels.com/instructions.html
One of the vehicles Brett offers is the Linn Half Truck. This is a great looking model that was built in a day at the workbench after a primer spray of black offered up the day before.
The Linn Half Truck build involved more of an effort in painting and weathering than model building itself as there were only a small handful of resin sections to be glued together. The quality of these parts is 'second to none' in my books!
Another model I built offered from Brett at Sierra West Scale Models is this exquisite specimen, a Ford Model TT Flatbed Truck
Yet another great looking model offered by Brett.
Doug loved the appearance of the Best Sixty dozer offered by Sierra West so it arrived my workbench as well.
Here was how the model appeared before the canopy option was applied.
A 3/4 view from the rear with the canopy applied.
And...from the front! Such a cool-looking model in my books!
Another model which will play a significant role in the sawmill diorama will be this steam donkey offering from Wiseman Model Services Inc.
This was a rather intricate, yet rewarding build.
This photo was taken beneath a forested area on the large scale outdoor railroad we operate every Saturday morning throughout the late spring and into early fall up here in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Wiseman Model Services also offered up this lovely little kit of a logging wagon in O scale.
While these aren't really authentic logs for the image (old pencils) it gives you the idea of the purpose for the logging wagon.
A lower angle look.
Doug liked the look of this Russell Hi-Way Patrol Grader, so we built it!
I snapped this image after painting and building the model - but before weathering and adding the tongue to hold the harnesses for the horses or oxen who would be pulling the grader.
The model has been weathered and the tongue is in place. It is erect seeing as a team of horses or oxen will be harnessed on both sides of the tongue.
In later years the tongue was replaced by a shorter hitch and a tractor would have pulled the grader. Two men would ride the grader with one steering the unit while the other used the upper wheels to raise and lower and change the angle of the blade.
Doug loves tractors so I built this Fordson tractor for him - another offering from Brett Gallant at Sierra West Scale Models.
This is a great looking model as well!
Yet another tractor offering from Brett at Sierra West is this Farmall tractor.
She's an 'oldie' but a 'Goldie'!
Ahh...there may even be more vehicles to come in the near future - even if they may not even appear on the sawmill diorama!
Let's get on with the sawmill build.
This will be an on-going thread as this will be a long-term project!
I began by running my grain-making tool along the beams and joists that will make up the subfloor.
I then stained the subfloor beams and joists using the SAMAN Furniture Stain 'Colonial' and then offering a 'wash' of black acrylic paint.
The SAMAN furniture stain 'Colonial' is on the left and the black acrylic paint is on the right.
Brett recommends having the 'visible' beams and joists run no longer than 16 scale feet or around six inches...so here I am marking the border at one of these intervals.
The miter box allows for perfect cuts.
I chose to use painters masking tape to hold the beams in place atop the schematic diagram before gluing the joists in place. I roughed up the exposed ends of the beams and joists although I have yet to stain the ends seen in this image.
Some of the longer beams required holes to accommodate the the 'Live Rolls Drive Friction Shaft'.
While I had a smaller drill bit, I was able to enlarge the opening with this narrow awl. This will allow the .047 diameter brass wire to pierce each of the seven beams.
I used the first beam to act as a guide in order to drill the rest of the holes to keep the opening for the rod 'in line'. Some of these beams appear longer on the model but I chose to shorten the area where the rod pierces them for ease of working with beams of the same length. The beams will be lengthened when they are placed on the template.
This wheel will be attached to the end of the shaft. I have blackened it with a wash of acrylic black paint.
The above image showcases the installation of the 'Live Rolls Drive Friction Shaft'.
The wheel is located at the end of the shaft as mentioned before.
The bevel friction items are in place.
Finally, the lever goes in. In fact, all of these items had to be placed strategically along the shaft including the beams to ensure the proper order of things! Big smile!
With the joists now in place, my trusty weights hold them in place as the glue sets.
Mini-clamps also aid in keeping the 'side by side' joist segments in place as the glue sets for them.
Here is where the project stands for the time being.
The actual floor boards will not be placed for quite a while as many other projects within the framework will have to be addressed. Check in every week or so to see how I am progressing with the build!
This will be a year-long project, so feel free to check in every once in a while to see what happened next at my workbench.
It's fun making models for friends...my way of "giving back"!
Mike Hamer
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
