Scrounger's Corner

pennytrains posted:

Too small for my eyes!

Mine too .

My own stuff is hard to see too.  I'll likely return to for close shots eventually. Those pictures were "on hand" and once I looked, realised what else was captured.

City slicker to farmer with a 3 legged pig: ”what happened to his leg?"

Farmer: That pigs my pet and a good one. I live alone and can't eat a good pig like that all in one sitting"

 

Egg carton?

 

Adriatic posted:

HVAC- it looks like a toy security gate or grave stones (Another use?)

Bicycle inner tube tar over asphalt. Or in my case, semi truck tube used for floating down rivers years ago .The thickness varies and corresponds to use mostly.(I bought the thick ones considering branch pokes )

  When you don't buy your socks in a five gallon bag (hordious bromhidrosis ) they often come on a funny little hanger for the closet. Trim the hanger portion off paint as seen fit, and you have a section of fence. (2 upside down to see the trim spot here)

The same hanger curved in boiling water is a radar antenna...

(Micro wave transmitter, radio,etc)

They also have been used as loading ramps, platform grates, scaffold flats, and bridge catwalk. (Right of Gantry, top of spot light pole, it's also sitting free, on a wire terminal s finger nut like a cover)

That pole and huge spot lights are one of those cross bucks we aquire as "ka-nick ka-knak gifts”( ) we all aquire as gifts repeatedly, then break the extras while rummaging in storage. (I think this was #4 downstairs, lol)

The whole thing sits over a passtrough base of wood and hardboard from old stereo equipment I was tossing. Its 'tunnel' will have hardwood doors that slide on c-channel and bi-fold door wheels. All stuff accumulated for household repairs ahead of time.

Wow, There's lots in this shot.

The rocket low on the right of the gantry a thick (vintage) gift paper tube, the nosecone a plastic end cap for a hollow broomstick, sanded/filed.

To the left is a Stanley tool package raised roof on a styrene body crane and platform, and a boom of a tone arm from a Sansui linear tracking turntable (Ooops....record player is a better word here, eh? )

The yard spot on the lionel arch is a kitchen spice rack/shelf dowel and a cake decorating top hat with a bulb socket in it. Crude but try looking close when lit lol.

The extension beam supporting the track, is old adjustable shelf support C-bracket 2/cut short, with a  nut and bolt to form a long clamp grabbing the arches top at the original track-nut plate's slots. There is a small catwalk on it of scrap styrene here, hard to see the beam.

Top right, an upside down lazer pointer cap, inverted like a vase, is a vintage desk flags light sconce.

I get the idea that if it's not bolted down its shows up on one of your creations/layouts, One man's junk is another's layout material.

Turn a bolt and things come loose for use too

As a kid, the tools got locked from fear of my disassemblies not my safety.

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The HVAC unit is some buildings from the game of Life.

 

Putnam Division posted:

Great start, everyone.....I'm sure there are a lot more ideas out there......

OK..........Who can identify the origin of the air conditioning unit on the roof of the 3rd building from the left?

Peter

Peter, since you have a medical background, I will say a pacemaker. 

What do I win?

Tom

JDFonz posted:

The HVAC unit is some buildings from the game of Life.

 

Impressive! It is the "hotel" from Milton Bradley's "Game of Life".  

A battered and incomplete board game I was putting in the trash, and the hotel caught my eye some years ago.

Excellent work JDFonz!

Peter

MNCW posted:

Putnam Division posted:

Great start, everyone.....I'm sure there are a lot more ideas out there......

OK..........Who can identify the origin of the air conditioning unit on the roof of the 3rd building from the left?

Peter

Peter, since you have a medical background, I will say a pacemaker. 

What do I win?

Tom

Tom........what you win is the admiration of your fellow train-nuts! 

Peter

Here's another....anyone care to venture a guess on the smoke stack on the factory?

Peter

Part of a ballpoint pen?

Tom

I am going to look for a close up........this pic is probably not fair......

Peter

Here are some better pics......I am looking for the source of the off-white/weathered stack. The black object is another story.....it fell off a train and I picked it up off the ROW and placed it there......and, looks OK as a roof detail....anyone care to veture a guess on it?

Peter

Putnam Division posted:

Here are some better pics......I am looking for the source of the off-white/weathered stack. The black object is another story.....it fell off a train and I picked it up off the ROW and placed it there......and, looks OK as a roof detail....anyone care to veture a guess on it?

Peter

I blew it up even more and can not see what is was from?
Two item glued together that had some type of handle/mount?
Great tread keeps everyone on there toes and pits a lot of good ideas out there so everyone can think outside of the box!

OK, my like and quote buttons don't work today..

The black structure looks like a square drain nipple or drift tube (airflow across one forms suction to draw air/liquid.

The grey?..... Two shot glasses?

The pen. I took the ink tube and tip out of a cheapie Bic pen and cut three sections , long and two short using 20° angles for the turn down joints to get an angled long tube when the spout tip reached vertical, when lowered. It had no taper you often see, but not every spout was tapered. I did replace it, but because I wanted one that telescoped for easier placement of the tank.

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All good guesses.....I'll post the answer in the AM.

Those of you at York.....look through the "junk boxes" in the Member Halls......there's gold there, dirt cheap, usually, and literally for the taking.....TRAIN your eyes to see the possible!

Peter

Adriatic posted:

OK, my like and quote buttons don't work today..  Sounds like an operator issue

The black structure looks like a square drain nipple or drift tube (airflow across one forms suction to draw air/liquid. More info then we needed to know

The grey?..... Two shot glasses?

The pen. I took the ink tube and tip out of a cheapie Bic pen and cut three sections , long and two short using 20° angles for the turn down joints to get an angled long tube when the spout tip reached vertical, when lowered. It had no taper you often see, but not every spout was tapered. I did replace it, but because I wanted one that telescoped for easier placement of the tank.

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And suppose you were still using the shot glasses as you were building?

I saw it.  Will get back later.

Colman mini spot flashlights

Adriatic posted:

OK, my like and quote buttons don't work today..

The black structure looks like a square drain nipple or drift tube (airflow across one forms suction to draw air/liquid.

The grey?..... Two shot glasses?

The pen. I took the ink tube and tip out of a cheapie Bic pen and cut three sections , long and two short using 20° angles for the turn down joints to get an angled long tube when the spout tip reached vertical, when lowered. It had no taper you often see, but not every spout was tapered. I did replace it, but because I wanted one that telescoped for easier placement of the tank.

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Really neat!

Peter

Hotwheels cement mixer drum?

 I wish I could use two shot glasses, a single does the trick if I'm ready. I'm a lightweight anymore due to blood sugar issues, which is why I've been ending some posts short of being done the last few days; sugar crashes. There is a large edit to be added on the pictures when I finish this. You might want to backtrack.  ?

Thanks Peter. Both are mostly scrap and odd hardware folks might have in a junk drawer.

Those " Life" houses got me thinking, Monopoly buildings might do well as doll houses, and Lifesaver's wintergreen for dock safety floats. You could even highlight the letters, lol.

A little off subject, but for anyone at York, the layout in the black hall is a must see.  Takes up the whole bldg, maybe 18 ft x 70ft.  Multiple levels with over and under sections.  One bridge looks to be about 6 feet long.  They even have an active smoking geyser basin in the Yellowstone section.  They have a civil war battle scene, a caterpillar sales dealership, about a 5 foot hot ore smelting operation, a police emergency scene and a bunch of others. Easily the best portable layout I have ever scene (sp). 

pennytrains posted:

Hotwheels cement mixer drum?

If its old, after you check the "value" lol.

OK.......here's what they were in their former life...........

1. The "stack" is the nut which held an old toilet seat to the commode......

2. The black "roof detail" fell off of a Solido 1:50 scale Sherman tank. It has since been glued back on.......I believe it is a a piece of pontoon bridge......

Peter

Lol, the aspie in me took "falling off a train" and "ROW" literally. I thought it was a part from a prototype locomotive ...ROTFLMAO.

I always assumed those were vent extensions for crossing creeks and small streams....???

Old crapper nuts! ?!!?

I wish I did, but I got "nuttin' ". Funny enough on its own anyhow

Putnam Division posted:

OK.......here's what they were in their former life...........

2. The black "roof detail" fell off of a Solido 1:50 scale Sherman tank. It has since been glued back on.......I believe it is a a piece of pontoon bridge......

Peter

It looks like the engine cover/air intake/exhaust off a DD (Dual Drive) Sherman, the pseudo-amphibious kind that is *supposed* to swim.

Adriatic posted:

 I wish I could use two shot glasses, a single does the trick if I'm ready. I'm a lightweight anymore due to blood sugar issues, which is why I've been ending some posts short of being done the last few days; sugar crashes. There is a large edit to be added on the pictures when I finish this. You might want to backtrack.  ?   OK?

 

Doc

Following this thread and rereading some of the posts has just reminded me just how inventive we can be.  Old School probably the best way to describe it. Long before AG, Scenic Express and other companies with ready made products, this is how it was done. ,  I can recall as a kid many moons ago that you could find ready made in HO and N scale but hardly anything in O other than plasticvile. This thread is showing  how to use everyday items around the house, not spend a lot of money, but also showcases a lot of skill and talent that's slowly being lost.  Hopefully what this thread dose do is inspire the next generation as they see something and say I can do that too. 

Just added some pictures on using a disposable brush to make tall grass, just remember to try the piece in the drilled hole before gluing.
This is using junk stuff for layouts etc. May not be perfect for some but I m a tinplater and it works for me.

Maybe I can use this process for hair restorations?

The base with small length of track is for a small engine/display case. This is a low cost case and I will put the info in the scenery forum section.

 

Putnam Division posted:

OK.......here's what they were in their former life...........

.......I believe it is a a piece of pontoon bridge......

Peter

Palalin is correct. It's a snorkel. May have looked good on the chalk board, but tanks and water weren't a good mix.....

T

 

RonH posted:

Just added some pictures on using a disposable brush to make tall grass, just remember to try the piece in the drilled hole before gluing.
This is using junk stuff for layouts etc. May not be perfect for some but I m a tinplater and it works for me.

Maybe I can use this process for hair restorations?

The base with small length of track is for a small engine/display case. This is a low cost case and I will put the info in the scenery forum section.

 

That's pretty cool. I was thinking that could also be used as the tall weeds you also see near railroad tracks.

This turntable was built with a 8 inch dia. lazy Susan bearing and powered by a spare or used cloths dryer belt.  The TT end wheels are used ball bearings.  The rest is scrap lumber and balsa wood.

 

Complete building details are in Post 9 of the thread below..

https://ogrforum.com/t...ra-027-layout?page=1

Charlie

 

 

mine came from a backhoe seat swivel at Home Depot.

suzukovich posted:

Adriatic posted:

 I wish I could use two shot glasses, a single does the trick if I'm ready. I'm a lightweight anymore due to blood sugar issues, which is why I've been ending some posts short of being done the last few days; sugar crashes. There is a large edit to be added on the pictures when I finish this. You might want to backtrack.  ?   OK?

 

Doc

Following this thread and rereading some of the posts has just reminded me just how inventive we can be.  Old School probably the best way to describe it. Long before AG, Scenic Express and other companies with ready made products, this is how it was done. ,  I can recall as a kid many moons ago that you could find ready made in HO and N scale but hardly anything in O other than plasticvile. This thread is showing  how to use everyday items around the house, not spend a lot of money, but also showcases a lot of skill and talent that's slowly being lost.  Hopefully what this thread dose do is inspire the next generation as they see something and say I can do that too. 

Well said!

Peter

I built this Bobber Caboose from an Old Radio Flyer under frame.  The body was foam core, colored duct tape and colored electrical tape.  It was hard to photograph as it was always moving at high speed.  The conductor in the picture still likes trains.

Putnam Division posted:

I like the Plasticville stations repurposed into an apartment building flat...

Mitch

OK, today I only get to read one line at a time. Isn't new tech great?.. for the manufacturers. Likes still don't work on this thread, so a thank you for posts , and comments to all that all deserve one.(pretty much all of um) I don't have a photo (and couldnt post it anyhow, no tool today) because I used stainless hardware and its "broken" from the glue coming off the stainless steel, but regular steel or even brass should work great. A kerosene lantern. Starting with a small football shaped, sliding, fishing sinker, I glued a finishing washer on the bottom for the base, and a smaller one on the top. I added a carpet nail for the chimney, and a paperclip for the handles. One got red paint and disappeared never to be seen again, but the white one is still in the junk box awaiting a fourth attempt with glue. I guess I could pick up some non-stainless ones......nah, I like my wallet better closed PS....I can't believe nobody called me out on my sweaty teeth. I've since then brushed them well, but now crave a sweet. You can't pay me to correct that, lol.

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Putnam Division posted:

I like the Plasticville stations repurposed into an apartment building flat...

Mitch

Thanks, Mitch.....did that in the mid 90s......I'll look for better pics.

Peter

Here's are the pics of Plasticville walls re-purposed into building flats.....if you go to enough shows, each section can be had for 25-50 cents out of junk boxes or off tables.

The building to the left of the tan apartment building painted off-white is made from pieces of the Plasticville schoolhouse. You can see a little more of it in this next picture.

I got the idea from the Greenberg Show layout.

Another way of turning "junk" into something useful!

Peter

OK......Scrounger's. This week.....why use the same old Lionel canisters?

Where did these come from?

Peter

Spray paint cans or deodorant cans!

Tom

It looks familiar, two arrows pointing in on some type of pull tab or something.
A spay paint top is to wide and not as long?Hopefully someone may get a better idea on what it is from the blown up picture.
Good one.