Buildings from 'junk'.

Discussion in 'Buildings & Structures' started by Keith M, Apr 4, 2019.

  1. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Like many modellers, I often save 'throwaway' odds and ends that many sane people would consign to the rubbish bin, and a few days ago, my Wife, who amongst Her hobbies enjoys dressmaking, handed me a couple of empty overlocker cotton spools. For the many males who may not know what an overlocker is, it's a special sewing machine for hemming garments, which uses 4 threads and 2 needles, the threads of around 500 metres usually wound onto large spools of varying shapes and sizes, and this is one of the spools She gave me, which got me thinking what I could do with them.

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  2. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    So I had a look around Google images for an idea I had in my mind, and came up with this.

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  3. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    It was the 'mushroom' shape that triggered my thoughts, so after a bit of 'bashing', using another 'throwaway' item, an empty drum which once contained fancy ribbon (from Lidl of all places!) for the rounded end, together with 'Plasticard' for the sides and a few odd windows, doors and frames, I had the basics of a water tower and pump room. Brick paper and lintels, a lifting beam outside the double machinery doors, a bit of a paint job, and the end result is as below. I guess it's the kind of thing that 'Timbersurf' would love, as it's right up his street, using 'household' materials to save cost, and I decided on a kind of 'Art-Deco' look for the pump house mainly because I have a couple of the Hornby signal boxes and Bachman station buildings in similar 'Southern' style, so it made sense to me at least.
    Keith.

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  4. mikejh

    mikejh Full Member

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    A man after my own heart, must admit some of my efforts are still junk when I have finished

    Cheers Mike
     
  5. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    You get a badge when you can incorporate a Christmas bauble!:giggle:

    Plastic coffee stirrers with perfect holes in
    Carriage platform Coffee stirrer.jpg

    Till roll holders (two sizes) with the larger chamfered and cut on a toothbrush handle used as a mandrel in a drill.
    Concrete pipes bare and painted.jpg
     
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  6. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    Good stuff gentlemen........:thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs::thumbs:
    :cheers::tophat:Gormo
     
  7. Gloria Aldridge

    Gloria Aldridge Full Member

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    Hi
    What a brilliant idea it looks good well done.
    Regards,
    Gloria.
     
  8. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Great fore vision. ..... Nothing to waste.
     
  9. Andy_Sollis

    Andy_Sollis Staff Member Moderator

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    I think this could also double as a radar station... or swap the tower to a done and you have a small observatory! Great little building. Love the plant room door with the rsj!
     
  10. Gloria Aldridge

    Gloria Aldridge Full Member

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    Hi everyone,
    My build from scrap pieces of wood and a bisto gravy tin plus a drinks straw the platform made from strips of wood and balsa wood its for our portable railway.
    Regards,
    Gloria
     
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  11. AJS is a Red

    AJS is a Red Full Member

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    Love the ingenuity of these builds.... I've got some examples of that on my layout. For example; I'm making a water tower, made from the lids of 2 toothpaste tubes (1 adult and a smaller one for children. The central piece is an old felt tip pen, cut to the right length. The top is just a small piece of card, the water down pipe is made from a spare piece of plastic sprue from an Airfix Red Arrows kit, bent into the right shape by heating over a tea light until it becomes malleable. Doesn't look too bad, just need to add some weathering and put it in place on the layout.
     

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  12. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

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    Micro Brewery from Frylite tops and Vino Tinto cork


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  13. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    I remember watching this progress. Excellent build.:thumbs:
     
  14. MalcT

    MalcT Full Member

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    What a great build Ian.:thumbup:
     

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