For some time now I have spotted scrap gons at this lowly site in Alma. Its just a flat spot with a track running down the middle. Rather boring for the local crew. So I decided to add a little interest. The first thing this scrapyard needed was a fence. I went to the LHS and picked up a few sticks of 1/16" square basswood and a couple of sheets of 1/32" X 3" X 36" balsa. Total cost was just over $5.00. Since the area is on the inside of a curve on the main, there were a couple of odd angles for the fence line. I measured the lengths and started construction. The boards for the fence represent rough cut 1X6 not the finished stuff you get at the home improvement store. I cut the balsa to the lengths I needed for an 8' fence. I used a NWSL chopper to make indentations every scale 6" or so then deepened the indentations with a #11 xacto blade being careful not to go through the balsa. I also broke a few boards. With an old wooden fence you know stuff happens. On the back side I mounted the upright posts on 10' centers using the 1/16" stock. The posts are 9' long. I then mounted the crossmembers set in 1' from the top and bottom. The finish lengths were weathered with diluted black latex paint. You could get the same effect with alcohol and india ink. I just happened to be out of ink. You can see the results below. After finishing the fence sections I moved on to prep the site for installation.
Since I hand lay track on a cork base, I needed to shim the surrounding terrain up to track level. I cut thin strips of cardboard and glued them along the center line of the fence and filled in the area between the fence and track with larger sheets of cardboard. This keeps the weight of the dirt to a minimum. I marked the locations of the fence posts and drilled my post holes. The fence was glued in place with CA and I finished filling in the area with cardboard and dirt. I cleared out the flange ways with an old set of trucks while the dirt was still wet then finished the flange ways with a hacksaw blade after everything dried.
I made a couple of signs for the front on my computer. I sanded the back of the paper to make them very thin then glued them to the appropriate fence sections and installed them at the front of the scrapyard. I added some scrap made from foil and the peel off tops from coffee cans. The bailed scrap is formed from small candy bar wrappers. Here is the semi-finished project. I say semi-finished since I need to decide what type of gates to use (wood, chain link, or maybe just and iron bar that swings across the entrance). The total time to construct this project was about 8-10 hours spread out over a few weeks. It was an easy project and one that would be perfect for that first time scratch building project. Other details still need to be added such as the equipment used to pulverize and bail scrap, an office/scale house, a few junk cars and a LOT MORE scrap and junk (a project for a layout party?). At least for now I have a much more interesting industry for the local to switch. Hope you enjoy.
Nice little area you have made. some "spilled" oil in the dirt, scrap from pipe to sheet, to busted machinery can be piled about. The fence is 1st rate.
Nice fence. I would go with a wooden gate - for a wooden fence. Movable ??:angel: I'm more interested in the scap yard itself. How do you make the scrap piles. Wolfgang
Thanks Wheeler & Wolfgang. Wolfgang-here in the states coffee cans now have a peel-off top so you don't have to use a can opener. The top is pliable but thicker than foil. I just use scissors and cut it into narrow lengths and pieces then pile it up. Later when I glue everything down I will apply some washes to tone down the shine. The bailed scrap is made from Hershey candy wrappers that are wadded up and shaped into a square bail. I'll try and post pics tomorrow night since I don't have to work the train exhibit.
This is what I did with my scrap yard at the module Silicon Valley (now sold): Still with wet glue. This SOO Line gon carries scrap bales. Wolfgang
MOPMAN, Just caught this thread - great tutorial!!! Nice looking fence! How about a sign on that middle potion of fence showing: _______________ ]---------------[ ] <<<<--TRAINS[ ]---------------[ ]AUTOS-->>>> [ ]---------------[
Thanks for the comments guys. Wolfgang: I love that scrap pile. The piles I am working on now represent stuff just trucked in for "processing". Later I will add piles that resemble yours ready for rail shipment.
I think you should switch the arrows around and see if anybody notices As far as a gate, how about a sliding wood gate. It doesn't have to be operational but that is what I imagined when I looked at it. What type of equipment moved to scrap around? A dozer, crane with magnet, forklift, frontend loader? Looks really good, Eric
Switch the arrows?...hmmm. I'll have to think about that. As for the equipment...I was thinking about a forklift for moving things around the yard especially bailed scrap and a couple of tracked cranes for unloading trucks and loading gons, one with tongs and the other with an electromagnet.
Definately need a gate If you could throw on a chain link gate, the type that use rollers to slide back and forth because that seems like it would be more practical than any type of swinging gate. Also the chain link does nice things for your eye line into the scrap yard, and still looks good if you fix it into the open position across your fence and signage. The gate (non-slidable would be easy). Pick up a roll of the scaled chain link from a hobby shop. A few stir sticks from McDs or some chain resturant (paint grey and weather with a touch of black and brown (to match your soil) to build a frame. The rollers for the sliding gate could be a section of hollow stir stick or something else. Fabric shop and get a silver embrodery thread and you might be able to loop you up a little barbwire if you want to top it off with a little more industrial foreboding. Emrbodery thread, especially the plasticy silver stuff is thicker and might hold its shape better, especially if a clear glue is applied just to shape into the loops. I feel inspired. I did a similiar fence on a garage once, and placed some scrap and busted cars behind it to give the simple garage a little character.
An alternative for part of the fencing is to use sides from old containers or old box car doors. Candy wrapppers, the silver paper kind, can be further fine shredded in an old coffee grinder and make good aluminium scrap. On another site I remember reading about forming thicker aluminium foil round Herpa bodies, cut out the windows and dent and weather them as much as you want
All of the above ideas are being considered. Right now I am working on the yard at Clarksville Jct but will return to scrapyard and other areas as time and money become available.
