My railroad: Making crates for the harbor scene

Рет қаралды 42,965

7 жыл бұрын

If you would like to purchase crates or molds, the best place to go is my website: superiormodelrailroads.com
This project grew exponentially. When I began, the intention was to just make a few different crates and then make many copies. Eventually, I made over 50 different crates.
The silicone rubber is from Micro-Mark. The resin I'm using is sold under the name "amazing casting resin" by Alumilite, which is significantly cheaper than the Micro-Mark resin and seems to be just as good for this particular application. There are two versions available. I'm using the fast-curing resin, which gives me about 2-minutes of pot life, and can be demolded in about 15 minutes (it says 10 minutes on the box, but they are still too soft at that point). The cheapest place to get it is Walmart.com. You can have it shipped to the store free of charge (or to your home if you spend $50 or more).
Although it was not my intention at first, my crates are now available for sale. I did try putting them up on ebay, figuring that there are some advantages, but then I discovered that e-bay and pay-pal will together consume the majority of my profit margin. They are still listed there just on the off-chance that someone browsing takes an interest, but I will have to put the prices up. Full details are there, along with some photos. My e-bay store name is "superiormodels". Just do a quick search for "cast resin crates" and my listings should come up pretty near the top of the list.
Several pack configurations are offered, either painted or unpainted, depending on whether you'd rather save time or save money. For anyone who wants a lot of crates for a modest cost, I'm also offering molds for sale. The molds I'm selling are not the same ones I've been using. Customers will receive new molds, made to order. Some have slightly different configurations to those shown in the video, so check the descriptions carefully before ordering.
If you are a subscriber to my channel, be sure to send me a message with your order telling me your you-tube user name and I'll enclose something extra. Even if you've only subscribed to get the freebee, that's okay.
If you'd like to purchase crates or molds here at a lower price than they are offered on e-bay, and you trust me enough to pay by check, please message me or send an inquiry via email to: mpeterll64@gmail.com.
Basically, I'm offering all the same options as those listed on ebay, but the prices will be lower if purchased directly.
Unpainted crates: $9.95/pack (quantity per pack depends on size).
Painted crates: $15.95/pack (quantity per pack depends on size).
Molds: $45 each or $200 for a full set of 5 (save $25).
Shipping within the US: $6.95 per order, regardless of quantity.
International shipping at cost (please let me know your location when you inquire).

Пікірлер: 47

@mpetersen6 4 жыл бұрын

If I go with the idea I'm looking at right now I'll need some really big crates. The major industry would be an automotive manufacturing plant that built both bodies and drive train components. Circa mid 70s. At the time they put in a new engine line and stamping presses. So we're talking some pretty big crates

@mpeterll 4 жыл бұрын

I guess you mean something like the crates shown in these videos: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e8eYetSXuN--o2w.html kzfaq.info/get/bejne/j7xzoKV4uqmagoE.html These are my large crate ends as sold on my website superiormodelrailroads.com (mold 'E'). If you want a fair number of crates, using the cast ends saves about half of the total work.

@mpetersen6 4 жыл бұрын

@@mpeterll For the stamping presses the crowns (the part that contains the cranks, drive shaft, clutch & brake assembly that by itself was at least 2.5 to 3 meters tall, 3 meters wide and 7 meters long. Say 8 x 10 x 20+ feet. We're talking depressed center flat cars I think. As I said, REALLY BIG CRATES. 🤯 And that's just the crowns. The side plates would be another load. They were about 3 x 10 x 18. The base section was close to the size of the crowns. Add in the rams, bolster plates etc that alone for just the press lines gives a lot of switching opportunities on top of incoming parts, castings, tools of sheet steel, steel bar stock for the forge shop and out going empties, dunnage for parts, cast iron chips, bailed sheet scrap from the press room, scrap engine blocks, cranks heads, finished engines to other assembly plants, finished rear end assemblies for other assembly operations, body panels. Plus a facility for storing gasoline and base paint for painting the bodies in white. Trying to condense all that into about 8 feet isn't easy. The machining line for the engine blocks was probably 500 yards long. Fortunately all I really have to model of the buildings is the docks and basically the sides facing the tracks. Bonus points for figuring out the facility. Two hints. Rail service by the C&NW plus the old North Shore Line ran right through the plant property. I'm a good way away from ordering or building crates. Have to finish the layout design first. Will include passenger commuter trains to Chicago, a local yard, staging tracks for commuter trains with an sceniced staging facility on a lower level. Operated point to point with the provision for continuous operation for guests, testing equipment and for the puer pleasure of it.

@alexwake850 5 жыл бұрын

Brilliant video, very helpful, very informative and a technique I will definitely have a go at, thanks for sharing.👍

@wilburjordan3370 3 жыл бұрын

Good job keep it up ,Wil

@PilgrimofMatter 5 жыл бұрын

I feel that you should make the Ark of the Covenant and hide it somewhat inconspicuously among your crates.

@mpeterll 5 жыл бұрын

Interesting idea. I guess you mean something like the closing scene in "Raiders of the Lost ArK". I've often thought of hiding a couple of knights fighting a dragon deep within the forested area of the layout, and this would be the same kind of thing.

@malbradford3981 3 жыл бұрын

Well done Peter. They look crate I mean great. LOL. I love the hobby because there are so many skills that can be developed to give a large variety to the modeling norm. Love your channel.

@njRRtrainer 6 жыл бұрын

You sure have a great amount of creative thoughts - most excellent.. Thanks again

@terrymcnabb5949 7 жыл бұрын

Super Peter! Nice work, as always.

@giulius7176 7 жыл бұрын

Very nice!!!! I need a bunch of crates for my harbor scene as well...just bought a set of molds. Perfect timing thanks

@dwarnica 2 жыл бұрын

That is an excellent tutorial! You covered all the details very well! Thank you!

@TheDougday 7 жыл бұрын

Great video. I learned alot. Thanks! Doug

@dacuzzz 7 жыл бұрын

hi Peter... very very cool... lots of crates for a little money & time .. thanks for sharing.. vinny

@mpeterll 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comments. Actually it ended up costing me a lot more than I anticipated at the start (mainly because the project grew so much). I spent $80 on rubber, $40 on resin, and used about 4 whole packs of evergreen styrene strips. I'm hoping they sell well so I can recover the costs. (btw, your package should be with you today - at least that's what the post-office guy told me on Saturday)

@ZanesTrains1972 6 жыл бұрын

Tip for cheap plastic do not buy styrene or evergreen product it's just high price plastic buy it in bulk offline for flat sheets you could use for sale sings, commercial blinds I (I find them in the trash) for thick plastic I go to Home Depot and buy 10 ft of soffiting I got a lot for free I am stock pilling plastic glue and paint for scratch building which all my stutures on my layout will be kit bashed or scratch built

@mehusla 6 жыл бұрын

Very informative and much appreciated.

@LiLBitsDK 5 жыл бұрын

super sweet crates

@josephpowell736 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent video. That’s a great way of making the crates that steam era modelers need. Keep up the good work:

@Phoenixknight79 6 жыл бұрын

you sure have a lot of crates, but once they get put where they have to do it will make your scene come to life can't wait to see the finish product.

@mysticrailroad 4 жыл бұрын

Great video.

@robertrent5218 3 жыл бұрын

Brilliant

@jamescarry4733 2 жыл бұрын

A late thought. A steam RR engine being loaded down into the freighters hold. With crates and large and smaller boxes all around the Locomotive.v to

@scottsmith7051 Жыл бұрын

Crates that actually LOOK like crates.

@100mmtubeofjustice7 5 жыл бұрын

interesting idea sir, but since I don't use a lot of crates in my work. I generally just cut cubes of wood from scrap 2x4 or whatever's to hand.

@charlie1872 3 жыл бұрын

I found a pack of wooden blocks 18x18x18 at the Dollar store fir $1.50. I intend attempting to make into a crate by adding some strapping.I am very impressed with your moulding procedures I suspect you might have an engineering background?

@mpeterll 3 жыл бұрын

It's probably the same pack of wooden blocks I bought many years ago for the same reason before deciding that it would take too long to build them one at a time and that I would have to find a way of mass-producing them. As for my background, I did the first two years of a degree in architecture before going into computers, spent 18 years as a software engineer, then 13 years running a construction company before starting my own company "Superior Model Railroads".

@Wild-Dad 6 жыл бұрын

Very good video. I did not have to speed thru any part of it. Glad to see that you have a wife that allows you to use that much of your basement. LOL. I am interested in the molds. What would be the costs to ship to Burlington, Ontario. Canada?

@mpeterll 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the interest. I can ship any two molds to Canada for $30 or the full set for $50. If you're still interested, email me at: mpeterll64@gmail.com

@daverickaby333 6 жыл бұрын

Peter, where is Brians layout located at?

@jjthedrunk5792 6 жыл бұрын

I need about 1,200 crates to start off with.

@mpeterll 6 жыл бұрын

Dos that mean that you want to purchase a set of molds? Or are you making your own?

@charlie1872 3 жыл бұрын

Your “warehouse” building looks somewhat like a steel processing facility

@michaeltubbs4606 5 жыл бұрын

You might want to consider 3D printing for future mass production projects like this.

@mpeterll 5 жыл бұрын

You're right. 3D printing is another way of doing this, and in the past 2+ years since I did this, the cost of 3D printing has indeed come down a lot. Even so, it's still a far more expensive start-up than a bottle of silicone rubber, and the file-creation time is probably on a par with the time needed to build masters. Within a few more years, we'll probably see 3D printers appearing on the work-benches of many modelers. In the meantime, silicone rubber and casting resin is more within the means of most of us. Also, from what I've seen of 3D printed products, they need a lot more cleaning up than resin castings.

@jjthedrunk5792 6 жыл бұрын

I want to buy

@mpeterll 6 жыл бұрын

The best way to proceed is to send me a private message or email me at mpeterll64@gmail.com and let me know exactly what you want. The various options are shown more clearly here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kNuTpZOW1c-odIk.html

@dannyholt105 7 жыл бұрын

Hi Peter. Just subbed to your channel. Vinny sent me here! I love the crates you built. I forsee some on my layout. I'll have to measure for my needs and get back to you though. Do you prefer your gmail account for orders? Thanks. Cheers, Dan

@mpeterll 7 жыл бұрын

Yes, it's definitely best to order through my gmail. If you find out about my crates (or molds) here, there's no reason to go to ebay. If we deal via gmail, I can avoid the fees and pass the savings onto you. Go here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/kNuTpZOW1c-odIk.html or use the "show more" button on the description to get the best deals. After discovering how much ebay and paypal keep for themselves, I was forced to increase the prices over there. I've kept the ebay listings just on the off-change someone comes trolling by. They also have photos illustrating the various options. I need to create another video and include them here, but that might be a few days away.

@13bigerdave 4 жыл бұрын

I sure wish you could make and send me a bunch , being disabled it is hard to do a lot of the small stuff

@mpeterll 4 жыл бұрын

I can make you as many as you want. I sell them through my website: superiormodelrailroads.com

@13bigerdave 4 жыл бұрын

@@mpeterll yes I just was looking , I am sure I will order some thank you

@MrCeke Жыл бұрын

no cranes?

@mpeterll Жыл бұрын

Cranes were planned for the area but the scene was never finished. If you look closely in some of my videos, you'll see the rails for the traveling cranes, including a crossing with the future jetty spur. I had initially planned for two cranes on this track. One would be a static model at the end of the track in the process of unloading a ship, while I hoped to motorize the other so that it could be driven along the track.

@MrCeke Жыл бұрын

ok all good

@MyChaz2 7 жыл бұрын

I hope the workers belong to the union or you won't get diddly done

@mpeterll 7 жыл бұрын

Quite the contrary. The union workers are all on break. They have been since they arrived this morning. As soon as they finished their arrival break and their early morning break, they went straight into their mid-morning wind-down so that they can be fully rested in time to enjoy their lunch break. Then as soon as lunch break is over, it will be afternoon siesta, followed by tea-break, then smoke-break, and then one final break before clocking out to go home. Actually, all the work here is done by the non-union workers.